Island in Middle of German Lake Is the Perfect Pandemic Retreat
Wilhelmstein Island, an artificial island on Lake Steinhude in the Hanover region of northwestern Germany, looks like the perfect place to isolate yourself during a pandemic. The story of Wilhelmstein Island began in 1761, when Count Wilhelm von Schaumburg-Lippe, ruler of the County of Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg and an important military commander in the Seven Years’ War, […]
These Two Islands Are Just 2.4 Miles Apart, But Have a 21-Hour Time Difference
The Diomedes, two small islands in the Bearing Sea are famous as one of the few places where you can travel back in time, sort of… The international date line is an imaginary line that runs through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, marking the difference between calendar dates. Crossing the line from east to […]
The Stunning Twin Temples Atop China’s Holy Mount Fanjing
Mount Fanjing, in southwestern China’s Wuling mountain range, is home to one of the most otherworldly sights on the planet: two small temples built atop a split rock spire, connected by an arched bridge, overlooking a stunning natural paradise. Perched at the top of the natural rock spire known as the Red Clouds Golden Peak, […]
Bua Thong Sticky Waterfalls – A Waterfall You Can Climb With Your Bare Feet
Waterfalls are notoriously slippery, so trying to climb them without specialized gear is usually a bad idea, but at the Bua Thong Waterfalls in Thailand’s Chiang Mai province visitors can climb almost vertical falls using only their hands and feet. The so-called Sticky Waterfalls get their name from the incredibly grippy limestone rocks that the […]
This Japanese Building Has a Highway Passing Right Through It
The Gate Tower Building is one of the many several tall office buildings that make up Osaka’s impressive skyline, but there is something about it that makes it unique in the world – it has a functional highway going right through it. Photos of this architectural anomaly have been doing the rounds on social media […]
Chinese Tourist Attraction Lets You Experience Kung Fu Movie Flying First Hand
A unique tourist attraction in southeastern China’s Fujian province lets wuxia fans fulfill their dream of experiencing the flying techniques of the kung-fu masters they used to watch on TV growing up. If you’re a fan of popular wuxia films like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” or “House of Flying Daggers”, you’ve probably fantasized or even […]
Cascate del Mulino – Tuscany’s Stunning Limestone Pools
Among the rolling hills and vineyards of the Tuscan countryside lies one of the most stunning tourist attractions not only in Italy, but in the entire world – a cascade of white limestone pools overflowing with warm, turquoise water known as Cascate del Mulino. Translated as “Waterfalls of the Mill” in Italian, this surreal-looking natural […]
Just Room Enough Island – The World’s Smallest Inhabited Island
Just Room Enough Island, is an aptly-named private-owned island with literally just enough room for its owners’ house, a couple of trees and a miniature beach with a pair of bench chairs. Part of the Thousand Islands archipelago on the border between the U.S. and Canada, Just Room Enough Island measures about 3,300 square feet […]
The Japanese City Where Beautiful Koi Fish Swim in Drain Channels
Can you imagine an inhabited city where the water running through the the drain channels is so pure that beautiful koi fish can swim in it? Well, such a place exists on Japan’s Kyushu island. It’s called Shimabara, and it’s quite a sight to behold. When the area around Shimabara was affected by the natural […]
Monet’s Pond – The Japanese Pond So Beautiful It Looks Like a Real-Life Monet Painting
Up until four years ago, Monet’s Pond, a small body of water just outside Seki City, in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture, didn’t even have a name, but thanks to social media and a catchy nickname, it has become one of the most popular tourist destination in the Land of the Rising Sun. Before it became known […]
Ingenious Sprinkler System Turns Entire Japanese Hamlet into a Water Fountain
Kayabuki no Sato, a small hamlet in Kyoto famous for its traditional thatched roof houses, features a concealed sprinkler system that turns the whole place into a water fountain. Known as Miyama’s Thatched Village, Kayabuki no Sato has a higher percentage of thatched roof farmhouses than any other place in Japan. This makes it very popular with […]
Japan’s Famous Aquarium Toilet
If you love exotic fish and don’t mind hundreds of them eyeballing you while you answer nature’s call, you’ll probably love using this unique aquarium toilet in Akashi, Japan. Hipopo Papa (formerly Mumin Papa) Cafe, used to be known as one of the most popular dating spots on Hayashizaki Matsue Coast. It still is, but ever since […]
India’s Great Banyan Tree Is Its Own Forest
If you were to see the Great Banyan Tree in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden from a distance, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a forest. Spanning more than 14,493 square meters, the tree is the widest in the world—so large that it covers more ground than the average Wal-Mart. […]
The African Village Where Crocodiles and Humans Live Side by Side in Peace
In cultures all across the globe, animals are revered, and even worshipped. In Hinduism, for example, cows are valued for their gentle nature. But not every sacred animal is quite so harmless; crocodiles were worshipped in Ancient Egypt, as they were believed to be living representations of the god Sobek. You may be surprised to […]
Snow-White Beach in Australia Is Made Up of Billions of Cockle Shells
Australia’s Shark Bay World Heritage Area is home to Shell Beach, one of only two places around the world where beach sand is completely replaced by sea shells. Imagine billions of white cockle shells stretching out as far as the eye can see, and you get a pretty good idea of how amazing Shell Beach […]