Australia might be known for the coastal charm of its major cities and small surf towns, but Coober Pedy decidedly bucks that trend. At first glance, this town — nestled in the sun-scorched expanse of the South Australian Outback — isn’t even entirely visible, giving new meaning to the term “hidden gem.” That’s because in Coober Pedy, the houses are built underground, carved into the soft sandstone that seems to stretch as far as the dry desert landscape. Below, explore the fascinating history behind this subterranean marvel that showcases Australia’s diversity beyond its most popular tourist destinations. 

A Gem of a Town

The first thing you’ll notice about Coober Pedy is its striking geographic isolation. Located in the middle of the South Australian desert, the town is about 500 miles from the next nearest major city center, with Alice Springs to the north and Adelaide to the south. 

Aboriginal peoples inhabited this land for thousands of years before Scottish explorer John McDouall Stuart arrived in 1858. The town’s modern history, however, only traces back to the early 20th century, when opal was discovered on the site. A 14-year-old named Will Hutchison stumbled upon the precious gemstones in 1915 while accompanying his father on an unsuccessful gold prospecting trip through the harsh Outback landscape. 

According to local history, some of the earliest people to move to the burgeoning community were soldiers returning from the trenches of World War I, bringing with them their knowledge of surviving in underground dugouts. Five years after the first opal discovery, a few hundred miners had moved in. By 1920, the town was officially named Coober Pedy, an Aboriginal term loosely meaning “white man in a hole.”

Underground Relief

It isn’t just opal mines that set Coober Pedy apart. The arid landscape is rocky and treeless, and its climate is unforgiving. On a summer day, temperatures can regularly soar to almost 130 degrees Fahrenheit — so hot that locals have claimed to see birds falling from the sky. Miners quickly adapted to the harsh conditions, seeking relief by excavating homes, churches, taverns, and even hair salons into the area’s soft sandstone hillsides. In the early days, this was done with little more than picks and shovels.

Underground, the temperatures are comfortable through the brutal summers and the cold winters, ranging from 66 to 77 degrees day and night throughout the year. The town estimates that about 50% of its 2,500-person population currently lives underground. The homes range from modest to mansion-esque in size, multigenerational in familial makeup and span more than 4,000 square feet underground. The rooms and corridors are often rounded at the ceiling instead of squared off, but otherwise have all the same comforts of a “normal” house: a kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms.

Luckily, underground moisture isn’t a problem due to Australia’s status as the driest inhabited continent on Earth. Ventilation systems are simple for the dugouts, often consisting of just one oxygen shaft. The tops of these vents poke up out of the surface of the earth everywhere around Coober Pedy, and are sometimes the first sign of a dwelling underfoot. 

The Opal Capital of the World

Millions of years ago, this region was underwater. As the water receded, silica, a common mineral, descended with the lowering water tables and was deposited throughout the earth’s faults and fractures. In the time since, the silica solidified into mesmerizingly colorful opals, one of the rarest gemstones in the world due to the uncommon natural processes that create it. 

Coober Pedy’s opal mining industry has been a cornerstone of its economy, attracting miners from around the globe in pursuit of the iridescent gemstones and the lifestyle that mining success can provide. Mining numbers fluctuate, like every natural-resource rich area that experiences cycles of boom and bust. Today, Coober Pedy has about 100 active miners, and says it produces 85% of the world’s supply of opals, together with nearby Andamooka and Mintabie. 

Ongoing Adaptability

Living in such an arid, unforgiving environment necessitates innovative solutions — a task that, fortunately, the residents of Coober Pedy have met. Recently implemented sustainable practices include a new renewable energy plant in town. Water, however, remains a finite resource — challenges facing residents include the lack of a large natural reservoir, minimal rainfall to supplement it, and aging infrastructure. But Coober Pedy is also establishing itself as a major regional service center for the South Australian Outback, offering essential medical, educational, and leisure services in the area — and reasserting its history as a tiny town that can take care of itself. 

How to Visit This Tucked-Away Town

Travel options to Coober Pedy are, unsurprisingly, not as plentiful as Australia’s major cities, but with advance planning and a little patience, a trip to Australia’s final frontier is definitely possible — and will certainly be memorable.

