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• the-bucket-list-30-essential-travel-experiences

written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 14.03.2023

The information in this article is inspired by the The Rough Guides guidebooks — your essential guides for visiting the world.

1. Witnessing elephant bath time - one of the most exciting travel experiences in Nepal

2. go volcano-boarding in león, 3. conquer an icelandic glacier, 4. steam in a temazcal, mexico, 5. sail around the galápagos, 6. eat steak in buenos aires, 7. tickle whales in mexico, 8. take the trans-mongolian express, 9. watch ballet in cuba, 10. hike china’s great wall, 11. spend a night in wadi rum, 12. climb cadair idris, wales, 13. take a slow boat up the nam ou, 14. drive from viñales to cayo jutías by scooter, 15. witness tibet’s true spirit, 16. hike in brazil’s chapada diamantina, 17. sleep wild in central sweden, 18. sleep beneath the stars in the sahara desert, 19. swim with pink river dolphins, 20. visit tikal in guatemala, 21. get lost in fez el bali, 22. see the northern lights in norway, 23. take a hot air balloon ride in cappadocia, 24. visit yosemite national park in the usa, 25. watch the sunset from table mountain in cape town, 26. snork in the great barrier reef in australia, 27. swim in the dead sea in jordan, 28. get amazed by the angel falls in venezuela, 29. drive along the amalfi coast, 30. visit costa rica national parks.

Every morning a procession of dusty elephants is led to the Rapti River, on the edge of Chitwan National Park, for a good scrub down – and travellers are welcome to help out.

The pachyderms delight in shooting jets of water from their trunks, wallowing on their sides while layers of mud are scraped off. Occasionally, they even dump unsuspecting riders into the river. It’s a magical experience that the elephants seem to enjoy almost as much as the travellers.

Experience Nepal's hill villages and jungle lowlands as you embark on this tailor-made Himalayan Family Adventure of a lifetime . Expect mini mountain treks, overnight camps, river rafting and wildlife safaris. Come here for action, stunning mountain scenery and a look around bustling Kathmandu too.

Elephant bathing © adrenalinrnb/Shutterstock

Nicaragua’s former capital, León, is the birthplace of the Sandinista revolution. This vibrant city offers lovely colonial architecture and superlative fried chicken.

You can also take an unusual tour to the steep ash of nearby Cerro Negro, where gas belches from cracks and views stretch over Nicaragua’s Pacific plains. The walk up is a slog, while the descent sees you surf down the dune-like surface as dust rises around you.

Where to stay in León:

• Best for hospitality : Casa de Los Berrios .
• Best for comfort : Hotel Flor De Sarta

Find more accommodation options to stay in León

Boarding from Cerro Negro volcano is one of the best travel experiences you can have in Nicaragua © Milosz Maslanka/Shutterstock

While Reykjavik is an essential base - and the Blue Lagoon is a justifiably popular attraction - for the best travel experiences in Iceland you need to find a glacier.

A short minibus ride from the capital will take you far from the tourist trail of lava fields and waterfalls and into endless icy oblivion. Here, armed with crampons and pickaxes, you can explore the endless crevices and precarious ridges of the country’s vast but receding glaciers.

Try our tailor-made trip along Iceland's scenic Ring Road , which stretches around the outside of the country. Soak in a thermal tub or pool beside gushing geysers or waterfalls, and relish the prospect of whale-watching, bird-watching, and glacier hiking in magical surroundings.

Skaftafell, Vatnajokull National Park, Iceland © Jens Ottoson/Shutterstock

The door slid shut, plunging the small domed room into darkness. The drumming started, softly, and the room filled with herb-scented steam. Go into the Maya sweat lodge - known in Mexico as a temazcal - just for the dewy skin. After two hours of sweating in the dark, it is hard not to feel some kind of oneness with the universe. The Caribbean Sea will never feel so refreshing as afterwards.

Yucatán is calling you, and this tailor-made trip to Mayan Heritage is the way to do it; go into the jungle and know it like no one else has ever known it; enjoy incredible food, beautiful sunsets, and the warmth of its communities that will do everything possible to offer you a dream experience. Are you ready?

