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Bukit Rema Goreya Ayam - Chicken church |
 | Called the "Chicken church" (Ayam means chicken in Indonesian), and located on the top of one of the hills surrounding Borobudur majestic temple, it's one of the weirdest monument of Java island. The ticket is cheap, for such a unique site to discover. You'll have a free local snack inside, and from the top of the church, you can see, if the weather isn't rainy, Borobudur.
Other hills nearby are worth it, especially if you find a way to pitch your tent or your hammock there, for the incredible auditive show when mosques lost in the surrounding jungle all woke up together before sunrise, to an impressive singing echoing to each other. That happened to me, and is an unforgetable memory. You may have to pay a little extra to pitch your tent, and there is no official camping spot there. But if you're alone, and able to talk some indonesian, you'll be offered to sleep on the wooden path build for tourists. Be ready to wake up very early, by the first tourists, waiting to capture sunrise. | | Price :+/- 1 euro | |
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Kutna Hora |
 | Fancy some skulls and bones? Well, if you're in the surroundings of Prague, you can find a very interesting chapel, containing thousands of them. Kutna Hora itself is a town famous for several massives cathedrals definitly worth to see, but the most outstanding place is this little one, where pyramids of skullsand skeletons decorations will bring you to a very unique atmosphere. However, located in a Unesco World Heritage complex, this is not cheap, and the best way to enjoy the place itself is to buy a multi-attractions ticket to combine the visits of at least 2 cathedrals.
| | Price :180kn for a combined ticket | |
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Visoky Tatry
|
 | When you talk to people about Poland, the main sites are usually lakes, old town, and some historic or religious places like Auschwitz. However, the southern border of the country has several mountainous ranges. Visoky Tatry, meaning High Tatras are the one next to Zakopane, with the highest peak in the region. It's a very green and nice place to cycle or hike, through lakes, or even along the valley leading to the heart of Slovakia. Everything there is free of charge about the sightseeing, so just enjoy the nature, the silence of forests, and the great food if you're tempted to have a break in a little restaurant. I would particularly recommand the hamlet of Koniakow, located in Beskidskie mountain, with a great panoramic view all over hills. | | Price :Free | |
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Wooden churches of Poland
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 | Being a quite traditional country, churches are usually great normal buildings in Poland. But the southern part, and all accross the Carpates and Tatras mountains, you'll be able to see little wooden churches with impressive tower. Some of them are classified, some aren't, but in any case, most of them are located outside of touristic areas, in villages. So if you intend to travel in the country using small roads, you'll have plenty of opportunities to reach at least one.
| | Price :Free | |
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Happy cemetery
|
 | This title alone means everything. A unique peace in Europe where every grave is quite big, with many colors, paintings, and poems written on it, for a very special scenery next to a big church.
| | Price :2€ but can be seen over the wall quite well | |
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Tunnel of Love
|
 | If you're addicted to travel you may have read of this in many websites and blogs. Unknown free jewel in Europe, pretty difficult to find, but locals will help you, it's the proof that the nature is rulling the world, and as long as humans desappear from a spot, it will do her job, as stunning and perfect as possible. Get some shoes as you have to walk on a railway with bad plants, and try to catch the fairy.
| | Price :Free | |
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Decebale's Statue
|
 | Once upon a time, in Romania, a king called Dace was ruling the country. Today, the heritage is mostly Dacia, the famous car brand, and this 50m tall rock sculpture along the Danube, in Portiere del Fier ( Iron Gates) national park. If you drive on the romanian side of the 2 roads following the Danube's stream, you have to stop there few minutes to enjoy this nice place.
| | Price :Free | |
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Belogradchik castle
|
 | With several thousands of castle, Europe is definitly the place to be if you want to visit one. But among all of them, some are really modern, and cosy, while other are ruins in different shapes. Belogradchik, lost in the middle of hills where boulders seem to have be falling from the sky, it is probably the best combination of fortress and surroundings you can have in this part of the world. Almost free, you will enjoy the view, even with bad weather.
| | Price :3€ or 5Leva | |
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Abandoned bobsleigh track of Sarajevo
|
 | Being influenced by so many different civilizations due to its history, one of the last war-impacted city as well, Sarajevo has a lot to offer. But most of the tourists don't know, or are too lazy to climb the 5km to the abandoned bobsleigh track used for the Olympics when the country still belonged to Yougoslavia. The road is very steep, so cycling may not be a good idea. After 1h30 walking on the asphalte, you'll reach the concrete remains now covered by many graffitis.
