Just as reading is food for the brain, travel is food for the soul. And since the start of this decade, a lot of people have been starving for a good helping of travelling. The travel or vacation experience is important in many ways. It helps expose people to different cultures and ways of life. It broadens their understanding of the world and the issues that govern it. It can also help to counter unfounded bias or misconceptions people may have about other cultures.
But most of us already know that. And we already subscribe to the idea of traveling to far off places. The problem is, as soon as travel restrictions ease up, you’ll be fighting to find a seat on a plane. This is especially true if you intended to head over to the usual tourist destinations like Thailand, Dubai, or Ibiza. That’s because everyone will have the same idea. You can realistically expect airports and flights filled to capacity, especially concerning popular tourist destinations.
However, don’t give up hope. It’s a big world out there, and there are plenty of other places you can visit. Even ones that haven’t fallen victim to hordes of incoming tourists every year. If you don’t know where to go, the locations below should serve as stand-ins until you figure out your own travel plans:
1. The Tiger’s Nest – Bhutan
The Tiger’s Nest is one of the most sacred and iconic landmarks in the country of Bhutan. It refers to an ancient Buddhist temple, located way up in the Himalaya Mountain range. The Himalayas are home to some of the world’s oldest and largest peaks. The Tiger’s Nest itself clings to an impossibly sheer cliff, with the picturesque Paro Valley laid out 900 meters below. The monastery itself is open to tourists. But getting there is half the adventure. You will have to trek through the mountains to the sacred religious site. In most cases, you’ll be doing this as part of a group with local guides. The Tourism Council in Bhutan is particularly open to the idea of exposing tourists to the bedrock of their culture. And the Tiger’s Nest may be the perfect way to do that.
2. Meteora – Greece
Meteora, near Thessaly, is one of Greece’s most interesting spots to visit. The Meteora region is home to some of the most peculiar rock formations. Some of these take the form of impossibly large, free-standing pillars. The rock formation alone is something you need to see. But the real attraction is what’s located on top of these pillars. Meteora is home to one of the largest complexes of Orthodox Greek monasteries in the world. And all 13 of them are located on top of a pillar or rounded boulder in Meteora.
3. Attabad Lake – Pakistan
Pakistan is not on top of most people’s to-visit list. But that’s just a shame because it offers a lot to travelers willing to step off the beaten path. The country has forged its way through two decades fraught with terrorism, insurgencies, and periodic aggression at its eastern border shared with India. However, the country has emerged as a much safer place than it was years ago. The government is, in particular, focused on helping non-native Pakistani tourists feel at ease. Depending on where you go, you may find a government or military escort assigned to make things easier for you.
Among the many places to visit, Attabad Lake is by far one of the best ones. The impossibly blue waters of the lake have become the stuff of travel legend. And with the newly opened Attabad resort located right on the shoreline, you can set yourself up for a once-in-a-lifetime glamping experience too. The best part? It is fairly inexpensive compared to resorts in most other parts of the world.
