It seems that unusual holiday destinations are becoming more and more popular each year. Here is a selection of the most surprising holiday destinations. Full disclosure, I wouldn’t go to two of these! I bet you can guest which two.
Table of Contents
5 Super Random Holiday Destinations
For a radioactive holiday visit: Chernobyl
Why not visit the site of the worlds worst ever nuclear disaster? On 26th April 1986, reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, killing many people at the plant and led to a massive radioactive fallout (thirty to forty times the amount released at Hiroshima). The fallout spread over a massive geographical area, killing and harming thousands more in the following years. Twenty years later the levels of radioactivity have died down and the Ukrainian government is now allowing select groups of visitors into the area on organized tours.
To visit a secret state go to: North Korea
Why not holiday in a secret state? Part of the fun of a visit to North Korea is to expect the unexpected, so go with the flow and you will be rewarded with an eye-opening tour. Appreciate Pyongyang’s massive main square, where military parades are held, visit the captured US spy boat, USS Pueblo, tour the sets of the film studio and ride the impressive chandelier-lit metro. Pay your respects to the 20m-tall statue of Kim Il Sung, visit his former home and mausoleum at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace and meander through the endless corridors of the International Friendship Exhibition which houses the gifts given to him and his son, Kim Jong Il. A highlight is Panmunjom in the DMZ where you gaze across the border at the stony-faced South Korean guards and may even enter one of the huts that straddles the border. Learn about life on a cooperative farm and make sure you buy some propaganda as a memento of your visit.
For a rather sobering holiday go to: Auschwitz
The grounds and buildings of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps are open to visitors in their entirety, with the exception of several blocks in Auschwitz I that house the administration, Museum departments, and storage. There is generally access to all barracks at Auschwitz II-Birkenau. The duration of a visit is determined solely by the individual interests and needs of the visitors. As a minimum, however, at least one-and-a-half hours each should be reserved for the grounds and exhibitions of Auschwitz I and for the Birkenau site. It is necessary to visit both parts of the camp, Birkenau and Auschwitz, in order to acquire a proper sense of the place that has become the symbol of the Holocaust. Auschwitz I is where the Nazis opened the first Auschwitz camps for men and women. In the Birkenau camp, everything happened on a magnified scale. You can go to the Auschwitz Camp yourself and join one of the groups that is formed at the gate, you can walk the camp alone, or you can be picked up at your hotel in Krakow, Germany by a guide.
If you like tomatoes go to: La Tomatina, Spain
La Tomatina is the biggest food fight in the world. Its normally occurs each August in Spain. La Tomatina can be considered as one of weirder holidays that ever happen in Spain. La Tomatina involves throwing, smacking, tossing and barraging friends and strangers alike with overripe tomatoes. It takes about a week long holidays or festival where everyone enjoys themselves with food fight. The Apex or climax of this event is when some climbing a greased pole to retrieve the ham set on top.. There are rules involved, but in truth, it is every man for himself. After two hours or so of a tomato throwing and bombardment, firefighters clean the crowds and streets down by spraying gallons of water over the tomato covered participant. How this holidays/festivals started no one knows exactly. But is said to honor the town’s patron saint.
If you like goats go to: Puck Fair, Ireland
In Ireland, you can find a holiday celebration that honors someone. But in this old kind of tradition, this honoring centers on a goat. Ireland’s oldest fair is called Puck Fair and is held every year in Kilorglin. This holiday celebrates a beast that centuries ago escaped from a herd and alerted villagers of impending pillage. How this event started was not certain, it lasts for three days and then the town goes back to normal!
So there you have it, 5 out of the box holiday destinations. And in case you are wondering, it is the first two I wouldn’t go to. Would you?
So many unique locations!!! I think I would definitely choose Spain. Having a massive food fight just sounds like too much fun!
This is so fun! I would be too worried about radiation to visit Chernobyll, even if they say it’s safe! I’d love to go to Ireland or Spain.
So many interesting choices! I would love to participate in la tomatina!
I’m with you: I wouldn’t go to the first two, either. I have known people who have gone to that tomato festival in Spain and it looks both fun and terrifying at the same time :)
I’d love to be a fly on the wall during that tomato fight. Not sure if I’d want to participate, but I’d love to witness it ;)
North Korea – No thanks! I’d love to go to South Korea. La Tomatina would be fun.