Tropical storm forms in Caribbean

• It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph


• Tropical storm warnings have been issued in parts of the Bahamas


• NWS forecast puts the storm east of the United States early next week

(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Cristobal formed early Sunday in the Caribbean, having strengthened from a tropical depression, the National Hurricane Center said.

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

The hurricane center issued tropical storm warnings on Sunday for the southeastern and central Bahamas as well as for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Cristobal is moving to the northwest but is expected to turn to the northeast in the coming days and miss the U.S. coastline.

15 amazing natural bridges

The Green Bridge of Wales on the rocky Pembrokeshire coastline is one of the most famous spots in Wales.

Less famous than its bigger national park cousins (Yellowstone and Grand Teton), Wyoming's Ayres Natural Bridge State Park offers a respite for visitors in the know.

Owachomo Natural Bridge is one of three famous natural bridges at the aptly named Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah.

A French national heritage site, the 54-meter-long Pont d'Arc is the only French natural bridge spanning a still-flowing river.

A natural bridge anchors this beach in Santa Cruz, California, but Natural Bridges State Beach is better known for its tide pools and seasonal monarch butterfly population.

A gem in Australia's Port Campbell National Park, London Bridge is an offshore rock formation that partially collapsed in 1990 and became a bridge without a connection.

Explore the land that inspired Hans Christian Andersen here in Bohemian Switzerland, now part of the Czech Republic, and you'll find Pravcicka Brana, the largest stone bridge on the European continent.

Exploring Jordan's Wadi Rum Protected Area means you'll find lovely examples of natural bridges and other rock formations.

Head to Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rockies to watch Kicking Horse River still carving a path through this natural bridge.

UNESCO didn't just recognize Algeria's Tassili n'Ajjer as a World Heritage Site for its drawings and engravings dating back to 6,000 B.C. It also has a stunning collection of natural bridges and sandstone "forests of rock."

The Natural Bridge of Virginia was once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

Cueva de los Portales isn't just the site of a natural bridge in Cuba's western province of Pinar del Rio. It also played a role in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Wildlife Conservation Society researchers traveling to Afghanistan to conduct a wildlife survey stumbled upon Hazarchishma Natural Bridge, perhaps one of the largest in the world.

There's evidence to suggest that Lexington Arch in Great Basin National Park in Nevada may actually be a bridge. Arches formed by streams and other water sources are bridges.

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• Natural arches around the world are made of rock, with a hole formed by natural forces


• Natural bridges are arches where water is the force making the hole


• Stunning natural bridges can be found all over the world


• The world's longest is the Fairy Bridge in China, experts say

(CNN) -- Don't try to drive over these bridges.

These rocky natural spans were formed over millennia by the flowing waters of a stream or other water source, which slowly eroded away the rock to create the shape of a bridge.

But are they arches or bridges?

The Natural Arch and Bridge Society, whose Indiana Jones-like members go hunting for these rock formations around the world, makes this distinction: A natural arch is made of rock, with a hole formed by natural forces, they say. A natural bridge is a type of arch, where water is the natural force making the hole.

Erosion created these magnificent structures, and erosion will eventually take them down. One such wonder was Aruba's Natural Bridge, which was first formed by pounding surf eroding its coral limestone. The 100-foot-span gave way and collapsed in 2005. (The smaller Baby Bridge is still standing nearby.)

Here are 15 spectacular natural bridges around the world.

America's crazy rock formations

Green Bridge of Wales, United Kingdom

One of the most famous spots in Wales, the Green Bridge of Wales and the rocky Pembrokeshire coastline, are part of a national park. Nearby you can also spot the Stack Rocks, known as the Elegug Stacks in Welsh.

Eventually it's expected that the ocean will wear away the Green Bridge and the middle will collapse, turning it into stacks. Visitors who continue along the coast to see Pen-y-Holt Stack should note that it's in a British Army range and must be visited through walks organized by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Ayres Natural Bridge, Wyoming

Not all the glory of Wyoming is found at its two internationally famous Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in the northwestern part of the state.

