36 Surprising and Strange Travel Fun Facts that You Most Likely Never Heard of
Travel can not only be exciting but also surprising. So here are some of the most surprising and funny travel fun facts I could find.
I like my fun facts. And when it comes to travel and discovering the world there are endless facts we can dig into. So, I tried to make a little compilation for you whether you would like to learn something new about a country you are going to or get ready for some strange customs from around the world.
I am also a big fan of Big Bang Theory and Star Strek (Warning! NERD!) so I will include some nerdy bits too 🙂
So here we are: ‘Pati presents Fun with Pati’s Travel Fun Facts!’
Interesting fun facts about the travel itself
1. Pilots and co-pilots do not eat the same meal before a flight. It is so that in case of food poisoning or simply stomach troubles – the co-pilot can take over. Although the possibility of this kind of ‘circumstances’ never crossed my mind – I do feel safer, now that I know this!
2. Jet lag feels worse if you travel from east to west.
3. Taking a vacation can lower your risk of heart disease and lessen anxieties and depression. Studies show those who had taken more annual leave were less likely to die or suffer from cardiovascular causes. Also, surveys and studies show that having more time off lessen depression, decrease stress and improves overall well-being.
4. There are currently 320,000 people learning ‘Klingon’ on language app Duolingo. In case you didn’t know (!!) Klingon is the language spoken by the fictional Klingons in the Star Trek universe.
5. Want to be more adventurous? Hang out with your most extreme and brave friends more often. A phenomenon called “behavioural contagion” makes us shift our beliefs, opinions or emotions in order to conform with those expressed by others around us. You might start fancying that parachute jump when all your closest friends did it and loved it. Or simply choose your friends wisely if you want some more adventure and excitement in your life.
6. Money spent on travel makes you happier than money spent on things. It has been proven that people who spent money on experiences and travel rather than material items were happier and felt the money was better spent.
Travel destinations travel fun facts
7. All the money that is tossed into Rome’s Trevi Fountain is collected every night and donated to multiple charities.
8. Ore trains in Sweden travelling down to the coast generate five times the amount of electricity they use. The generated power is used to bring the trains back up once unloaded at the sea level and the remaining energy is used to power the nearby town. Isn’t this brilliant??
9. More on trains (I love trains, and so does Sheldon!) It is possible to travel from Portugal to Vietnam solely by train. At 17,000 km (10,563 miles), this is the longest train journey in the world. It would take you 12 to 13 days to complete.
10. Europeans eat 50% of all the world’s chocolate. Hmmm.. I guess people of the Old Continent know what’s good!
11. And whilst talking about good things? Almost half of the world’s wine is produced also in Europe. So many reasons to visit the continent!
12. The highest located toilet can be found in at Kara- Tyurek in the Altai Mountains in Siberia and is sat on the edge of the cliff.
13. There are no mosquitos in Iceland (apparently). Also to make this country even more appealing more then half of Icelanders believe in Elves. Unfortunately, Beer remained illegal in Iceland until 1989. But hey, nobody is perfect.
14. There is a Victor Hugo street in every town in France.
15. The African continent is the world’s oldest populated area. According to the analysis of African DNA, The San people of Southern Africa are likely to be the oldest population of humans on Earth. Sadly, Africa is also the world’s most underdeveloped continent. We need to get our heritage right!
16. South Africa homes the highest Bungy Jump in the world. Bloukrans Bridge Bungy is one of the world’s highest commercial bridge Bungy at 216 metres (709 ft).
17. The U.S. is the only developed country in the world without a single legally required paid vacation day or holiday. Poor guys, they also need to get their priorities straight.
18. Lukla in Nepal has the worlds most dangerous airport. The airport is surrounded on all sides by steep terrain, the short runway is perched on a mountain shelf and at one end there’s a wall. At the other end, there is a steep slope into the below valley. The runway is also extremely short so all that combined with thin air and highly changeable weather makes me definitely not want to land there, like ever!
19. Despite what people say, the Great Wall of China is not visible from space. It is not visible from low Earth orbit without magnification. What can be seen from the space however is Australian Coral Reef and it is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms.
20. Disneyland, California, USA is the most photographed place in the world. Instagram has named it the number one most photographed place for the social media giant in 2017. It is also known as one of the happiest travel destinations.