Getting ready for temazcal ceremony © photographer chicago/Shutterstock

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The Galápagos islands are among the most remote and magical destinations on earth, so the sight of vast modern cruise ships chugging between them can come as a shock. To visit the islands in style pick a smaller vessel, preferably one with sails as well as an engine.

With the sound of canvas flapping in the wind and the creak of wooden decks beneath your feet, you can almost imagine how a certain young Mr Darwin felt when he arrived here in 1835.

The Galapagos islands in Ecuador are a truly special place. On this tailor-made trip to Galapagos Special , you will get to stay on 3 different islands and explore several more on boat tours. Start and end point of your journey is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and capital of Ecuador - Quito.

Bartolome Island, Galapagos, Ecuador. Bartolome Island is a volcanic islet in the Galapagos Islands with an amazing viewpoint at the top © Seumas Christie-Johnston/Shutterstock

Sampling a slice of bife de chorizo in Argentina is a must. The slice served at the La Cabrera restaurant in Buenos Aires’ Palermo barrio looks pretty standard. Then when you cut it the steak it seems to part before the knife. This is meat and man in perfect harmony.

Argentina is known for its dances and gastronomy scene, both to be discovered on this tailor-made trip to Tango & Wines in Argentina . Explore Buenos Aires on your own and with a guide, including its famous nightlife before heading to the vineyards of Mendoza, one of the most developed wine regions in the country.

Where to stay in Buenos aires:

• For a stay with modern decor: Fierro Hotel Buenos Aires
• For a boutique stay with an old-world feel: Magnolia Hotel Boutique

Or find your dream accommodation in Buenos Aires .

Argentinian beef steak © Foodio/Shutterstock

One of the best travel experiences in Mexico is San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California, on the Pacific coast. This a breeding ground for grey whales, which love to be scratched and tickled by visiting humans. This is arguably the most extraordinary, awe-inspiring and emotional wildlife encounter on the planet.

Baja California is an off-the-beaten-track unspoiled paradise. The area is home to mountains, deserts and thousands of kilometres of gorgeous Pacific coastline. On this tailor-made trip to Pacific Coast Paradise you will explore, snorkel, dive and do a spot of whale watching (in season). Otherwise, sit back and relax on its soft sandy shores.

Whale in San Ignacio Baja, Mexico © Roadwardbound/Shutterstock

The Trans-Siberian Railway is the granddaddy of all train travel experiences. And easily the most interesting train is the weekly Trans-Mongolian Express from Moscow to Beijing.

This traverses Siberia and rounds Lake Baikal, strikes south across the Gobi desert past camels and nomads' yurts into the mountains of northern China. You can even steal glimpses of The Great Wall in the distance.

Trans-Mongolian train © Jose L Vilchez/Shutterstock

An evening of ballet at the brilliantly baroque Gran Teatro de la Habana invites you into a genre of Cuban music often overlooked by visitors in search of rumba and rum. Sets and costumes are resourceful and inventive, performances are breathtaking and an exuberant home crowd all celebrate Cuba’s position as a hub of world-class ballet.

Havana is like nowhere else on earth: the jewel in Cuba's crown effortlessly blends dishevelled beauty with risqué and vibrant charm. On our tailor-made trip to Havana you will spend a few days exploring the old town, Ernest Hemingway's favourite cigar-smoke-filled jazz club, and a tour of the city in a classic car!

Great Theater, Havana, Cuba © Anna ART/Shutterstock

You’ll never forget stumbling wobbly-legged out of a rickety cable car to see this ancient monolith snaking away across the hills. To make sure you see the original fortifications, bypass the super-touristy reconstruction at Badaling and head on to more remote Jinshanling.

Just don’t attempt the steep-sided scramble in flip-flops as I did. This stunning stretch is mostly un-restored and the hike is as challenging as it as it is scenic in places.

From well-preserved tombs to The Great Wall, this tailor-made tour to The Best of China packs in all the essentials. From the bright city lights of Beijing and Shanghai to breathtaking rolling landscapes, meandering rivers and ancient treasures, there’s much to delight all visitors to China.

