A Holiday Guide for 2018
Now that you’ve welcomed the New
Year, you can start creating a bucket list to challenge your limits
POCKET FRIENDLY
A New
Year provides a clean slate for many new aspects of our lives. Now that we’ve
bid adieu to 2017, its time to draw up our bucketlist for 2018. It is
recommended that you mark out all the long weekends and book well in advance.
Planning ahead has many advantages: You can bag the best deals and do enough
research in order to make the most of your visit.
Take note of different experiences that we
have drawn out for you that can strike a chord with you. May this year brim
over with new travels and you acquire unique tales to share with us.
FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR VALUE-PACKED
DESTINATIONS
Region: Bhutan
A SAARC nation citizen visiting the Land Of Gross National Happiness needs
no visa. This makes Bhutan an easy access for an Indian traveller as one can
obtain a permit on the border by flashing your passport/voter's ID card. Bhutan
has a little surprise for every kind of traveller; from the breathtaking
Himalayan landscape, to the delicious simple cuisine, and a terrain that’s an
adventure lover’s delight, Bhutan won’t dent your pocket if you plan wisely.
This mountain-locked nation is also perfect for a family vacation. For those
seeking solitude, the many stupas decorated with colourful flags and monks
chanting hymns, generates a spiritual vibe, adding a magical touch to the
backdrop.
Region: Vietnam
For those of you who’ve visited Thailand and
Cambodia, Vietnam is another economical option that you can look at in 2018.
The country offers numerous jewels to a determined seeker all in a
budget-friendly manner. It houses the largest cave of Asia, the Halong Bay, pristine islands, forests, religious places, the Marble Mountains and green paddy
farms. Besides, it is a street food paradise, offering traditional rice noodle soup, rice crepes and beef noodles. Don’t miss the floating markets where you get
everything at a bargain. Kayaking is a common sport and preferred by
backpackers as a common mode to explore and partake in adventure.
COOL ADVENTURES
FOR THOSE LOVERS OF WHITE SNOW LANDSCAPE
Region: GreenLand
Travelling to Greenland can be a long haul
journey, yet its raw power of nature and unmatched scenery makes it perfect for
globetrotters who are looking for more. At the Disko Bay, Ilulissat Ice-fjord, Greenland’s most visited area and
a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
watch the icebergs break off from immense glacier Sermeq Kujalleq and drift along with the coastal water.
Besides, Greenland is also home to gentle giants of the sea; you can experience
a close encounter with whales.
There’s more to Greenland than the white landscape; you can visit the remnants
of Eric the Red’sthousand-year-old Norse colonies. The capital and
administrative centre of Greenland, Nuuk, has many museums that explain the nature and history of the
region. An ancient Eskimo
settlement, roughly a few kilometres from Ilulissat, an ancient Eskimo
settlement, houses some of the best-preserved remnants of indigenous Eskimo cultures in the Arctic.
Region: Iceland
Iceland, the country of fire and ice, has set
its mark as the land of sharp contrasts. Located in the North-Atlantic ocean
close by the Arctic Circle, the list of contrasts just doesn’t end at that. A
dramatic volcanic landscape of geysers and hot springs coupled with waterfalls, glaciers and black-sand beaches make
this Nordic country an otherworldly delight. Besides, it is not also renowned
for the Northern Lights and
the unusual phenomena of cold dark winters being offset by the summer’s
midnight sun. While most parts of Iceland are fairly remote with sparse
population, the capital, Reykjavik,
is renowned for its night life and other urbane delights.
WILD ENCOUNTERS
FOR THE ANIMAL LOVER
Region: Sri Lanka
Sri lanka houses the gentle giants from both:
the world under water and land. The water surrounding Dondra Point (accessible
from Galle, Hikkaduwa and Mirissa)
and Trincomalee are home to various species of whales; from blue whales, to fin whales, to sei whales, to sperm whalesand Dolphins abundantly swimming
through the sea off Kalpitiya.
The other giants that trod on the Sri Lankan soil are the majestic elephants;
you find them aplenty from water-bodies to national parks, herds of elephants
are easy to spot. To top it, Sri Lanka boasts of more than 50 nature reserves and national
parks; you can start with Yala
National Park, where leopards stroll proudly and spend an entire
vacation just hopping from one national park to another. Turtle hatcheries are found on
most beaches. You can watch turtles hatch and release them onto the beach too.
Region: China
Chengdu is not just known for its super fast development and skyscraper;
the Sichuan capital is
renowned as the panda capital of the world. Panda Base, a green oasis in the city serves as a conservation and
breeding centre, sheltering more
than 90 of the black-and-white bears. There are bamboo thickets, pagodas, pools with koi carp
and red pandas too. If you’ve still not had your fill, head to the
nearby Wolong or the Sichuan Giant
Panda Sanctuaries to understand a little about the panda.
CULTURAL BITES
FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR EXQUISITE TRAILS
WHISKEY TRAIL Region: Islay, Scotland
The Scottish island
of Islay offers rugged scenery along with a
culinary journey that draws the fancy of travellers far and wide. Home to eight Scotch distilleries, Islay’s
whiskeys are often set apart due to their unique character. It doesn’t stop at
the whiskey; the seafood in Islay is incredibly good too. Crocodile steaks and ostrich are amongst the many
delicacies served here.
FIJIAN ANCIENT CULTURAL TRAIL Region: Fiji
Fiji may have seen an evolution of its
indigenous culture due to influence from of the vibrant and old cultures of
India, China and Europe culture. These influences are intricate woven along
with its native culture, which make it even more exquisite. A trail to
the Nakabuta Village offers
a glimpse into the art of Lapita
Pottery making, traditional
Fijian dances and authentic Fijian food. The Kula
Eco Park, on the other hand, allows you to witness some of Fiji's Endangered Species. Enjoy a
walk along the nearby Tavuni Hill
Fort to learn of the Tongan
history.
Compiled by Shireen Kanchwala
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