The Coolest Places to Spend Your Next Vacation

Sick of the same old vacation spots? Wish you could find a place a little more exciting to experience your next adventure? If so, we can help! We’ve compiled a whole list of weird places on Earth you can visit. So toss out those theme park brochures and forget about blowing one more day at a crowded tourist trap, because we’ve got some of the most unique vacation destinations the planet has to offer.

This Rainbow-Walled Underground Oasis

China's Reed Flute Cave in Guangxi has been called "the Palace of Natural Arts" due to its stunning rock formations of different colors and forms. The cave also boasts several ink inscriptions dating back to the 8th century.

This Out-of-This-World Paradise

As it turns out, paradise has actually been tucked away in the mountains of Guatemala all this time. Though accessible only by the bravest of four-wheel vehicle drivers, the Semuc Champey natural monument offers visitors breathtaking turquoise pools, underground waterfalls, and some of the most stunning views in the world.

This Dreamy, Swimable Sinkhole

In the mood for one of the most unique dips of your life? Check out Dzitnup Cenote, in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula for a gorgeous sinkhole which locals treat like a community swimming pool.  

This Gorgeous Fairy Playground

Not only is St. Nectan's Kieve in Cornwall, England absolutely gorgeous, it's believed by many to be the gathering place of fairies and other mythical folk. 

This Massive Field of Mystery Jars

Though no one is quite sure what the deal is with the multitude of huge jars scattered over the Plain of Jars in Phonsavan, Laos, there are a number of theories. Historians believe that the ancient jars may have been used as burial sites or giant food containers anywhere from 1500 to 2000 years ago. Local legend, however, speculates that the jars were wine containers used by an ancient king of giants to celebrate victories in battle.

This Spooky Market Full of Witches

Looking for a natural aphrodisiac or herbal folk remedy? How about a dried llama fetus? Look no further than Bolivia's Witch Market in Nuestra Senora de la Paz, where you can have your fortune told by one of the many witch doctors who roam the market in dark hats and robes.

This Pathway to the Kings of Folklore

A natural chasm that runs between two moss-covered walls in the English back forest has become a hotbed of British folklore over the centuries. The mossy shadows of the Lud's Church in Staffordshire are said to have been a refuge for Robin Hood and his Merry Men, as well as the inspiration for the "Green Chapel" of Arthurian legend.

This Stone-Faced, Scary Facade

Mother Shipton was a shadowy doomsday prophetess who is said to have been born in a cave in the forests ofKnaresborough during the Elizabethan era. In addition to her series of morbid predictions for the future, she took credit for all things dark and shadowy in the region, including the well at Mother Shipton's Cave. According to legend, it can turn objects left in its waters into stone. A source of fascination for visitors since 1630, the well is said to be one of the oldest tourist attractions in England. 

These Floating WW2 Relics

Along the shores of Kent, England you can still see a series of now-abandoned sea forts which once protected the country from the Germans during WW2. After the war, the Maunsell Army Forts were occasionally used for broadcasting pirate radio and were once inhabited by artist Stephen Turner for 36 days. Turner later wrote a book about the experience.

This Home of Beautiful, Ancient Architecture

Said to have been built anywhere between 312 and 1292 BCE, the city of Petra, Jordan is among the most magnificent wonders of the ancient world. Thought to be the capital city of an ancient Semetic people, Petra was virtually unknown to the Western world until 1812, when Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt wrote about its beauty. You can still visit the ancient city to get a look at the stunning architecture carved into its rocks. 

This Hallucinogenic Grecian Temple

For the ancient Greeks, Delphi was not only sacred, but also believed to be the very center of the world. To this day, you can still visit the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, beneath which is a mysterious cavern where a priestess called the Oracle of Delphi used to declare the will of the gods. 

It's said that the oracle used to perch above a chasm where mysterious fumes (that some now believe were hallucinogenic) rose from the earth. Regardless, when the oracle slipped into semi-consciousness and spewed out her often frantic prophecies, the ancient world listened.

This Dangerous Roman Watering Hole

If you're looking to connect to the past, head on over to the Dionne Pit in Tonnerre, France, an ancient freshwater spring once used to as an important water source by the Romans. Though once open to divers who would descend into its depths in search of artifacts, the pit has been responsible for enough diving mishaps that exploring its shadowy waters now requires permission from the Mayor or Tonnerre. Land lovers, however, are still invited to enjoy its tranquil natural beauty. 

This Creepy Resting Place for Notorious Criminals

If you're into the occult, paranormal, or just plain creepy, check out Highgate Cemetary, one of the most infamous burial grounds in London. Not only can you visit the graves of characters like Adam Worth, a notorious criminal thought to be the inspiration for Sherlock Holme's foe Professor Moriarty, the cemetery has a pretty colorful history of its own. Over the years its been the site of magician duels, grave robbings, and even massive vampire hunts.

This Flowery Feat of Horticulture

When Carolus Clusius wrote a book on tulips in 1592, he probably never expected that it'd make the flower so popular that his garden would often be raided by tulip thieves! The craze continued into the 17th century, which saw the rise of "Tulip Mania," a period in which people snatched up tulips like Beanie Babies in the '90s. Today, the Netherlands still boasts a gardener's paradise each year from March to May, when millions of tulips, hyacinths, and other flowers transform the countryside into a sea of color. 

This Mythical Home of Rabid Hell Hounds

If you're in the mood for a mystical journey, look no further than the fairy-tale landscape of Wistman's Woods in Devon, UK. Legend has it that the sacred worship site of the Druids lay among the twisting trees of Wistman's Woods, as did the holding place of the infamous "Wisht Hounds." These were a pack of rabid hell hounds said to stalk the moors each night in search of lost souls and unsuspecting travelers.  

Ireland's Most Haunted Castle

Leap Castle, which is said to be the most haunted castle in Ireland, was build around 1250 as the seat of power for the infamous Ely O’Carroll clan. Among the first of the ghosts said to have haunted the castle was Thaddeus O'Carroll, a priest who was stabbed in the back by his own brother while preforming mass. 

Other infamous killings include those of 40 members of the McMahon clan during a poisoned dinner party that must have made Game of Thrones' Red Wedding look like a kid's birthday party. 

But the most dreaded ghost was created after ownership of the castle was transferred to the Darby family in the 1600s. Near the turn of the 20th century Mildred Darby was said to have accidentally unleashed an "Elemental," a terrifying primitive ghost who roams the castle's halls.

This Eerie Fairy Tale Forest

If Germany's Black Forest looks like something out of a fairy tale, that's probably because it is. Not only is the forest the original home of the coo-coo clock, it was also said to be the inspiration for several of Grimm's fairy tales.