22. The Bermuda Triangle, North Atlantic Ocean, also known as the Devil’s Triangle, is a section of the North Atlantic Ocean off North America in which more than 50 ships and 20 airplanes are said to have mysteriously disappeared. The USS Cyclops went missing in the area of the Bermuda Triangle in March 1918. There were no survivors, and the wreck has never been found. This phenomenon has never been confirmed by any official marine or oceanic bodies and many people have had sailed or flown over the area and not noticed anything out of the ordinary. Pilots regularly fly over the Triangle and the research shows that proportionally, the number of ships and aircraft reported missing in the area was not significantly greater than in any other part of the ocean.
23. There is a Museum of Broken Relationships located in Zagreb, Croatia. It features a quirky collection of amorous souvenirs and random articles which were donated by people from across the globe and left behind after a break-up. This exhibition has actually toured around the world and a second permanent branch was opened in Los Angeles in 2016.
24. In Japan, During rush hours, railway station attendants called ‘pushers’ (oshiya) push passengers into the trains. Those white glove-wearing workers actually push people into the train, so the doors can be shut and the maximum amount of commuters can be crammed into the train.
Strange customs from around the world
25. Loudly slurping noodles and soup is acceptable in Japan. It is actually considered rude not to slurp. It is meant to be a way to better savour the aroma and flavour of this dish and also to eat them quickly as noodles tend to gradually lose their springy texture over time.
26. In Thailand, it’s considered rude to put food in your mouth using a fork. Instead, the fork is used to push food onto the spoon, which is then put into your mouth. Chopsticks are only used for noodle dishes and all other dishes people eat with a spoon in the right hand and fork in the left. You will not find knives on the table.
26. Don’t Show Up On Time in Venezuela. It is a custom to show up late in Venezuela because if you show up early or on time, it is considered being rude or greedy. It is recommended to show up 10-15 minutes late.
27. It is normal to be offered a shower when visiting Brazilian hosts. Hygiene is one of the most important things in Brazilian culture. So, never deny them a shower and don’t be surprised if they ask if you would like to take a shower the moment you step into their house.
28. In Denmark cinnamon is being thrown at single people. When you turn 25, if you’re unmarried, it is customary in Denmark for your friends and family to cover you in the spice.
29. Sticking your tongue out is a sign of respect or agreement and was often used as a greeting in traditional Tibetan culture. In the 9th century a Tibetan king, Lang Darma, was known for his cruelty and had a black tongue. Given Tibetans believe in reincarnation, and are afraid that this mean king would be reincarnated therefore for centuries Tibetans have greeted each other by sticking out their tongues out. This way they would demonstrate that they do not have black tongues and are not an incarnation of an evil king.
30. The Hongi, a traditional Māori greeting in New Zealand, requires two people pressing their noses and foreheads together.
31. Don’t leave a tip in South Korea. Along with many other countries like Japan and China, employees in the foodservice industry are given fair wages and take pride in their work. Tipping in those countries might be construed as an insult. A habit and concept maybe the world would do well to consider. In those countries, it is believed that good service is expected so there is no need to add extra money in the form of a tip.
32. Don’t ever ask your server to top your seafood with cheese in Italy. It’s considered a cardinal sin to mix fish and Parmesan. You might even be refused if you ask for it and in the best-case scenario, you will be given a bad look.
33. An empty plate means different things to different cultures. In India and Japan, it’s important to finish all the items on your plate to let the host know you enjoyed the meal. However, in China, it’s considered rude and means that you weren’t fed enough. And in Bedouin cultures, they’ll keep serving you coffee if you finish your cup until you shake it before handing it back to them to indicate that you’ve had enough.
34. There is a number of countries around the world where it is not uncommon to eat with your hands. In Iran, bread is commonly served whole at the centre of the table, and guests are expected to help themselves to the bread using their hands. You need to tear small pieces of the bread and use the bread to scoop up and eat the served dishes. You could be also expected to eat with your hands in India, Ethiopia or Malaysia.
35. In the province of Lopburi, Thailand, a special festival is thrown in order to celebrate the local monkeys. Fruits, flowers, cake, and candy are set up buffet-style on tables and the monkeys, attracted by the food, come in hoards to enjoy their annual feast. This festival has become popular with tourists and takes place every year on November 25th.
36. And finally. Did you know that ‘Hamlet’ has been performed in Klingon? Oh well, It is only logical.
I had loads of fun researching those travel fun facts for you! I hope you also had loads of fun reading them.
And let me know in the comments if you know of any other interesting travel fun facts I should have mentioned.
I learned so much reading this! Very fun facts. I am pretty sure that in most South American countries, every town has a statue of Simon Bolivar. Definitely true in Colombia!
Thank you for your kind comment! I am very curious about the Bolivar statue. Will definitely research that 🙂