This was published 8 years ago
World's biggest ship, country, city, building, hotel, mall: Record-breaking travel experiences
WORLD'S BIGGEST COUNTRY
Everything is outsized in Russia, from the Siberian steppes that take days to travel by train to its birch forests, deep-freeze winters, lakes that seem more like seas, Soviet-era apartment blocks and imperial palaces. Unlike many large countries, it also has big history, big culture and – once you get beyond the grumpy facade – big-hearted people. See russiatourism.ru
See: Russia: Europe's most baffling country
WORLD'S BIGGEST CITY
By population sprawl, Tokyo-Yokohama remains number one. The heaving metropolis of crowds, crazy nightlife, winking neon and giant departments stores provides contemporary urban life on steroids, but has surprisingly quiet temples and residential districts, too. See gotokyo.org
See: Four reasons why Tokyo really is the world's best city
WORLD'S BIGGEST BUILDING
Head to a former Soviet-era hangar 60 kilometres south of Berlin and experience the world's largest indoor space, apart from a few restricted industrial complexes. The hanger houses tropical islands, sheltering palm-shaded beaches, the world's largest indoor rainforest, waterslides, Caribbean-themed lodges and a recreation of Angkor Wat. See tropical-islands.de
WORLD'S BIGGEST SHOPPING MALL
The Dubai Mall claims the record for total area (though not shop space) and is currently expanding. Join 80 million other yearly visitors in plundering its 1200 shops, then enjoy its aquarium, kids' zone, ice rink, indoor theme park and 22-seat cinema. As an added bonus, the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, is adjacent. See thedubaimall.com
See: Buggy required: Inside the world's biggest shopping mall
WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL
The three-star First World Hotel, refreshingly cool and sometimes mist-shrouded in peninsular Malaysia's Genting Highlands, has 7351 guestrooms in two massive blocks (plus an annexe) painted in unmissable rainbow hues. Beneath its towers lies a shopping plaza, casino, restaurants, Cineplex and soon-to-open theme park. See rwgenting.com
WORLD'S BIGGEST CRUISE SHIP
Allure of the Seas is an unintentional five centimetres longer than Royal Caribbean's sister ship Oasis of the Seas and only slightly smaller than a US aircraft carrier. It has 25 dining venues, four pools, 10 whirlpools, a full-service spa, 3D movie theatre, surf simulators, zip lines, mini golf and an ice-skating rink. It carries more than 8500 passengers and crew. See royalcaribbean.com
See: Sea monsters: The world's 10 biggest cruise ships
Take a look at the giants of travel in the gallery above.
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