Most passport stamps are pretty straightforward. They feature the name of the country, the date of travel, and sometimes an official seal. But there are some souvenir stamps that really pop off the page. Certain tourist destinations offer unique stamp designs that highlight local landmarks and iconography, which can usually be acquired at regional tourist centers. (Word of caution: Adding these unofficial stamps to your actual passport may invalidate the document. Instead, you should collect these sentimental souvenirs in a separate booklet that you can look back on for years to come.) So, where can you find these uniquely designed images? Let’s take a look at six distinctive stamps from around the world.
Antarctica
Given that it’s not a sovereign territory, there are no immigration centers in Antarctica, and thus no official passport stamps to be acquired. However, there are several locations throughout the continent where you can procure a unique souvenir stamp to commemorate your long southward journey.
One such site is a post office located in the British base of Port Lockroy, toward the northern end of Antarctica. The “Penguin Post Office,” as it’s affectionately known, is often surrounded by the thousands of gentoo penguins that flock here each summer. If you visit the post office, you’ll receive a souvenir stamp featuring the image of a penguin surrounded by text listing out the region’s southerly coordinates.
If you venture south, you’ll come across the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, the southernmost year-round research station in the world. It offers unique stamps to anyone willing to make the perilous trek. Those stamps include an outline of the Antarctic continent, as well as text denoting the 9,300-foot elevation of the research station.
Ushuaia, Argentina
Located roughly 700 miles north of Antarctica is the Argentinian city of Ushuaia. Nicknamed “El Fin del Mundo” (Spanish for “The End of the World”), Ushuaia lays claim to the title of the southernmost city on Earth. Situated along the shore is the town’s local tourist office, where visitors can get a stamp to prove just how far they’ve journeyed.
Each of these stamps features an eloquent design, with the name of the city up top and the “Southernmost City in the World” denomination emblazoned on the bottom of the seal. The stamp also includes a depiction of a local landmark called Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, which was built in the 1920s along the Beagle Channel and remains one of the most-visited attractions in the city. Visitors to Ushuaia can also get a diploma to honor their trip to the world’s southernmost city.
Easter Island, Chile
The most recognizable symbols on Easter Island are moai — the hundreds of monolithic heads (with bodies buried beneath the ground) that were built by the Rapa Nui peoples hundreds of years ago. Three of these moai make up the design of Easter Island’s souvenir stamp, which can be obtained for free at a post office located in the town of Hanga Roa on the western part of the island.
In addition to the three large moai heads, the stamp also includes the name “Isla de Pascua” (Spanish for “Easter Island”). If you happen to be flying from Santiago, Chile, over to Easter Island, users on Reddit have also reported receiving a special stamp featuring a single moai head.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Built over 500 years ago by the Inca civilization, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Peru. When you visit this mountaintop citadel, be sure to get your souvenir booklet stamped at the small tourist office beside the ruins. The stamp comes included in the park’s admission fee.
The appealing design features ancient ruins in the foreground with looming mountain peaks in the background. Some versions even include a tiny image of a vicuña — a mountain-dwelling creature that’s also the national animal of Peru — drawn into the negative space beneath the mountain peak.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales
The Welsh town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch has the longest name of any European village, totalling 58 characters. This name is so long, in fact, that it wraps around in a circle on the village’s souvenir passport stamp. Head over to the gift shop opposite the train station, where someone will be glad to stamp your souvenir book with this unique stamp.
In the center of the design, you’ll find a likeness of the Welsh dragon, which also appears on Wales’ national flag. Surrounding the dragon is a circular chain of letters containing the village’s long name. If you’re curious what Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch stands for, travel expert Rick Steves says it’s Welsh for “St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave.”
Tristan da Cunha, United Kingdom
Unlike the other souvenir passport stamps on this list, the one you receive at Tristan da Cunha is as official as it gets. This small Atlantic island — located roughly halfway between Africa and South America — is a sovereign state within the United Kingdom. The design of its passport stamp features a rounded hill, flowing ocean waves, and a bird soaring through the foreground. This combination of the stamp’s visual design, coupled with the fact that you can only get here by taking a five-day boat trip from South Africa, makes this one of the most remarkable passport stamps in the world.
Do you have a unique passport stamp of your own? Let us know in the comments!
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