5 Interesting Facts That Will Make You Want To Travel The World.
Here at Roadlike, we can’t get enough of traveling and seeing the world — there always seems to be something new to learn and see! With that in mind, here are five interesting facts that are sure to ignite your wanderlust and give you some special travel moments…
- The world’s first granite temple is the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tamil Nadu, India
This Hindu temple is stunning, and surprisingly was built in only five years, between 1004 and 1009 AD. The vimanam (shikhara), or temple tower, was made from one 80-tonne piece of granite, making it the world’s first and largest granite temple. It’s dedicated to Shiva and its beauty makes it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state.
2. Most of the animal and plant species found on Madagascar are unique to the island
The island of Madagascar, found off the south-east coast of Africa, has been isolated for around 88 millions years. Because of this isolation, about 90% of the animal and plant species on the island are endemic — meaning they are unique to this island. As a biodiversity hotspot, Madagascar is filled with unique and exciting wildlife, and on a trip to the island you may see fossa, lemurs, birds, insects and many more interesting creatures.
3. Hong Kong is home to the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator
Photo Credit: WingLuk (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or FAL], via Wikimedia Commons.
As one of the most densely populated places on Earth, it’s little surprise that Hong Kong is good at getting people from A to B. The autonomous territory is home to the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, a half-mile long escalator which helps thousands of Hong Kongers commute each day. As the world’s longest covered escalator, it takes 20 minutes to go the whole length and includes many exit and entry points, rest stops and points of interest.
4. La Paz, Bolivia, is the highest capital city in the world
The capital city of Bolivia can be found at an altitude of around 11,975 feet, making it the highest capital city on Earth. As well as amazing views, friendly locals and perhaps a little shortness of breath, you can expect fun journeys on the Mi Teleférico cable car system when you visit La Paz.
5. The Catacombs of Paris are home to the remains of over six million people
If you’ve already paid a visit to the romantic city of Paris, you no doubt appreciated the gorgeous architecture, delicious food and refined culture, but did you know that the bones of over six million people were lying under your feet? The Catacombs are underground ossuaries which were formed after cemetery closures and mine renovations in the 18th century. You can now take guided tours through parts of the Catacombs and see the eerie tunnels filled with the bones of the city’s long departed residents.
You might not have expected it, but these experiences may be something you’ll want to record while traveling after all. No matter what weird or fun experiences you find, don’t forget to download the Roadlike travel diary app (iOS, Android) so you can check in, take travel videos and photos, and save all your memories so you can share and relive all the fun you had traveling!
