Dangerous rocks can be a hazard in natural environments such as coastlines, rivers, and mountains. They can be unstable and pose a risk to those in the vicinity, making it important to take proper safety precautions.

Nowadays, scrolling through Instagram, you will find an abundance of beautiful, unique and awe-inspiring locations from all over the world. Many of them will undoubtedly make us stop for a few seconds and marvel at their uniqueness. The most prominent are the rocky cliffs towering high above the ground with many social media influencers posing for death-defying photos.

However, the truth behind these heart-stopping Instagram shots at some of these locations may shock you!

Pedra do Telegrafo (Brazil) Pedra do Telegrafo is located in the Barra de Guaratiba neighborhood, about an hour’s drive from Rio de Janeiro. At first glance, it doesn’t look like anything special, except for a rock jutting out over 350 meters, with a magnificent ocean view of the Pedra Branca State Park in Rio de Janeiro below.

Pedra do Telegrafo has appeared in many Instagram photos of famous travel bloggers. What’s special is that everyone takes photos in the most dangerous positions, hanging by one hand, hanging upside down by their feet, “growing banana trees,” or falling backward off the cliff, looking very thrilling.

However, the secret behind this famous Instagram location was exposed by social media users years ago. Thanks to clever angles and a little photo editing, many people feel like the rock is teetering on the edge of the cliff. In reality, right below Pedra do Telegrafo is a relatively flat area, only about 1 meter away from the highest point of the rock.

Trolltunga (Norway) Trolltunga is one of the most beautiful and unique rocks in Norway, located about 160 km east of Bergen, the capital of Hordaland County, Norway. From a distance, the rock looks like a giant tongue reaching up to the blue sky, hence its nickname “Devil’s Tongue.”

To check-in at this location, tourists have to hike for about 4-5 hours to reach the 700m high rock. At one point, this place received up to 1,839 visitors in a single day. They often have to line up and quickly pose for a picture before giving way to the next visitor.

Potato Chip Rock (USA) Potato Chip Rock is a thin and fragile rock formation that resembles a potato chip, perched on the edge of the Woodson Road mountain in the city of San Diego, California. Due to its cute and amusing appearance, it has been given the nickname “potato chip rock”.

Although it may appear dangerous in photos, in reality, the rock is only 1.5 to 3 meters wide and sits about 3 meters above the ground. To get to this spot and capture the perfect Instagram shot, visitors must hike for up to 5 hours to reach the summit.

Kjeragbolten (Norway) Kjeragbolten is a boulder about 5 square meters in size, wedged between two mountain cliffs at Kjerag in Rogaland, Norway at an elevation of 984 meters. It is a popular destination for base jumpers and thrill-seekers. Unlike the other destinations on this list, this unique and perilous location requires visitors to have nerves of steel and surefootedness to capture a once-in-a-lifetime photo.

Wedding Cake (Australia) This unique wonder, known as Wedding Cake Rock, gets its name from its pristine white color, resembling a wedding cake. Standing at 50 meters tall, this landmark is located in the Royal National Park, only an hour’s drive south of Sydney. Although the area has been fenced off and climbing the rock is prohibited for safety reasons, many visitors still try to find ways to capture the perfect Instagram photo.

Hanging Rock (Australia) Hanging Rock is a 100-meter-tall volcanic rock formation, separated from adjacent cliffs. To reach the protruding edge of the rock, which is only about 50cm wide, visitors must brave a narrow and rugged path. Due to its treacherous terrain, Hanging Rock is not recommended for the faint of heart.