Buzz
What do you think makes a place famous? Typically, it's the landmarks and attractions that draw people in. Iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or Christ the Redeemer in Rio. Scenic wonders like the Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps or the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Add to that places rich in history and architecture, from the Tower of London to the Empire State Building in New York.
Yet, some places become famous for the oddest of reasons. Consider the US town that spiraled downhill after its general store burned down, or the UK alleyway that became a target for endless pranks.
There’s the “undiscovered” island in the Pacific and an Australian peak that keeps growing. Some of these destinations may not be easy to visit, and others may be harder to find unless you explore them online. But all are known for some truly bizarre reasons.
10. Gone to the Dogs
The quaint town of Rabbit Hash in Boone County, Kentucky certainly gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'dog lead.'
This town is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, with its historic general store—dating back to 1831—considered the best-preserved country store in Kentucky. However, it's not the store that has brought the most fame to this small community.
When the beloved general store was destroyed by fire in 2016, the community came together to rebuild it using lumber donated from other historical buildings, all thanks to a unique local fundraiser.
Since 1998, Rabbit Hash has held an annual Mayoral election where all candidates are dogs. This unusual tradition has continued for over two decades.
The first mayor, Goofy Borneman-Calhoun, a dog of 'indeterminate breed,' served from 1998 until his passing in 2001 at the age of 16. The second mayor, Junior Cochran, a black labrador, faced controversy during his term, notably being banned from the general store due to health concerns.
Brynneth Pawltro, the town's current mayor, managed to raise $9,000 to help rebuild the town's general store. Voting in the local elections costs $1 per vote, with no restrictions on the number of votes one can cast.
9. The Growing Mountain
Australia’s highest peak is located off the mainland, and it is still expanding.
Though many consider Mount Kosciuszko as Australia's highest mountain, Mawson Peak is the tallest at 2,745 meters based on its last measurement. Situated about 4,100 kilometers from the Australian mainland on Heard Island, southwest of Perth in the Indian Ocean, this active volcano grows constantly due to the interaction of molten lava and glacial ice. It's estimated that Mawson Peak is now around 2,800 meters tall.
The island remains shrouded in clouds for most of the year, as fire and ice continue their dynamic interaction. Only research scientists typically make the perilous, week-long journey to this remote location. It’s not a suitable place for skiing or hiking, as 'Big Ben' has been continuously erupting since 2012.
8. The World's Most Dangerous Golf Course
At this golf course in Korea, you’ll need military precision to avoid triggering an explosion. Camp Bonifas is no ordinary course—it holds the title of the world’s most dangerous golf course. The par 3 course is located right next to the United Nations Command Post, just 500 meters from the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.
The course is surrounded by land mines, barbed wire, and an abandoned machine gun nest. There have been instances where stray shots have caused land mines to detonate. Retrieving your golf balls here is nearly impossible.
Surprisingly, up to 1,000 tourists visit this unique and thrilling course every day for the ultimate adrenaline-filled round.
7. Cat Island
If you're not fond of cats, Tashirojima Island is probably not the best destination for you.
This isolated rural island, located off the Japanese coast of Ishinomaki, is overwhelmingly inhabited by cats. With only around 100 human residents, the island is home to an estimated 800 cats.
The cats have been a part of the island’s history since the 18th century when they were used by locals to protect their textile industry by hunting the mice that endangered the silkworms.
In more recent times, fishermen would feed the cats from the shore, believing they brought good fortune to their fishing endeavors. A shrine dedicated to the cats, called 'Neko-Jinja,' has been built in the heart of the island.
Today, tourists take a one-hour ferry ride to 'Cat Island,' where the locals are welcoming and often happy to offer a cuddle. While there may not be many tourist amenities like restaurants or cafes, visitors can stay in 'cat-shaped' bungalows along the coast.
6. The Phantom Town That Never Was
Argleton, a seemingly real UK town in East Lancashire, boasts a legitimate postcode, active real estate listings, weather updates, and even job openings. The only twist is that it’s entirely fictional.
The location that shows up on Google Earth and Google Maps is simply an empty field next to the A59 road. However, online services relying on Google data mistakenly linked various businesses and services within the same postcode to this non-existent town.
This bizarre glitch was discovered in 2008, garnering global media attention and leading to the creation of numerous fake websites mocking the Google blunder.