Great wall of China during sunset © Zhu Difeng / Shutterstock

Wadi Rum is about as close as you’re going to get to the landscape of Mars here on Earth. The soil is a deep and rusty red, the mountains austere, and the silence almost disconcerting. Canyons and rock formations are scattered across the desert and make for good scrambling.

Join an overnight excursion - by jeep or camel - for the experience of sitting around a crackling fire underneath pearly stars. While here, take time to talk with the Bedouin about their life in this desolate space.

On this tailor-made trip to Jordan Culture in depth you will indulge in the mouthwatering street and local homemade food, meet the owner of the smallest hotel in the world, learn more about the Bedouins and the desert in Wadi Rum and finish off by floating over the Dead Sea mineral water.

The sunny desert with rocks . Jordan. Wadi Rum © Yury_1_2_3/Shutterstock

Standing 2930ft tall, Snowdon’s rugged, shorter sibling – Cadair Idris – makes up in looks for anything it lacks in height. Legend has it that if you spend a night at the top you will die, become a poet or go mad, but the views from here are stunning – a patchwork of greens interrupted by molten-metal slivers of river estuary and sea.

Hardy visitors can have a dip in Cwm Cau too, which changes colour from lagoon blue to inky black as clouds race overheard.

Cadair Idris, Wales © ieuan/Shutterstock

The Mekong may be more famous, but more unique travel experience in Laos is on the Nam Ou. This river which winds its way through the north’s mountains and limestone karsts. Sure, the boats are rickety and old and these days it is hard to predict if they’ll actually be running.

However, this three day journey, from sublime Luang Prabang to the tiny, isolated settlement of Hat Sa, gives you that rare feeling of experiencing a part of the country that few foreigners see.

One of Southeast Asia’s lesser-known countries, Laos is definitely off the beaten track, but it has retained its culture, charm and traditional village life, wild jungle and stunning countryside. Try our tailor-made trip to Historical Laos for tradition and mystery and a unique adventure.

Mekong Luang Prabang © Shutterstock

Viñales, a sleepy little town to the west of Havana, is in many ways typical of rural Cuba. What sets it apart are the mogotes (boulder-like hillocks) that jut out of the landscape and provide a magnificent backdrop.

It’s lovely just lolling around in the sunshine taking in the strange and beautiful vistas. However, to ramp the experience up a notch, rent a scooter and wind your way around these spectacular formations by taking the local road to the beach at Cayo Justía.

Try our moderately challenging tailor-made cycling holiday through Cuban countryside visiting the tobacco fields of Viñales Valley and a pristine Caribbean beach in Cayo Jutias.

Morning view to Vinales valley, Cuba © Zaruba Ondrej/Shutterstock

Tibet is sad in many places now, hideously over-developed and not at all the place you imagine. But it remains the one place that exerts a curious kind of spell and takes you to a different part of your being.

And in some ways its spirit has been strengthened and intensified even as - or sometimes because - its surfaces have been destroyed. Ladakh is more beautiful, Bhutan is better protected, Nepal is more funky. But Tibet is one place from which it's hard to come home unaltered.

On this tailor-made trip to Nepal you will trek in the Everest region of Nepal's Himalayas, absorbing spectacular views at every step, including Everest rising above the Nuptse Ridge, Lhotse, the iconic peak of Ama Dablam and other Himalayan giants too. Top this off with a shot of warm Nepalese culture for an experience of a lifetime.

Leh Palace the monastery in center of Leh city in Jammu India © sittitap/Shutterstock

The Diamond Highlands are Brazil’s top trekking destination. They lie in the interior of Bahia where three of Brazil’s biomes meet: the Atlantic rainforest, the cerrado – similar to the African savannah – and the caatinga (shrubland), which feels like the American chaparral. You can explore dry caves, swim in underground lakes, dive under waterfalls and climb near-vertical mesas all in the same day.

Discover the world's largest continental flood area - the Pantanal, one of the richest places in biodiversity. Continue this wildlife tailor-made trip to the Amazon River. Your lodges throughout the trip are located right in nature, with easy access to lodge trails around.

