7 Creepiest Restaurants in the world

Creepy, scary, unappetizing – these are hardly the words one would expect to use when describing an interesting restaurant or café. And yet, this is a list of some of the creepiest restaurants in the world. Places known for their shock value, be it an extreme location, bizarre theme and ambience, or just an unimaginable menu for all things out of the ordinary. If you’re bored of the straight and narrow, this list of extremely zany restaurants brought to you by Farebucket may be just the thing for you.

1. Dans Le Noir, Paris/London/St Petersburg/Barcelona

                     

This chain of restaurants introduced the concept of dining in the dark to mainstream restaurants. By blindfolding guests and restricting the sense of sight, the restaurant aims to offer an experience where all the other senses are not just awakened but also heightened. The menu is primarily French-inspired, and usually a surprise to guests who discover what they’ve been served through touch, smell and taste but also through conversations with waiters and fellow diners. While the concept sounds exciting, its certainly not the best recommendation for those who have a fear of the dark!

2. Modern Toilet Restaurant, Taiwan

                                 

Whoever said the toilet is not a good place to eat hasn’t heard of the Modern Toilet Restaurant – a Taiwanese chain of restaurants that as the name suggests are build around a toilet theme. From décor elements to the names of dishes on the menu to the way they look and are presented, everything about this restaurant comes with a touch of being in a toilet. From gratins served in bathtub shaped bowls, to desserts served in urinal-styled bowls, it’s truly a test for only those who can stomach it!

3. Heart Attack Grill, Las Vegas

 Where waitresses are dressed like nurses, your order is called a prescription and you’re given a hospital gown to wear before you dig into your coronary-inducing meal – that’s the Heart Attack Grill, for you. A hamburger restaurant like no other, ever item on the menu here has the potential to pile on more calories than you would care to indulge in, putting you in serious danger of busting an artery or giving your heart a jolt. On the menu are things like a ½ Pound Coronary Dog, Onion Rings deep fried in pure lard, Flatliner Fries, Bypass Burgers amongst several other things laced with naughty innuendos. If that encourages you enough to try out this creepy restaurant, head to the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas.

4. New Lucky Restaurant, Ahmedabad

                               

If dining in the dark is mild, try dining with the dead at New Lucky Restaurant in Ahmedabad. Believed to be located exactly where a graveyard once was, the restaurant has not-so-pleasant interruptions in the décor and ambience by way of graves that were left untouched when the restaurant was built. Local loyalists come back faithfully to have the bun-maska-chai (buttery bread rolls served with milky Indian tea) and are rather unperturbed by the coffins lying within the restaurant.

5. Eternity, Ukraine

                      

It’s called a coffin bar, and the restaurant takes its name rather seriously. Eternity is quite literally built inside a casket and completely lives up to its death and funeral theme. Run by the local funeral parlour and undertakers, it’s got all the makings of a creepy meal experience, replete with dim lighting, creepy candle-lit settings and a menu filled with ominous-sounding food. Definitely a place for those inclined to all things morbid and have a taste for the extraordinary.

6. Vampire Café, Tokyo

Taste a macabre kind of culinary experience at the Vampire Café. From large pictures of red blood cells on the red walls to randomly placed coffins scattered in the restaurant, Goth-dressed waiters and red cocktails with syringes used as food props – this café gets full marks for sticking to theme and invoking a seriously spooky feeling from the word go. If you get past the décor and ambience and order the bloody drinks and food, you get full marks for stomaching this seriously morbid restaurant too!

7. Dinner In The Sky, Belgium

                     

Suspended mid-air, at exactly the point where an appetite for extreme experiences meets the love for an out of the world dining experience, is Dinner In The Sky. A travelling concept restaurant, it literally affords an experience of dining in the sky. Your dinner table, along with your guests and waiters is suspended at a dizzying height of 150 feet, with 360 degree views all around.

10 Things You Need to Do Before Any International Trip

                          

Memorize the following and make it your mantra: Good travel is the result of good planning. That applies to any trip you take, but it’s especially true when you’re heading to a foreign country. It can be tempting to book a ticket and start fantasizing about your getaway, but there’s work to be done. In addition to the planning any trip requires—lodging, restaurants, activities, and so on—international travel calls for extra steps and research to ensure a stress-free experience. Fortunately, we’ve broken it all down into a ten-point plan that will help make your next international getaway a success.

1. CHECK YOUR PASSPORT AND APPLY FOR ANY NECESSARY VISAS.

While it’s not necessary to memorize your passport’s expiration date, it’s best to take a look at it—and to verify that you know where your passport is stored—before making any international travel plans. Generally speaking, you want your passport to be valid for at least six months after entering a foreign country, though some nations will let you get away with less; refer to the State Department’s website for full details, organized by country. If its expiration date is approaching, you’ll need to renew your passport before your next overseas trip.

