9. The Chinampas of Xochimilco, Mexico
South of Mexico City is Xochimilco, home to the chinampas, ancient floating gardens filled with brightly coloured flowers that are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But one of the Xochimilco islands is more nightmare fuel thana beauty spot. Translating literally to the ‘island of the dolls,’ it’s home to more than four thousand of them – many dishevelled and broken. Legend has it that after a young girl drowned in one of the chinampas in the 1950s, a local hermit, Julian Santana Barrera, began hanging dolls to ward off evil spirits – before drowning in the canal himself, leading many to consider the now uninhabited island haunted in the extreme.
8. Mount Huashan, China
At its narrowest point, the path on Mount Huashan in China is just 11.8 inches wide – the same as a standard ruler – earning it a reputation as ‘the world’s most dangerous hike.’ While rumours of 100+ deaths annually are likely unfounded, safety harnesses are now mandatory on the most treacherous sections. Giving a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘walking the plank,’ part of the mountain’s 700-year-old path is little more than rickety wooden slats, affixed to the cliffside by metal bolts. And with two-way traffic and a height of more than seven thousand feet, it’s no surprise that this six-hour trek leaves even experienced hikers hanging on for dear life.
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