Possible explanations for this Google mistake range from cartographers deliberately adding false place names to catch copyright infringement, to a mix-up with the actual parish of Aughton where the phantom village appears to exist.
As reported by Google, Argelton is currently marked as ‘closed’.
5. The Snow-free Ski Resort
One might assume that snow is an essential feature for a ski resort, but Monte Kaolino defies this logic. Located in Hirschau, Germany, it stands as the only ski resort in the world without snow. Instead, it boasts a 110-meter-high artificial sand dune.
The name Monte Kaolino is derived from the kaolinite quartz sand, which was once mined extensively in the region. The sand, a by-product of mineral production, became a significant challenge in the area’s industrial and medical sectors.
By the 1950s, the sand pile had grown so vast that a local resident decided to take advantage of it by skiing on the mound. This sparked the creation of a ski club, with athletes eager to practice their downhill skills on this unconventional slope of sand.
Today, the sand mountain is home to a ski lift, a campground, and a water park, and it also hosts the World Sandboarding Championships.
An exceptionally innovative use for a former industrial waste site.
4. The Subterranean Town
Coober Pedy is an iconic Australian town, a remote place with a pub at every corner where locals don their Akubras and greet each other with a cheerful “gidday.” But what sets this town apart is that nearly all of its 1,700 residents live underground.
Located in the South Australian outback, Coober Pedy faces summer temperatures soaring as high as 45°C (113°F). In response to the harsh conditions, early opal miners dug underground “dugouts” to escape the relentless heat. The indigenous population, amused by the miners' burrow-like homes, dubbed the town “white fella in a hole,” or “Coober Pedy.”
Today, most of the town’s homes and public buildings are carved from the underground sandstone, where the temperature remains a constant 23°C (75°F) throughout the year. In these subterranean spaces, you'll find homes, churches, restaurants, and bars, all nestled deep underground, devoid of natural light and airflow.
The barren landscape provided the perfect backdrop for the 1985 film “Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome.”
3. The Butt of the Joke
The meanings of words often evolve over time, and place names are no exception.
Residents of a small town in the UK grew tired of being the subject of jokes as visitors flocked to snap a cheeky selfie with the village's most notorious road sign.
Butt Hole Road, located in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was originally named after a water butt positioned at the end of the lane.
However, over time, the name took on a completely different connotation, causing considerable inconvenience for the locals. Not only did they become the target of numerous pranks, but service providers, taxis, and delivery companies often assumed the address was a joke.
In response, residents united to rename the road to the more modest “Archers Lane.”
2. The Forgotten Capital City
The ancient city of Pompeii is renowned as a civilization that (mostly) fled before it was buried by the fiery ash and lava from Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.
It has only been 25 years since a Caribbean island, once a favorite playground of the wealthy and famous, met with a fate similar to that of Pompeii.
Plymouth, the former capital of Montserrat, has become a modern-day version of Pompeii, as its residents fled in 1995 due to a volcanic eruption. The Soufrière Hills volcano, dormant for four centuries, erupted suddenly in July 1995, spewing ash across the coastline.
More than 12,000 people were forced to evacuate as a series of eruptions buried the city under 40 feet of ash and molten lava.
Today, Plymouth remains the only ghost town that once served as the capital of Montserrat. It lies within the volcanic exclusion zone, where only the most daring travelers venture to witness the destruction on the now uninhabitable southern part of the island.
1. The Uncharted Island
Throughout history, explorers embarked on countless voyages of discovery, yet only a handful of places have ever truly been 'undiscovered.'
Captain James Cook first charted the small island of 'Sandy Island' to the northeast of Australia in 1774, with the whaling ship 'Velocity' confirming the existence of the landmass in 1876.
The remote island in the Pacific Ocean evokes visions of a perfect getaway, surrounded by swaying palm trees. However, reaching this destination may prove more challenging than expected.
Despite appearing on numerous maps, sailors were unable to locate the 24-kilometer-long island. Google Earth even recorded its existence, relying on data from these historical paper maps.
The island was officially deemed 'undiscovered' in November 2012, when Australian researchers failed to find it. Using modern technology, including Google’s geo-locations, they sailed right through the supposed location of the island.
One theory for the mystery of the vanishing island is that early explorers mistakenly encountered rafts of pumice from underwater volcanoes, which they misidentified as an actual island.