| | Price :Free | |
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Tito's bunker
|
 | One of the most incredible human construction of the 20th century by its size, its furnitures and ... the fact that it was unknown to everyone even 20 years after being done. Today, a museum of modern art is set in the brand new inside of an unused anti-atomic bunker build by the Yougoslavian secret services. The ticket is quite expensive, but it's a unique piece of its kind, and the guide, working for the Tourist Office of the county will give you loads of informations, and answer all your questions, if you can't really imagine how did a huge amount of concrete like this stay invisible to everyone's eyes.
| | Price :9€ | |
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San Marino's Mount Titan
|
 | Amount the readers of this blog, very probably some of you have never heard of San Marino, which is one of the 4 smallest countries in Europe with Vatican, Monaco and Liechtenstein. However, being tiny doesn't mean that it doesn't deserve a visit, and the impressive peak, in the middle of an already hilly landscape, crowned by a castle and several towers is really something that you can add on your to-do list if you're planning to cross Italy. Entrance of the old town is free and except if you'd like to visit some museums, the stroll inside paved streets will definitly let a stamp in your journey in case of San Marino would be tempted to disappear again from your memory. The view is impressive on both sides, it seems to be a movie-made place.
| | Price :Free | |
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Piazza Michelangelo in Florence
|
 | Not secret at all, maybe the less "tips" of this list, Florence, capital of the so famous Tuscany, is a jewel, and has an important place in differents subjects tought in school. Become it was were Da Vinci studied, and where his eternal rival MichelAngelo also worked. The most famous square of the city, on the top of the hill, on the southern bank of the river, is wide, and offers a view of all the domes and bell towers quite stunning. Walking up there if you don't really like public transportations, you'll find different gardens offering viewpoints. But the one on MichelAngelo square ( piazza), is really the best that could have been made to contemplate 2 of the most famous artists ( and one mathematician called Galileo) city.
| | Price :Free | |
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Middle finger of Galileo
|
 | Florence has much to offer, but instead of staring at buildings like in many old towns, to admire the architecture, a second activity, still pretty common in a tourist's schedule; is to go to the museum. Galileo's museum of science, is a very complete and interesting one. But among all the astrolables, globes and others items used by scientists until now, one odd thing ( in fact few others as well) are visible under a little glass, to protect it forever. The scientist middle finger!
| | Price :9€ | |
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Reclined tower of Pisa
|
 | Not really normal to find a worldwide famous monument in such a list, but I'll try to give you the only secret I have. Be there as early as possible in daytime. Arrived just after sunrise, when its structure was still in the shadow, you may be able to enjoy the first rays of the sun without anyone. If you arrive 20 minutes to late, you'll be facing what you can imagine in such a special and mighty place : huge crowd, plenty of selfie sticks, and no freedom move or catch your own moment with the tower.
| | Price :Free | |
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Cinque Terre
|
 | Another famous place in Italy, even it's not as popular as some historical cities like Rome and Venice. Divided into 5 very colorful villages, at the bottom of cliff, or even dug in them, it's one of the gem of the italian coast. Arriving by train, you can arrive straight in the center of each one, and enjoy the colors, the sea ( most of them are not swimming-friendly however). Arriving by the road, you'll have a steep way down, and the same way up, to come by on the national road. But you may catch some interesting viewpoints, even if they are not so great due to the rocky formations which are hiding the villages as long as you don't reach their gates. The later you'll arrive, busier it will be. The Path of Love was closed in 2017 due to a recent landslide, so the more picturesque path among them is closed. You can still find some paths through vineyards, so if you see some guys lost in their middle, you may find an entrance to be there as well in the surroundings.
| | Price :Free | |
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Lago di Resia
|
 | Unknown place in the Austrian part of Italy, there used to be a lake there. After an artificial lake has been created there, the bell tower of the church is the only evidence that human were living here before. Unique, and very special, definitly worth a stop if you are driving from or to Austria.
| | Price :Free | |
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San Pietro church |
 | You are in the North of Italy, in the first slopes of the Alps. When suddenly, you decide to follow the path to a village called XXXX where a church out of this world, or out of Italy, like if the Russians would have invaded the land of pizza, built it, and then fled back to their land. This little church, so normal for orthodox eyes is odd in such a landscape and in this region, among greenery and high mountains forest.
