Just Enough Room Island: The Tiny Island

Just Enough Room Island, or Hub Island, is located in the beautiful Thousand Islands region, a scenic archipelago that stretches along the border between New York and Ontario in Canada. 

The area is home to more than 1,800 islands of various sizes, ranging from large islands with hotels and castles to tiny rocky outcrops barely visible above the water. Among all of these islands, Just Enough Room Island stands out because of its incredibly small size. Covering only about 3,300 square feet (around 310 square metres), it is smaller than many suburban backyards. Yet, this tiny piece of land has become one of the region's most photographed attractions.

Tiny Just Enough Room Island with a cottage on the St Lawrence River

Zone of Silence Mexico: The Mystery of Mapimí

In the middle of northern Mexico lies a remote desert landscape that has drawn curious travellers, scientists, and storytellers for decades. Known as the Zone of Silence, the area is associated with the vast Bolsón de Mapimí and the surrounding Mapimí Biosphere Reserve, where the states of Durango, Chihuahua, and Coahuila meet. The place became famous for its stories of strange radio behaviour, unusual magnetic effects, meteorites, and even a military rocket that reportedly crashed in the area. Some of these stories have been repeated so often that they are now part of the desert's identity.

The remote desert landscape of the Zone of Silence stretches across the Mapimí region.

The Great Ziggurat of Ur: The Ancient Monument of Mesopotamia

The Great Ziggurat of Ur (Ziggurat Etemenniguru) is the best-preserved temple complex in ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq). It was constructed early in the 21st century BC (about 2047 BC) in the city of Ur by the local kings Ur Nammu and Shulgi. The Ekishnugal Sanctuary was built to honour the lunar god Nanna. In the following years, it was restored several times and was substantially expanded by the New Babylonian king Nabonidus.

The Great Ziggurat of Ur, or Ziggurat Etemenniguru, is one of the best-known surviving monuments of ancient Mesopotamia.

Strange Places in Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Immovable Ladder Church of the Holy Sepulchre: A wooden step ladder leaning over a balcony against the right window at the Church of the Sepulchre's second-tier facade in Jerusalem's Old Town. The cornice is where the ladder rests, and it is placed against the window. The Armenian Apostolic Church owns this window. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre ladder is the symbol of Christianity's interfaith conflict. The six Christian denominations owning the Church agree to place the immovable ladder in their proper places. They are forbidden from moving, repairing, or changing anything inside the Church without their consent.

The famous immovable ladder rests against the façade of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

La Rinconada Peru: The Highest Permanent Settlement in the World

Imagine living in a place where every breath feels like a struggle, where the temperature rarely rises above freezing, and where the air holds only half the oxygen found at sea level. Welcome to La Rinconada, Peru. Perched at a staggering 5,100 metres (16,732 feet) above sea level in the majestic Peruvian Andes, this remote enclave holds the official Guinness World Records title for the highest permanent human settlement on Earth. 

Yet, nobody comes to La Rinconada for the alpine views or the crisp mountain air. They come for one thing only: gold. Tucked precariously beneath the shadow of Mount Ananea’s glacier, affectionately called "La Bella Durmiente" (The Sleeping Beauty), La Rinconada is a city built entirely on the modern gold rush. It is a place of dizzying paradoxes—a settlement frozen in time, yet hyper-connected to the volatile swings of global commodity markets.

La Rinconada, Peru, sits at about 5,100 metres above sea level in the remote Andes and is famous for its extreme altitude and gold-mining economy.

Frankenstein Castle – Mühltal, Germany

Frankenstein Castle, also known as Burg Frankenstein, is a castle located in Germany. It was built at an altitude of 370 m on one of the peaks of the Odenwald mountain range south of the German city of Darmstadt (Hesse), 35 km from Frankfurt, and overlooking the Rhine Valley. 

Historic Frankenstein Castle stands above the forested landscape of Mühltal, Germany.

Colossi of Memnon

Two giant statues of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, Amenhotep III (1386-1353 BCE), are known as the Colossi of Memnon, or el-Salamat (also el-Colossat and el-Salamat). They lie west of Luxor, Egypt, overlooking the Nile River. The statues show the seated king on a throne with emblems of his mother, his wife and the god Hapi. Each figure weighs 720 tons and is 18 metres tall. They were carved from a single block of sandstone.

The massive Colossi of Memnon stand near ancient Thebes in Luxor, Egypt.

Floating Markets of Southeast Asia

A floating market can be described as a market that appears on the river, the main traffic route—a place where both the buyer and the seller use boats to transport their goods. The floating market is typically located in sections of the river that are neither too broad nor too narrow. The river section must not be too wide or too short. Many floating markets were established in areas where water transport was necessary. They are primarily tourist attractions and can be found in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and Sri Lanka.

Traditional boats loaded with fresh fruits and local produce create a colorful scene at Bangladesh’s vibrant floating markets.

Bailong Elevator – Zhangjiajie China Elevator

One of the most extraordinary pieces of engineering in a natural landscape, the Bailong Elevator in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China, dramatically ascends a towering quartzite cliff. The elevator is also called the Hundred Dragons Elevator. It’s a huge glass elevator that takes visitors vertically through the stunning mountains of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Guinness World Records officially recognises the Bailong Elevator as the highest outdoor lift in the world, at 326 metres (1,070 feet). It combines modern engineering with one of the most dramatic natural environments in China, and is a remarkable way to experience the famous sandstone peaks of Zhangjiajie.

The Bailong Elevator rises dramatically along a towering cliff in Zhangjiajie, China.

Larabanga Mosque: Ghana’s Ancient Mud Mosque

In the quiet village of Larabanga in northern Ghana is a mosque unlike any other in the country. One of Ghana’s most important religious-architectural sites, the Larabanga Mosque was built from sand, wood, water, and centuries of local knowledge. Its whitewashed mud walls, timber beams, and sculpted towers make it instantly recognisable and an integral part of the surrounding landscape.

Larabanga Mosque, a historic earthen mosque located in Ghana’s Savannah Region, is a significant religious and architectural site.