Less well-known but worth the visit is the majestic Ayres Natural Bridge in eastern Wyoming, about 40 miles east of Casper. The 50-foot tall, 100-foot-long natural bridge over LaPrele Creek is the star of this 22-acre park.

Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah

As streams cut into the canyon walls and flash floods further weakened them, the three mighty bridges at Natural Bridges National Monument in the southeastern corner of Utah were carved over millions of years.

The area was declared a national monument in 1908, and the three bridges were given the Hopi names "Owachomo," "Kachina" and "Sipapu" in 1909. Further erosion has made the once thick and mighty Owachomo Bridge more delicate. While still massive and strong, Kachina Bridge did lose 4,000 tons of rock in 1992.

Pont d'Arc, France

A natural bridge formed by the Ardeche River in the south of France, the Pont d'Arc has a world-famous neighbor: the Chauvet cave paintings, the world's oldest known such works, which date back 36,000 years.

Top 25 amusement parks around the world

Discovered in 1994, the site was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site this year. But the region's natural beauty is also a national treasure. Classified as a French national heritage site in 1982, the 54-meter-long (177-foot-long) natural arch is the only French example of a natural bridge spanning a still-flowing river. It's also a gateway to the river canyon.

Natural Bridges State Beach, California

A famous natural bridge anchors this Santa Cruz beach, which is best known for its tide pools -- go exploring at low tide -- and seasonal monarch butterfly residents. Up to 100,000 monarchs typically move into the state beach's Monarch Grove in mid-October, and they depart the following January or February. There's a party in October to welcome them, and seasonal tours are available.

London Bridge, Australia

Australia's Port Campbell National Park is best known for the Twelve Apostles, towering limestone rock stacks carved by the Southern Ocean. The ocean is still working on the rock, with seven of eight formations still standing.

But there's another gem in this park about 275 kilometers west of Melbourne: London Bridge, a natural offshore rock span that partially collapsed in 1990 and became a bridge without a connection. (People standing on the rocks were stranded when the middle collapsed and had to be rescued via helicopter.) It's a good idea to stay on the accessible walking paths and scenic drives along the coast.

Spectacular waterfalls around the U.S.

Fairy Bridge, China

China has quite a collection of natural bridges, including one that experts say has the longest span of any natural bridge in the world. The Fairy Bridge (Xianren Qiao), in southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region near the border with Vietnam, has a 400-foot span.

Not that the bridge made of limestone karst is easy to measure. Members of the Natural Arch and Bridge Society took a boat to the site in 2010 and used laser equipment to measure the span, calling it the "longest known natural arch in the world, by a wide margin."

Pravcicka Brana, Czech Republic

Hans Christian Andersen wrote part of "The Snow Queen" in Bohemian Switzerland, and several scenes from the Chronicles of Narnia were shot here. It's no wonder: The fairytale landscape of this region, now part of the Czech Republic, is magical. Go see its most well-known symbol: the Pravcicka Brana, a natural bridge standing tall in Bohemian Switzerland National Park, now part of the Czech Republic.

While there are many rock formations rising up amid the forests and valleys in the park, Pravcicka Brana is the largest stone bridge on the European continent, with a span of 27 meters (nearly 90 feet) and a height of 21 meters (nearly 70 feet).

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Bedouin tribes still live in goat-hair tents in the Wadi Rum Protected Area of southern Jordan, which is 720 square kilometers (about 278 square miles) of mostly desert wilderness. Among the sandstone and granite mountains and valleys are natural bridges rising up to greet you.

Although visitors can take private cars or hike on foot to explore the bridges and the region, Bedouin cooperatives offer tours via basic Jeep or pickup trucks. And if you want a real adventure, book a camel ride to explore the area and overnight in a Bedouin camp.

Cliffside beaches around the world

Natural Bridge at Yoho National Park, Canada

While many nature loving explorers head to Canada's famous Banff National Park, there are tall peaks, amazing waterfalls and a spectacular natural bridge to be found to the west at Yoho National Park.

