Wisconsin’s ever-changing sea caves Most of the world’s wonders are well trodden, but a few under-the-radar gems remain scattered across the globe. We chose our favourite among the more than 160 amazing places that people may have never heard of, debated on the question-and-answer community Quora.com.
Located on the largest lake in the US, the Apostle Islands are also known as the Jewels of Lake Superior. The connected sea caves, formed by waves crashing against the sandstone cliffs and eroding the space underneath the cliff faces, are located on Devil’s Island, Sand Island and the lakeshore mainland. They offer a remarkable expedition without the crowds found in the country’s better-known national parks.
Jason Nelser, who hails from Minnesota – the land of 10,000 lakes – kayaked in and out of the caves’ delicate arches and vaulted cavities during summer, but he also suggested checking them out in winter, when the caves take on a completely different look as the stalactites crystallise and icicles provide an ever-changing interior. Since Lake Superior freezes near the caves, people can take hike for two miles over the ice to walk within the mainland caves, while kayakers can still make the journey to the other island caves from the edge of the ice on calm water days..

A sky-high Colombian sanctuary In the town of Ipiales, Colombia, near the southern border with Ecuador, a Gothic cathedral called Las Lajas Sanctuary floats 100m above a gorge in the Guáitara River.
“It looks like it was dropped into the middle of a cloud forest in the Andes,” said Bostonian Nataly Kelly. “It is one of the most unexpectedly beautiful places I have ever seen.”
In the 18th Century, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared on the stone gorge wall and cured a young girl and an older man of blindness. Today, that holy wall forms the back of the cathedral, where people still make the pilgrimage to pray for healing and take in the incredible vista.

A mythical mountain in Tibet Though Mt Kailas is well known among Eastern cultures, the 6,660m peak remains mostly a mystery to Western travellers who often overlook the mountain in favour of summiting the more well-known giants Everest and K2. The peak is thought to be a seat of the gods, and its location near the source of Asia’s major rivers – including the Indus, the Brahmaputra and tributaries of the Ganges – makes it a sacred destination for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon followers.
“One of the greatest adventures I've ever had was circumambulating this mountain with a whole parade of pilgrims,” said Tyler Baker of San Francisco. “We'd eat and drink together at some of the tea houses along the route.”
Many people do the 52km kora, or the sacred path around the mountain, in a day. For Baker, who was un-acclimated to the high altitude, it took three days. “The amazing views warranted me to walk slower anyway, so I could soak up the surroundings,” he said.