New Zealand's Wanaka Treehouse Slants Even More Dramatically Than the Leaning Tower of Pisa

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network, reported and compiled by Chen Guanxin | Provided by Moleskine Editorial Department

Tourists visiting Italy love taking fun and quirky photos with the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But when it comes to tilted towers, New Zealand’s Wanaka Treehouse puts the Leaning Tower of Pisa to shame. Welcome to New Zealand’s “World of Illusions,” where from afar you can see four towers twisted and leaning in all sorts of directions. Compared to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which tilts at about 6 degrees, the Wanaka Treehouse leans at an astonishing 53 degrees—almost touching the ground—and still stands upright, thrilling visitors who eagerly strike all kinds of poses for photos with it. Also, don’t rely on the clock on the tower for the correct time—it actually runs backward, starting from midnight in the year 2000 and counting down all the way to the 20th century.

The full name of the World of Illusions is The Puzzling World of Stuart Landsborough—a playful brain challenge created by Ms. Stuart, using various technologies and visual illusions to question the notion that “seeing is believing.” The attraction is divided into three sections. As you enter the main gate, you’ll find a café with scattered tables featuring puzzles and Chinese five-ring games. If you don’t want to pay the entrance fee, you can slowly play with each table. Further inside, the Puzzle World section features various rooms designed to trick the eyes. Many use laser technology to create 3D effects on flat surfaces—such as the Hohogram Hall—as well as tilted rooms and mechanisms that make people appear taller or shorter, or even allow them to stand on walls, all thanks to clever architectural design.

The outdoor maze proudly claims to be the first modern maze. At its four corners stand yellow, green, blue, and red towers adorned with vibrant lights. Finding your way out of this maze isn’t just about reaching the exit—you also need to collect colored tokens and identify patterns. The shortest route is about 1.5 kilometers, but most people walk 3 to 5 kilometers before finding the exit. A simpler version involves heading straight to the four towers, which takes an estimated 30 minutes to 1 hour. The more challenging version requires following the sequence of yellow, green, blue, and red, typically taking 1 to 1.5 hours. If you really get stuck, be sure to climb the skybridge to find the emergency exit.

● Related Reading: Discovering Turkey (Part 3) / The Balloon Capital Where Festivals Happen Every Day

http://goo.gl/JGnh9