Located on the western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Yoho definitely lives up to its name (a Cree expression of awe and wonder). Travelers can witness Kicking Horse River still carving its path through this natural bridge.

Tassili n'Ajjer, Algeria

It's true that southeastern Algeria's Tassili n'Ajjer, named a World Heritage Site in 1982, is better known for more than 15,000 drawings and engravings dating back to 6,000 B.C. The drawings record climate change and human life in the region.

But tucked away in this tense region at the edge of the Sahara, near the border with Libya, Mali and Niger, this spot was also recognized as a UNESCO site for its remarkable collection of natural bridges and rock formations dense enough to be called "rock forests."

The eroding sandstone "forests of rock" document the environmental changes, marking major climate change and geological transformation over the millennia. Water and wind have shaped this magical, lunar-like landscape.

Natural Bridge, Virginia

Long considered sacred by the Monacans, Virginia's Natural Bridge was one of this English colony's earliest recognized natural wonders. The bridge was created by an underground stream flowing through a cave, whose roof collapsed, according to the arch society.

It even had a famous owner: Thomas Jefferson bought the surrounding land and bridge from King George III of England in 1774, before the young republic's founding.

A National Historic Landmark, the land in Rockbridge County remained in the hands of private owners for centuries. Now the state of Virginia has announced plans to turn the land into a park by the end of 2015.

Cueva de los Portales, Cuba

In the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio lies the Cueva de los Portales, a cavernous area near the Parque Nacional La Guira. The Río Caiguanabo flows beneath a natural bridge, which is connected to a cave that served as one of revolutionary leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara's hideouts during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The area is now popular with birdwatchers.

Hazarchishma Natural Bridge, Afghanistan

When Wildlife Conservation Society researchers traveled to Afghanistan in 2010 to conduct a wildlife survey in the troubled country, they discovered an enormous natural bridge that may be one of the largest in the world. They returned to Hazarchishma Natural Bridge, in the central highlands of Afghanistan, in 2011 to take measurements.

The bridge, which is named after a local village, is more than 60 feet high, has a span of more than 200 feet across its base and rises more than 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) above sea level. It was created over the millennia by the then-flowing waters of the dry Jawzari Canyon.

Lexington Arch, Nevada

Is it a natural bridge? A cornerstone of Great Basin National Park in Nevada, the Lexington Arch may actually be a bridge. There's evidence to suggest that the waters of Lexington Creek flowed through a cave in the canyon wall long ago, expanding the tunnel that's now Lexington Arch. Debate the question as you marvel at one of the few natural arches in the west made of limestone rather than sandstone.

Europe's last beer-making nun

Franciscan nun Sister Doris took over as brewmaster at Mallersdorf Abbey in Bavaria in 1975, succeeding an elderly sister who'd been brewing since the 1930s.

On brewing days, Sister Doris is excused from morning prayers and makes her way to the abbey brew house by 3.30 a.m.

Mallersdorf is one of only a handful of surviving abbey breweries, which were once found across Europe.

Sister Doris maintains that brewing is "women's work," since female brewers were once common in the Middle Ages.

Depending on the season, Sister Doris can be found crafting a copper-toned vollbier (lager), a dark zoigl, a contemplative doppelbock or spritzy maibock.

Sister Doris' brews have a fiercely loyal following because of the quality of her beer, but they're available only in a few locations in deepest Bavaria.

Sister Doris is known for her strong opinions on brewing. She's no fan of Bavaria's favorite weizen beer and doesn't bother to produce it.

The Mallersdorf brewery produces 80,000 only gallons of beer a year -- a quantity one of the world's brewing giants can turn out in eight minutes.

• Franciscan nun Sister Doris is one of only a handful of women working in Bavaria's beer industry


• Sister Doris is excused from morning prayers so she can get an early start on her daily brewing routines


• She's reckoned to be the last in a long line of nuns engaged in traditional beer making in Europe

(CNN) -- Seriously endowed, dirndl-straining blonde waitresses at risk of a major wardrobe malfunction ferry armloads of steins from table to table in a sloshy blur.

