Travel Archives - Funny Random Stuff

November 24, 2017

This Harley-Davidson Hybrid Motorcycle Is Also A Limousine—Wait, What?

If a motorcycle genie appeared and granted you one wish in the form of any Harley-Davidson bike you wanted, what would you choose?

Would you go for a sturdy Softail for long rides in the country?

Perhaps you would opt for a fast and sporty V-Rod.

On the other hand, maybe your dream machine is an HD limo.

To clarify, we are not talking about a stretch Cadillac decked out in black with orange pinstripes. Nope. Not even close.

Harley Limo Hybrid

The Harley-Davidson limo—which actually exists—is part motorcycle, part limousine and 100 percent eye-catching.

This hybrid combines a 2012 Harley in the front and an eight-person carriage in the back, which is more than merely a shell with seats.

The pearl white limo features everything you would expect in a luxury ride: a bar, a flat screen television, a sound system, air conditioning, tinted electric windows, vertically opening doors and a rumble seat of sorts in the back, which allows a pair of passengers to perch in the open air while cruising.

Nearly 20 feet long, the bike/carriage crossbreed boasts 1.75 tons of steel, which is powered by a 5.7 liter, 350 HP V8 Chevy engine.

Unfortunately, you cannot simply stroll into your local Harley-Davidson dealership and purchase your own limo bike.

This custom-made machine belongs to a company called Wildfire Tours in Queensland, Australia.

However, if you have longed to view the Gold Coast, this might be the most unique and memorable way to do so.

Kansas City Limo

Closer to home, a gentleman named Smokey McGill of Kansas City, Kansas built another Harley-Davidson motorcycle “limo” that is distinctive in its own right.

In 2004, the 19-foot-long, 10-passenger Harley-Davidson with a DFT trike kit weighing 1,420 pounds set a record as the world’s longest motorcycle.

However, the Anaconda, as it is known, is neither for rent nor for sale. McGill has used the bike to help raise money for charity and has shown it at numerous events.

Take The Whole Family For A Ride With This Genius Bike-Stroller Hybrid

If you’re sick of pushing your kids around in a stroller and want something more mobile, you’re in luck — especially if you’re a fan of riding bikes.

The Taga Family Bike is the solution to all your child transporting problems.

This bike is designed so your kids can sit in the front, with the option of having two kids facing forward, backwards, or towards each other, or you can make space to fit just your cargo or a pet if a kid isn’t along for the ride, according to the Taga Kickstarter page.

There’s even a canopy to shield your children from some strong sun or rain.

The brand was one of the first to make bicycle strollers mainstream in 2009, and now they’re launching the affordable Taga Family Bike to kick their products up a notch.

“Many family bikes today were originally designed to carry cargo, not children,” according to the company’s Kickstarter. “They are usually unstable, expensive and are lacking important features desired by parents and kids.”

The Taga Family Bike will retail at $649, which is on the higher end of the bike trailer price spectrum, but there’s certainly a lot of bang for your buck here.

The bike is available for preorder on the Taga Kickstarter page and is estimated to be ready by October of this year. Watch their video to learn more:

Source www.simplemost.com

October 23, 2017October 23, 2017

Sex tourism in Africa: European women who pay for sex with locals

Sexual predators or sad old ladies in search of orgasms and a bit of romance?

Recently, a friend, upon her return from a holiday in Zanzibar, told me that guys referred to as ‘beach boys’ frequented the local beaches selling handmade trinkets and Dhow trips to surrounding islands to tourists walking along the beach. But they are also known to offer sex, almost exclusively to middle-aged white women who go to the island exclusively for that purpose.

With “sex” now not being far from being a checkable option under ‘reason for travel’ on our customs cards upon arrival in another country, this unique form of tourism has now almost become mainstream.

Men seeking sex tourism is a much-publicised phenomenon. Predominantly white European and North American men heading to poor countries like Thailand, Cambodia and Kenya with the main purpose of having sex with local women have been labelled as predators for years.

