• It’s a big, beautiful world out there and you haven’t even found a supermarket
you like in your area.
Stop sweating the small stuff; the clock’s ticking.
So, pack your compass and some clean underwear and come look at 15 places you have to check
out before you die 15 – Tunnel of Love, Ukraine
• The Tunnel of Love is deep in the heart of Ukraine and is a rare collaboration between
man and nature • The industrial trains passing through
the deep foliage have carved out a tunnel in the leaves.
It’s become a popular romantic destination, partly because it makes for great photos all
year round.
• The trains still run so, if you go, make sure you make out with your eyes open; being
run over by a train is not an aphrodisiac. 14- Devil’s Pool, Zambia
• This pool sits right on the lip of Victoria Falls in Zambia
• A small rise in the rock stops swimmers being carried over the edge with the 500 million
litres of water that rush past every minute.
• It’s only safe at certain times of the year, when the waters are low enough
• Zambia actually has the highest rate of deaths by falling in the world; we’re not
saying these are connected, but we’re not NOT saying that either
13- St Petersburg, Russia • Moscow may be the capital but St Petersburg
is the jewel in the Russian crown.
• It’s changed name as much as Prince, going from St Petersburg to Petrograd to Leningrad
and back to St Petersburg, or St Pete, as the locals call it.
• It’s like walking through a painting of Russia’s grand history.
The Hermitage is one of the largest, oldest, finest and just generally “est-est” museums
ever built.
• Just don’t visit in winter; the sea wind feels like it’s blowing your soul out
your body.
12- Citadelle Laferriere, Haiti • This is one of the largest fortresses
in The Americas and sits almost a kilometre above sea level, looking out over the surrounding
valleys.
• It was built in the early 19th century by the newly independent Haitians to protect
themselves from a French attack.
• You can still find piles of cannon balls stacked on top of the ramparts.
So, make sure you bring binoculars and a lighter because who knows the next invasion will come.
11- Angel Falls, Venezuela • Remember that Pixar movie; Up?
You know, the one about the old man and the balloons that totally didn’t make you cry
in the first 5 minutes?
Well, Paradise Falls is actually based on the real Angel Falls in Venezuela
• It’s the tallest waterfall in the world, with the water tumbling almost 800 metres.
• It’s named after US Aviator, Jonnie Angel, who was the first person to fly over
it.
Angel did really fall, since they poured his ashes from the top in 1960.
10 – Daintree Rainforest, Australia • It’s the largest rainforest on the Australasian
continent and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to some of its ancient plants.
• It’s like a window into the distant past and is home some of the first species
of plant to ever exist on dry land.
• It’s also one of the rare places on earth where the tropical jungle breaks into
perfect white sandy beaches.
• You can find amazing animals like the Bennett's Tree Kangaroo.
That’s right, a tree kangaroo, it’s as cool as it sounds.
9 – Prometheus Cave, Georgia • Prometheus stole fire from the gods and
was punished by being chained to a rock underground.
The cave of this ancient tale can be found in the heart of Georgia.
• It’s like a cathedral underground, with neon lighting and epic music that plays when
you near the famous rock.
• You can even take a boat down the underground river.
If you don’t imagine you’re in Harry Potter or The Goonies, then you’re doing it wrong.
8 – Montmartre, France • This area is so Parisian that is looks
like a fake version of itself.
You can spot it from across the city by looking for the famous white domes of the church,
Sacre Couer.
• Montmartre is all beautiful cobbled streets, full of artists.
There are boutique ships and plenty of cafes selling coffee, wine and reckless amounts
of cheese.
• So, many famous artists have lived there that you could hardly move for easels and
unpaid bar tabs.
Picasso, Dali, Monet, Van Gogh, and many others, have waggled a brush there at some point.
7 – Blue Lagoon, Iceland • Iceland looks like an alien landscape
with its sparse, bleak lava fields, ice caves and stone monsters.
• So, the Blue Lagoon must be where the galactic travellers all hang out, enjoying
the 39 °C water, even while the snow falls all round.
• The salt, silica, sulphur and stuff are supposed to be super for skin
6 – Yangtze River, China • Known as Cháng Jiāng in China, which
means long river.
To be fair, it is the 3rd longest in the world • It’s breathtakingly beautiful and completely
different depending where along its 6,300 km you visit.
• There’s the Yangtze delta, where 20% of China’s GDP comes from.
And there’s the Three Gorges Dam, the largest power station in the world.
• Up nearer the source, it runs through deep gorges covered in a green carpet
of plants.
It’s deeply gorge-ous. 5 – Mudhdhoo Island, The Maldives
• It might sound like something out a Dr Seuss story but Mudhdhoo Island in the Maldives
has beaches which glow blue at night.
• “There’s a beautiful island, known as Mudhdhoo.
When the sun goes down, the seas glow blue.
People come from all round for a sunny vacation And the bright night light of the ostracod
crustacean” • The Dr Seuss tale probably doesn’t mention
that the resort is about $1000 a night though.
Aaaaaand the dream has died.
4 – Fly geyser • These geothermal geysers are actually
man made.
Farmers were trying to find a way to irrigate the area in the early 20th century but hit
a vein of boiling geothermic water.
In 1964, some poorly-done drilling led to a new geyser.
• The spray built up a mineral deposit which now stands about 1.5 metres high.
The minerals and many varieties of algae are what produce the amazing mix of colours.
• The land is now owned by Burning Man festival so many of the new visitors will probably
think it’s all a hallucination. 3 – Konigsee, Germany
• If one of your mottos is “If it was good enough for Hitler, it’s good enough
for me” then you are a horrible person • But the Fuhrer did have a magical favourite
holiday spot in Berchtesgaden.
The Nazis even built him a house atop a mountain for his 50th birthday, nicknamed Eagle’s
Nest by the Allies.
It has a gold-plated elevator that still takes you up, inside the mountain.
• Nearby Konigsee is a crystal-clear lake, encircled by snow-capped mountains.
The water is the cleanest in Germany and they only allow electric boats, to preserve it.
It’s incredibly peaceful so… just forget what we said about the Nazi stuff, okay?
2 - Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan • This is set in the Joshinetsu Kogen National
Park, which mean’s “Hell’s Valley” in Japanese, and it’s thanks to the steam
that boils out the crack in the frozen ground • The hot springs are fuelled by all the
volcanic activity.
Nearby Mount Asama is the most active on the main island of Japan.
• But, aside from the beautiful setting, the stars of the show here are the Japan macaques
who bathes in the hot pools and charm food out of the tourist.
So, make sure to bring a camera and a second lunch.
1 – Cocora Valley, Colombia • This lush, green valley is found high
up among the Andes.
It’s home to the Quindío wax palm, which was adopted as the national symbol of Colombia.
• The tall, smooth trees grow up to 60m high and poke the low hanging clouds.
It gives the whole place a dream like quality.
• One of the best ways to see it is on horseback.
If you stick a carrot on your horse’s head, you can live out all of your magic unicorn
dream rides.