Iconic Morrao ridge in the Capao Valley of Chapada Diamantina national park, Bahia, Brazil © Double Bind Photography/Shutterstock

Glassy lakes, pure air and an outside chance of bears: camping in the forests of central Sweden is both wild and free. There’s even a constitutional law protecting everyone’s right to enjoy the great outdoors. So go swimming, drink from a stream, or fill your belly with red berries. Then sip whisky around the campfire and crash out on a reindeer skin, gazing up at the starry sky.

Sunrise and Tent in Autumn in Lapland © Jens Ottoson/Shutterstock

As the sun shifts, the Sahara Desert takes on different colours. Silvery white at dawn, ochre in the heat of the day, and deep gold at sunset. Stay at a Berber camp and fell asleep on your back, counting shooting stars that burned through the darkness like rogue coals from the campfire.

In the morning you can climb a sand dune overlooking Algeria and watch the sun emerge from the horizon, a blazing ball of desert red that turned the sand rose gold. Desolate, but beautiful.

On this tailor-made trip to Moroccan Cities and Ultimate Sahara you will follow the footsteps of Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. Discover the blue and whitewashed buildings of Chefchaouen before heading on to Fez and consequently the desert. Stay overnight in a luxurious desert camp before continuing to Marrakech.

Sahara, Morocco© Shutterstock

In the vast, swampy grasslands of Pampas del Yacuma, the pink freshwater dolphin is one of the more pleasant surprises hidden in the murky waters of the Bolivian Amazon. With the annual floods, they dreamily glide amidst tree trunks and chase fish between drowned, twisted branches.

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of diving into these muddy, unknown depths to swim alongside these surreal creatures; it’s a far cry from frolicking with dolphins in SeaWorld.

One of only two landlocked countries in South America, Bolivia is full of wonders. On this tailor-made trip through the natural and cultural wonders of Bolivia you will visit Lake Titicaca, the de facto capital La Paz, the actual capital Sucre as well as the fascinating Salar de Uyuni.

Pink dolphin © Shutterstock

A visit to the historical site of Tikal in Guatemala should be on everyone’s bucket list. These ancient Mayan ruins are a testament to a civilization that long passed. If you stay overnight, you can be there without the crowds giving the place an empty, eerie feeling that really makes you feel like you are Indiana Jones. It’s not often you get major historical sites to yourself but I found that it was just me, Tikal, and the jungle.

On our tailor-made trip to the Best Of Guatemala you will visit the most popular destinations including the Western Highlands, Tikal and Antigua Guatemala. Enjoy the different types of activities like exploring the Mayan pyramids in the middle of the virgin jungle or having one of the best cups of coffee surrounded by a unique landscape.

Tikal National Park, Guatemala © WitR/Shutterstock

Fez el Bali is an impenetrable maze of lanes and blind alleys that make up the beating heart of Morocco’s cultural capital. Drop down into the bowels of the Medina, past camel heads advertising the local butchers and vendors bartering in the spice souk.

Let your senses steer you: to the sound of metalworkers hammering away on Place Seffarine; to the brightly coloured yarns drying in the heat on Souk Sabbaghine; or to the thick stench of the tanneries.

For those short on time, this tailor-made trip to Highlights of Morocco allows you to visit Morocco in a little over a week. See the cultural capital Fez, the beautiful city of Chefchaouen, sleeping in a deluxe tent in the desert, as well as discover Marrakech. It's time to explore Morocco!

Where to stay in Fez:

• Best for the spa: Palais Medina & Spa
• Best for interior design: Dar victoria

Find more accommodation options to stay in Fez

Fez, Morocco © Shutterstock

At once eerily disconcerting and bewitchingly beautiful, the aurora borealis flicker across northern Norway’s winter firmament at irregular and unpredictable intervals.

Experiencing the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis is one of the unique experiences in Norway. The country is located in the northern part of the polar region where the lights are most commonly visible.