Not included in the scope of prostitution, sexual tourism is seen as social exchange, rather than an explicit sex-for-money trade. It’s frowned upon by local communities and authorities, but it’s not technically illegal. Simply because it’s nearly impossible to police.

Now, women are increasingly injecting themselves into this world. Turning this trade on its head, they are no longer just bodies being bought, but rather the ones travelling across continents to have sex with the local men. Destination: Africa.

Opting for island ‘romances’ or ‘sexcapades’ with these men, this form of female-driven sex tourism is still very much veiled.

In a 2012 Reuters article on this subject, Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board said that female sex tourism is not seen as an evil, but that it’s certainly discouraged by the local community. And in a country like Kenya, with more than 7% HIV/AIDS prevalence, and condoms often not being part of these women’s sex fantasies, sex tourism is becoming an ever more dangerous sport.

Older women, predominantly from Europe and North America, frequent African and Caribbean Basin resorts in the hopes of romance, companionship and sexual encounters. The men they engage with are not under-aged (often the case with men seeking sexual tourism), and are usually consensual sexual relationships with the understanding that goods and money will be exchanged.

The Mail Online notes that these women either travel alone or in groups of friends. They are often divorced and have experienced some sort of heartbreak in past relationships, says Reuters. These women are thought to be affluent. Yet The Mail Online notes that these European women are not necessarily wealthy. In comparison, yes, but many hold down low-paying administrative jobs back home.

In a brilliant 2012 film, Austrian director Ulrich Seidl gave us a very candid look into the world of sex tourism as he followed a 50-year-old Austrian woman’s sex tourism journey to Kenya in Paradise: Love. The protagonist, Teresa, is overweight. On the white sandy beaches of Mombasa she’s called a Sugar Mama. She’s there to find something. Not necessarily love, but something in between lust and love. But throughout we see that for many of these women the sex is not completely detached.

We see her engage in casual sex, going on “dates” with buff young guys and visiting them at home, spending money left, right and centre. Often on a family member who suddenly comes down with some sort of ailment. The stories are elaborate.

In the end you’re left wondering, who’s exploiting whom?

Soon Teresa realised that sex is but a business. No strings are ever really attached and the sex is, inevitably, empty.

But are these women sex hungry cougars preying on young, impoverished local men or are these mutually beneficial cash-for-services-rendered exchanges between consenting adults?

Middle-aged women actively engaging in sex tourism, hoping to fulfill a need that simply cannot be satisfied back home might be seen as predatory by some, while others simply view this as sad.

Reuters argues that “experts say some thrive on the social status and financial power that comes from taking much poorer, younger lovers. This is what is sold to tourists companies — a kind of return to a colonial past, where white women are served, serviced, and pampered by black minions,” says Nottinghan University’s Davidson.

While Transnational Law Blog questions this strategy, saying:

“Oh! That must be it! These older, rich white women want slaves! I was way off in thinking that they were looking for some companionship or that they might be lonely, and I really missed the mark when I thought some of these cougars just want some good, hot sex.”

Female sex tourism hasn’t received as much attention in the media as male sex tourism, perhaps because it’s seen as harmless. The women have slight financial power, but are not perceived as players with lots of agency. They are middle-aged, usually overweight, conventionally unattractive and therefore are punished in a way that men, no matter their physical appearance or financial status, have never experienced.

By not exploring these relationships, because they are female-driven exchanges, again reiterates the notion that women are not sexual catalysts able to choose how they engage sexually.

Source www.w24.co.za

October 9, 2017

A Village Inside A Volcano! This Really Exists!

This Village Was Built Inside An Active Volcano. The last recorded eruption killed 140 people in 1785. It was pretty quiet until about 50 years later, when people began once again to occupy the island.

Aogashima can only be accessed by ferry or helicopter.

Some 200 residents occupy tiny portion of the island that has simple amenities like a school, a post office, a general store, and a helipad. Scuba diving, hiking and camping around the volcano, or relaxing in hot springs and geothermal saunas are just some of the activities residents regularly enjoy.

The scalding hot steam vents on the main volcano are used for practical applications like powering the public sauna, cooking food, or generating electricity. Though it’s a two-hour boat ride south, the island is funded as a portion of Tokyo.

