Challenge the boundaries of travel！Explore the thrilling “erotic attractions” that make your heart race

Text / Compiled and reported by Chen Guanxin, MOOK Travel Life Network

 

Have you ever traveled the world and come across a sight so bold it makes your face flush? The most taboo of topics — “sex” — is actually displayed out in the open for all to see. Yes！In South Korea, Russia, and the Netherlands, there are sex museums or red-light districts that satisfy people’s curiosity and imagination about sexuality. Next time you’re in these places, why not set aside some time to visit the following spots for a truly unique travel experience.

 

Jeju Island features one of the most popular roads among tourists. On this uphill stretch, cars may appear to roll uphill on their own even when the engine is off. This mysterious road is known as the Mystery Road. Along the way, shops offer jars for visitors to test the fun of watching them seemingly roll upwards — whether it’s an illusion or caused by magnetic forces, you’ll have to experience it yourself.

 

Near the Mystery Road lies a sculpture park themed around sexuality. The park boldly displays genitalia and various humorous erotic artworks. Whether it’s a simulation of car-sex or faucets shaped like sexual organs, all are sure to catch visitors’ eyes. The indoor area also features art paintings and the sale of adult toys, all displayed unabashedly, making some visitors blush. At night, outdoor fountains accompanied by evening lighting create an artistic ambiance.

There are many sex-themed museums around the world, but the one in Saint Petersburg is fairly average in terms of collection size and uniqueness. Most exhibits are relatively cheap trinkets, and the place is actually a clinic where the displays are more like decorations in a waiting room. However, it gains legendary status thanks to one “treasure”: the penis of Rasputin, a key figure in Saint Petersburg’s history.

 

This monk, who wielded immense influence in the imperial court during the final years of the tsarist era, indulged in drunken debauchery and lawlessness in Saint Petersburg, earning the hatred of many citizens and nobles who wanted him dead. After he was murdered, his penis was immediately cut off and has since been the subject of curiosity and study, as legend says it was the secret to attracting numerous devout female followers. The “exhibit” later ended up in the hands of a doctor, which is why today we can see this 30-centimeter-long grayish-white preserved object in a glass jar at the clinic, allowing us to imagine the dramatic and shocking events of the late Russian Empire.

 

The unassuming entrance of this museum often causes people to walk right past it, unaware of the wonders inside. Though small in size, the museum is packed with content — one of its major selling points. From erotic paintings on scrolls, books, and porcelain to sex dolls made of clay, bronze, ivory, and marble, it vividly showcases humanity’s most primal desires.

 

Sexuality is an innate human instinct, but once cloaked in moral and ethical pretenses, it becomes something everyone knows about but no one talks about, ultimately fueling the growth of pornography. This museum takes that idea and claims its mission is to return sex to its original, pure form. While that claim may be hard to believe, especially given the abundance of BDSM and orgy photos that can make visitors uncomfortable, no one can deny the existence of these realities. Regardless of your views, the world’s first erotic-themed museum is definitely a conversation starter.

Few countries in the world promote their red-light districts as tourist attractions, and Amsterdam is one of them. Red-light district merchandise is everywhere on the streets, even appearing on postcards. The district is most concentrated around the alleys near the old church and Chinatown, extending throughout the city center and even sporadically westward toward the Singel Canal. Visiting the red-light district in Amsterdam doesn’t require sneaking around — it’s a legitimate part of the tourist itinerary, and you’ll often see tour guides with flags explaining the sights to their groups.

 

For Amsterdam residents, sex workers are just like any other professionals, no different from those working in banks or shops. To prevent criminal control over the industry, the government legalized it and provides social benefits such as regular health checkups and menstruation allowances for sex workers, even inviting union leaders to parliament. Dutch sex workers are self-employed, renting small window booths and rooms where they pose to attract customers, rather than soliciting on the street. Once a deal is made, they draw the curtain for business. If you're just curious, it's best to visit at night when the rows of red lights illuminate the streets. The atmosphere is both exciting and safe. Just don’t stare too long or take photos, and you’ll have a unique Amsterdam experience.