The River Of Five Colors

For most of the year, Caño Cristales in Colombia (often referred to as the 'river of five colors,' 'the river that ran away from paradise,' or 'the most beautiful river in the world') is indistinguishable from any other river, with a bed of rocks covered in dull green mosses and a cool dark blue current.

But for a short period of the year the river blossoms in a rainbow of colours. During that brief span between the wet and dry seasons, when the water level is just right, the many varieties of algae and moss bloom in a dazzling display of colours. Blotches of yellow, blue, green, black, and red...and a thousand shades in between, coat the river.