Geologists don’t believe the mountain will erupt anytime soon. So you can relax, enjoy a cocktail and abundant free energy while taking in the amazing beauty of the island.

October 7, 2017October 7, 2017

Think The World Is Crowded? You Could Fit The Entire Human Race In New Zealand

The UN has predicted that the world population will reach 9.6 billion by 2050–nearly 2.5 billion more people on Earth than we have at the moment. In 2013, the annual day in which humanity consumes more natural resources than the planet is capable of recovering from in a year came early, once again. Overpopulation also just happens to be one of those words that immediately triggers images of the apocalypse, despite the fact that nothing in human existence seems more routine than birthing a child.

But before anyone takes Rush Limbaugh’s advice that environmentalists ought to save the planet by committing suicide, let’s take a step back and unpack what “overpopulation” really means. The good people at Wait But Why have come out with another set of dazzling infographics (we first saw them when they made this shocking piece about the death tolls of major disasters) that deal with rethinking population density and space. For example, if we lived at the density that people live in Manhattan, the entire global population could fit in New Zealand:

Or, look at the possibilities if we lived as they do in Bangladesh and New Jersey:

“Space is certainly not the problem,” one of the creators of Wait But Why (who prefers to remain anonymous) tells me. “I’m walking right now through Manhattan. It’s crowded, but it’s not that crowded,” he adds. “The point is when we talk about all the issues we have with growing population, the thing that’s scary about that is not space, it’s of course resources, and the distribution of resources.”

In some ways, the infographics are mildly comforting: When we talk about overpopulation, the implication should be that we’re talking about systems of consuming and producing waste that desperately need to be overhauled and made efficient. It’s a big task, but not completely dire.

The space comparison works both ways. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s also Alaska:

For the whole set of comparisons, head on over to Wait But Why.

Source www.fastcompany.com

August 25, 2017August 25, 2017

ZOMBIE-THEMED ‘WALKING DEAD’ CRUISE SETTING SAIL IN JANUARY

Taking a vacation with a cruise ship full of zombies sounds like the premise of a blockbuster Hollywood film, but it will be a reality now for those who get aboard the Norwegian Pearl in January of 2016.

In a partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line, festivals at sea marketer Sixthman and Walker Stalker Con, the normal cruise ship will be transformed into playground for fans of the hit television series and comic books, “The Walking Dead.”

According to Sixthman, zombie-themed cruise will sail from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas for three days of horror-filled fun, scheduled for Jan. 15-18, 2016 aboard the Norwegian Pearl.

Passengers will interact with actors from “The Walking Dead,” attend question and answer panels, have photo opportunities and autograph sessions, zombie gaming, costume contests, theme nights and more to be announced.

I’d say this will make many fans very happy. Sounds like an awesome experience!

The Walking Dead Cast members on the cruise:

For more info on the cruise: Walker Stalker Cruise

Source www.thterrortime.com

August 22, 2017August 22, 2017

Thai Restaurant Owner Has A Simple Yet Effective Way To Attract Customers…

Thailand is well known for its tropical beaches, magnificent royal palaces, ancient ruins and beautiful temples displaying figures of Buddha, and of course the food. Every Thai restaurant owner focuses on lightly prepared simple dishes with strong aromatic ingredients, having a touch of spicy flavor with many dishes on their list than any other country, which is the most effective way in attracting customers from all around the world.

One of the Thai restaurant owner whose photos have gone viral over the internet, because of her simple yet effective way, which is attracting many customers, to try her dishes out.

We bring you this story of the restaurant owner and her effective way in attracting customers!

This restaurant owner name is unknown, but her cooking skills definitely stand out, as she prefers to take on the kitchen duties. is an inspirational female chef, who has turned cooking into a holistic experience and captured the heart of fans around the world.

Many woman chefs have worked hard to become the best that they can be, but she’s a restaurant owner cum chef, who is extremely exceptional with her uniquely effective way of attracting customers.

She knows that everyone likes food, everyone likes to eat and everyone likes to talk about food. So, why not add a little bit more spice with the clothes and make the entire cooking stuff, look a little extra appealing in attracting customers.

