BUCKET LIST PLANNING: Anytime is a good time to plan upcoming travels, especially when forced to be less productive. Covid-19 has kept us travellers home-bound for way too long. It is becoming apparent that returning to some form of normal travel may take much longer than we imagined. However, we trust that early in 2021 we will be travelling again as the world slowly allows foreign travellers to return. Those who first take advantage of re-opening borders will be rewarded with destinations that are still devoid of the masses. Consider these 9 destinations:
1. Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia
Located in southern Siberia, the long crescent-shaped Lake Baikal is the world’s largest freshwater lake by volume, containing about a fifth of the world’s fresh surface water. As the world’s deepest lake, with some of the clearest waters, Lake Baikal contains more water than the five North American Great Lakes combined. The lake is even more impressive during the bitterly cold winters when its surface freezes up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) thick, creating an incredible landscape.
The best time of the year to see this winter wonderland on, and around, the lake is from the middle of January to middle of March.
☛ Read more: This article and others in GlobeRovers Magazine
2. Any Glacier on Plant Earth
Glaciers are truly fascinating, and what makes them increasingly special is the overwhelming evidence that they are melting away at an alarming rate. In some locations such as Alaska, signboards indicate how the glaciers have receded over the past 30 or 40 years. Explore the world’s glaciers before it is too late!
Among the most impressive glaciers are those in Alaska and in Argentina’s Patagonia region. Some of the largest glaciers are in Greenland and Iceland, and the most remote are in Greenland and Pakistan. In Svalbard you can climb through a hole in the snow to enter by ladder and rope to the depths of the subterranean rivers under the glaciers. Magnificent glaciers are also found in Canada, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, Nepal, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, India, Tibet, and Antarctica.
3. Patagonia, Argentina
Patagonia is a sparsely populated region at the southern end of Argentina comprising the southern section of the Andes mountains and the deserts, pampas and grasslands to the east. Most visitors are blown away by the jagged mountaintops, glaciers and wildlife.
One of the best areas to experience wildlife is Peninsula Valdés. The peninsula is known for its large breeding populations of southern right whales, southern elephant seals, southern sea lions and thousands of nesting penguins.
Patagonia is also famous for its Los Glaciares National Park with several massive glaciers fed by the southern Patagonian ice field. Among the most impressive are the Perito Moreno and Upsala glaciers. Landscape photographers will be in heaven!
☛ Read more: Argentina in GlobeRovers Magazine
4. Hunza Valley, Pakistan
The Hunza Valley in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region stretches roughly from north of the administrative capital of Gilgit all the way up to the China border. The Hunza River flows through much of the valley, flanked by several high peaks such as Rakaposhi (7,788 m / 25,551 ft).
The valley is roughly divided into the Lower, Central, and Upper Hunza. In addition to the majestic mountains and glaciers, the valley is known for its friendly people, good food and fruits, turquoise lakes, and excellent hiking trails.
☛ Read more: Pakistan in GlobeRovers Magazine
5. Beaches and Islands of Brazil
The coastline of Brazil measures 7,491 km (4,655 mi), which makes it the 16th longest national coastline of the world.
The long coastline is dotted with many beautiful beaches in addition to numerous idyllic islands. It would take a lifetime to visit all the beaches and islands of Brazil.
Leave the famous, crowded, crime-ridden beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and head either north or south of Rio to the many unspoiled beaches and islands. Too many to mention here!
☛ Read more: Brazil’s beaches in GlobeRovers Magazine
6. Monasteries of Tibet
Tibet, a region of mountains and stunning scenery that averages 4,000 to 5,000 metres (13,100 to 16,400 ft) in elevation, is home to many ancient monasteries.
Tibet is a land of monks, known as the Bhikkhu, with many monasteries they call home. In the vicinity of Lhasa, the capital, are a few significant monasteries such as Ganden Monastery, Drepung Monastery, and Sera Monastery. Along the high plateau are monasteries such as Samye, Palcho, and Tashilhunpo. With Mt. Everest in sight lies the Rongbuk Monastery.
☛ Read more: Tibet in GlobeRovers Magazine
7. Kerala State, India
Kerala lies on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India – a beautiful coastline. In the centre of the coast is the historic town of Kochi, and to the interior are the “Western Ghats” mountains whose slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations as well as wildlife.
While the coast is beautiful, and the Western Ghats extremely tranquil, Kerala’s highlight is a multi-day private houseboat cruise along the rustic Kerala backwaters near Alappuzha (or Alleppey), a network of tranquil canals and lagoons.
☛ Read more: Kerala State in GlobeRovers Magazine
8. Svalbard Islands, Norway
The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard lies just over 1,000 kilometres (621 mi) from the North Pole. While you won’t see the penguins of Antarctica, you may see polar bears and other wildlife such as whales, walruses, Arctic fox, reindeer and seals.
Unlike Antarctica, you can independently travel to Svalbard, book your own flights and accommodation and take day tours or even multi-day tours. You just can’t hike the hills by yourself as by law you must be with a licensed rifleman when outside of any settlement for protection against the bears.
☛ Read more: Svalbard in GlobeRovers Magazine
9. Nine Emperor Gods Festival, Phuket, Thailand
Thailand’s Phuket Island celebrates its annual colourful Nine Emperor Gods Festival (also known as the “Vegetarian Festival”) on the 9th lunar month of the Chinese calendar, usually in September or October. It celebrates the Chinese community’s belief that abstinence from meat and various stimulants will help obtain good health and peace of mind.
The festival is famous for its extreme body piercing and indiscriminate use of masses of firecrackers which makes it definitely not recommended for the faint-hearted.
☛ Read more: Thailand in GlobeRovers Magazine
☛ Read more: Posts Top 9 and Top 10 Lists
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.