The World's Coolest Passport Stamps

Have you ever met a person who is very excited about having as many stamps from different countries as possible on his or her passports? You're right; this is very common. To some people it is too important and they will travel days by boat just to get a stamp from an island. Exploring it may even be optional. Certain stamps are frankly peculiar and odd, while others may be more appropriate for the "charming" category, but they are all cool.

Wouldn't you want to have a part in your passport that shows the Lost City of the Incas? You should go there for the hike anyway. Perched above the Urubamba River, this is a once in a lifetime experience. You will have the opportunity to discover a piece of history and admire some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world.

The resort town of Ushuaia has a very "busy" stamp. A lot of things are going on there – leaves, something that looks like rocks, and a label in Spanish and English. It reads "the southernmost city in the world." The design may be a bit "crowded" but it's still very cool, and certainly quite different than many other countries' stamps.

If you ever get a chance to visit the South Pole Station on Antarctica, make sure you get a stamp, at least as proof that you made it there. Adventurous thrill-seekers deserve at least that. The stamp literally shows the continent and has a star pointing at the station's location. Simple, classic and cool.

The stamp features a penguin, which may not be surprising, but the fact that it features a bird in general is. Visit the coldest, driest, highest and windiest continent in the world while you still can. Major ices shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula have broken apart, retreated, or lost volume in recent decades, and the trend continues today with a crack in the Larsen C shelf growing this year.

There is so much to see and do when visiting the Galapagos Islands that you wonder how the people who created the stamp came up with the design. You can interpret what you see in several ways. Some people may think they see sharks, a volcano and mountains, while others may say they see sea lions, a beach and a tortoise.

You may not have heard of this micronation between Nahariya and the Lebanese border on the Israeli west coast. The 2.5 acres are some of the most unusual pieces of land in the world. Akhzivland has only two residents, but it has its own passport stamp, a national flag and anthem, a constitution, as well a parliament (which has never been in session).

At first glance you may think you accidentally landed in Ireland. While technically you won't be right, you will meet a lot of locals claiming Irish ancestry. The island's Irish heritage dates back to the 17th century when it became a popular place for Irish Catholics who had been persecuted on other Caribbean islands.

This World Heritage Site is the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle. The post office at this secluded adventure destination will reward you for making it there by decorating your passport with a stamp that features its famous moai giant statues that were created by the Rapa Nui people. The figures are some of the strongest remaining evidence of the thriving civilization.

What makes this stamp a cool one is the fact that it's from the remotest island in the world. Tristan da Cunha lies 1,750 miles from South Africa and 2,088 miles from South America. The closest land mass, Saint Helena, is 1,510 miles away. The island is so remote, it had no postal code until 2005 and a lot of the mail was getting lost.

The passport stamp you're going to get upon landing there is one of the cutest you'll ever see. It depicts Sir Turtle, the islands' unofficial logo. Turtles have always been an important part of their history, ever since the spotting by Christopher Columbus in May 1503. The islands are a great idea for an  active vacation. Go snorkeling like you may have never before at Stingray City. Make time to also go hiking, diving, and sailing.