Though not a universal requirement, tourist visas are needed to visit many nations around the world, and the application process varies greatly from country to country. If you have an American passport, the State Department’s website is the best resource for determining if you need to apply for a tourist visa based on the countries you’re visiting and how much time you plan to spend in each one. It’s important to note that applying for a visa can be costly and time-consuming, so it’s best to get it out of the way as soon as possible. Some countries, like China, offer multi year visas that allow for multiple entries and exits; if there’s a chance you’ll return to a country sooner rather than later, multi year visas can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

2. GET VACCINATED AND STOCK UP ON MEDICINE.

Depending on where you’re going, you may need to get special vaccines or medications as a precaution against various diseases. For the most comprehensive and up-to-date medical recommendations, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, which also lists health advisories by country. In addition, if you routinely take any prescription medication, make sure you have enough to cover the duration of your travels so that you don’t run out while you’re overseas. Finally—and especially if you’re going to any remote regions—it’s wise to pack non-prescription medicines (aspirin, Imodium, etc.) that may not be easy to find.

3. CHECK FOR TRAVEL WARNINGS/ADVISORIES AND REGISTER YOUR TRIP.

Before you travel abroad, refer to the State Department’s Consular Information Program for Travel Alerts (“short-term events we think you should know about when planning travel to a country”) and Travel Warnings (“We issue a Travel Warning when we want you to consider very carefully whether you should go to a country at all.”). It’s worth checking for these notices both before you book a trip and just before you depart. You should also enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which makes it easier for the State Department to assist you in the event of an emergency. Similarly, write down the addresses and phone numbers of any American embassies or consulates in the destinations you’ll be visiting, in case you need to contact them.

4. PREPARE YOUR FINANCES.

Before you travel overseas, call your bank and credit card providers to let them know where you’ll be; if the companies see foreign charges with no notice that you’re abroad, they might freeze your cards, which can be quite annoying if you’re in a shop or trying to pay for dinner. Before you travel internationally, be aware of the exchange rate and know how much things generally cost wherever you’re going so that you get some sense of how much you’re going to spend. If you want to get traveler’s checks, feel free to do so, but know that they are not widely accepted and are exchanged at a less favorable rate than the one you’ll find at an ATM, no matter where you are in the world.

5. MAKE COPIES OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

Most importantly, have at least one color copy of your passport’s ID page stored somewhere safe and separate from your passport. You should also make copies of any visas that pertain to your current travels. Hotel reservations, train ticket confirmations, and all other travel documents should be copied as well. In this digital age, it is very convenient (and eco-friendly) to only have digital copies of these documents handy. That’s fine, but be sure that these items are saved to your device locally so that you can access them without an Internet connection. Also, if you’re going to store sensitive information (like a scan of your passport) on your phone or in your email inbox, make sure your passwords are strong enough to keep potential intruders out.

6. OBTAIN AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT.

The international road trip of your dreams isn’t going to happen unless you plan correctly. That’s because it’s illegal to drive without a valid driver’s license and insurance in most countries, and many do not recognize U.S. driver’s licenses. Car rental companies usually offer insurance, but for the license you’ll need to obtain an International Driving Permit, either from AAA or the National Auto Club. It’s also smart to familiarize yourself with local driving laws wherever you plan to drive. Contact foreign embassies for official rules and regulations regarding driving.

7. GET ALL THE NECESSARY GEAR FOR YOUR ELECTRONICS.

Electrical outlets are different all over the world, so you’ll need to have adapters that allow your devices to plug into foreign sockets. Your best bet is to buy an adapter with different settings that adjust to most outlets, so you only have to worry about one adapter instead of one per country. You also need to check the strength of the electrical current wherever you’re going and make sure your devices are compatible—cell phones and computers often are. If you have a device that’s not compatible with a higher or lower current, then you’ll need to buy a transformer or leave that gadget at home. Finally, if you don’t own them already, it’s worth investing in portable phone chargers and/or spare batteries that can be charged and swapped into phones, cameras, and other electronics so that you can stay fully charged while you’re on the go.

8. LEARN KEY PHRASES IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE.

Of course it’s best practice to learn basics like “Hello,” “Thank you,” and “Where is the bathroom?”, but the more you can say in the local tongue, the better. Then there are times when being able to effectively communicate is a matter of health and safety. If you have any food allergies or severe medical conditions, it’s important to learn how to inform others about those issues in a foreign language. If you don’t feel comfortable with your language abilities, then cheat and print out a document with relevant phrases or make flashcards that you can carry with you.

9. RESEARCH ENTRANCE AND EXIT FEES.

Regardless of whether a country requires you to obtain a tourist visa, it may levy an entrance and/or exit fee against you. For example, Argentina allows U.S. citizens to visit for up to ninety days without a visa, but a $160 “reciprocity fee” must be paid before entering the country—you won’t be allowed in without a copy of the receipt. Once again, the Consular Information Program is the most reliable resource for determining whether a country charges these fees; on any country page, look under the Entry, Exit & Visa Requirements tab for complete information.