This restaurant owner has broken an old saying that “women make good cooks, but men make better chefs,” Women were never considered to manage elaborate kitchens in fancy restaurants because of everyone, who felt “A woman’s place was in the home.”

As a restaurant owner, she has worked with tenacity and perseverance to thrive and exert influence within a male dominated industry. She has applied her unique creativity, style and effective way to the art of cooking.

Watching a woman all dressed up like that in the kitchen is super sexy. Hence, it’s hard not to fall in love with a woman, watching her cook for you. She has changed the way we look at women in the world of cooking, with her effective way.

She has been incorporating organic and healthy foods into a structured restaurant environment, by adding a more collaborative and “kinder’ feminine touch to cooking.

Overall, this restaurant owner has also impressed with the extensive menu options, how quickly she cooks and serves, and the fact it’s obviously made fresh to order and customization to each individual’s culinary preference.

We hope she inspires many to take action in their own lives, to follow their passion and explore their creativity, no matter what the world says. She has proved that never aspire to make a living, but aspire to make a difference.

Seven of Thailand’s popular dishes appeared on the list of the “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods” which are

We hope you enjoyed this little trip to Thailand.

August 15, 2017

Hidden Underground Cave In Vietnam Turns Out To Be A Portal To A Whole New World

In 1991, a Vietnamese farmer discovered an underground cave that’s never been explored in Phon Nha-ke Bag National Park. It turns out to be a portal to a whole new world.

The cave is known as Hang Son Doong, the largest cave in the world.

“From an early age, local man Ho Khanh used to spend weeks on end trekking and maneuvering his way through the jungles of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, searching for food and timber to earn a modest income.

In 1990 while out on a hunting mission, Ho Khanh stumbled across an opening in a limestone cliff and moved forward to investigate.

As he approached he noticed clouds billowing out of the entrance, and could hear the sounds of a river raging from somewhere inside the cave.

When he could feel a strong wind also blowing out from the cave, he decided to move on without further inspection. By the time he had returned to his home a few days later, he had forgotten its exact location and thought no more of it.

At the same time two members of the British Cave Research Association (BCRA), Howard and Deb Limbert, were basing themselves in Phong Nha to conduct exploratory cave expeditions in the area. While chatting with Ho Khanh one day, he mentioned to the caving experts that he had found a cave with clouds and a river inside. Howard and Deb were intrigued and urged Ho Khanh to try and rediscover the cave. After many failed attempts, they began to think this elusive cavern might remain lost in the jungle forever more.

In 2008 while out on another food gathering trip, Ho Khanh found the mysterious opening again and studiously took note of the path on how to get there. In 2009 he led Howard, Deb and a team of professionals back to the cave for the first expedition to enter what would later become known as Hang Son Doong, or ‘Mountain River Cave’.”

But they were never prepared to find such magnificent view underneath.

It is a portal to a whole new world!

Before you experience the one of a kind underground cave journey, you will need a rope to descend 262 feet below.

Hang Son Doong is over 5km long, with sections reaching up to 200m tall and 150m wide.

It is large enough that it has its own river, jungle, and climate.

The cave’s miniature jungle houses bats, birds, monkeys and more.

Its gorgeous bright green rivers each come with their very own beaches.

Formed on the edge of a fault zone, Hang Son Doong has been carved out by the mighty Rao Thuong River as it erodes away the limestone, forming the enormous tunnel beneath the Annamite Mountains.

Fossil lover will surely have a visual feast that is essentially unparalleled.

Stalagmites up to 80m high, the tallest ever encountered, can also be seen in the cave.

Some of the world’s rarest rocks are also found inside Son Doong.

The cave is part of a network of 150 or so caves in the Annamite Mountains, though many are still not surveyed.

The Hang Son Doong cave offers the perfect getaway and whoever visits this unusual place will be surely be mesmerized.

With a total measured volume of 38.5 million cubic meters, the Son Doong cave surpasses Deer Cave in Malaysia, which was considered to be the previous world’s largest cave.

