Enter through the mouth of a bug-eyed beast and you will find yourself inside the Kawaii Monster Café in Tokyo, where lifesize gummibears and a cake-shaped carousel await – and you are served by aliens. The food is also odd: pastel-colored pasta, candy salads and ice cream in every color of the rainbow.
The Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, India, was built in 1799 for the sole purpose of allowing the ladies of the royal household to watch processions unobserved. Hence the 953 intricately screened windows in its facade.
Summer and water sports are a perfect combination of fun and activity. But why not take it up a notch by building your own surfboard, sailing boat or raft? See you in the water!
Mr. Know It All
© Bente SchippAt a top speed of three kilometers an hour, a rafting trip on Sweden’s Klarälven River is a leisurely drift. But first you have to build your own raft – using whole tree trunks.
Build your own kayak, row- or sailboat in only a week at the Great Lakes Boat Building School in the U.S. state of Michigan. Then set sail straight into the water sports arenas that are the Great Lakes on the doorstep.
Foam surfboards are a dime a dozen. At Patrick Burnett in Cape Town, you can make your own beautiful, ecofriendly, custom wooden board – and then test it at South Africa’s top surf spots.
Culture clash
Exploring Indonesia, Mexico or France can take years. If you’re strapped for time why not try a cultural theme park instead?
Island hopping
At the Taman Mini park near Jakarta, you’ll find Indonesia’s over 17 500 islands in miniature format plus architecture, dances, crafts and culinary specialties from across the archipelago.
Mexico Express
Enjoy dance and music shows, watch traditional potters and smiths at work, stroll the ruins of a real Maya settlement – all at Xcaret, the Mexican culture park near Cancún.
Showtime
Puy du Fou in Vendée, France, has been named the world’s best theme park multiple times. Its spectacular shows spotlight French historical and mythological heroes.
The best place to see and learn to dance the tango is Buenos Aires, where the sensual dance was born and where the annual International Tango Festival and world championships take place (August 9 – 22).