12. Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An is all about lanterns. Lots and lots of lanterns, in every colour of the rainbow. As dusk falls over the cobbled ancient town, the streets light up in a kaleidoscope of coloured lanterns that dangle from shopfronts and riverside restaurants. Atmospheric doesn’t even begin to cover it. These days, Hoi An is part of a well-trodden tourist path in Vietnam, but by the evening, the day-trippers have cleared out, leaving just a handful of travellers and a million lanterns.
13. Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
We’ve all heard of Old Faithful, but Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring is – arguably – even more impressive. The largest hot spring in the USA and the third largest thermal spring on the planet, Grand Prismatic is circled by rainbow-coloured bands of heat-loving bacteria. The spring bubbles up from 121 feet underground, its temperatures can reach around 180 degrees Fahrenheit, and its sulphuric aroma is pretty eye-watering. Smells bad, looks great on Instagram.
14. Rainbow Village, Taichung, Taiwan
Technically a street art installation in the Nantun District, Rainbow Village has risen to become a firm tourist favourite in Taiwan. Like Warna Warni, Taichung was half-dilapidated and fated for demolition, until Grandpa Rainbow stepped in. Yes really. A former soldier, Mr Huang – aka Grandpa Rainbow – picked up a paintbrush and let his imagination run wild. The result is a vibrant village with brightly-painted walls, floors, houses, schools and alleyways. It’s heart-warming, magical and brilliantly mad.
15. Madurai, India
Madurai is a soulful city in Tamil Nadu scattered with psychedelic temples. A thronging Hindu stronghold, it’s somewhere often overlooked and under-visited. The jewel in Madurai’s crown is the Meenakshi Amman Temple, a 17th-century temple complex that beggars belief. It’s South India’s answer to the Taj Mahal. In total, the complex is home to a whopping 14 gopurams (gateway towers), two golden sculptured vimanas and 33,000 sculptures of gods and demons, painted in every colour of the rainbow.
16. La Boca, Buenos Aires
La Boca is a bright, bohemian barrio of Buenos Aires. Packed with steakhouses, street artists and tango dives, it’s not to be missed if you’re heading for Argentina. Here, the cobbled walkway of El Caminito throngs with street performers and rainbow-painted shacks line the alleyways. It’s energetic, eclectic and full of local colour.
17. Brighton, UK
We couldn’t write about rainbow places without plugging our very own home – Brighton. Here, the rainbow beach-huts are a tiny part of a much bigger story. Colourful, diverse and tolerant to its core, Brighton is a seriously special place. Anything goes in Brighton, and we’re super proud to be part of it. Happy Pride everyone!