When you think of visiting wonders of the world, the Great Wall, Angkor Wat and maybe Niagara falls come to mind.
But there’s more to travelling that walking down the beaten path. These five locations will leave you breathless!
Nan Madol, Micronesia
While those in Turkey lived in close quarters underground, these inhabitants of little islets in Micronesia had a whole island to themselves, seemingly floating in the ocean.
Each little island had its own purpose: hospital, kitchen, canteen, and more. They were their own Gods of the sea.
https://instagram.com/p/4I9vtoIO6j/?tagged=nanmadol
Baalbek, Lebanon
But over in Lebanon, megalithic structures over 9000 years old were raised to worship their Gods.
Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans prayed to Gods such as Venus, Jupiter and Bacchus in structures, some bigger than the Parthenon in Greece. The Temple of Jupiter alone boasts what’s considered the largest Corinthian columns in the world.
https://instagram.com/p/7V9QV3FqiA/?tagged=baalbek
Newgrange, County Meath, Ireland
However 4000 years after those temples in Lebanon were constructed, a giant dome was constructed in Ireland.
Ringed with white quartz stone and topped with emerald green grass, this UFO like structure was also designed to usher in the New Year. Apparently the rising sun on the Northern Hemisphers’s winter solstice will flood its many passage ways with light.
https://instagram.com/p/8TK2MZvYKQ/?tagged=newgrange
Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Maharashtra, India
But if open spaces aren’t your thing and you do like caves, head to India where there are over 34 caves carved from the surrounding hills, filled with Buddhist art. One temple, found amongst the caves, is even cut from a single stone, showcasing India’s ancient rock cutting prowess.
Derinkuyu, Turkey
This underground city built to shelter residents from invaders was built between the 7th and 8th century BC.
The cavernous complex can house over 20,000 people, along with their livestock and food. Schools and multiple wineries are among the features in this maze.
Who says you can’t work hard and play hard even when under attack?
https://instagram.com/p/8VeuN1jubl/?tagged=derinkuyu
h/t: BBC