10. BUY HEALTH AND TRAVEL INSURANCE.

Before you travel, check your health insurance policy to see if it includes international coverage. If not, consider buying a short-term policy that will cover you while you’re abroad, in case something should happen. Similarly, a smart way to protect your trip and your money is to purchase travel insurance. Policies and coverage vary from provider to provider, but the basic idea is that you can have your money refunded if your trip has to be cancelled, postponed, or cut short for any number of reasons.

Weekend Getaways from Hyderabad

There are destinations that are perfect for one of those days when you

are running tight on money. A cheap trip is sometimes what you actually need;

and I know you couldn’t agree more. Let us also learn about which are the

budget places to visit near Hyderabad that guarantees absolute rejuvenation as well.

Bidar:

Forts and massive ruins are the main attractions in Bidar (Karnataka),

which is situated at distance of about 147kms from Hyderabad. A quiet

little place that is away from the deafening clamour of city life, at

Bidar you can enjoy a walk down rich Indian history. As a traveller,

you would be greatly interested in taking pictures here as it offers

a number of picturesque frames that will certainly get ample of likes

from your Facebook and Google plus friends. Bidar Fort, Bahmani Tombs,

Khwaja Mahmud Gawan Madrasa and Choukhandi are the top places to visit

in Bidar. Since you are travelling cheap, you might like to keep your

food bill under control as well and that is why you may want to eat at

Jyothi Udupi, which serves variety of sumptuous dosa at reasonable prices.

Warangal:

Ancient and mesmerizing! You will fall for Warangal, which is located about

143kms away from Hyderabad and is now a part of the newly formed Telagana

state. Once the ruling seat of Kakatiya Dynasty, Warangal is famous for its

temple architecture and its majestic fort.  The main places of interest in

Warangal are Warangal Fort, Bhadrakali Temple, Thousand Pillar Temple and

Ramappa Temple. If you have decided to drive on your own, you can visit

many places en route to Warangal from Hyderabad like Bhongir Fort, Pembarti,

Kolanupaka (Jain Temple) and Jangaon. As it is a full-fledged city, you

can find a large range of accommodation options here that offers great stay

without burning a hole in your pocket. Warangal is certainly a break from

the routine tourist destinations and can prove to be a great weekend escape.

Nagarjunasagar:

Situated somewhere around 164kms from the city of Hyderabad, Nagarjunasagar

is where all the action takes place over the weekend! Nagarjunasagar is ideal

for one-day trips and is the best getaway from Hyderabad, unless you are

willing to spend some solitary time here. Nagarjunasagar is basically famous

for its 124m high dam and the isolated Nagarjunakonda. A steam boat ride is

something that you shall enjoy her: however there aren’t any hotels in

Nagarjunasagar or Nagarjunakonda, so you have to book accommodations in

Mriyalguda and Machrela as they have many hotels in this region.

Nizamabad:

Nizamabad is a prominent tourist attraction in Telangana and situated 176kms

from Hyderabad. The place is a reflection of rich Indian culture and offers a

pleasant stay during the weekend break. Architecture and nature has been blended

in perfect amount here and you shall love exploring the off-beat trekking trails

that often lead to waterfalls. The ancient temple at Kanteshwar, which is

believed to be 500 years old, is another major attraction in Nizamabad. Bada

Pahad Dargah is yet another place that you must visit here. For a weekend

Nizamabad is certainly a great idea.

Karimnagar:

Heritage is what keeps Karimnagar on its feet. Heart winning architecture dots

the city and you shall love posing here and capturing frames that include amazing

reflection of rich Indian culture. Karimnagar is situated around 164kms from

Hyderabad and is a great weekend holiday idea for those who love architecture

 photography. Jagityala fort, Dhulikatta, Elagandal fort and Shivaram sanctuary

are the places of interest in and around Karimnagar. You must shop for metal with

a filigree work on it from here as a memoir.

Nalgonda:

Old world charm is what fascinates one in Nalgonda, which is situated about

83kms from Hyderabad. The prime attraction of the place is Nandikonda Village

that preserves ancient ruins of Buddhist monastery and pillared hall. Other

than that you can also visit Sri Laxminarsimha Swamy Temple and Chhaya

Somalingeswara Temple. Beside the ancient ruins, Nalgonda is a quite little

town that offers a laidback weekend holiday easing your mind and refreshing

it thoroughly.

Mahbubnagar:

This destination is yet another popular weekend getaway from Hyderabad and is

situated at a distance of 100kms. I like to call it the city of ‘Kohinoor Diamond’,

as this is where the diamond originated. You shall find a number of temples that

are worth a visit in Mahbubnagar and there is also a 700 years old huge Banyan

Tree that you might be interested in seeing. Jama Masjid, Medina Masjid, Mecca

Masjid and Umamaheshwaram, Mallelatheertham and Koilsagar are some of the best

places to visit in Mahbubnagar.