| | Price :Free | |
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Mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan
|
 | Mostly famous because it's mentionned in James Bond, due to his petrol resources, Azerbaijan has surprising natural places, and some of them are not so numerous in the whole world. From the capital city, if you drive South about an hour, in direction of Iran, you'll find, but you need to check on the map, and then to follow your instinct to reach them, mud volcanoes. There is a path for cars to come there, but I don't know exactly where is the entrance. A big further XXXX national park roadsign. By foot, I have been dropped off almost in front of the harbour linking to Kazakhstan. Then, you walk on the land, cross a railway, walk over or under an oleoduc, climb a little hill... And some bubbles will appear soon. In fact, the first sign that you're not lost, is that the earth will start groaning. It means that you're on the good way, and this sound will be soon transform into bubbling puddles. Keep walking a bit, and some tiny peaks, about a human height, all grey will be offering a weird throwing up show.
| | Price :Free | |
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Free access to Bromo |
 | One of the most popular place to see in Indonesia, is Bromo volcano, with the impressive caldeira all around it. However, tickets for the official entrance are quite expensive, around 20euros. Nevertheless, if you arrive from Probbolingo's road, you'll be able to access to the site for free. The ticket office is in fact located not on the way to the mountain sunrise viewpoint. Then if you want to reach the crater, you should buy the ticket, but there is also a small path going down in rocks and mud, just next to one of the hotel with a barrier if you choose to go right at the fork in the center. The place deserves a ticket, but such a price for an hour sightseeing, especially as the caldeira panorama is free, it's a bit too much. Mind over the fact that if you arrive from the Malang road, the gate to the national park, about 20km far from the volcano, has a mandatory ticket control, and then you won't be able to escape the fee.
| | Price :Free | |
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Bua Daeng Lotus Lake
|
 | Lost in the middle of Isan province in Thailand, is an ideal pink scenery, that consisted of a wide lake covered in the good season with 90% of his surface by lotus. However, the view from the shore doesn't offer this show, so you'll have to pay for a little boat trip of an hour, to be in the middle of this wedding picturesque scenery
| | Price :About 8 euros for a boat trip | |
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King Cobra village
|
 | About 1h far from Vientiane's border crossing, you'll see on the main national road, roadsigns to this place. After about 15km in the adjacent county road, still asphalt-covered, a tiny village will offer a incredible show, with men fighting cobras. Kids are also playing, but with smaller and less dangerous snakes. Others reptiles are visible or can be bought. But the main event is the king cobra majestic fight versus an old human able to hyptonize it.
| | Price :2 euros for the snake show | |
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Dragon bridge on weekend's evenings.
|
 | Danang is a nice big city to be, by being located along the sea, between a hill to its North offering nice panoramas, and Hoi An, famous old fisherman village. However, Danang itself seems to be only a standard vietnamese now. But every Saturday and Sunday evening, at 9pm, the dragon shaped bridge will spit fire and water for few minutes.
| | Price :Free | |
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Tuz Golu salt Lake
|
 | Its name means salt lake, and it is one of the nearest to Europe with a quite impressive size as you can't see the end of it. Lost in the middle of Turkey, a bit South of Ankara, without being promoted, only turkish people with go here. But it's an incredible view with a huge crispy mirror that offers perfect reflection on it, as well as chips-chewing sound while walking on it.
| | Price :Free | |
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Koh Bulon Lae
|
 | Thailand and its paradise islands. Plenty of them are famous by now, and most of them are not authentic anymore, with concrete all around, and big resorts. However, on the way to the famous and crowded Koh Lipe, you can choose a chilling ride to Koh Bulon Lae, where you'll be able to sleep in cheap bungalows, in resorts, or in your own tent for free. Much more than that, the wildlife on the island is quite interesting as some water monitors, and calaos are easily spotted everyday where you'll be walking. The white beach were boats arrive is also nice for a swim.
| | Price :Free but need of a 10euros ticket for the ferry to come in. | |
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Blagaj |
 | South of Mostar, an old dervish muslim monastery is open to tourists, but more than the building itself, its location on the bank of a river appearing from the cliff, and then creating little water terraces is stunning.
| | Price :Free | |
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Dom na Drina
|
 | Secret weird place in Serbia, on the mystic Drina, one of the most beautiful place for its people, a fisherman has build a house, perched on a rock in the middle of the water. Nothing else to see, but it definitly deserves to be seen one.
| | Price :Free | |
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Lenin Peak
|
 | Among all the summit on Earth over 7000m, Lenin Peak is apparently the easiest one to climb. Located in Tajikitan, the hike and the base camp are in Kyrgyzstan, where you can also rent equipment. And even if you're not interested into this climb, the view from the main road, and the village called Sary Tash is amazing. Almost already 4000m above the sea level, with grasslands and dry lands, a wall of peaks and snow is the background of what you'll see. The highest one, often lost in clouds, is Lenin Peak.