This tailor-made tour to Aurora Feast in Finland, Norway and Sweden is perfect for people who want to explore the Arctic. Begin your journey from the southern part of Finland via Sweden up to the northern part of Norway. Most importantly, you will be hunting for the Northern Lights in the best locations!

Northern lights, Skagsanden beach, Lofoten, Norway © Shutterstock

A lighter-than-air float gives an unrivalled perspective on the “fairy chimneys” and other features of the landscape and is one of the unique travel experiences in Turkey.

You can get airborne on a paraglider above Ölüdeniz and kaş, or more passively (and expensively) in a hot-air balloon over Cappadocia – champagne breakfast usually included.

3 different modes of transportation to explore Cappadocia - by hot air balloon, on the back of a camel as well as on an ATV quad. Why choose if you can have it all? This tailor-made trip to the sensational landscapes of Cappadocia is filled with fun and adventure in the volcanic valleys around Cappadocia making for an unforgettable trip.

Uchhisar fortress in Cappadocia, Turkey © Shutterstock

Yosemite National Park is a wild wonderland of snow-capped peaks, towering cliffs and giant granite domes that seem to be conjured from a fantasy world. Yosemite Valley is an undisputable contender for showcasing some of the world’s most stunning scenery.

Created by glaciers scoring through the canyon of the Merced River, the valley is walled by 3000ft near-sheer cliffs, marbled by waterfalls and topped by domes and jagged pinnacles. On the ground, deer, coyotes and black bears abound in the grassy meadows and forests.

Explore the diversity of nature reserves in the USA with our guide to the best national parks in the USA .

Yosemite national park, Yosemite Valley, California © christian_b/Shutterstock

The most spectacular way to ascend Cape Town’s famous landmark and one of the most unique travel experiences in South Africa is the revolving cable car. Table Mountain, which forms the backdrop to Cape Town, is the park’s focal point. The views are wholly dependent on the weather, so it is always advisable to visit Table Mountain early in your stay in Cape Town.

Discover the natural beauty on our tailor-made trip to Complete Cape Town . Located on the southwestern tip of South Africa, the area is home to rugged coastlines, undulating vineyards, and expanses of grassland. It is also home to some of the largest, wildest and most majestic creatures on earth.

Table mountain cableway, Cape Town, South Africa @ Shutterstock

The Great Barrier Reef is to Australia is what rolling savannahs are to Africa. Calling it “another world”, as the commonest cliché has it, doesn’t begin to describe the feeling of donning a mask and fins and coming face to face with its extraordinary animals, shapes and colours.

There’s so little relationship to life above the surface that the distinctions one usually takes for granted. For example, the boundary between animal, vegetable and mineral seem blurred. While the respective roles of observer and observed are constantly inverted as shoals of curious fish follow the human interlopers about.

Interested? Read our guide to visiting Australia's Great Barrier Reef for more information.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia © I Shafiq/Shutterstock

A few kilometres west of Amman’s city limits, the rugged highlands of central and northern Jordan drop away dramatically into the Dead Sea Rift. The Dead Sea is famed as the lowest point on Earth. Taking a dip here and relaxing on the beaches is one of the most unique travel experiences in Jordan, not least because of the world-class luxury resort hotels dotted along the shore.

Explore the country with this compact tailor-made trip to Highlights of Jordan . Activities include stargazing in Wadi Rum, exploring Petra and spending a day at leisure at the Dead Sea. Your knowledgeable guide will share stories about history and culture and introduce the Bedouin lifestyle to you.

Dead Sea, Jordan © Shutterstock

Angel Falls is a magnificent natural wonder in the Venezuelan rainforest, standing at an impressive height of 3,212 feet. The uninterrupted waterfall creates a dreamy atmosphere, with mist rising from the base and lush green rainforest surrounding it. It is a breathtaking sight to behold. A visit to Angel Falls is a humbling and unique travel experience that will leave a lasting impression.

Angel Falls, Venezuela © Shutterstock

Go southwest in Italy to Campania and see the Amalfi Coast . It is spectacularly beautiful, despite the heavy tourist numbers in summer - spring and autumn are quieter. The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) lays claim to being Europe’s most beautiful stretch of coast. Its corniche road winds around the towering cliffs that slip almost sheer into the sea.

