Despite traveling for the past two years and visiting amazing places, there a number of places that are still on my list of places I’d love to visit. There are still big pockets of the world I haven’t explored – such as South America, Central America and most of Africa. While there are a lot of special places hard on the tourist trail I’d love to visit, here are five “off the beaten places” I’d love to explore.
Connemara, Ireland: Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the world, Connemara offers picturesque landscapes that resemble something out of a fairy tale. Located in West Ireland, here you’ll find pristine lakes and gorgeous mountains, making it the best place in all of Ireland to hike. The next time I’m in England I’d love to take a ferry to Ireland and spend a little time exploring this enchanting region.
(Photo by Kamil P L)
Northern Norway: For the longest time I’ve been near desperate to see the Northern Lights, but unfortunately budget and cold temperatures have kept me away from anywhere close enough to enjoy them. Every photo I’ve seen of Aurora Borealis has been breathtaking, seeming to be more from a dream than anywhere on this planet. One of the downsides of trying to chase the Northern Lights is that you can spend a week there, and if weather conditions aren’t right you wont see anything.
(Photo by Moyan Brenn)
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland: Whenever I meet someone who’s been to Iceland, there’s a little part of me that’s jealous. Iceland’s natural beauty is both striking and unique and the photos I’ve seen of Iceland really look a world away from New Zealand. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Thingvellir National Park offers the largest natural lake in Iceland as well as the oldest Parliament in the country.
(Photo by Global Ranger)
Palawan, The Philippines: I love a good beach and now that I’ve completely worn out my enthusiasm for Thailand, I’m hunting for a new beach. Palawan is a small island that stretches from Mindoro to Borneo and has emerald green water and bright white sand. It looks like my version of paradise, so is high on my list of beaches to visit as soon as possible.
(Photo by Sehmaschine)
Zona Cafetera, Colombia: I like coffee so naturally I need to visit Zona Cafetera, the coffee production capital of Colombia. Here the lanscape is beautiful and untouched, with giant palm trees breaking through the steamy mist. I’d love to take a coffee class to learn more about the process, the roasting and to see how it’s actually grown.
(Photo by Archdejanon)
Where are the lesser known gems you’d love to explore? Have you been to any of these places?
