Lake Vanda

One of the most beautiful lakes in Antarctica is Lake Vanda, which is situated in Wright Valley. The lake is long and narrow and was long under New Zealand's control. Although the lake is mostly covered by ice the whole year, some melting in late December provides a moat to the coast. The lake is classified as hypersaline, meaning it is extremely, very salty - even more so than the Dead Sea. Vanda station is also located near Lake Vanda. You might be asking why Lake Vanda is more popular with tourists since it is the location of the Royal Lake Vanda Swim Club. Visitors can bathe in the salty water and relax (much like they would in the Dead Sea), and those who do so are given a shoulder patch to mark the occasion.

In response to climate-driven fluctuations in ice-cover sublimation, meltwater production, and yearly flow of the Onyx River, the lake's primary supply of water, lake levels increased by 15 m during the previous 68 years. Both Lake Vanda and the Onyx River are devoid of fish species, yet tiny life, such as cyanobacteria algae blooms, has been observed. Scientific diving activities are only permitted in the top layer due to worries about the potential effects of research on the environment, and the use of remotely piloted underwater vehicles is not permitted.