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It looks like a discarded piece of space junk marooned beneath the face of Grandes Jorasses in the Italian Alps, but this funky fibreglass capsule overhanging the Mont Blanc mountain range is possibly the world’s coolest climbers’ shelter. A night at the futuristic Bivacco Gervasutti costs just 10 euros, but promises million-euro views of the Freboudze glacier. Trust us, if you make it here you’ve earned them.
The 30-square-metre pod replaced an old wooden hut in 2011 and was built in the Italian town of Torino before being choppered into place at 2835 metres. Just as impressive as the location are the capsule’s high-tech specs; a CO2 censor and extractor, bio-toilet, computer and wi-fi facilities fit snuggly inside, along with lights and hot plates charged by a solar panel.
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Bunker down in the Arctic Snow Hotel
You’ve heard of ice hotels, frozen bars and frosted restaurants, but Finland’s Arctic Snow Hotel says a little prayer to the winter gods with its very own ice chapel. Before hitting the hay – a frozen slab covered in furs – unwind in the hot tub then take a turn in the snow sauna. The melting walls fill the room with soothing steam, but overstay the 15-minute limit and you’ll defrost a puddle of trouble.
Turn on the aurora alarm when you get to your room and sleep soundly knowing you won’t miss any night-sky action. If an evening on ice isn’t your jam, book one of the hotel’s new Arctic Glass Igloos and watch the northern lights snake through the sky from the comfort of your bed.
Alpine spa days
Way up in the mountains the words Aqua Dome must mean relaxation with a view, because that’s exactly what’s on offer here, near Oberlängengeld in the Austrian state of Tirol. This wellness hotel and thermal spa is brimming with saunas (there’s one with hay, and another in a loft), hot pools, a steam cathedral, saltwater grotto, herbal bath and indulgent pampering possibilities back at the spa, making it more than just a spot to catch some Zs after a long day on the slopes.
Take a dip under the cascading indoor waterfall before venturing through the canals leading to the bowl-shaped pools outside. Teetering on stilts up to 12 metres high, the pools appear suspended in the air, like a spaceship levitating through the Alps. Who would have thought floating in futuristic bowls could be so relaxing?
Slurp Mexican mezcal
Like its milky, viscous cousin pulque, mezcal is made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, a form of agave. It tastes smokier than tequila and can sometimes be found with a large larva worm floating near the bottom.
Some believe drinking it can help control hypertension and diabetes, while others would rather think it’s an aphrodisiac. In Oaxaca, it’s traditionally served with a side of fried larvae.
There are many bars and stores selling mezcal in Mexico but the most popular and trendy spots are in Mexico City and Oaxaca, a region where many of the finer spirits are produced. You can take a tour of a distillery to find out how small-batch, artisinal mezcal is produced (yes, sampling is encouraged!).
Check out Corazón de Maguey, Los Danzantes, La Botica, Mexicano and Muruka in Mexico City.
Brave a sourtoe cocktail
True to its name, this Canadian cocktail contains one alcohol-preserved human toe. Toes are donated by willing patrons, eager to keep the tradition alive – one toe was even received with a note that read, “Don’t wear open-toe sandals while mowing the lawn.”
To get your share of toe, head on down to the Sourdough Saloon at the Downtown Hotel in Dawson, request a Captain River Hat, purchase a shot, take the sourtoe oath and then, “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow – but the lips have gotta touch the toe.” We recommend drinking it slowly, however, because accidentally swallowing the toe means you’ll have to shell out a hefty fine of $500. Also, gross!
Aore Island Resort
Looking for a different pace of life, Anne, an Aussie, and her husband fell in love with this resort and snapped it up when it went on sale. We can’t guarantee you won’t have the same reaction when you visit, although good luck trying to wrest the title deed off these proud owners.
Aore Island Resort offers 18 smart bungalows spread along a sandy coral beach not far from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu’s largest island. There’s a pool, some large shady trees to relax under and plenty to explore since the island’s been the site of many archaeological discoveries. Plus, divers and snorkellers will be in aquatic heaven – there are plenty of World War II wrecks to explore and coral gardens galore.
Crypts of the Diseased
Missing from many tourist maps, Chacarita Cemetery is Argentina’s largest graveyard and the stomping ground for the ghosts of yellow fever victims who have escaped from their derelict graves. Struck with the mosquito borne epidemic in 1871, up to 25,000 Argentines died with blood weeping from their eyes and mouths as they vomited bloody bile.
The posh La Recoleta Cemetery refused infected bodies, so the city commissioned Chacarita as a place to bury thousands of unfortunate porteños (locals). So many bodies were packed into the earth that the authorities built a train line just to transport the dead. Tiptoe past cracked graves, peer into vandalised mausoleums and slather on high DEET bug spray to keep those deadly mozzies at bay.
Dhoni Worry, Be Happy in the Maldives
Sail around one of the world’s most picturesque island nations aboard a traditional Maldivian fishing boat with G Adventures. The dhoni will take you to some of the most beautiful of the Maldives’ 26 atolls during this week-long cruise. All you have to do is lie back, relax and enjoy the sensation of floating through paradise.
It’s likely you’ll spend more time in the water than on the boat as you explore turquoise lagoons, coral reefs and uninhabited island beaches. But hey, that’s what visiting the Maldives is all about.
Sail like the Tsars
Explore the two jewels in Russia’s imperial crown, and everything in between, as you ply the waterways of the tsars between Moscow and St Petersburg over nearly two weeks. Start in the capital by taking in Red Square and the former royal citadel, the Kremlin, which is now home to the president. Once you’ve seen the Moscow sights, pack your bags – you’re about to set sail along Europe’s longest river, the Volga, immersing yourself in Russia’s rich history along the way.
Admire the ancient architecture of the ‘Golden Ring of Cities’ – Uglich and Yaroslavl – and enjoy the journey’s grand finale with an evening at the ballet in St Petersburg.
Play Cosmonaut at Star City
Strap into a Soviet spacesuit, see how a g-force simulator operates and watch as astronauts test out zero gravity at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. You can even see a full-size, water-submerged copy of the MIR space station. Explore the training centre with a tour guide and watch as astronauts jog around – heck, you could maybe even join them. Once a highly restricted zone, the heart of the Russian space program is now open for tourists.
