To learn more about exploring off the beaten path from an expert, we reached out to Travel Writer and Content Creator King Siu, who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda about some of the most unique places he’s ever traveled to.

“I've always been fascinated by Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza, especially because of all the mystery that surrounds them, so those are famous unique destinations that I've been lucky enough to visit that still give me chills when I think about them,” King shared.

“More recently, I visited the underground city of Kaymakli in the Cappadocia region of Turkiye,” he continued. “If you're not familiar with it, it's an underground city that once had a population of about 5,000 and consists of many levels of natural and excavated cave networks. It was so surreal to be there exploring miles of underground caves where people lived out their entire lives many centuries before.”

“The forests in New Zealand also took my breath away, and anyone who has seen the Lord of the Rings movies will know what I'm talking about,” King added.

The travel expert also shared that years ago he had the unique opportunity to stay in a hostel in a favela in Rio de Janeiro. “Favelas are shanty towns that have a reputation for being very dangerous, as they are usually controlled by drug cartels, and this reputation is well deserved as it's not unusual for residents to be openly carrying assault rifles, or for shootouts to occur on the streets,” King explained. 

“Let's just say that my stay there was a week I'll never forget. I don't advise it unless you know what you're doing or are with someone who does, which was the case for me and why I'm alive to tell this tale,” the traveler noted. “I can't imagine many guides advising you to stay in a favela (did I mention they're really dangerous?), and I only went on my adventure because a Brazilian friend had recommended and arranged this adventure. I definitely thought I was going to die in the first 24 hours, but I'm so glad I got to experience it, and not dying was good too.”

King also noted that unique spots don't always have to be larger than life or historical, they can be anything that you find interesting. “Harry Potter fans might want to visit Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station in London,” he told Bored Panda. “I visited the narrowest street in the world - Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche - in Paris and found it a fun experience because I made it my own with a silly photo shoot. My love of McDonald's drew me to the largest McDonald's in the world in Orlando, Florida, and I had a delicious time.”

But King still hasn’t seen everything he would like to. “A couple of places that are high on my list to visit someday are Chernobyl, which many may know as the site of the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history or a recent HBO series; and a destination that'll interest anyone who has a desire to be creeped out during their travels - La Isla de las Muñecas or The Island of the Dolls,” he shared. “This island just south of Mexico City is just that, an island full of abandoned dolls. I'll leave it to you to Google it and creep yourself out.”

King says he’s a big supporter of “just going wherever your heart takes you and not worrying about whether it's a popular or desirable destination.”

“You probably already realized that earlier when I listed a trip to the world's biggest McDonald's as a highlight in my travels,” he added with a laugh.

“The biggest advantages of visiting less famous places is that you won't have to compete with crowds to enjoy your destination, it'll be more affordable, and it won't be so commercialized that it loses that thing that made it unique in the first place,” the expert noted.

However, King says travelers should keep in mind when visiting less popular spots that the destination may not be as organized or convenient. “There may not be restrooms, water, or food readily available,” he noted. “Transportation may not be easy to arrange, and it might not even be accessible by roads. The area may present dangers which can include people looking to harm you, structures being unsafe, or natural elements that might require extra care. Wherever you go, whether it's popular or not, do your research to ensure you enjoy it safely. That way, you can have fun when you're there instead of spending all your time scanning for signs of danger.”

If you’re searching for unique destinations to visit yourself, King recommends asking your more adventurous friends for suggestions and finding travelers with similar interests as you on social media to find inspiration. 

“Some of my favorite sites to look to for unique travel inspiration are: Atlas Obscura, Unusual Traveler, Untapped Cities, Spotted by Locals, and Hidden Europe. Of course, you can always turn to Google or ChatGPT for recommendations too,” King shared.

“For those who are more extraverted, don't be shy to ask the locals wherever you are for their recommendations, they're often all too happy to share,” the travel expert added. “If my friend and I hadn't done that during our visit to Rio de Janeiro, we would never have known to hike up to the mountain peak of Morro Dois Irmãos at dawn for one of the most spectacular sunrises I've ever seen!”

“Unique travel experiences don't have to happen in a faraway land. Travel can get expensive, so it's not always easy to get to the unique place of your dreams. That's why I encourage you to also look for unique experiences closer to home while you're planning your trips,” King shared. “Every city has something unique and amazing. Perhaps it's a building with a secret, an unusual tree, or maybe it's just a street with an unfortunate name. Sometimes unique spots are well documented, and sometimes they're just waiting for someone with a keen eye to discover them.”

If you’d like to hear more travel tips and inspiration for your next journey, be sure to visit King’s YouTube channel Travel, Eat, Drink!

We hope you’re enjoying scrolling through these photos, pandas. Whether you’ve never heard of some of these places or you’ve visited many of them in person, keep upvoting the pics that you find most fascinating. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring unique perspectives of well-known locations, look no further than right here!