This is part 4 of a 10 part series that focuses on 100 unusual and fascinating tourist attractions from around the globe.
Some we have been lucky enough to visit, yet some we yearn to set foot. From the weird and wacky, freaky to wondrous… Take a stroll through the series.
Mt. Kelimutu, Indonesia
Volcanoes aren’t unusual in Indonesia, one of the world’s most geologically active countries. Mt. Kelimutu, however, manages to stand out with its three crater lakes, each a different color. Adding to its kaleidoscopic appeal, chemical reactions spurred by volcanic activity cause the lakes to change color. What color and when remains unpredictable. The lakes are each about a thousand feet in diameter and are found at the eastern summit of Kelimutu.
Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand
On New Zealand’s South Island about 50 miles northeast of Dunedin, the Moeraki Boulders rest on Koekohe Beach like stranded sea creatures. These largely spherical stones formed on the ocean floor about 60 million years ago as calcite minerals fused balls of mud together. They ended up on the beach after eroding from nearby sandstone cliffs, where some boulders still remain encased.
Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines
Unlike most destinations, the Chocolate Hills are best viewed when they’re dried and brown. This is when the hills, located in Bohol Province, Philippines, start to earn their name. During the dry season, the normally green grass covering the cone-shaped mounds turns brown, creating fields of chocolate-colored hills.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
The Burj Khalifa, which debuted in 2010, is the world’s tallest structure. It stands 2,717 feet high and has 163 floors.
Chapel Bridge, Lucerne, Switzerland
Despite centuries of wear and even a fire, Europe’s oldest wooden bridge continues to charm tourists in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Chapel Bridge, which cuts diagonally across the Reuss River, was built in the early 14th century. About 300 years later, the bridge was adorned with a series of triangular paintings depicting events in the city’s history. In 1993, fire nearly destroyed the bridge. It was largely restored in 1994.
Skellig Michael island, Ireland
Ireland’s earliest Christians built the monastic complex perched atop the pyramid-shaped island. It was occupied continuously until the 12th century, when weather conditions forced its monastic community to the mainland. Due to its isolation, which has kept visitors away until recently, the complex is very well-preserved.
Guanajuato mummy museum
At this museum in central Mexico, you’ll find over 100 mummies exhumed from a Guanajuato cemetery between 1870 and 1958. In 1870, a local law required families to pay a tax to ensure that their deceased loved ones stayed buried. The penalty for not paying was disinterment.
Makepeace Island
Makepeace Island was developed in 2009 as a private getaway for owners Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, and Brett Godfrey. The island located on the Noosa River in Queensland, Australia became available for exclusive booking last July. It can accommodate up to 22 people and includes a swimming pool, spa, outdoor cinema and tennis court.
Cappadocia, Turkey
A popular attraction in central Turkey, Cappadocia is known for the fairy-tale-like rock formations that bespeckle the region. Called fairy chimneys, or hoodoos, these formations have been carved by erosion over the millennia. Fairy chimneys can be found in other parts of the world such as Bryce Canyon in Utah or Badlands National Monument in South Dakota, but Cappadocia’s early inhabitants turned them into an extensive network of homes and churches.
Christians fleeing Roman persecution took refuge in Cappadocia’s rocky terrain early in the first millennium. By the 4th century, a monastic community formed in central Cappadocia.
Galesnjak Island
Galesnjak Island, located in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia, became famous when its unusual shape was highlighted on Google Earth in 2009. The privately owned island is available for engagements, weddings and tourism.
