Getting around abroad doesn’t have to be all about cars, trains, buses and bikes. From cruising Peru’s Lake Titicaca on a boat made of reeds to flying down the streets of Madeira in a wicker toboggan or taking an odd horse-drawn carriage in Pakistan, there are so many unusual types of travel to be tried. Here’s ten of the best.

Bamboo train, Cambodia

Those with a strong constitution may want to ride a Cambodian bamboo train – known locally as a nori. Passengers sit on a makeshift bamboo ‘train’ (basically just a bamboo platform) powered by an electric generator engine, perched just inches above the railway tracks and travelling at up to 40km/h. The unmaintained railway tracks make for a bumpy ride and the closest you’ll get to luxury is sitting on a grass mat. But the fares are low and this is a once in a lifetime experience, as all the locals use them for getting around. Pick up a nori from Battambang station.

Monte toboggan, Madeira

Monte toboggans came to being in the 19th century, as a fast way of getting down the hill from Monte to Funchal. Today, they’re more a tourist attraction than an everyday mode of transport for the locals. Pick up a toboggan at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Nossa Senhora do Monte Church. Once you’ve climbed into the wicker sledge, two drivers dressed in traditional white outfits will steer you down the narrow, winding streets to Funchal at up to 48km/h. It’s an extraordinary and exhilarating experience.

Jeepney, Philippines

Known as ‘the undisputed king of the road’ in the Philippines, the Jeepney is a mammoth vehicle. When the American troops pulled out of the Philippines at the end of World War II, surplus jeeps were gifted to the locals and this is how the original jeepneys came to being. The Filipinos stripped them down, added roofs for shade and used them to re-establish public transport in the country. Nowadays, brightly decorated jeepneys are a symbol of Philippine culture and the most popular way of getting around in the country.

Longtail boat, Thailand

Longtail boats are an icon of Thailand. Originally they were used in the canals that ran through Bangkok – and although the canals have now been filled and replaced with roads, the boats are still prolific in the country. As the name suggests, they are long and slim – the ideal shape for canal cruising – due to the long rod in the back of the boat which holds up the motor. Locals use these boats like public transport and riding one is an experience you can’t miss on a trip to the country.

Dog sleds, Alaska