Asia-Pacific's most amazing and, at times, amusing toilets
As any experienced traveller knows, you can tell a whole lot about a place by its bathrooms.
Whatever you prefer to call them – lavatory, loo, bog, khasi, thunderbox, dunny, washroom or water closet –
toilets are a window into the secret soul of a destination.
So, wherever you’re reading this, we hope you’re sitting comfortably.
South Korea
Mr Toilet House, Suwon,
Suwon boasts a theme park devoted to toilets. The eccentric attraction has a commode-shaped museum, former home of Sim Jae-duck – aka ‘Mr Toilet’.
Thailand
Safe Haven Orphanage, Ban Tha Song Yang,
A seemingly simple toilet block forms an unlikely cultural connection between a rural orphanage in Ban Tha Song Yang, Thailand, and a high-tech architectural firm from Trondheim, Norway.
Japan
Toylet, Joypolis Tokyo,
There’s never a dull moment in a Japanese restroom, not since Sega invented an interactive urinal system – otherwise known as the Toylet – where you can test your target skills
New Zealand
Public lavatories, Matakana,
Matakana lad Steffan de Haan’s design is highly symbolic, from the facade to the ship-shape cubicles, a nod to the local boat-building industry.
New Zealand
Lobster loos, Wellington,
Architect Bret Thurston’s boggly-eyed design of the public lavatories on the city’s windswept waterfront is hoped to attract tourists to Wellington, though it’s a long way to go.
Laos
Valley view restroom,
Sit, stand or squat – the choice is yours in this well-maintained roadside rest stop in the mountainous nation of Laos. Whichever way you lean, the valley view from the loo, is utterly uplifting.
Australia
Eco-toilet,
Encounter Bay,
this eco-toilet serves a salty bunch of beach bums, who seek out the solitude, surf breaks and fishing spots offered by the Fleurieu Peninsula coastline.
See more porcelain pews with fantastic views, audacious attention-seeking urban outhouses, and eco-thrones made from sticks and stones in all sorts of wild settings.
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A visit to Nyungwe National Park, where it’s possible to hike through the thick forests to share time with one of our other nearest relatives, the chimpanzee.
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