There is indeed an airport in Coober Pedy, and regional airline Rex flies direct to and from Adelaide on certain days of the week. Charter flights are also available. Traveling to Coober Pedy by bus is another option, with daily trips from both Adelaide (about 11 hours) and Alice Springs (about eight hours). The scenic Ghan train has a Coober Pedy stop, but it’s about 25 miles outside of the town proper, and transportation the rest of the way must be arranged individually. There are no taxi services nor shuttle buses available in town, so renting a car is your best option when traveling to Coober Pedy. 

Given the Outback’s desert climate, make sure you check the seasonal forecast and plan accordingly. January and February are the hottest months, while July tends to be the coldest month, with temperatures dropping to the freezing mark. The temperatures are more regulated if you’re staying in one of the town’s underground hotels, such as the Comfort Inn Coober Pedy. If you decide to experience Outback camping or one of the town’s charming caravan sites, take weather into account.

Coober Pedy offers several interesting tourist sites throughout the town. Faye’s Historic Underground Home museum offers an inside look at an authentic dugout home experience, and there are several opal mine tours and experiences — including the opportunity to dig for your own opal — that are definite must-sees. If you’ve rented a car, make sure to schedule in a 30-minute drive to the Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, where colorful sandstone hills light up the landscape (try to see it at sunset). And finally, the surreal Moon Plain expanse is sure to transport you to an otherworldly experience. 

The origins of state and city names are incredibly diverse. Some trace back to Indigenous cultures, others to colonial powers, and still others to significant historical events or their natural surroundings. But a select few small towns in the U.S. drew inspiration from a much different source and were named after food. Warning: You might get hungry as you discover the quirky origins behind these six small U.S. towns with mouthwatering names inspired by food and drink.

Chicken, Alaska

No, this small town on the edge of the Yukon territory of Canada isn’t named after the feathered animal — at least not directly. So, how did this gold rush town founded in 1890 get its name? The town’s original prospectors got through their first harsh winter by feasting on an abundance of ptarmigan, a local grouse (now the state bird of Alaska). At first, they decided to name the town after the bird that aided their survival, but disputes over the tricky spelling quickly nixed that idea. Instead, they decided upon the name Chicken to avoid any confusion. Sadly, the population of Chicken (like many boom towns) eventually dried up — today, there are just about 20 residents, a café, a saloon, a gift store, and, of course, a chicken statue.

Two Egg, Florida

Soon after this small town in the Florida Panhandle was named Allison to honor generous contributions from the Allison Company (an engine manufacturer), the Great Depression swept in and the townspeople fell on hard times. No longer able to pay for their groceries with cash, the people of Allison resorted to trading with shopkeepers for the items they needed. Farmers often used eggs as bartering chips, and shopkeepers would turn around and sell those products to people outside the community.

As the story goes, two young boys used to come into the general store with two eggs to trade for sugar; they did it so often, in fact, that the store became known as the “two egg store.” The name caught on, and soon even the town name followed suit. Although the moniker may sound comical today, it’s a reflection of the hard times endured in the 1930s.

Cookietown, Oklahoma

Think back to when you were a child — could you imagine anything better than a place named Cookietown? A man named Marvin Cornelius had the same idea in 1928 and — so the story goes — named his general store Cookietown, U.S.A., to attract attention. Marvin would hand out free cookies to children, and legend has it that one young boy exclaimed he “never wanted to leave Cookietown” after receiving a home-baked treat. Unfortunately, Cookietown today is somewhat of a ghost town — the general store is no longer there and less than 10 people call the town home. However, the appetizing name lives on.

Hot Coffee, Mississippi

Nothing sounds warmer and more welcoming than hot coffee (except maybe Cookietown), and that’s just the sort of impression a Mississippi innkeeper named Levi Davis was trying to make in the 1870s. Davis always brewed hot coffee for weary travelers who passed through by horse and carriage, while his wife cooked up fresh tea cakes. His marketing strategy was simple, yet effective: a coffee pot sign with the words — you guessed it — “Hot Coffee” written underneath. The town became known to pioneers as a place where you could rest and get a steaming cup of joe, so eventually “Hot Coffee” was simply adopted as the official town name.