Manly, thigh-slapping hunks in clingy lederhosen, pound down torrents of weizen beer.

Teutonic endorphins are on parade.

This could only be summer in Bavaria.

Look at any beer ad or wander into any beer garden and you'll realize that Bavarians absolutely revel in the traditional cliches about beer and go to great lengths to live up to them.

Then there's Sister Doris.

A quiet sensation hidden behind monastery walls, she's been turning water into beer at Mallersdorf, a 12th-century abbey in the Bavarian highlands, for more than 40 years.

She's a certified master brewer.

She's also a Franciscan nun.

The local beer culture notwithstanding, Sister Doris is living proof that women are destined for a higher calling than simply serving beer and starring in Germany's retrograde beer ads.

Germany's beer scene is seriously dude-centric.

And Bavaria's is even more so.

The regional trade association doesn't have a single woman in its ranks.

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'Ladies who lager'

Only a small handful of women brew beer in Bavaria.

And the notion that "women don't like beer" still holds sway.

Beer-making flourished at Mallersdorf Abbey after it opened in the 12th century.

Which is why Sister Doris is so important.

She's one of a tiny group of "ladies who lager" -- female brewmasters who are charting their own course and debunking stereotypes about women and beer.

Like many monasteries back in the day, Mallersdorf Abbey became a magnet for pilgrims seeking blessings from saints' relics on display in the abbey church.

With droves of visitors in need of sustenance and an iffy water supply from pathogen-laden streams and wells, beer was one of the few drinks that was safe in the Middle Ages.

This is why beer-making gradually became an important sideline at monasteries throughout Europe.

It flourished at Mallersdorf, as well, but was sidelined by the growth of secular breweries and not revived until 1881, when the current brew house was built.

What sets Mallersdorf apart from the handful of other surviving abbey breweries is that Sister Doris is the only remaining nun brewmaster -- in all of Europe.

On brewing day, she's excused from morning prayers and makes her way to the abbey brew house by 3:30 a.m.

Depending on the season, she can be found crafting a copper-toned vollbier (lager), a dark zoigl, a contemplative doppelbock or spritzy maibock.

It's the stuff of gods.

She gives a thumbs down to Bavaria's favorite weizen beer and doesn't bother to brew it.

In Bavaria, this borders on apostasy.

Sister Doris doesn't care -- she's a woman of decided tastes and firm opinions.

MORE: The best beer towns in America

'Women's work'

Catholic nuns, by tradition, are destined for a life of prayer and service from the moment they enter the convent.

In what must be the most unusual career move ever made by a nun, when Sister Doris took the veil she became a brewmaster instead, succeeding the elderly Franciscan sister who had been operating the abbey brewery since the 1930s.

"She looked me up and down like a farmer eyes an ox," Sister Doris tells a visitor about her selection process.

Sister Doris got the job.

Fresh out of training, master brewer's certificate in hand, she took over the brewery in 1975.

"Beer brewing is women's work," she says, adding that female brewers were common in the Middle Ages.

She's proud that northern Bavaria has the largest number of female brewers in Germany.

Among them are Sigi and Barbara Friedmann and the Meinel sisters, who are rocking the Bavarian beer scene with a new line of craft brews.

As any lover of artisanal beer will point out, there's an inverse relationship between size and quality.

Stated simply: the bigger the brewery, the less interesting the beer.

Or to put it the other way around: the smaller the brewery and the closer the brewer is to the brewing process, the more flavorful the beer is likely to be.

Sister Doris proves this maxim.

Mallersdorf operates in splendid isolation, far from brewing hubs like Munich, Bamberg, Hamburg and Berlin.

Measured by volume, scale, efficiency, size of ad budget (zero) or any other metric, the abbey brewery is 100% old school.

Just how far under the radar it operates becomes clear when you realize that Sister Doris brews only 3,000 hectoliters (just under 80,000 gallons) a year.