| | Price :Free access to the peak. Climbing up needs usually to join a guide or tour | |
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Sleeping for free in Shangri-La
|
 | While Shangri-La is a very common name for luxurious hotels in the world, most of you have no ideas of the origin of this name. However, it is an incredible place to visit, which I would consider at the main monastery of Free Tibet. There is no Free Tibet in reality, but the Western part of Sichuan, next to Tibet, offers the same features, through its grasslands, monks, moutains. And Shangri-La is the equivalent of Lhassa's main temple, but in a place you can visit quite easily if we compare with the situation in the Tibetan province. Nevertheless, like all the other chinese touristic places, the ticket is expensive, about 20 euros, for only sightseeing, even it the place is unique. But if you're interested into saving some coins, and even having a beautiful camping stay, instead of going straight to the entrance of the park, you can take the road going left, following some hills. The security may warn you that's it's forbidden, but the road is not private, it belongs to the village. So just walk there, and when you'll see a kind of garden with wooden fences, pass the door, and climb up the hill almost straight. Reaching the top, you'll find another hill ahead, and a wall delimitating the field's limits. Follow this wall to the right, and climb the second hill. The marvellous scenic view over Shangri-La will be worth your 30 minutes walk. Then you can go down to visit it very easily, without being noticed as some tourists will go up, to take a picture from where you arrived.
| | Price :Free | |
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Linh Quy Phap temple
|
 | Visiting Vietnam is often done by motorbike, and religion isn't the main purpose of a backpacker as socialism is not pushing it unlike its neighbor of Thailand or Laos. But among buddhism, catholism, and coadaism, some religious places are worth a visit. Lost in the province of Lam Dong, next to Bao Loc city, Linh Quy Phap temple is a stunning place for sunrise, a bit too famous among locals as you may among hundreds of them at 5am. A good idea is to come the day before, in the evening. You'll be welcome by monks, with some youngsters able to speak english. And you'll be invited to sleep in their dorms and share their food as well. Having a great moment with them, even unique with some walks at nights and buddhisme practice, you'll have to wake up early in the morning with them to pray, but you'll be for sure on time to witness the amazing scenery with the surrounding hills revealing themselves with the first sunlights.
| | Price :Free | |
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Namak Lake |
 | If you are dreaming of an off-the-beaten track spot, where you'll be the only one, Namak Lake has definitly to be in your list. Only a gravel road, with only workers trucks and cars driving by is available to rich this white crispy place. On the way, if you're lucky, you may see some albinos camels as well | | Price :Free | |
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Harran village |
 | When I came here, it was kind of risky, as the world with the ISIS was taking place in Kobane, less than 10km away. I saw many refugees on the way, and I visited a school with more syrians boys than turkish as well. However, this village, apparently present in the old testament, is pretty unique, with its dome roofs made of clay. You can enter some houses by giving some money to the locals, and admire the authentic interior still out of our time | | Price :Free | |
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Kaiping diaolou |
 | Unique in the world, the Kaiping Diaolou are a family of villages in china, will fortified watchtowers around. Hundred of them can be seen in this part of the country, if you lose yourself in the countryside. Some of them are really remote, while the most famous, and probably almost intact one are in few villages with untouched architecture. Almost every village needs an official ticket to enter each area. With lotuses, rice fields, and traditional houses around, this is a picturesque place to visit if you are in Guangzhou province. | | Price :Between 8 and 12 euros for each site
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Wat Baan Rai |
 | If the artists weren-t eccentric, we won-t be able to see many uncommon things. That-s what happen when you drive in the South of Isan province, and suddendly, at the horizon, a huge elephant appears over the trees and the roofs. Built recently, this temple is full anachronism, and great painting, mixing buddhism and the current society. A kind of street art, but without streets, with so much details. Enjoy each pillar sustaining the elephant body! | | Price :Free | |
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Gengis Khan statue |
 | And if the biggest conqueror of all time should deserved a statue, what would it be like. Probably like this huge 50m silver horse commemorating Mongolia's war hero. The only monument in all the country I'd say, but a massive one, definitly worth a look | | Price :Free | |
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Urgamal to Yaruu steppes road |
 | You can sleep on the river banks if you?re fancy it, or if you started the way done too late. | | Price :Free | |
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Lisong Hotspring |
 | One of the most amazing hotspring in the world, with a very difficult access. But after going down a very steep gorge, with stairs, and ropes, you'll reach this gorgeous green crystals spot, next to the stream of the mail cold river. | | Price :Free | |
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Camping on Koh Rong Samloen |