This tailor-made gastronomic journey in Tuscany and Amalfi Coast will have your sense tingling. Taste the most wonderful and freshly made Italian food in Naples one day and enjoy the most beautiful views of the Amalfi Coast the next. Experience the smells, tastes, feels and sights of Italy when travelling from Florence to the Amalfi Coast.

Positano, italy. Amalfi Coast © iacomino FRiMAGES/Shutterstock

Over a quarter of Costa Rica ’s landmass is National Park, which means you’re more than likely to come across at least one on your visit. Costa Rica is covered by rainforests, volcanoes, cloud forest and more. For many people, exploring the biodiversity of this small but beautifully formed country is a major reason to visit Costa Rica in the first place.

See our tailor-made Costa Rica Eco Adventure and discover its compact jungle, tropical beaches, forests, wildlife and national parks. The country may be small but it’s a land of stunning natural diversity and the perfect backdrop to a veritable eco-adventure.

Sloth in Costa Rica © Harry Collins Photography/Shutterstock

If you are looking for some travel experiences for the whole family, explore our guide to the 30 best places to go with kids .

For more inspirational travel tips for your future trips check our Rough Guide books .

If you prefer to plan and book your trips without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.

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The Vacationer • Travel Guides

20 Best Ticket Websites for Booking Tours, Activities, Excursions, and Attractions in 2024

Tours, guided activities, and excursions are, for many travelers, one of the best ways to experience a new destination. Often, a local guide will take you around, show you the sights, and let you in on local-only know-how. You get more info than you might from a guidebook or travel blog. And the best part? You hardly need to do any planning. Just book your tour or activity online and you’re done. So, all that’s left on your end is to show up. 

However, you do have to do the work of finding that great tour or excursion. Therefore, for that, we look to some of the travel industry’s best ticket websites. There are a lot of them out there. 

Go with one of these 20 best options. That will ensure you’re purchasing tickets from reputable sellers only. (And that way, you’re not left stranded in a foreign country! You won’t be wondering where your guide’s gone off to!)

Table of Contents

Screenshot: viator.com

Owned by TripAdvisor, Viator is one of the more popular options for booking tours and excursions . You can find experiences and tours at a very wide range of attractions. There are an impressive number of international and national destinations. 

Viator doesn’t operate its tours, though. Instead, it’s more of the middleman that connects you with the local tour operators in a given destination. That does come with a little risk. However, Viator is known for being very reputable and trustworthy. Therefore, it’s not as much of a risk as you might think. 

Cancel Policy: The Viator cancel policy will differ. As such, this difference is according to the experience you book. The policy will range from free cancellation to “strict.” Under free cancellation, you get a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before your ticket’s start time. Under the “strict” policy, you have to cancel seven full days before your experience’s start time. If you do, you’ll get a full refund.

• Many tickets come with free cancellation. 
• Viator offers 24/7 customer support.
• A Reserve Now & Pay Later feature allows you to do just that.
• This is one place where you’ll find a LOT of options.

Cons: 

• The “free” cancellation isn’t necessarily 100% free (time limits apply).

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Viator

2. GetYourGuide

Screenshot: getyourguide.com

GetYourGuide is very similar to Viator. As such, it focuses on a lot of tours and experiences. It’s not just about straight-up attraction tickets. Unlike Viator, though, GetYourGuide isn’t just a third-party booking site. It also offers its own collection of experiences. These are called GetYourGuide Originals. These tours are more customized. Frankly, they’re better than what you might find elsewhere. When you book one of these tours, you get more flexibility in rescheduling and canceling. The tours are also capped at 25 people. 

GetYourGuide offers tickets for more than 60,000 experiences around the world.

Cancel Policy: Most GetYourGuide experiences come with a 24-hour cancellation policy. This means you can cancel up to 24 hours before your ticket’s start time.

