"I wondered why people were so easily manipulated, as if sand, drinks, music, and a tub of water are the ingredients for happiness.”"

There are countless ways to travel: on a budget or in first class; on a cruise ship or at a hostel; with tour guides or nothing but a backpack and fresh pair of socks. No matter the voyage, the point is always roughly the same: to leave regular life behind, if only for a moment.

Reiner Riedler’s photography captures a slice of the travel industry that capitalizes on that very sentiment. Call it manufactured travel. His Fake Holidays series documents vacation spots from around the world, and they’re all a mirage. There are crystalline tropical beaches, built inside a resort in Germany. Guests get their picture taken in front of replicas of Mount Rushmore in China, and dine next to Mayan ruins in Florida. In Dubai, there’s an indoor ski resort—with snow.

Read more at Wired.