Sister Doris (pictured) is one of only a handful of women working in the beer industry in Bavaria.

To say that this is infinitesimal by industry standards is an understatement.

Global giants Coors and Anheuser-Busch/InBev turn out the same amount of beer every eight minutes.

There's a catch though.

Not only is Sister Doris's beer -- luscious as it is -- not exported. It's available only in the nooks and crannies of eastern Bavaria.

MORE: Germany's magic motoring triangle

Brand Doris

With an iconic brewmaster like Sister Doris and exceptional beers that are loaded with character, Mallersdorf could grow.

The Franciscans, however, are apparently not inclined to expand or leverage the beer's local following into something bigger.

It seems they have no ambitions beyond selling their beer "um den Kirchturm" -- around the proverbial church tower.

This means beer lovers in the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and other countries experiencing the craft beer revolution won't be tasting Sister Doris's beer locally anytime soon.

Drinkers need to travel to Germany, but even then, they may not have an easy go of it.

The tourist infrastructure in the immediate area isn't well developed.

The brewery doesn't have a website or its own telephone number.

And, while pilgrimages to the abbey and Marian shrine in the nearby village of Haindling are encouraged, tours of the brewery aren't offered.

Those who do make it to eastern Bavaria and Mallersdorf Abbey can sample Sister Doris's brews at the abbey tap (klosterbraustuberl), run by Renate und Heinz Bauer (Nardinistrasse 1, Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg; +49 772 915470).

The concept of "marketing" would likely fall under its own weight if anybody ever tried to interest the Franciscan sisters of Mallersdorf in it.

Sister Doris carries the brewery on the strength of her reputation, the fiercely loyal following she enjoys and the breakout quality of the beer she brews.

Mallersdorf Abbey has a "brand" and her name is Sister Doris.

Tom Conrad is a Philadelphia-based travel and taste writer.

World's funnest theme parks

"Theme Park Guy" Stefan Zwanzger describes Buffalo Bill's Resort and Casino on the Nevada-California border as the home of a "ruthless ride standing in the desert that shakes you up before allowing you to continue to Vegas."

Despite the low budget, creators of the Happy Zone in Yangon, Myanmar, poured their passion into the park. "There's such an overdose of ghosts and puppets, it's one of the funnest things I've ever done," says Zwanzger.

China's answer to Walt Disney World, OCT East in Shenzhen is an equally vast, sprawling park consisting of a seaside level and a mountaintop level with fantastic views of the park.

With quality imported rides, Russia's first theme park, Sochi Park Adventureland, creates a window into a fascinating country.

Zwanzger says parks that rely on a single ride can be disappointing. But Ohio's Cedar Point, stacked with coasters and thrill rides, is the place to get your scream on.

In Krausnick, Germany, the Asian-themed Tropical Islands indoor water park is in a huge hangar originally built to manufacture airships. In winter, visitors bask on a tropical beach beneath the snow-covered roof.

Greece, England and Russia share borders in Germany's Europa-Park. It probably shouldn't be used for geography lessons.

Southern California's Disneyland is the original theme park and still one of the best, says Zwanzger. Who'd have thought a German castle at the end of an American high street would become so popular?

Beach? Theme park? Beach? For those who can't decide, Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas has both.

Zwanzger names Japan's DisneySea as the world's funnest theme park because of its unique Jules Verne-themed science-fiction-meets-ocean concept. "It recreates a future that's never existed," he says.

• Stefan Zwanzger, aka the Theme Park Guy, travels the world in search of the best gated fun parks


• Tokyo DisneySea tops his list of favorites for "impeccable theming" that includes erupting volcanoes


• The original theme park, Disneyland makes his list, as does Happy Zone, a low-budget park in Myanmar

(CNN) -- What makes a truly fun theme park?

Is it the rides, the size of the budget, the staff in big-eared costumes hugging kids?

For Stefan Zwanzger, who's visited no fewer than 264 parks in 92 countries in his guise as "The Theme Park Guy" -- a self-funded roving reviewer of gated entertainment centers around the world -- it's when all of the above combine to work their magic.

