Long before you reach the salt flats, you’ll a surreal sea of white in the distance starkly contrasted against the brown desert landscape. But this is nothing compared to actually standing or driving on the flats themselves, a massive expanse of white, hazy against the sun and etched into artwork by uneven salt ruptures across the surface. When the miners are out you can watch them carve perfectly square holes, revealing the turquoise water below. Then head across the street, where vendors sit in front of a restaurant made entirely of salt, carving salt blocks into cactus paper weights.

The tourism office runs daily tours that last about three hours and cost $9, or check with the men selling tours near the plaza for different prices or times.

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By Suzanne Russo

Suzanne's childhood travel experiences were limited to road trip forays with her parents, and the thrill that came with crossing the state line,...

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