Tortilla Flat, Arizona

It sounds like the start of a promising meal, but instead of a feast, Tortilla Flat was inspired by a lack of food. Before the town was founded in the early 1900s, it served as a campsite with fresh water for those traveling from Tonto Basin to Phoenix for supplies. How did the name come to be? According to local legend, a group who camped on the flat near the creek endured heavy rain for several days and were trapped in their campsite by the flooded creek. When they ran out of food, the only provisions the group could scrap together were flour and water to make tortillas, which is what they ate for several days as they waited for the water to recede. Today, the town stands as a remnant of the Old West and is home to six just residents.

Pie Town, New Mexico

As the name implies, this small town in the Southwest knows how to bake a good pie. The town’s history dates to the 1920s when Clyde Norman, a World War I veteran, bought a gas station along Route 60 and began recreating his favorite childhood dessert — dried apple pies. Norman’s pies became popular with the cowboys in the area, and word spread quickly about his impressive baking skills. Norman’s love of pies eventually inspired the town’s official name.

Today, Pie Town celebrates its name with an annual pie festival where locals compete in a friendly bake-off. If you decide to visit Pie Town, make sure you come home hungry: There are only a few cafés in town, but you’ll find they offer enough pie varieties to keep your sweet tooth satisfied for days.

When you think of a city of canals, chances are Venice comes to mind. And for good reason: There are 150 waterways criss-crossing this historic Italian City, including the UNESCO-designated Grand Canal. While Venice is undeniably one of the most beautiful cities in the world, it’s definitely not the only canal town out there. Check out these 10 charming canal cities that aren’t Venice.

Bruges, Belgium

Located in the Flemish region of Belgium, Bruges was founded by the Vikings in the ninth century. Its location along the Zwin, a former tidal inlet that is now a nature reserve, linked it to the North Sea, which made Bruges an important international trading port during the Middle Ages. Today, this charming city features quaint cobblestone streets, gorgeous bridges, and gabled homes lining many of its canals, some of which date back to the 1100s.

A popular route for tourists is the leisurely 2-mile walk around Bruges’ inner canals, taking you past some of the city’s most romantic views and picturesque medieval streets. Walking around Bruges today, it’s hard to imagine that by the mid-1800s it was a city in decline — it was tourism in the 20th century that helped breathe new life into this historical gem.

Yanagawa, Japan

Yanagawa’s canals define this corner of Kyushu, the southwesternmost of Japan’s main islands — even the town’s manhole covers feature scenes depicting its waterways. To explore them, board a donkobune, a small flat-bottomed craft. Oarsmen expertly steer them using bamboo poles and dressed in traditional costume, from their conical hats to their rubber boots. They glide through the calm waters, punctuating the silence with folklore tales and centuries-old songs. 

These canals were originally dug in the seventh and eighth centuries to provide irrigation for local agriculture and to create a defensive moat around the town’s castle. It’s worth stepping ashore to tour the Yanagawa Ohana, a residence built for the ruling Tachibana family in the 1700s. This imposing manor house is surrounded by an immaculate garden with a tranquil pond garden framed by black pines and stone lanterns.

Giethoorn, The Netherlands

Next to Venice, Amsterdam is one of the most well-known canal cities in the world. If you’ve been to Amsterdam or are looking for something smaller and more charming, head to Giethoorn, which is less than a two-hour drive from Amsterdam. This primarily car-free spot — known for its beautiful canals and thatched-roof houses — is sometimes referred to as the “Dutch Venice.” There are lush footpaths and bike trails around Giethoorn that make it feel like the Dutch village popped out of the pages of a fairy tale.

Join a scheduled canal tour or rent one of the electric boats that seat two to three people and explore on your own. Remember to be respectful of people’s privacy as you are walking or boating around, and do not trespass onto people’s yards. Giethoorn is not a tourist village, it is a functioning town with around 2,600 year-round residents.

Bangkok, Thailand

A trip along Bangkok’s khlongs (canals) in a longtail boat offers a unique perspective on life in this sprawling Asian capital. The earliest channels were dug in the 1500s to improve navigation from the former capital, Ayutthaya, to the coast. Today, there are more than 1,600 khlongs. 

Within the city of Bangkok, canals such as Khlong Bangkok Noi and Khlong Mon still crisscross the district of Thonburi, once a separate settlement. Such waterways are a far cry from the glass and steel high-rises, shopping malls, and traffic-choked boulevards that characterize the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River. In Thonburi, you’ll cruise by locals going about their daily business: doing laundry, tending to their plants, shopping for fresh produce, and preparing food. Stilted homes are a common sight; you’ll occasionally also pass a waterfront temple or shrine. Floating markets are frequently held on Bangkok’s canals, especially on weekends.

