Have you read about that über-fancy new ski resort in North Korea?
Yes, you heard correctly—the secretive and poverty-stricken country is
set to open a
multi-million dollar luxury ski resort this month, despite the fact that the population of skiers in North Korea is
around .02 percent.
North Korea’s Masik Pass ski resort joins a slew of other
unusual-yet-luxurious travel destinations around the globe. From a
five-star underwater resort in Fiji to an indoor man-made beach in
Japan, here are 8 of the most surprising.
Dubai’s Indoor Ski Resort
Courtesy of Ski Dubai
Ski Dubai
Dubai, UAE
The first indoor ski resort in the Middle East comes complete with
five runs, a ski lift and three football fields worth of real snow
year-round. It’s also
home
to the largest indoor snow park for kids, themed restaurants like the
St. Moritz Café and, most impressively, snow penguins, who entertain
during their daily ‘March of the Penguins’ performance.
Beijing’s French Chateau
Courtesy of the Zhang Laffitte Chateau hotel
The Zhang Laffitte Chateau Hotel
Beijing, China
Chinese real-estate developer Zhang Yuchen was so taken with Château
de Maisons-Laffitte, a Paris landmark, he decided to build one for
himself. The $50 million hotel and seminar center is an exact replica of
the one in Paris, built using the manor’s original blueprints and
10,000 photos of the property.
The Middle East’s Thai-Style Resort
Courtesy of Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
Dubai, UAE
Guests at Anantara Dubai are transported from the Middle East to
Dubai in a matter of minutes. The luxury hotel, which opened in
September, features 293 Thai-style rooms and villas. Longboats float
through lagoons on the property and serve tropical beverages, while
three-wheeler tuk-tuks transport guests around the resort.
China’s Austrian Town
Hallstatt 2
Huizhou, China
A Chinese real estate development company recreated Austria’s
Hallstatt village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Southeast China. The
city features high-end residential housing, an evangelical church and
an exact replica of Hallstatt Lake.
The World’s Largest Swimming Pool
Courtesy of San Alfonso del Mar
San Alfonso del Mar
Algarrobo, Chile
San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo, Chile is home to a
3,324-foot long lagoon, dubbed “the world’s largest pool” according to
the Guinness World Records. Its location? Just steps from the Pacific
Ocean. The pool (
also pictured right) is frequented by kayaks, sailboats and scuba divers.
Fiji’s Five-Star Underwater Resort
Courtesy of Poseidon Resorts
Poseidon Resorts
Fiji
Located 40 feet underwater, the property (which has yet to open) has
everything you’d expect from a five-star resort: 25 suites, a spa, gym,
dive shop, two fine dining establishments and even a conference room
that doubles as a wedding chapel.
The Man-Made Beach in Japan
Seagaia Ocean Dome
Miyazaki, Japan
It’s summer all year long in Miyazaki, Japan, thanks to Seagaia’s
Ocean Dome. The world’s largest indoor beach contains artificial sand,
palm trees and 13,500 tons of salt-free water. It can accommodate 10,000
tourists at once.
The Train Station Hotel
Courtesy of Tokyo Station Hotel
Tokyo Station Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
The luxe 150-room hotel, which reopened in October 2012, is located
in a 1914 red brick train station that remarkably survived World War II
firebombing and a deadly earthquake in 1923. Besides its red-brick
exterior, the hotel’s a stand-out for being three stories high in a city
of skyscrapers and modern architecture.
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