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Have you ever come across an activity while travelling that you never knew about? One of those, “I didn’t know you could do that” realisations that seem to offer something fresh, different or very unusual? I had one such moment when visiting the Friday Mosque in Delhi, where I discovered visitors were allowed to ascend a minaret, an experience offered in hardly any other functioning mosque anywhere.
Such lightbulb moments are reinvigorating for travellers because they take us beyond the usual expectations of what we can do, and provide unique perspectives on the world. They might shake up your assumptions of where you can do things as well. (If you never realised you can see glaciers in the tropics, Lorentz National Park in Indonesia is among several destinations that will set you right.)
Seek out the unusual and you’ll be well rewarded. Park the car and try an African safari on foot, surf down a Nicaraguan volcano, go ice-diving in France, or book a table at the world’s largest all-glass underwater restaurant. The world provides endless surprises, here are just a few.
Zipline in caves
The place Caverns, Llechwedd, UK
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Who knew Many of us have plodded around chilly caves whose only attraction is stalactites, so up the adrenaline on one of 13 ziplines in this decommissioned Victorian-era slate mine, including an unusual four-person line. Then tackle an obstacle course that features rope bridges, tightropes and a via ferrata (“iron path”). There’s also a four-level, neon-lit golf course. The more sedate can do an underground heritage tour.
What else The active will find much more in this Welsh region, including cycling, climbing, golf, horse riding and hiking in Snowdonia National Park. Among several castles are Caernarfon and Conwy. Bodnant Garden, owned by the National Trust, is superb.
Where else Cave ziplines are exceedingly rare, but you can zipline underground at Mega Cavern outside Louisville in Kentucky, which also has a ropes course.
Essentials The Caverns adventure course is at Zip World in north Wales. From £51 ($96) if booked online. See zipworld.co.uk
Visit a zoo after dark
The place Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Singapore.
Who knew Overnight sleeps in zoos have become trendy, and some zoos have noctariums, but Mandai has an entirely nocturnal zoo that allows encounters with leopards, fishing cats, Malayan tapirs, pangolins and other nighttime animals that are seldom seen – or at least active – elsewhere. If you don’t know what a babirusa or binturong is, you will soon find out. You can also listen to regular keeper talks and feed Indian rhinos.
What else Singapore is an all-round destination, but nature-lovers should also visit Singapore Zoo, Singapore Oceanarium and Bird Paradise, which has eight themed walk-through aviaries. The Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay have spectacular plant collections.
Where else Chiang Mai Night Safari in northern Thailand and the Nighttime Ramble at Zoo Zurich in Switzerland also allow glimpses of creatures after dark.
Essentials Mandai is open daily 6pm-12 midnight. Entry $S58 ($63), children $S41. Safari Adventure Tours depart daily 7.30pm and cost $S148. See mandai.com
Drop into a city sewer
The place De Ruien, Antwerp, Belgium
Who knew It’s easy to focus on obvious city attractions, but who doesn’t occasionally wonder how cities operate behind the scenes? In Antwerp, you can don protective green overalls and get below the surface to inspect underground canal and sewage systems, some dating from the Middle Ages. Part of the visit is made by boat. By the time the tour ends, you’ll be used to the stink.
What else Antwerp is overshadowed by Bruges and Ghent, but its canal-crossed medieval town centre is a picture, and it has a stunning Gothic cathedral. Antwerp also has several excellent museums, quirky shopping, and a lively student ambience.
Where else The Sewer Museum in Brussels also gives access to sewers and has fascinating exhibits on sewage treatment. The recently revamped Paris Sewer Museum offers an extensive look below city pavements.
Essentials Open Tues-Sat from 10am-5.30pm except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Interactive walk with tablets €19 ($31). Sunday guided walk €24. See ruien.be
Surf on a volcano
The place Cerro Negro, Leon, Nicaragua
Who knew So you’ve snowboarded and sand-boarded, but have you tackled a steep ash-covered active volcano, sitting or standing on a crude sledge-surfboard? The experience isn’t for the timid, with speeds of 70km/h and an exfoliating assault from gritty black sand. A jumpsuit, elbow pads, goggles and gloves are a must.
What else Leon has a fine Spanish-colonial centre, several outstanding art collections, and lively street life and nightlife. Beyond, Telica-Rota Nature Reserve features several volcanoes, while Las Penitas on the Pacific coast is known for turtles.
Where else Volcano-boarding apparently originated on Mount Yasur in Vanuatu two decades ago, where it’s referred to as ash-boarding. Adventurers have boarded on volcanoes worldwide, but the only other regular tour offering is on Pacaya in Guatemala.