If you want a one of a kind worthy experience, make it sure to visit the Hang Son Doong cave. This should be on your bucket list! Share this amazing place with your friends.

July 10, 2017August 6, 2017

THE MAN WHO CHEATED DEATH SEVEN TIMES, THEN WON THE LOTTERY

Depending on how you look at it, Frane Selak, a now 85 year old retired music teacher from Croatia, is either the luckiest, or unluckiest man in the world, having lived a life that resembles the plot to Final Destination; except after cheating death seven times, rather than be killed by a falling sign, he won £600,000 in the lotto in 2005.

His first brush with death was while traveling from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik in 1962 on a train. During the trip, the train jumped the tracks and ended up in the river, which at the time was icy cold.

Despite the situation, Selak suffered only a broken arm, and managed to swim to shore, though thanks to the cold, he also had hypothermia when emergency personnel showed up. But this was much better than what happened to the seventeen people who drowned in that incident.

In 1963, Selak took his first and only plane trip; no doubt not being a fan of trains at this point. During the flight, a door in the plane burst open. Selak was thrown from the aircraft and found himself skydiving without a parachute.

Miraculously, he landed safely on a large haystack, though was unconscious when emergency personnel found him. He woke up in a hospital with only minor injuries. Other passengers were not so lucky. The open door caused the plane to crash, killing the other 19 aboard.

Three years later, a bus he was on went over an embankment into a river, drowning four. Being no stranger to this sort of sudden plunge into a river while on some form of mass-transportation, once again, Selak was able to swim to safety, this time suffering only cuts and bruises.

Selak was now given a four year respite from Death messing with him, but all good things must come to an end. Despite obvious signs that he should barricade himself in his home and invent a line of bubblewrap clothing, having nearly died aboard a train, a plane, and a bus, Selak decided it would be a good idea to drive around in his car. Unfortunately, his car caught fire as he was driving. He jumped out and ran away from the car, getting away just shortly before the car was engulfed in flames, followed by the gas tank exploding.

Rather than switch to simply riding bikes, he got a different car and decided to risk automobile travel once again… mistake. Fire once again claimed one of his cars three years later, when a defective fuel pump sprayed gasoline over the hot engine. The resulting flames that suddenly shot through the air vents burned off most of Selak’s hair and caused him a couple other burns, but that was the extent of his injuries.

Selak must have been lulled into a false sense of security because it was over twenty years before his next near-death experience happened. No doubt deciding walking was the best way to safely get around, Selak was doing just that in Zagreb when he was hit by a bus… He was knocked down and (say it with me) only walked away with minor injuries.

At this point, in 1996, Selak must have considered himself invincible, so he thought it would be safe to take a drive through the mountains… Mountains! This is just a near death experience waiting to happen. And, indeed, that’s what occurred.

He came around a corner, only to see a large truck coming straight for him. With nowhere else to go to avoid a head-on collision, he crashed through a barrier to a 300 foot cliff. (Technically, I think this should count as two near death experiences, but that’s just me.)

Besides the extra lives, Selak apparently also has reflexes like a cat because, as his car was in the process of going over the cliff, he was able to leap clear and grab onto a tree overhanging the cliff, James Bond style. From there, he had a great view of his car smashing into the ground at the bottom of the cliff.

At this point, Death apparently having had his fun, apparently decided to throw Selak a bone. In 2003, Selak, who people had been telling for decades was “extremely lucky”, despite the fact that he felt the opposite (particularly having also been married five times in his life up to this point- with him saying of the first four, “I guess all the earlier marriages were disasters too”), purchased a lotto ticket.

Of course, he won- a jackpot of £600,000 (nearly $1 million). Having been married four times before, he decided to try for lucky number 5, proposing to his girlfriend. She accepted.

Five years later, at the age of 81, he started giving away what he hadn’t spent of the million dollars to family and friends, as well as selling his home on a private island, and moving back to his old home south of Zagreb in the Republic of Croatia, where he lived prior to winning the lottery. He said he had everything he needed to keep him happy and didn’t need the money anymore. He did, however, keep enough money to pay for a hip replacement surgery and to build a shrine to the Virgin Mary.

