New experiences make life exciting! This is why we have decided to dedicate this article to bringing you some unexpected places to visit. They may be places you have heard of, but not considered visiting, or completely new destinations you have never heard of before.
Either way, after reading, we are sure you will be more interested in taking a trip to somewhere you would never have considered before. Where does you #AdvetureAwait?
Svalbard
Feeling a bit hot lately? Let’s start with a colder destination. If you are looking to experience a truly arctic experience, you might first think of Iceland or Finland, but we want to introduce you to Svalbard.
Svalbard is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas. It is located at 78degrees north and is a 3-hour flight from Oslo, Sweden. This is probably the closest you get to the North Pole on holiday!
Svalbard has 3 main seasons rather than 4:
Polar summer: May – September. 24 hours of sunshine (the midnight sun) bringing beautiful colours. A photographers’ dream light!
Northern Lights Winter: October – February. From late October the sun sets for the winter, bringing 24 hours of near constant darkness. If you want the best chance for seeing the Northern Lights, we would say 24 hours per day of darkness would bring the best chances!
Sunny winter: March – May. The sun rises again and perfect weather for exploring the outside.
Svalbard offers many fun winder activities such as husky rides, snow mobiles, exploring ice caves, boat trips, hiking and much more.
https://svalbard.nordicvisitor.com
Uluru, Australia.
Uluru, or the more commonly known, Ayers Rock, is a huge sandstone rock located almost in the middle of Australia in the South of the Northern Territory. Uluru is sacred to indigenous Australian and is thought to have started forming some 550 million years ago! The closest town is Alice Springs, which is still a whopping 450km away (5 hours by road).
As secluded as it is, it isn’t actually too difficult to get to. Flights are available from Australian cities such as Melbourne and Sydney, with the flight time from Sydney just 45 minutes to Alice Spring. Flying in will save lots of time, but part of the fun of visiting Uluru is the adventure driving to it by car! From Sydney or Melbourne this will take you good 2 or 3 days, but what an adventure!
Do not, and we repeat, do not fly in and out in one day. You will spend most of the time travelling and have just a few short hours at the sights mixed with lots of other tourists.
Flying in and out in one day will also mean you miss the most spectacular sight: sunrise and sunset.
Whilst the towns may be far away, there are places you can stay overnight local to the rock in order to catch this beautiful scenery, some even from your own bedroom. Take some time here to enjoy this unique natural landscape.
Kinabatangan River, Borneo
For the best wildlife sightseeing in Asia visit Kinabatangan in Borneo. Not heard of it? That’s what makes this place so special.
Many know little about Borneo, they may have heard about it, but it isn’t somewhere that tops travellers’ lists – lucky for us.
Borneo is located in South East Asia on a rugged island shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
The Kinabatangan River is not only the best place to see Asian wildlife, but the most easily accessible. The density of the population of animals is high, and vast! You can spot Orang-utans, proboscis monkeys, pygmy elephant, langurs, wild cats, crocodiles, amazing birdlife and so much more.
Take a 3-day river trip. This will give you the best chances for viewing the wildlife. During this journey you will also get to experience the jungle at night, sunset and sunrise river cruises and jungle trekking. You will have expert guides with you throughout who will not only navigate you through the jungle but help spot the wildlife too!
These river trips do not need to be expensive. Accommodation can range to meet budgets, such as dorms to private villas. There is something for everyone!
Camping in the UAE desert
For this last one we are staying much closer to home. Camping right on our doorstop is something few do, and we aren’t talking about a tourist trip either. We are talking about a full tent, campfire and a view of the stars!
There are some suggested areas for camping, such as Lahab Desert with spectacular red sands and star gazing, Ras Al Khaimah desert with camping near farms or exploring the dunes, and The Rubh Al Khali, the largest contiguous sand desert in the world! This particular area has the Liwa Oasis at its heart.
An alternative is the Banan Beach Resort, a peaceful area with retro tents, beach side chalets and hammocks by the water.
Before setting out on a camping trip there are a few things you need to know about.
Long term and overnight camping – there is a difference. Long term camping is regulated and requires a permit. Overnight camping does not.
Where you can camp – there are rules on this to keep people safe. Camps may not be set up in low areas such as streams of valleys, or next to a cliff (where rocks can fall). Tents should be far away from cooking stations or fires, plus fuel storage, generators and electricity poles. Also avoid mud floors as they can be infested with nasty bugs!
Travel – it is advised to use a four-wheel-drive car when venturing off!
