Essentials
art works, curios and entire antique ceilings, and you also have far too much money, you end up doing what publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst did, and build a mountaintop mansion to house it all.
The wonderful factor
While Hearst Castle is an odd pastiche of architectural styles with a wide range of artefacts and a wild disregard for budget, it’s an amazing place to tour and pretend you’re one of Hearst’s movie star dinner guests.
Don’t miss
The Neptune Pool, a re-imagining of a Roman grotto. Hearst Castle is a four-hour drive north of LA. Tours cost $32; hearstcastle.org.
Lake Hovsgol, Mongolia Why you should go
To see Mongolians at their coldest and strangest.
The weird factor
In summer this is just any old lake, albeit a beautiful one. In winter, however, it’s an enormous block of ice upon which games including tug of war, wrestling, and horse-drawn sleigh races are staged. This is also home to the Dukha people, an ancient tribe of reindeer herders.
The wonderful factor
The natural beauty of the Khovsgol area is reason enough to visit, but this is also home to a unique culture that is all but cut off from the rest of the world.
Don’t miss
Time your visit to coincide with the Hovsgol Ice Festival in March.
Essentials
Lake Hovsgol can only be accessed by four-wheel-drive – it’s a four-day drive from Ulan Baator. See mongoliatourism.info
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala Why you should go
To embrace your inner hippie – or hunt for a god.
The weird factor
If you have ever wanted to study kinesiology, meditation, holistic healing, or lucid dreaming in one of the most naturally beautiful locations in the world, then San Marcos La Laguna on Lake Atitlan is the place for you.
The wonderful factor
There is more to Lake Atitlan than Westerners on yoga retreats. This is also the home of Maximon, a deity worshipped for his love of rum and cigars, whose wooden effigy can be found in a local home.
Don’t miss
A stay at Casa del Mundo, a guesthouse on the lakeshore.
Essentials
Lake Atitlan can be reached from the tourist town of Antigua. See visitguatemala.com
Hill of Crosses, Lithuania Why you should go
This is one of the world’s strangest sites of pilgrimage.
The weird factor
First there was one crucifix, placed on a hill in northern Lithuania after the 1831 rebellion against the Russians. Then more were added, and more, to the point where now, about 185 years later, there are more than 100,000 crucifixes, effigies and carvings on the Hill of Crosses.
The wonderful factor
Aside from the ‘‘wow’’ experience of seeing so many crosses on a lonely hill, this is a site of pilgrimage for many in the Baltic States, particularly Lithuanians, who see it as a symbol of independence and endurance.
Don’t miss
Set aside enough time to properly explore the crosses.
Essentials
The Hill of Crosses is three hours north-west of Vilnius. See lithuania.travel. – Traveller