Essentials Volcano Board (among others) runs tours for NIO1300 ($50) including transport, guide, board and protective gear. Cerro Negro is a 50-minute drive from Leon. See volcanoboarding.com, visitcentroamerica.com
Eat well in a museum
The place RIJKS Restaurant, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Who knew Cafeteria food is often the museum-dining fallback, but chef Joris Bijdendijk bagged a Michelin star at this restaurant at the Rijksmuseum, and last year was voted chef of the year by the Gault & Millau food guide. Contemporary Dutch cuisine is celebrated in inventive ways; lunch is inspired by Frans Hals paintings. A six-course tasting menu features pickled herring, sea urchin with cauliflower, and pork collar.
What else The Rijksmuseum is famous for paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, but it also has impressive collections of porcelain, silverware, doll’s houses and Asian art, as well as a sculpture garden.
Where else You’ll eat very well at Odette at the National Gallery of Singapore, The Modern at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and IDAM at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
Essentials Museum open daily 9am-5pm, admission €20. RIJKS Restaurant open Wed-Sun for lunch and Tues-Sun for dinner. Six-course menu €130. See rijksmuseum.nl, rijksrestaurant.nl
Go on safari on foot
The place Phinda, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Who knew Viewing carnivores from a Jeep is one thing, stepping into the bush accompanied only by a guard with a shotgun is another nerve-tingling experience entirely. Your heart hammers at every rustle in the grass as you track rhinos and elephants. You’ll also get a close-up look at smaller creatures and plants missed from a vehicle.
What else E-biking through the Sand Forest, scuba diving in Sodwana Bay, boat safaris on the Mzinene River and birdwatching in Greater St Lucia Wetlands are other options. You can also participate in rhino, elephant and pangolin conservation projects.
Where else Walking safaris are offered at numerous game reserves in South Africa, Botswana and East Africa. More unusual destinations include Satpura National Park in India (tigers) and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda (gorillas).
Essentials Phinda Private Game Reserve has suites from ZAR14,900 ($1290) for two, including meals, safari drives and a walking safari. Rates for specialist walks depend on length and activity. See andbeyond.com
Scuba dive below mountains
The place Lac de Tignes, Tignes, France
Who knew Swap skis for flippers and sink into lake waters in the French Alps for a novel winter experience. The lake’s frozen lid, seen from below, is a wonder of weird blue colours, shapes and trapped bubbles. With water at 2 degrees C, your dive is limited to 15 minutes. You might see a trout. Alternatively, you can float in the ice hole wearing a wetsuit.
What else Tignes and neighbouring Val d’Isere have 300 kilometres of ski runs, best for intermediates. Other activities include snowshoeing, sledging, dog sledding, ice driving and winter yoga.
Where else Austria, Switzerland and the Spanish Pyrenees offer ice diving, but resorts in the French Alps such as Avoriaz, Val Thorens and Courchevel provide the most choice. You can also ice dive at Lake Alta in New Zealand.
Essentials The season runs mid-December to mid-April. Ice divers must be aged 15 or over. No scuba experience required. Dive €110, ice floating €60. See tignes.net, evolution2.com
Dine underwater
The place 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, Lhaviyani, Maldives
Who knew If overwater bungalows seem old hat, how about underwater restaurants? This one (named for its depth) is the world’s largest all-glass effort, providing a magnificent neon-blue outlook into tropical fish – though perhaps a guilt-inducing one if you’re tucking into seafood. Even breakfast is extravagant: eggs Benedict with lobster, truffled omelettes and berry pavlova.
What else The Maldives has outstanding diving and snorkelling on reefs visited by manta rays, reef sharks and turtles. You can also enjoy boat trips to nearby atolls, dolphin spotting and big-game fishing.
Where else Underwater restaurants are a Maldivian speciality; others include Ithaa Undersea and Subsix. In comparison, the seascape from Under at Lindesnes in Norway isn’t nearly as colourful. Numerous restaurants have windows onto aquariums, such as Koral in Bali and Ossiano in Dubai.
Essentials The restaurant is at Hurawalhi Maldives resort but welcomes outside guests. Five-course lunch $US250 ($355), seven-course dinner $US315, each with seafood, meat or vegan menus. Rooms from $US544 a night. See hurawalhi.com
Go to the races on ice
The place White Turf, St Moritz, Switzerland
Who knew The ultimate equine meet in exclusive St Moritz brings fur-clad billionaires and celebrities to mingle in an art-decorated tent city by a frozen lake. Champagne and caviar flow. Snow peaks are a backdrop to the horse races, culminating in the 2000-metre Grand Prix, and to skijoring, in which skiers are pulled behind galloping horses in a wild display of skill and courage.
What else St Moritz has outstanding high-altitude terrain for skiing and snowboarding, extensive cross-country skiing and winter hiking trails, and a famous bobsleigh run. The scenic Glacier Express train runs from St Moritz to Zermatt.
Where else St Moritz claims the world’s only horse race run on a frozen lake. Skijoring events are, however, common across North America and (using reindeer) Scandinavia and Finland.