Also, let’s be honest, a private island for this guy isn’t probably the best idea. Yes, the lack of mass transportation could be good for his safety, but you notice, besides bikes, what one major mode of transportation hasn’t yet resulted in a near death experience for him? Boats.

While people nicknamed him “The Luckiest Man in the World,” for cheating death so many times and winning the lottery, Selak disagrees.

I never thought I was lucky to survive all my brushes with death. I thought I was unlucky to be in them in the first place but you can’t tell people what they don’t want to believe.

Selak has apparently changed his lifestyle to avoid further mishaps. He was asked several years ago to star in an Australian TV commercial for Doritos. While he initially accepted the job, he quickly changed his mind. Turns out he didn’t want to test his luck by flying to Sydney to film the commercial. Fool me once, shame on you, and all that. 😉

Bonus Facts:

Even if you thought Selak was lucky, you most definitely won’t think Roy Sullivan was. Sullivan was born in 1912. Before he killed himself in 1983, he had 7 doctor documented instances in which he was struck by lightning. This doesn’t include what he claims was the first time when he was a boy, which wasn’t documented, so wasn’t included in the final tally by the Guinness World Records.
In addition to the 7 or 8 strikes, he was out helping his wife take hanging laundry down before a storm when she was struck by lightning. Needless to say, late in life, he claims many people started avoiding him, particularly when there was a storm nearby.
The first documented time Sullivan was struck by lightning, the lightning was seemingly determined to get him. There was a large lightning storm, so he took cover in a lookout tower. Oddly enough, the tower had no lightning rod installed, and thus was a prime target up high on the mountain. After the tower was struck “7 or 8 times”, Sullivan claims that fire was “jumping all over the place” and he had to get out. Of course, pretty much as soon as he exited the tower, he was struck by lightning.
During his second documented strike, the lightning also seemed equally determined to get at him. Despite the fact that he was in a truck at the time, which should have functioned as a nice Faraday cage, the lightning came through the window and hit him, among other things knocking him unconscious. This almost killed him not because of the injuries from the lightning, but because his truck almost went over a cliff just after, gradually slowing to a stop just shy of the edge where he found himself when he woke up.
The fourth documented strike was equally improbable, occurring when he was indoors in a ranger station at Shenandoah National Park. He stayed conscious after this one, though, with the main damage being all his hair on his head burning off.
The last time he was struck by lightning, directly after the strike, he also had the good fortune to encounter a bear who was trying to steal the fish Sullivan had just caught before being struck by lightning. As an experienced Ranger who was no stranger to encounters with bears, he managed to drive the bear off by hitting it with a large tree branch.

May 9, 2017September 25, 2017

New Airless Bike Tires That Will Never Get Flat

A flat tire is a thing that can ruin even the best bike trip. However, riders can forget dragging around their patch kits and pumps, because Nexo created an airless tire to ensure they keep pedaling.

Flat-free tires aren’t new, however they weren’t widely used because of poor stiffness and shock absorption, compared to the conventional ones. But this Utah-based company claims to have found a solution to these problems. The tires are made from polymeter blends that are said to offer not only a perfect balance of cushion and resilience, but durability as well. The product comes in two different shapes – tires to be mounted on existing wheels with a lifespan of up to 3,100 miles, and others, which replace the entire wheel set and last for up to 5,000 miles.

If that’s not enough, Nexo made their products from a single material, which makes recyclability really easy. Considering that 10,000,000 tons of bike tires and tubes are discarded every year, that’s certainly a step in the right direction.

More info: Kickstarter (h/t: treehugger)

These innovative bike tires can’t get flat

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They are made from polymeter blends that offer durability and a perfect balance of cushion and resilience

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Users can mount them on their wheels or purchase entirely new wheel sets

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Cyclists can ride these tires for up to 5,000 miles

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Because they’re made from a single material, recycling becomes really easy

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Are you ready to say goodbye to conventional tires?

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Say goodbye to conventional tires.

