Huacachina is a cool little oasis/town just outside Ica, Peru (see map here). It’s the epitome of an oasis, nestled in a valley created by sand dunes hundreds of feet tall. These surrounding dunes are very popular for sandboarding (video). There is a “resort” there, but I get the impression that it’s more like a motel.
This place could easily be mistaken for a mirage. Someone wandering in the desert would never think it was actually real…
I can’t help but imagine the sand filling in the valley in that first photo. A little valley with a lagoon in the middle of the desert just seems to defy nature.