Time and again we read about places like the River Seine or the beaches of Hawaii, some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. While these places unleash the traveler in us, you’ve read about them and seen those photos countless times, you can’t help but feel like you’ve been there already.

If you’re a travel photographer, you’ll want to find something more interesting and unique. You’ll want something unusual and even weird. There are such places scattered in different parts of the world. They just have not been discovered by a lot of people yet.

So why not plan out your trips ahead of time and visit some of the world’s most unique destinations for travel photography. Here are 10 of them.

1. The Hanging Coffins of Sagada, Mountain Province Philippines

Image by Madeleine Deaton

Sagada, Mountain Province is in the Philippines. Located specifically in Echo Valley, Sagada’s Hanging Coffins are not as popular as the other travel destinations in this Asian country, but quite a lot of people flock to the place throughout the year. The Hanging Coffins are not only visually unique, their stories are also interesting. The coffins are actually part of a pagan burial ritual that is still practiced in Sagada.

They are placed in steep crevices, which explain why they are “hanging”. The Sagada Hanging Coffins is also known as the Lumiang Burial Cave. Some 200 hanging coffins are stacked on the walls of the cave.

2. Los Angeles’ Abandoned Subway Tunnels USA

Image by allen

While one of the tunnels is closed to the public, you can still visit the other underground tunnels of Los Angeles. All you need to do is find the Los Angeles County Hall of Records and you’ll see an elevator that can take you down to the tunnels. It is popularly known as the passageway for transporting liquor to bar customers during the prohibition. The tunnels were later on used to bring high profile criminals to the Hall of Justice.

The area that’s closed to the public is where The Los Angeles Pacific Electric Railways used to run. Its walls are now crumbling, covered with graffiti, and have a creepy feel because of the many dangers that it presents. Some reports even stated that there were lizard people living in some of the tunnels.

3. The Roswell UFO Museum USA

Image by Kimble Young

Popularly known as the International UFO Museum and Research Center, the Roswell UFO Museum is located in Roswell, New Mexico. It is where you will find abundant information about the Roswell Incident that took place in July 1947. The incident happened while Rockwell was experiencing severe thunderstorms. Reports and first person accounts revealed that a flying saucer crashed in the northwest part of Rockwell. The museum is intended to educate the public about the Roswell incident and other UFO phenomena.

4. Street of Optical Illusions New Zealand

Image by Ezra Paulekas

Baldwin Street in Dunedin, is New Zealand’s steepest street. It is known for the optical illusion that you are sinking as you take a photo of the houses from a particular angle. Aside from its record-breaking 19° slope, Baldwin Street is also popular for hosting the Cadbury Jaffe Race, an annual charity event where you’ll see scores of colored chocolates rolling down the hill.

5. Las Pozas, Xilitla Mexico

Image by Rod Waddington

Las Pozas, Xilitla is a unique sculpture garden that was created by English poet and artist Edward James. The word “Las Pozas” is Spanish for “pools”, which is exactly what this fantasyland features, along with buildings with extraordinary names like the “House with a Roof like a Whale”. One of its more popular features is the staircase that leads to nowhere.

6. The Winchester Mystery House USA

Image by Doug Letterman

If you like Victorian craftsmanship and some mystery, the Winchester Mystery House should be on top of your travel list. Located in San Jose, California, this “beautiful but bizarre” mansion can be quite a labyrinth, so you shouldn’t explore it alone. It has long twisting hallways, a 7-flight 444-step Switchback Staircase, and the Séance Room, where Sarah Winchester spent a lot of time.

It is said to be where she would escape from the ghosts that followed her throughout the house. Sources say that Sarah had performed nightly séance during the planning phase of the building so it can be protected from bad spirits.

7. Paris’ Musee des Egouts France

Image by Scott Dexter

The Musee des Egouts in Paris, France is more popularly known as the Paris Sewer Museum, where tourists can explore a part of the city’s underground sewer system. Located near the Eiffel Tower, the museum will give you an idea of the City of Love’s water and drainage history. Some of the displays go back to as early as the 1200s. You don’t have to worry about smelling bad after touring this museum because it is protected from raw sewage. The museum is closed on Thursdays and Fridays.

8. Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi Sweden

Image by Paul Mannix

This is a hotel made of ice and situated 124 miles above the Arctic Circle. The hotel attracts a lot of visitors even during the cold winter months. It has a main hall and a church. The rooms have beds made also out of ice. There’s also an ice bar that serves drinks in ice-carved glasses.

9. The Socotra Island Yemen

Image by Rod Waddington

Yemen’s Socotra Island is a haven for nature lovers and those who love anything bizarre. The island has an alien-like landscape that is inhabited by unusual animals (like the land snail) and plants (like the blood dragon tree, pictured above). It is also called the “Galapagos of the Indian Ocean” and is home to over 800 plant species.

10. Komodo National Park Indonesia

Image by Bryn Pinzgauer

If you’ve always wondered what a Komodo dragon looks like, visit the Komodo National Park in Indonesia and you’ll see several of this lizard species. It’s not as vast as Jurassic Park, but you’ll have a grand time taking photos of these rare lizards! Besides, how unique do you want a national park to be?

These are just 10 of the best, most unique, unusual, and weird destinations that travel photographers can check out. They may not be as popular as the London Eye or Taj Mahal, but they are just as (maybe even more) interesting and breathtaking. Best of all, they offer a unique touch to your photos.

Each of the places you visit is unlike any other, so your photos are guaranteed to be extraordinary and stunning. If you’re ready for an adventure, start planning your trip now and prepare for an experience you will never forget!