Check out their website for more information and this video that explains their concept and awesome product:

Source www.boredpanda.com

May 9, 2017September 25, 2017

24 Of The World’s Best Hidden Hot Springs

The most remote hot springs in the world, so you can catch some much needed you-time.

01 | Cascata Del Mulino, Tuscany

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It’s a natural sulfur hot spring. In the Tuscan countryside. What’s not to love? Located in the ancient spa town of Saturnia, these waterfall springs stay a constant 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit all year, and see few visitors and even fewer tourists.

02 | Conundrum Hot Springs, Colorado

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At 11,200 feet, Conundrum Hot Springs might just be the highest hot springs in the country, perfect for surveying the incredible forests and valleys the springs are surrounded by. Plus, you can only get to them after an incredible 8.5 mile hike through the White River National Forest, meaning only the most committed will make it to the springs in the first place.

03 | Umpqua Hot Springs, Oregon

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A “clothing optional” geothermal spring on the North Umpqua River, these springs are apparently a “hippie haven,” so you may make some under-clothed friends looking to relax and unwind in a number of different ways. If you can get past that, Umpqua Hot Springs ranks highly on many hot spring hunters’ favorites lists.

04 | Lake Garda Hot Springs, Italy

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These hot springs are so hidden, you’d literally have to go under a lake to get to the source. This region in Italy has been used as a resort destination since the first century A.D., but it wasn’t until the 1800’s that the hot springs running under the Lake Garda lakebed were discovered, and channelled up and into the Sirmione Spas.

05 | Bagni Di Petriolo, Tuscany

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You know you’ve found a gem when you’re soaking in the same waters that the Medici family used to unwind in. Another perfect bath nestled in some ruins in the Tuscan countryside, locals will freely gather the mineral-rich clay there to take home as a bath-additive, rather than pay a fortune for the same product at spas around the country.

06 | Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan

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Sure, the ground there is covered in snow for 4 months out of the year, and sure, it’s a bit of a trek to ascend the 2789 feet to get there, but that shouldn’t discourage you from visiting these largely uncrowded springs. Especially since, as the name implies, you’ll have the opportunity to really get to know the locals.

07 | Wier Creek Hot Springs, Idaho

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Deep in the Clearwater National Forest lies a hot spring with a small but fiercely loyal following. While most visitors head to the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs nearby, those in-the-know will scoot to the smaller, lesser-known Wier Creek Hot Springs for a relaxing bath in the forest under the stars.

08 | Olympic Hot Springs, Washington

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This cluster of 7 relatively shallow hot springs in Olympic National Park went from discovery in 1892, to a resort that was then torn down in 1966, and has since been reclaimed by nature. Between the shallowness of the pools, their remote nature, and a large “bathe at your own risk” disclaimer by the park, few make it out for a dip, but those that do return with rave reviews.

09 | Granite Hot Springs, Wyoming

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The clear waters of the Wyoming Granite Hot Springs have a season-appropriate temperature of 112 degrees in the winter, to as low as 80 degrees in the summer. One of the few hot springs to be developed with a deck and maintained by the US Forest Service, the main hurdle reducing the number of annual visitors is one of access, since you must ski or snowmobile to the location in the winter.

10 | McCredie Hot Springs, Oregon

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While it’s true that in recent years these hot springs have become something of a hot spot, this riverside destination off a trail in the Willamette National Forest is still occasionally vacant, making for an incredible Oregonian wilderness experience. The springs are actually a series of pools that lessen in temperature the further from the source you get, so you can choose the one that’s just right.

11 | Angseri Hot Springs, Bali

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What’s better than a relaxing hot spring soak abroad? It could be when you find one that’s devoid of tourists, and even locals. But more likely it’s when you find a rare one with a waterfall immediately adjacent to the hot springs, so that you can cool off for a minute without ever leaving the area. Enter Angseri Hot Springs.

12 | Mystic Hot Springs, Utah

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With “mystic” in the name, the expectations are pretty high for a magical experience, but these hot springs in Monroe, Utah deliver. With waters reaching up to 168 degrees, and a gorgeous desert backdrop suitable for catching incredible sunsets, Mystic Hot Springs is certainly worth the trip.