 | In 2015, it was on one of the 2 most touristic islands of Cambodia, that I had this incredible night vision. However I don't know if it's still alright to camp there now, as more and more bungalows are being built on what used to be a desert island 10 years ago. But the midnight bath with sparkles all over you is an great feeling and view | | Price :Free | |
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Mohammedi village |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Aran o Bigdol Shrine |
 | Quite unknow shrine in Iran, which made it not popular at all among travelers considering the numbers of important religious building in Iran, this one, is a beautiful one, very large. And I had the privilege to sleep inside. | | Price :Free | |
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Sayram lake |
 | China is a beautiful country, but every sightseeing spot has a ticket. This one doesn't, and it is definitly worth a visit, almost in Kazakhstan, surrounded by moutains, horseriders, sheeps. The water is so clear and clean that you think you can see each of your town even when your feet can't touch the bottom of the lake anymore | | Price :Free | |
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Celica Old Prison |
 | Despite the fact that Ljubljana is a lovely city, it has a pretty underated district, made of an old prison which has turn in a street art and underground quarter, with walls decorated, independants artists and gigs nearby. And a nice hostel in the middle of the complex | | Price :Free | |
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Tagong village |
 | Probably not the best of the Sichuan province, but quite an authentic one that can be randomly chosen on the road to Tibet or back to Chengdu. Grasslands, plenty of monks, and temples surrounded by hills and snowy mountains. | | Price :Free | |
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Vaduz Fortress |
 | Capital city of one of the smallest country in the world, Vaduz is an interesting place to be for few reasons, like for example the cows among houses, and vineyards, which are unusual in a capital city. But its castle located on the edge of a cliff, just over the current city center is a sight which gives for sure charm to Vaduz.
| | Price :Free | |
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Bamberg old town |
 | Among all the famous touristic sights in Germany, Bamberg is probably one of the most famous for locals, and a unknown one for foreigner. Nice town in the North of Bavaria, the city center offers everything that architecture's interested would look for, with authentic facades, cobblestoned street, and the very unique island-building connected by bridges, on the way to the old town. Free | | Price :Free | |
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West Coast of Denmark |
 | With all its population on the East part of the peninsula, and the island of Copenhagen, West Denmark sounds wild. And it is. From Ribe, oldest town of the country, to the fjord, not as massive as the word Fjord might be in your mind, the few hundreds kilometers along the coast, through National parks, sandy unending beaches, and the cold weather flora offers a very interesting place to travel to, and spend few days, from a place to another, to enjoy the wilderness. | | Price :Free | |
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Abandoned waterpark in Hue |
 | City of Kings in Vietnam, with most of the kings grave in the surrounding, and the only real citadel of Vietnam, Hue offers a nice place to go for Urbex addicts. About 15km East, but only 2-3 kms from some Kings' graves, a waterpark closed due to bankrupt offers really nice pictures to the one who are able to get in, avoiding or chatting, and persuading the guards that you won't destroy the place. Still guarded because the government hope that somebody will buy the land, and make some decent business again, the mighty dragon in the lake, the waterslides lost in a forest, and the stories of crocodiles, and injured backpackers are a combination that should give everybody the desire to have a look to this nice abandoned complex. | | Price :Free | |
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Long Neck villages |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Take the train in Myanmar
|
 | | | Price :Ticket fare, few euros | |
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River in Laos |
 | | | Price :Around 30euros per person | |
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Ha Giang Loop |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Ban Gioc Waterfall |
 | | | Price :80k vnd | |
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Lembata whale hunter village |
 | | | Price :Renting a motorbike for the day ( about 150k rupiah) | |
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Ascent of Mt Tidore |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Katherine Low level and hot spring |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Spider Ricefields |
 | | | Price :20k rupiah | |
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Togian islands |
 | | | Price :Ferry + accomodation on the archipelago | |
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Top of Ramelau Mount |
 | | | Price :2$ | |
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Lospalos area |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Bilzen Castle |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Dordrecht old town |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Shining Street Art of Kreuzberg |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Abode of Chaos - La demeure du Chaos |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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The outside of Chenonceaux castle |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Gnomesville |
 | | | Price :Free | |
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Cat museum in Kuching |
 | | | Price :5euros | |
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Ghenh Da Dia |
 | | | Price :80k vnd | |
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