Small but perfectly formed: The world's tiniest properties that have become tourist attractions - and even mini hotels!

These spectacular buildings show that size isn't everything - but if you're planning on visiting, you might want to pack light.

Whether it is a beach hut on sleds on a beach in New Zealand - where properties need to be mobile by law, due to coastal erosion - or a narrow, top-heavy riverside house in Japan, these architectural masterpieces have become tourist hotspots in themselves.

The miniature living spaces are being celebrated in a new book, called Small Architecture Now! which looks at their big impact on the world.

Room with a view: The Endemico Resgaurdo Silvestre huts, designed by Jorge Gracia Garcia, are available as deluxe cabins for tourists exploring Mexico's wine regions in the Valle de Guadalupe

Down Under: The Hut on Sleds sits on a white sand beach in Whangapoua, New Zealand, and is entirely mobile to comply with local laws that state all properties should be moveable due to the threat from coastal erosion

While some of the diminutive properties are privately-owned and can only been viewed form the exterior, others double up as accommodation for holidaymakers.

Endémico Resguardo Silvestre is a series of 20 independent rooms located in spectacular Valle de Guadalupe - known as Mexico's wine country.

The little retreats, measuring just 20m-squared each, are operated by Grupo Habita, a member of the global network of Design Hotels and boast spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

Everything you need: The front wall of the Hut on Sleds opens up completely offering unparalleled views of the beach as well as giving a glimpse inside the unusual wooden structure

They aim to offer deluxe camping, with double beds and a living area inside as well as an outdoor terrace from which tourists can enjoy the sunset.

Canada is equally known for its big open spaces and there is nowhere better to get away form it all than the minimalist cabin designed by Olson Kundig in British Columbia.

The one-room Gulf Islands Cabin has just enough space for a bed, chair, toilet, stove and kitchenette - but if you're looking to shower, you'll need to head out to the porch.

Hershey's Kiss hideaway: The dome-like Fireplace for Children, which sits in a playground in Trondheim, Norway, glows through the gaps in its oak form when a fire is list inside

A slice of river life: The Riverside House, in Tokyo, Japan, was built on a tiny triangle of land and actually functions as a family home

The cosy cabin has a solid steel exterior which can be closed up when it's not in use and keeps it protected from the elements and there is a huge wood store built into the construction, so that no occupants will go cold.

Other petite properties don't function as accommodation for holidaymakers, but have become attractions for visiting tourists.

The city of Trondheim, in Norway, was once the country's capital and is still attracts visitors for its laid-back air and rich collection of museums.

 

City style and rural escapes: Designed by José Cadilhe, House 77 (L) celebrates the unique style of Portugal's beach city Póvoa de Varzim, while David Salmela' Yingst Sauna offers solitude in the woods of Traverse City, Michigan

Winter wonderland: Designed by Olson Kundig, this Washington lodge is called the Delta Shelter and can be entirely encased in steel shutters - manoeuvred into place by a large, manual wheel - when it is not in use

One-room wonder: This Gulf Islands retreat in British Columbia may be miniscule but has enough room for a cosy wood burner and bed. Architect Olson Kundig says: 'It's so small you have to go outside. That's the point!'

Inspired by old Norwegian turf huts, the Fireplace for Children, is a cosy space that glows when there is a fire lit inside and provides a dome-like shelter for children in one of the city's playgrounds.

Equally, in Washington, the 1,000ft-squared weekend cabin in Mazama, in the Methwo Valley, east of Washington, has become a local point of interest.

Small and sweet: Japanese architect Terunobu Fujimore designed this tiny 'Beetle's House' for a special exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London

Designed by architect Tom Kundig, the so-called Delta Shelter is a three-storey tall steel box on stilts with shutters that can be opened and closed by a hand-cranked wheel.

Blanketed in snow in winter, the modernist escape is just big enough for two bedrooms and bathrooms as well as a living area and kitchen.

In Michigan, the Yingst Sauna in lakeside Traverse City has grabbed headlines for its distinct style - a white box with a picture window looking out on the 13-acre wooded estate surrounding the building.

With a living roof - planted with grasses, the low-lying lodge blends in perfectly with its surroundings.