"A great theme park is one you leave and don't forget about instantly," he tells CNN. "I'm really curious about the whole experience.

"I wonder about the atmosphere that's been created and what the vision for the park is."

The German-born Zwanzger, who grew up in Munich and who has lived in Berlin, Dubai and London, says he judges a theme park not just on the quality of the rides but on whether the attraction's creators achieved the vision and atmosphere they set out to create.

"A good ride is like a good movie, it surprises you," he says. "There should be at least one unexpected twist in the story. There are very few good rides out there in the world -- most are predictable.

"A standalone ride on its own for me has little fun factor, I really like theme parks because they're not fun fairs.

"Fun fairs are a collection of rides. A theme park is a gated experience, and the moment you pass through the gates you should be entering a different world. And if this world surprises or inspires you, then it's fun."

Here are Zwanzger's top 10 "funnest" theme parks:

1. Tokyo DisneySea (Urayasu, Japan)

Zwanzger says: "This park is based around a truly unique concept, with science fiction author Jules Verne at its center.

"Verne lived in the 19th century and wrote futuristic novels, and large parts of this park are modeled after the way he was imagining the future back then -- it recreates a future that's never existed.

"It's impeccably themed with erupting volcanoes, giant drilling machines and Jules Verne-themed rides. There's also a Middle Eastern corner, an Adventure/Indiana Jones corner and a Mediterranean Harbor -- everything in the park is based on stories about the sea.

"I love Disney parks, but DisneySea really stands out because it's markedly character free. It has the Disney budget, talent and vision, but tells a completely different story than Donald and Mickey.

"It's a great collection of rides with the world's best theming and you can really see a huge budget at work."

Tokyo DisneySea , 1-13 Maihama, Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan; +81 570-008-632; Read Zwanzger's full review

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Atlantis Paradise Island: For those who can't choose between beaches and fun parks.

2. Atlantis Paradise Island (Nassau, Bahamas)

Zwanzger says: "This isn't too different from the other Atlantis park in Dubai, but this is the better one.

"It's a casino resort, but you feel that the casino is just 2% of the park and the other 98% is slot machine-free fun, with meticulous theming and incredible attention to detail.

"Atlantis has a wonderful combination of aquariums featuring huge tanks and a vast variety of fish with a beach resort and a very well-themed water park that's completely up to Disney standards.

"If you want a theme park vacation by the beach, this is the place to go."

Atlantis Paradise Island , 1 Casino Drive, Paradise Island, Bahamas; +1 242-363-3000; Read Zwanzger's full review

3. Disneyland (Anaheim, California)

Zwanzger says: "This simply is the original. Just think about the entrepreneurship and risk-taking involved when Walt Disney set this up.

"He put a German castle at the end of an American high street and it became a role model for theme parks around the world until today.

"In China and other places around the world they're still copying what he did.

"That park opened in 1955 and it changed so much, it basically created this industry, and visiting it and seeing a lot of the original structures still standing is a very special feeling."

Disneyland ,1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, California; +1 714-781-4565; Read Zwanzger's full review

Europa-Park: Walk to Iceland from Portugal in minutes.

4. Europa-Park (Rust, Germany)

Zwanzger says: "Europa-Park is unique because it's managed to create an immersive experience without using any major intellectual properties for support.

"They've created various lands based on European countries and the continent's culture, history and architecture.

"It's a unique and great concept that is very successful and doesn't need any film studios or cartoon characters.

"It's really good for people who don't travel that much, they can come to Europa-Park and experience all the different architecture and cuisines found throughout Europe.

"Think world exhibition with rides and highly themed local villages."

Europa-Park , Europa-Park-Strasse 2, Rust, Germany; +49 7822 776688; Read Zwanzger's full review

MORE: Barcelona to host world's first sports theme park

5. Tropical Islands (Krausnick, Germany)

Zwanzger says: "This park is housed in a huge hangar originally constructed to build cargo airships.

