If you like to travel, you probably have a bucket list of places you want to hit throughout your lifetime. Here’s 20 things to see and do at least once in your life (…or maybe even a few more).
Hạ Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforest's. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islands.
01. HOT-AIR BALLOON RIDE IN TURKEY
Cappadocia is a landscape that you will have never witnessed before in your lifetime. This makes it one of the most popular spots in the world to go up in a Hot Air Balloon.
As you take off for sunrise you will start to be hypnotised by the spectacular and surreal landscape that lies below you. You will gently drift over the fairy chimneys, through valleys scattered with pigeon houses, over orchards and vineyards. The different colours of the diversified landscape will leave you breathless. An activity not to be missed.
02. NORTHERN LIGHTS IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
The spectacular Northern Lights are visible in the Arctic parts of Norway from October through March.
Nothing else on the sky looks like the Northern Lights! While the sun, the moon and the stars are visible from everywhere and natural parts of our everyday life, the Northern Lights can only be seen in certain areas. They vary in color and intensity and as opposed to the moon, sun and stars they are unpredictable and unique. The Northern Lights in Norway are called the night-time Aurora because they are on the night-side of the earth. The Northern Lights - nature's own light show - are solar winds that meet the atmosphere in a zone around the magnetic North Pole, forming arches, waves and curls of light moving across the sky, with sudden rays of light shooting down from space.
03. SAFARI IN AFRICA
Whether you go deep bush in northern Kruger or follow the big cats in the Maasai Mara, a trip into the wilderness will be life-changing.
04. SKYDIVE OVER THE SWISS ALPS
I’m not particularly fond of heights but I’ve told everyone that if I was to ever travel to Switzerland, I wouldn’t miss the chance to skydive over the Alps.
05. FLOAT IN THE DEAD SEA IN ISRAEL
The Dead Sea (Yam Hamelakh — “The Salt Sea”) is the lowest place on earth, roughly 1,300 feet below sea level. Visitors can float effortlessly on the waters of the Dead Sea due to its concentration of minerals, which is the highest in the world.
06. NEUSCHWANSTEIN, A FAIRY-TALE CASTLE IN GERMANY
Neuschwanstein is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace that inspired Walt Disney to create the Magic Kingdom, in particular, Cinderella. It was built on a rugged hill against a backdrop of the most picturesque mountain scenery, especially magical during Winter. Talk about the perfect White Christmas!
07. THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS IN ECUADOR
The Galápagos Islands are a volcanic archipelago of islands in the Pacific Ocean. These 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Its geographical location and ongoing seismic and volcanic activity, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual plant and animal life – such as marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, giant tortoises, huge cacti, endemic trees and the many different subspecies of mockingbirds and finches.
08. THE TAJ MAHAL AT SUNRISE IN INDIA
The Taj Mahal at Agra, India, is one of the wonders of the world, and also known as “crown of Palaces’. It’s 171 metres (561 feet) in height and it took 17 years to complete!
09. HIKE IN TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, PATAGONIA
Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is known for its soaring mountains, electric-blue icebergs that cleave from glaciers and golden pampas (lowlands) that shelter rare wildlife such as llama-like guanacos.
10. SAIL CROATIA’S DALMATIAN COAST
Amazing beaches and sunshine are the star attractions here, while medieval towns and charming fishing hamlets provide a gorgeous coastal backdrop. A very popular venture among young people, but one I would encourage everyone to experience once in their life. The Yacht Week was the craziest most incredible week of my life and I would recommend it to anyone!
11. TAKE A CRUISE IN HA LONG BAY, VIETNAM
Hạ Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforest's. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islands.
Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, New Zealand
12. VISIT THE WAI-O-TAPU THERMAL WONDERLAND
New Zealand’s most colourful geothermal attraction, located on the North Island with unique features including the world famous Champagne Pool naturally coloured springs, bubbling mud, steaming ground, expansive vistas, huge volcanic craters and sinter terrace formations.
13. SWIM IN DEVIL’S POOL IN AFRICA
Only a slippery, submerged lip of rock stands between these bathers and a 100m drop over the world’s largest waterfall. There’s a reason it’s called the most dangerous swimming pool in the world. Definitely one for the thrill-seekers.
Machu Picchu in Peru
14. HIKE MACHU PICCHU IN PERU
Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned, it’s renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments, and panoramic views. Its exact former use remains a mystery.
Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, Burma
15. ADMIRE THE SHWEDAGON PAGODA IN RANGOON, BURMA
The 325ft zedi , adorned with 27 metric tons of gold leaf and thousands of diamonds and other gems, is believed to enshrine eight hairs of the Gautama Buddha as well as relics of three former buddhas.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
16. WALK ON WATER IN SALAR DE UYUNI IN BOLIVIA\
Introducing the world’s largest salt flat. It’s the legacy of a prehistoric lake that went dry, leaving behind a desertlike, 11,000-sq.-km. landscape of bright-white salt, rock formations and cacti-studded islands. Though wildlife is rare in this unique ecosystem, it does harbor many pink flamingos!Related: 10 Most Surreal Destinations in the WorldYi Peng Festival in Thailand
17. RELEASE A CANDLE AT YI PENG FESTIVAL IN THAILAND
The Festival of Lights is celebrated all around Thailand with Loi Krathongs (lotus-shaped receptacles) released on water to bring luck and fulfill wishes. Did anyone else immediately think of Tangled? (if you didn’t, you MUST watch that movie!).
Blue Lagoon, Iceland
18. SWIM IN THE BLUE LAGOON IN ICELAND
In a magnificent black-lava field, the milky-teal spa is fed water from the futuristic Svartsengi geothermal plant. The superheated water (70% sea water, 30% fresh water, at a perfect 38°C) is rich in blue-green algae, mineral salts and fine silica mud, which condition and exfoliate the skin.
Volcano Sliding, Nicaragua
19. BOARD DOWN AN ACTIVE VOLCANO IN NICARAGUA
People are hiking up an active volcano in Nicaragua, and sliding down, sitting or standing, on a thin plywood or metal board at 60mph. I mean honestly, who wouldn’t want to tick ‘slid down an active volcano’ off their bucket list?
20. VISIT JAPAN DURING CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON
Springtime in Japan is nothing less than magical. From late March to mid April/May, the country’s iconic sakura (cherry blossoms) capture the attention of visitors and locals as their beautiful pink flowers blanket the country in soft, colourful splendor.
