Travel alone
Traveling solo isn’t always easy – cons include being the sole navigator, higher expenses, and lacking a constant companion with whom to share each experience – but traveling on one’s own also offers benefits. Stepping out of a comfort zone – for instance, eating a meal on one’s own – can be intimidating, but it is liberating. Other benefits to solo travel include the ability to go wherever you want, whenever you want; and to change your mind at will. It may seem selfish, but there’s a subtle joy in making one’s own decisions without needing to compromise or accommodate anyone else. Taking responsibility for one’s own satisfaction is a learning experience and one that helps develop one’s intuition and self-confidence. (Meanwhile, check out affordable flight tickets while you’re here.)
Go on a dog sledding tour
Dog sleigh rides or husky safaris, popular in the Arctic regions of North America and Scandinavia, offer unforgettable journeys amid frozen lakes and silent forests. The rides, usually with a team of eight husky sled dogs and a leader, are conducted mainly from November to January. In countries such as Sweden, Finland, Norway, Canada and the USA, tour companies organize sledding excursions of various lengths, some up to eight days. Are you intrigued? Check out tickets to Sweden as the first step to the city of Luleå, a coastal city in Swedish Lapland, which is renowned for its dog sledding!
Take an aerial tour of the Nāpali Coast
A helicopter ride may seem out of reach, but never say never! The 26-kilometer Nāpali Coast, on Kauai’s North Shore, features breathtaking cliffs and valleys at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Although there are various hiking paths, observing these magnificent vistas from the air is an unforgettable experience. If you have a chance to take a helicopter tour over the Nāpali Coast, take it!
Take a balloon tour in Cappadocia
We don’t need to go far in our pursuit of the world’s most intriguing activities: Cappadocia, in central Türkiye, has a landscape that is often described as “otherworldly”. The rock formations, fairy chimneys and hills and valleys of the area are even more stunning when viewed from above at sunrise or sunset. Even better, the hot air balloon tours of Cappadocia are easily accessible and relatively affordable. Just to note: Goreme National Park and Cappadocia were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985. To see Cappadocia, check out tickets to Nevşehir!
A “Door to Hell” in Turkmenistan
The Door to Hell, also known as the Darvaza Gas Crater, is a draw for both locals and visitors in Turkmenistan. One of the crater’s origin stories is that, in 1971, Soviet geologists in the Karakum Desert of northern Turkmenistan were drilling for oil and hit a natural gas reserve. Their equipment – and the drilling site – collapsed into a cavern. Meanwhile the geologists set the site on fire to eliminate various noxious gases. More than fifty years later, the pit, almost seventy meters wide, continues to burn. However, Turkmenistan’s president has initiated efforts to extinguish the fire.
Cape Town, the Virgin Islands or Hawaii: Swim with the sharks!
Depending on your risk tolerance, you can scuba dive among sharks, with experienced guides, or you can descend into the water in a cage. Among the best places to see these ancient and beautiful creatures up close: Coral Ocean Park in the Virgin Islands; Cape Town, in South Africa; or Hawaii, in the United States. We suggest Cape Town and here’s where you can check out flights:(INSERT Cape Town flight ticket link here)
Watch the stars in the Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert has an undeniable mystique. Seemingly endless and lacking noise or light pollution, it is an ideal locale to view the night skies. In the desert on the southern border of Morocco, constellations in both hemispheres can be seen. Interested? Check out tickets to Morocco. A Bedouin quote allegedly says, “Your thoughts reach only to the ceiling in a house; but to skies and to stars out in the open…”
