Our planet is home to many spectacular and mysterious constructions and places, some ahead of their time, others too complex for explanation. Rather than your average holiday, why not take an adventure to a conspiracy hotspot? Whether you’re a conspiracy theorist, or just intrigued into how anyone could ever believe these theories, check out these eight destinations that marvel in the unknown.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Over 4,500 years old and located in Giza, Egypt’s famous pyramids rise from the desert as monumental tombs for ancient pharaohs and queens. Made up of millions of precisely placed sculpted stones, weighing at least two tons each, many wonder how these magnificent structures were built. Searching for an explanation, some turn to aliens, others to time travel or levitation; the speed of light and the geographic coordinates for the Great Pyramid align. Although these tombs were constructed by the many hands of an advanced civilisation, why not explore the endless conspiracy of these immense wonders yourself?
Nazca Lines, Peru
Believed to be around two millennia old and over eight-hundred miles long when combined, these white lines, accompanied by three-hundred geometric shapes and seventy animal and plant figures, including a spider and hummingbird, are randomly etched into the Peruvian desert, 250 miles from Lima. Although local museums explain how the ancient pre-Inca people carved these geoglyphs, because of their age, size and precision, many believe that aliens drew them. Exactly why they were made is unknown; some say they aligned with constellations, others with ritual sites related to water and fertility. Take a flight, climb the nearby observation tower, or hike up surrounding foothills to view these worthwhile phenomena.
Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany
Ingolstadt in Bavaria is known for its Audi Forum and classic cars museum, but unknown to the typical tourist is the city’s relation to the Illuminati. In 1776, university professor Adam Weishaupt founded the secret society to oppose religious influences on society and foster a space for free speech, yet within a decade Bavarian authorities shut it down. Since then, the Illuminati has become fuel for the world’s greatest conspiracies and many still believe that Ingolstadt remains a top-secret meeting place for powerful Illuminati members, including Beyoncé and Madonna. Ingolstadt is a perfect destination for true conspiracy theorists.
Area 51, Nevada, USA
Area 51 in the Nevada desert is a United States Airforce facility situated eighty-three miles north of Las Vegas. Yet, the site’s secretive nature has led some to believe that Area 51 is researching and experimenting on aliens and their spacecraft. Although Area 51 is permanently closed to the public, drive down the Extra-Terrestrial Highway and visit the nearby town of Rachel to immerse yourself in extra-terrestrial discussion with the local community. Tour guides will take you to lookout points where you can get an aerial glimpse inside the base, watch parties stake out for UFO sightings, and there are plenty of alien-themed outposts.
Stonehenge, Salisbury, UK
Constructed around five-thousand years ago, Stonehenge is England’s famous stone monument, yet how the stones, each averaging at thirteen feet tall and twenty-five tons, arrived there is a mystery. In the Middle Ages, myths arose that a giant brought the stones from Africa to Ireland, and then using magic the wizard Merlin transported the stones to Salisbury. More recently, however, some people have attributed the construction to aliens and spacecraft landing pads. Nonetheless, scientists have discovered more plausible theories, including Stonehenge as a burial site or celestial observatory, upholding that ancient civilisations had the right construction tools. At only an hour’s drive from Southampton, take a look for yourself.
Washington, USA
Supposedly standing at seven to nine feet tall and weighing between six-hundred and nine-hundred pounds, Bigfoot has stirred many conspiracy theories. Some think this hairy giant is related to humans, others think it is an extraterritorial-being or giant ground sloth. Although there have been Bigfoot sightings all over the US, Washington currently records the highest total at 2,032, according to Newsweek in May 2019. If you are a true conspiracy theorist, Washington companies host overnight forest camping trips, where you’ll search for Bigfoot at night. Other companies offer multi-day Bigfoot tours across multiple states.
Easter Island, Chile
Spread around Easter Island is a fleet of nearly nine-hundred large moai stone figures. But how the Rapa Nui constructed and transported these figures, weighing up to ninety-two tons and on average thirteen feet tall, over one-thousand years ago, is a mystery. Conspiracy also surrounds the Rapa Nui people; supposedly, the figures were sculpted to commemorate the dead and the population came to an end through a self-made environmental disaster. Easter Island is one of the most remote places on Earth and flights are limited, but once there, you can take an island tour for both convenience and insider perspective.
Loch Ness, Scotland
Rooted in Scottish folklore, the conspiracy theory of the Loch Ness Monster, an unknown creature inhabiting Loch Ness waters in the Scottish Highlands, came to worldwide attention in 1933 after the Inverness Courier reported sightings of a “beast” or “whale-like fish”. Although dismissed by many as a mixture of hoaxes and wishful thinking, why not visit to make up your own mind? Only half an hour from Inverness, a road trip or hike through the Loch Ness region is a must for those wanting a break from urban life.
Why not spice up your average holiday with a place of conspiracy found across the globe? Take a break from real life and marvel in the unknown.
