Asia

Places in this region

Chamsori Gramophone and Edison Science Museum

Explore the history of recorded sound at the world's third largest collection of Edison memorabilia

An oddity of geography, the Chamsori Gramophone and Edison Science Museum is situated fifteen minutes from downtown Gangneung, South Korea. While neither Thomas Edison nor the Gramophone have any... »

Wonder Cabinets, Unique Collections, Musical Wonders, Electrical Oddities | Edited by timothylegion, Annetta and others

Troglodyte Village

Modern-day cave dwellers carve elaborate homes out of volcanic debris

Tucked away in the remote northwest corner of Iran is a village where residents live as modern-day cave dwellers. Current residents of Kandovan, a tourist village in the province of East... »

Geological Oddities, Curious Caves, Lost Tribes, Eccentric Homes, Outsider Architecture | Edited by Nicholas Jackson

Hang Sung Sot

Ha Long Bay's "Cave of Surprises" houses a popular phallic rock formation

Hang Sung Sot, or the "Cave of Surprises" in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, was discovered in 1901 by the French. The cave is located on Bo Hon island. One of the most popular in the bay with tourists,... »

Geological Oddities | Edited by Bswanson and Nicholas Jackson

Batu Caves

A holy Hindu shrine in an enormous, monkey-filled limestone cavern

During Thaipusam, an annual celebration of the triumph of good over evil, hundreds of thousands of spiritual pilgrims climb the 272 stairs into the Batu Caves carrying kavadis, symbolic burdens... »

Curious Caves, Strange Statues, Rites and Rituals, Curious Places of Worship | Edited by Annetta, dcyc82 and others

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh's perfectly preserved body has been on display here since 1975.

Despite Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh's will, which clearly stated his wish to be cremated, the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum was inaugurated in August of in 1975. Since then, it has housed the... »

| Edited by Bswanson and Dylan

Snake Pagoda of Myanmar

These serpents are considered holy and pampered accordingly

Officially called Yadana Labamuni Hsu-taungpye Paya, this Myanmar pagoda is generally known by another name: Hmwe Paya, or the "Snake Pagoda." This out-of-the-way pagoda near Mandalay is... »

Curious Places of Worship | Edited by lieblink, mrobscurity and 2 others

Kan'ei-ji Temple

A Buddhist temple to insects that died for science

Close to Tokyo's Ueno Park, the Kan'ei-ji temple is a quiet pagoda far removed from the hustle and bustle of the park's top tourists draws - its zoo and museums. Few visitors stop by, and most of... »

Curious Places of Worship | Edited by ilbonito, wythe and 2 others

The Clinic

"Would you like your sangria in an IV bag, or straight-up?"

Medical themed bar and eatery in the heart of Singapore's Clarke Quay district takes pharmacopoeia to new levels, all in "tribute" to contemporary artist Damien Hirst. With wheelchairs as the... »

Bizarre Restaurants and Bars | Edited by littlebrumble and Dylan

Tenryu-Ji Shrine's Bamboo trail

A beautiful bamboo trail tucked in this famous Japanese Shrine

Heavenly Dragon Temple, or Tenryu-ji, is best known for its zen garden, a long and winding path lined with thousands of towering bamboo stalks. Tenryū-ji — more formally known as Tenryū... »

Curious Places of Worship | Edited by bebeto, Dylan and others

Fushimi Inari Shrine

The Ten Thousand "Torii" Shrine

Built in 711, the Fushimi Inari Shrine is the most famous of several thousands shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto God of rice. Foxes are thought to be his messengers of Inari and many fox... »

Curious Places of Worship | Edited by bebeto and Dylan

Elsewhere on the Web