15 Weirdest and Most Unusual Villages Of The World You Didn’t Know Exist

By Nitin Bhatnagar, 2 June 2018

Undeniably, there are many beautiful places on this Earth which should be in the bucket list of every person who loves to travel. However, will you like to visit the weird places of the planet which are so strange that you can’t even imagine that they exist?

Believe it or not, there are such places in the globe and each one of them has their own story and specialty. Honestly, some of them are quite wonderful despite being bizarre and you would love to read about their peculiarity!

This article comprises of a list of 15 weirdest towns around the world that will leave you surprised!

1Nagoro, Japan

It is also known as Nagoru or Nagoro Scarecrow Village and is located in the valleys of Shikoku, Japan. The population of the village used to be around 300 but in 2016, it was recorded as 30. When a resident of Nagoro named Tsukimi Ayano returned to her village in 2000 to look after her father, she started making human-size dolls to replace the residents and placed them in various locations such as farms, schools, roadsides, etc. It is being said that at present nearly 350 dolls are in the village.

Image Source: assets3.thrillist.com

2Yangsi – China’s dwarf village

Located in the southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Yangsi is also known as China’s dwarf village as 36 out of 80 residents are dwarfs. Scientists have tried their best to find out the reason behind this phenomenon but till now, they have not been able to come up with any satisfactory answer. The Chinese government has not denied the existence of such a village but it has imposed a ban on the entry of foreigners in Yangsi.

Image Source: www.procaffenation.com

3Miyake-jima

Miyake-jima is an island situated in the Izu archipelago in the Philippine Sea towards south-east of Honshu, Japan. What makes this town weird is the fact that it is located at the base of an active volcano and the residents have to wear gas marks in order to save themselves from highly poisonous gases such as Sulphur. The tourists can also visit the town and can buy gas masks easily as many shops sell them. Other than volcano, the island also offers beautiful experience of scuba diving and dolphin sightings.

Image Source: www.theplaidzebra.com

4Thames Town

We all know that Chinese are experts in duplication and their expertise is not only limited to products but they can make a duplicate town as well. Thames Town is named after the River Thames which flows through London but the town is situated in Songjiang district, China. It gives the feel of a British town with even red public booths available on streets. The replica of the English town got finished in 2006 and it is pretty famous for English themed wedding photography.

Image Source: i.dailymail.co.uk

5Coober Pedy

This Australian town is also known as the “opal capital of the world” due to high quantity of precious opals found here. It is also famous for its underground residences which are called dugouts. These dugouts save AC bills in the summer and heating bills in the winter. Living in a dugout will definitely be a lifetime experience.

Image Source: www.abc.net.au

6Egyptian Slum Town

This town named Manshiyat Naser which is also called the “Dirtiest city on Earth” may give a feeling that it has been stuck with a natural calamity as the complete town is covered with garbage collected from Cairo. In fact, the total economy of this town, which has 60,000 residents, completely depends upon the collection and recycling of this garbage.

Image Source: i.pinimg.com

7Aoshima, Japan

This town is a heaven for cat lovers as cats here outnumber human by ten to one ratio. It is also known as Cat Island due to the high number of cats present in the town. It is being said that at present, the total human population of Aoshima is just 13 with an average age of more than 75.

Image Source: media2.s-nbcnews.com

8Giethoorn, Netherlands

It is also called “Venice of the Netherlands” and what makes it unique is the fact that it is mostly car-free village. With a population of around 2600, Giethoorn is famous for its waterways, footpath and bicycle trails. It is also known as the village without streets and every year 1,50,000 to 2,00,000 Chinese tourists come here.

Image Source: www.rd.com

9Monsanto, Portugal

Monsanto is a village in Portugal with a population of around 800. The special thing about Monsanto is that it is settled around naturally placed rocks. Instead of shifting or moving the rocks, residents carved out their homes around them and used them as walls, terrace and floor. Unique idea, isn’t it?

Image Source: cdn.socawlege.com

10Burano, Italy

Burano can easily be included in the list of the world’s most colorful places as it is known for brightly colored houses and eateries which serve seafood. In the old times, fishermen colored their houses bright so that they don’t have any problem in locating their houses through thick fog. The residents of the town have to take permission from the government if they want to paint their houses. The government will then send them a list of colors from which they can choose and if they use a wrong color, they can be sent to jail.

Image Source: i.huffpost.com

11Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouenalso, also known as Chaouen, is a beautiful city located in northwest Morocco. It is a famous tourist destination popular for its architecture and blue-shaded buildings. The town is nicknamed as “heaven of the hillside” and the Jews introduced this color in 1930 as it symbolizes the sky and heaven.

Image Source: lonelyplanetwp.imgix.net

12Colma, California

This town is also called the “City of the Silent” because majority of its land is dedicated to cemeteries. The ratio of dead to alive is thousand to one and the motto of this town is, “It’s great to be alive in Colma”. Living in such a town must be frightening, agree?

Image Source: static01.nyt.com

13Roswell, New Mexico

It is being said that a UFO crashed in Roswell in 1947 and since then, the town has been obsessed with UFOs. Every establishment in the town is UFO-themed including the McDonalds restaurant. This UFO obsession has helped Roswell in attracting many tourists in view of the fact that everyone is curious to know about the aliens.

Image Source: i.ytimg.com

14Monowi, USA

The total population of this town at present is 1 while in 1930s it was 150. The only resident of this town is 77 years old Elsie Eiler who is also the Mayor of the town and runs Monowi’s only tavern and library. Undoubtedly, Monowi is the smallest jurisdiction of the USA.

Image Source: magazine.outdoornebraska.gov

15Setenil de las Bodegas, Spain

The town is known for the buildings that are built under and into the sides of Cadiz Mountains. The restaurants and cafes are located under the caves and cliffs with ceilings and back walls are formed by rocks. Other than its structure, the town is also famous for its meat products, bars and restaurants, and is a good place to enjoy life.

Image Source: www.ruralidays.co.uk

16Hashima Island, Japan

Established in 1887, this abandoned island is 15 kms away from Nagasaki and is also known as Gunkanjima which means Battleship Island. What makes it unique is its resemblance with the Japanese battleship Tosa. The 6.3-hectare island was famous for its undersea coal mines which operated during the industrialization of Japan. This island has a history of forced labor prior and during the World War II.

Image Source: pinimg.com


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