Essentials White Turf runs over three consecutive Sundays during February (February 8, 15, and 22 in 2027). Standing space from CHF29 ($51), grandstand from CHF55. See whiteturf.ch
Hike an urban jungle
The place Tijuca National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Who knew Urban jungle takes on literal meaning in Rio. Short or day-long hiking trails in Tijuca take you to caves, waterfalls, scenic outlooks and former coffee plantations, but also present rainforest alive with birds, butterflies and monkeys whose hoots compete with distant honking traffic. If you’re prepared for a serious trek, Castelos da Taquara trail offers incredible city views.
What else Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado peak is inside the national park and has splendid views, as does Vista Chinesa. The adventurous can hang-glide from Pedra Bonita, rock climb at Pedra da Gavea, or hit mountain-biking trails.
Where else Taman Tugu and Bukit Kiara in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore’s excellent Southern Ridges Trail provide semi-jungle encounters. Hong Kong has extensive hiking trails, though the environment is subtropical.
Essentials National park entry is free. Paineiras Corcovado offers the only official van transportation, with pick-up points in city locations. Corcovado’s rack railway also allows access. See paineirascorcovado.com.br, visitbrasil.com
Relax on downtown beaches
The place Paris Plages, Paris, France
Who knew Beaches downtown are rare, but not if sand is trucked in to create them, and palm trees, changing huts, deckchairs and parasols added for effect. The best urban beaches are in Paris along the Seine, Bassin de la Villette and Canal Saint-Martin. Sporting activities, cinemas, bars, workshops, dance classes and exhibitions add to the sociable atmosphere. The event is themed annually, with America in the spotlight in 2026 for its 250th anniversary.
What else The beaches offer downtime between visits to nearby Notre Dame Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and the Tuileries Gardens. The latest beach at Canal Saint-Martin is in a newly trendy district of bars and street markets.
Where else Artificial urban beaches proliferate across Europe, the best in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Hamburg and Warsaw. Mexico City, Philadelphia, Shanghai, Toronto and Tokyo are other examples.
Essentials Paris Plages operates annually from early July to the end of August. Entry and most events are free. See parisjetaime.com
Climb a cathedral
The place Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury, UK
Who knew Numerous cathedrals allow you onto gargoyle-guarded rooftops, but few have public access to the interior ceiling. At Salisbury, you can get a unique perspective down into the nave from 68 metres up, admire the medieval beams that made this masterpiece possible, and (almost) press your nose against stained-glass. A further 332 steps take you to the top of the spire.
What else The cathedral rises above water meadows and the architectural ensemble of The Close. It houses the world’s oldest working clock (1386) and has superb stained-glass windows, while the chapter house displays the best preserved of only four surviving Magna Carta documents (1215).
Where else The ascent of St Rumbold’s Tower at Mechelen’s cathedral in Belgium also gets you into the guts of the building, while new tours at Notre Dame in Paris access the belfry’s roof structure.
Essentials Cathedral open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sunday 12.30-4pm. Advance entry tickets £12.50 ($24), advance tower tour ticket £25. See salisburycathedral.org.uk
Five things you didn’t know you could do in Australia
Go inside a vintage scoreboard at a Test cricket venue
Beyond the excitement of game day, sports stadiums are skeleton structures of concrete and corridors. Take a peek into this reality and the changing rooms at Adelaide Oval, where the highlight is the manually operated heritage scoreboard. The 90-minute Stadium Tour runs daily at 10am and 2pm and costs $29 for adults or $74 for families. See adelaideoval.com.au
Pub crawl by helicopter
Outback pubs are a classic Aussie travel experience, and Airborne Solutions in Darwin takes visiting them to new heights – and distances – on a helicopter tour that combines all the eccentricity of the venues and their local characters with sweeping outback scenery. The heli crawl to five pubs operates daily (weather permitting) and costs $1260 a person with a two-person minimum. See airbornesolutions.com.au
Fly in a fighter jet
Need to up the ante on your need for speed? Then get well beyond a scenic flight and hurtle at 900km/h into vertical climbs and loops, snap rolls and high-G turns in an Aero L-39 Albatros, normally used to train military pilots. Twenty-minute fighter-jet flights with Air Combat Australia cost from $1980 at Camden in NSW or $2420 at Wangaratta in Victoria. See aircombat.com.au
Walk on the seabed
If snorkelling seems predictable, then here’s another way to admire the Great Barrier Reef: don a helmet, stride the ocean floor and get friendly with parrotfish five metres below the surface off Green Island in Queensland. The Seawalker tour and return transfer to Green Island runs year-round and costs $289 for adults and $236 for children. See seawalker.com.au
Feel like you’re in Spain at a historic monastery
New Norcia in Western Australia was settled in 1847 by Benedictine monks who still maintain strict discipline and silent devotion. Learn about this unique community by staying overnight and testing your own resolve to abandon your phone for quiet contemplation. A stay at the Monastery Guesthouse has no fixed tariff but a donation of $110 a person, or $160 including meals, is suggested. See newnorcia.com.au
