Majara Residence: The Colorful Dome Village of Hormuz, Iran

Approaching the small island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf by boat, an entirely unexpected sight greets the eyes: a series of colorful, interconnected domes of different sizes. Perched at the southern tip of Iran, the island is sparsely populated, little visited (even though many of its 6,000 residents rely on tourism for their living), and somewhat overlooked by the rest of the country. So, have a group of aliens, looking for a quiet corner of our planet, landed and made their home here? The truth is a little more down-to-earth than that — but just as fascinating. Image - Wikimedia

The domes are, in fact, an accommodation complex, created to help solve a problem. The island relies on tourism but has a lack of places for visitors to stay. Known as Majara Residence (from the Persian word for adventure), the gateless community is made up of 17 suites which can hold close to 100 guests, plus cafés and restaurants.