"The company went bust before the first ship had ever been built, so they were left with the vast hangar some 50 kilometers south of Berlin -- and no one knew what to do with it.

"Then a Malaysian investor came along and used it to create an Asian-themed indoor water park with a beach.

"Water parks with an Asian theme and palm trees and beaches are fairly normal, but when you see this place in the winter time with all the Germans and Czechs and Poles sitting there in a tropical environment staring up at that gigantic ceiling, it feels like a Mars colony."

Tropical Islands , Tropical-Islands-Allee 1, Krausnick, Germany; +49 35477 605050; Read Zwanzger's full review

6. Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio)

Zwanzger says: "This is a classic, American coaster paradise. It's like being at a coaster trade show, with all the rides assembled.

"If you talk about fun amusement parks based on roller coasters and thrill rides and your focus is not on stories or atmosphere -- this the greatest park to go to."

Cedar Point , 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, Ohio; +1 419-627-2350; Read Zwanzger's full review

Sochi Park: A taste of Russia.

7. Sochi Park Adventureland (Sochi, Russia)

Zwanzger says: "I've only been here before the Winter Olympics when the park was still under construction, but I'm really looking forward to going back.

"This is Russia's first ever theme park, and it's an ambitious project with a big budget and quality rides imported from Europe.

"So many theme parks think they need an intellectual property, so they get characters running around, hugging the kids, but I think the creators can be much more bold and try something else, like theming it around the history of a country or region.

"This is what they've tried to do here -- create a window on Russia. I've been to Russia many times and I think it's a super fascinating country.

"For an amusement park-loving person this will certainly be a great place to see before exploring the rest of the country.

"Russia needs more tourists and contrary to all the bad press they always get, Russian people are great hosts and it's a joy to visit there."

Sochi Park Adventureland , Str. Ostrowski, 23, Sochi , Russia; +7 988 3603868; Read Zwanzger's full review

8. Oct East (Shenzhen, China)

Zwanzger says: "This huge theme park is China's answer to Disney.

"There's two levels, seaside and mountain, connected with a really stunning funicular train, creating an amusement park spread over a vast area. I've never seen anything as big as this except in Disney World.

"Not everything is the highest quality, but they have some good rides, many of them imported, and it's just so big and spectacular, particularly the view from the top.

"Everyone who visits Hong Kong and loves theme parks should make their way over there, it's about 45 minutes from the Hong Kong-China border by taxi."

Oct East , Yantian, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; +86 755 2660 0248; Read Zwanzger's full review

MORE: World's weirdest theme parks

9. Happy Zone (Yangon, Myanmar)

Zwanzger says: "This is a very low budget theme park and that's what makes it so much fun. When you combine low budget and the passion of the creators, sometimes beautiful things arrive.

"The ghost train here is really scary. As you move forward everything brushes your face, the ghosts are practically falling into your car.

"There's such an overdose of ghosts and puppets, it's one of the funnest things I've ever done.

"If anyone goes to Myanmar, first of all they should meet the people and experience the country, of course, but Happy Zone in Yangon is really worth the side trip. It's really a beautiful experience."

Happy Zone, People's Park, Dhama Zedi Road, Yangon, Myanmar; +95 973009488; Read Zwanzger's full review

10. Buffalo Bill's Resort and Casino (Primm, Nevada)

Zwanzger: "This is another classic. I love the location, because it's really in the middle of nowhere.

"If you drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, right after the Nevada border you see a lone casino and there's a huge coaster sticking out of it. And, heck, that coaster is wild.

"When you pass from California to Nevada, laws differ wildly. You're really crossing an open border and this coaster represents this in many ways.

"You've this ruthless ride standing in the desert that shakes you up before allowing you to continue to Vegas to do all the things you can't do in California.

"I like the entrepreneurship of putting a casino and coaster in the middle of nowhere. If that entrepreneur is still alive, I'd love to meet them."

Buffalo Bill's Resort and Casino , 31900 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Primm, Nevada; +1 702 386 7867; Read Zwanzger's full review

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