Xochimilco, Mexico

On the outskirts of Mexico City lies Xochimilco, which translates to “the place where flowers grow” in Spanish. However, many people also call the suburb the “Venice of the New World.” You won’t find elaborate Byzantine and Venetian Gothic-style architecture here, but you will see the remnants of a vast Aztecan water transport system. A series of human-made islands (known as “chinampas”) built for agricultural purposes create a canal network in a shallow lake.

Xochimilco was designated as an official UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 for its historical and cultural significance. Locals have been cruising the canal network, ferrying goods around in flat-bottom boats called trajineras, for centuries. Today, you can book festive, scenic tours on the brightly colored trajineras. Passing boat traffic includes serenading mariachis, vendors selling tacos and trinkets, and celebrating families — especially on Sundays.

Tigre, Argentina

Only an hour by train from Buenos Aires, Tigre provides a refreshing alternative to the often hectic pace of the Argentine capital. Indeed, day trippers have been using Tigre as an escape from the city since the railway was built in the 19th century. Today, it’s still as popular as a retreat for locals (known as porteños) as it is a destination for international tourists. 

Life in Tigre — situated amid the silt-laden Paraná River delta — takes place on riverbanks and beside canals. Stilted homes and aging mansions rise above the alluvial floodplain, attracting admiring glances from passing boat trippers. Visitors can rent kayaks or rowboats to get out into the wildlife-rich delta. On dry land, stroll along the Paseo Victoria; the market at the Puerto de Frutos and the Museo de Arte de Tigre are also must-see attractions.

Annecy, France

Scenic canals, historical buildings, and castles abound in Annecy. Often dubbed the “Venice of the Alps,” it raises the bar for other canal towns with its stunning turquoise lake and surrounding mountain scenery. Annecy is in the Haute-Savoie region near Lac d’Annecy, which is the third-largest lake in France and is bordered by the French Alps. Vieille Ville may have more canals than roadways, and each one is lined by beautiful pastel buildings. One of the most iconic photo spots includes the 12th-century Palais de l’Ile, located on a triangular turn of the main Canal du Thiou.

Zhouzhuang Water Town, China

A number of canal towns can be found near the city of Suzhou, located west of Shanghai. Suzhou itself is located on the UNESCO-listed Jing-Hang Grand Canal, the world’s longest canal. Nearby, charming Zhouzhuang can trace its history back around 1,000 years. For centuries, it made use of the area’s abundant water supply to grow and trade crops such as rice, lotus root, and water chestnuts. A slew of ancient stone bridges, some of which survive today, connected people on either side of the waterways. 

These historic properties and structures, many dating from the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, are now the target of camera-toting visitors. Among those you should check out are the Twin Bridges (Shide and Yong’an), Jingye Tang (the Hall of Shen’s Residence), Yuyan Tang (Zhang House), and the Residence of Ye Chucang. Though it’s a popular day trip from Suzhou, you’ll need to set out early to stay ahead of the pack.   

Alappuzha, India

The city of Alappuzha is nestled deep in the southern Indian state of Kerala. A true “water city,” Alappuzha is famous for its network of interconnected backwater channels, boat races, beaches, and maritime commerce. The region is also known for its houseboat cruises that letvisitors explore the watery thoroughfares.

The biggest houseboats stick to the primary river “highways” that feature the heaviest traffic and most easily accessible tourism sites. However, the smaller vessels branch out and let you go beyond the basic routes to fully explore the incredible geography the region is known for.  

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Nicknamed the “Venice of America,” Fort Lauderdale boasts approximately 165 miles of canals. In the early 1920s, Charles G. Rodes — a developer with a keen interest in the infrastructure and building techniques used in Venice, Italy — was contracted to dredge the canals and create the finger islands that would serve as the template for new real estate developments. 

The prestigious neighborhood of Las Olas quickly took shape, followed soon after by Seven Isles and Rio Vista Isles, the work of Boston developer W. F. Morang. There were setbacks, notably a devastating hurricane in 1926 and the fallout from the 1929 economic crash. But the lure of waterfront living was irresistible — and today, Fort Lauderdale’s canals make this one of Florida’s most attractive cities.