13 | Marin Tidal Hot Springs, California

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Emphasis on hidden, these springs on the Northern California coast lie behind a boulder on the ocean, and go by several different names (including Steep Ravine Hot Springs, and Rocky Point Hot Springs). You’ll want to check the tide watch and plan ahead to make sure you arrive at low tide, otherwise the spring is nearly impossible to access.

14 | Chena Hot Springs, Alaska

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Not only is it gorgeous, but the waters of this spring 56 miles outside of Fairbanks are renowned for their healing properties. So much so, that the United States Department of Agriculture even sent chemists to analyze its composition recently (who concluded that the waters of Chena Hot Springs are indeed unique to the entire United States, though that may be because of Alaska’s geographical placement).

15 | Puritama Hot Springs, Chile

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Resting at the bottom of a canyon in the Atacama Desert, the eight pools of the Puritama Hot Springs in Northern Chile only recently opened to the public, meaning there’s still time to enjoy it before the word gets out.

16 | Travertine Hot Springs, California

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Possibly the best kept hot-spring-secret in the great state of California, Travertine Hot Springs are a great blend of warm mineral waters, soft sediment bottoms, and stunning scenery.

17 | Goldmyer Hot Springs, Washington

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The Goldmyer Hot Springs demand a 11-14 mile sacrifice to bathe in their waters at the foot of the mighty Cascade Mountains. Subsequently, to visit becomes a 2-day-minimum affair, complete with hauling all your gear for the overnight stay. As few make the journey, you’ll likely have the springs all to yourself, and the consensus is the experience is well worth the hike.

18 | Fosso Bianco, Bagni San Filippo, Tuscany

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When you think of the perfect, natural, placid, unspoiled hot spring, you’re thinking of something that almost approximates the beauty of Fosso Bianco. At the convergence of several hot springs in Bagni San Filippo, limestone formations spring up like pillars to the gods of relaxation. And, it’s free.

19 | Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado

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The Dunton Hot Springs can be found in the remote ghost town of Dunton, southern Colorado (meaning, that aside from the springs themselves the area doesn’t see a whole lot of traffic). It also means that this place is a great intersection between retreat and history lesson (as one of the 13 on-site cabins features Butch Cassidy’s carved signature, which staff insists is authentic).

20 | Ma’in Hot Springs, Jordan

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Perhaps “between prehistoric tombs” doesn’t strike you as the most relaxing spot to unwind, but at this oasis in the Dead Sea, you’d be crazy not to go for a dip in these Roman baths used for centuries. Located outside Madaba, the waters of Hammamat Ma’in feature a perfect blend of magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

21 | Deception Island, Antarctic Peninsula

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The cool thing about the hot springs on Deception Island, is that they’re all hidden in plain view, right beneath the black sands on the coast. A “dig your own spa” experience, few want to go all the way to the antarctic for some naturally warm water, so you’ll likely only be competing with the penguins that live out there.

22 | Strawberry Hot Springs, Colorado

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Famous slopes, hot springs, and lots of Colorado forest make for the enticing cocktail that is Strawberry Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs. Getting there is a bit of a challenge, given that you have to navigate backroads that may be covered in snow during the winter seasons and necessitate four-wheel-drive, but once there you can enjoy the rustic cabin-in-the-woods environment.

23 | Kiraly Baths, Budapest

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Public bathing has been a part of the culture in Budapest for centuries, which is in no small part due to its location on a fault line. As a result Budapest is home to hundreds of natural hot springs throughout the city whose water comes from further below the Earth’s surface than most hot springs around the world, imbuing it with special properties.

24 | Arenal Hot Springs, Costa Rica

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The waters in Arenal, Costa Rica draw their heat from the geothermal volcanic activity of Arenal Volcano. Of the many resulting hot springs to choose from, Tabacon (deep in the Costa Rican rainforest) seems to be a good place to start. Rather than paying $126 to visit the springs, however, you can walk across the street and down the hill, and arrive at a hidden portion of it that’s completely free.

Source www.architecturendesign.net