WACKY VACATIONS
CITY OF ARCADES
January 30, 2020
WORLD’S END
January 30, 2020
PLAN A Weird Holiday!
”From unbelievable sights in nature to bizarre man-made creations, the world is filled with strange attractions"
BY Pallavi Pinakin
Historic architecture, beautiful wildlife and buzzing nightlife may be most people’s idea of a great holiday – but not everyone’s. For some travel-lers, it’s the weird and wonderful that beckons. From unbelievable sights in nature to bizarre man-made creations, the world is filled with strange attractions. So if wacky travel calls your name, here are a few tips to follow when planning your holiday.
IDENTIFY Start by identifying the category of ‘weird’ that interests you. Are you a fan of offbeat pop culture, creepy mysteries or strange twists of Mother Nature? Do you want to see quiet unassuming oddities or weirdness on a massive scale? The range of eye--popping travel options is vast, from the The Gnome Reserve and Wildflower Garden in the UK with 1,000 resident gnomes and pixies, to the ancient and unexplained Nazca Lines in Peru and the deep-pink waters of Lake Hillier in Western Australia.
RESEARCH For a comprehensive online resource, check out Atlas Obscura. It lists more than 18,000 cool and unusual travel experiences in-cluding world-famous sites, as well as quirky wonders that are hiding in plain sight. You may even stumble upon gems that are far closer to home than you expect. The website provides a quick and accurate overview of each attraction, which is ideal for deciding whether or not it sounds like your cup of tea. With videos, itineraries and discussion forums on offer, this is a great source to start planning your wacky holiday.
RESPECT Many of the world’s peculiar destinations come with a dark side. Mexico’s La Isla de la Muñecas is an island filled with hundreds of decaying dolls dedicated to the lost soul of a young girl. Tana Toraja is an Indonesian village where the dead are painstakingly groomed and cared for (sometimes for months) until the funeral. Remember that such locations and customs are often surrounded by great reverence, which is why it’s crucial for tourists to be respectful during their visit.
SAFETY FIRST Because some of these curious attractions are out of the way and not very popular, travellers need to be extra cautious. Whether you’re heading to remote tribal villages in Southeast Asia or off the grid roadside attractions in the US, keep in mind that local culture and norms will be vastly different from those of the big cities. So it’s best to get firsthand guidance for your trip – whether it’s from a website man-aged by locals or a locally run tour.