• This site offers lots of tour and experience options, all over the world.
• You can find special, GetYourGuide Original tours for an upgraded experience. These are not third-party.
• The third-party providers, however, must be legal, insured businesses, to list on the site. This may give you a little more peace of mind. 
• GetYourGuide offers 24/7 customer service.
• You’ll notice that GetYourGuide Original tours are capped at 25 people. That’s intended to be … intimate? In other words, if you like small tours, you might not find them as easily here.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at GetYourGuide

The Vacationer Tip

While you are planning your excursions, tours, and activities for your trip, please read our other guides:

• Best Websites to Book Cheap Flights & Airfare
• Best Websites to Book Cheap Rental Cars

Screenshot: tiqets.com

Tiqets is a good third-party option to buy tickets for specific attractions. However, it’s not a good option for booking tours. Instead, think of museums, historic sites, etcetera. Don’t expect to find customizable, one-on-one tours or bookable airport transfers here. 

Furthermore, Tiqets is a good option if you want to browse various attractions in one destination and do all of your ticket bookings in one place. (Versus going to each attraction’s website individually and booking that way.) 

Cancel Policy: When you purchase a ticket through Tiqets, you’ll have the option to choose a “free cancellation” ticket. If you book this, you’ll have free cancellation up to midnight the day before your reserved ticket.

• Easily book all of your attraction tickets for one destination in one place.
• Access all of your tickets from your phone.
• Enjoy flexible cancellation that a particular attraction might not otherwise offer.
• Tiqets offers 24/7 customer support.
• You can buy some tickets without set dates. This lets you be more flexible with your travel itinerary.
• Tiqets only really offers tickets in major international destinations. 
• For free cancellation, you have to choose the “free cancellation” option. This is available when making your ticket purchase.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Tiqets

Screenshot: stubhub.com

Third-party ticket provider StubHub focuses on events . As such, this can be great if you’re looking to attend a concert, theatrical show, or sports game. However, do note that StubHub sells tickets from existing ticket holders. The tickets are not directly from the venue or event. Accordingly, this comes with its pros and cons. On one hand, you might pay more for a particularly in-demand event. A ticket holder might be attempting to flip their ticket for a profit. On the other hand, if someone’s desperate to sell a ticket they don’t plan on using, you could get your ticket for a great deal. 

Cancel Policy: You cannot cancel, or receive a refund on, a transaction on StubHub once it’s been completed. In response, the website recommends reselling your ticket on the site if you decide you no longer want or need it.

• You can sometimes snag great deals on StubHub. You can likewise find tickets to sold-out events.
• All ticket sellers are verified. You’re not relying on unscrupulous scalpers.
• There are no refunds and no cancellations.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at StubHub

5. TripAdvisor Attractions

Screenshot: tripadvisor.com

We know what you’re thinking. “TripAdvisor? Attractions? You told me that Viator sold tickets for TripAdvisor!” 

And while that’s true, TripAdvisor also has its own, separate third-party ticket marketplace. It operates very similarly to Viator. But, it comes with all the benefits of TripAdvisor. When you view an available activity on TripAdvisor Attractions , you’ll see all the need-to-know info about an attraction or tour, plus reviews. If you decide you want to book something, you can do so in literally a matter of seconds. 

Cancel Policy: Most tickets allow for a full refund up to 24 hours ahead of your experience.

• Firstly, there are lots of options to choose from, in a lot of destinations, even small ones.
• Secondly, you can get free cancellation in most cases.
• Thirdly, you’ll see that most listings include reviews and substantial info on any attraction you’re considering.
• TripAdvisor Attractions does lump in non-ticketed attractions with its ticketed attractions. Things can get confusing.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at TripAdvisor

6. Expedia Activities

Screenshot: expedia.com

You likely know Expedia as the place to go for booking flights and hotel rooms. However, did you know that Expedia also offers tour booking and event tickets? 

Unfortunately, the third-party provider’s activities section isn’t quite as searcher-friendly as you might hope. This is because everything is grouped by destination, not necessarily tour types. 

Additionally, you won’t find many experiences in small destinations on offer. However, what you will find is very affordable. In fact, costs are as low as $7 per ticket in some cases. 

Cancel policy: Cancellation policies differ according to the activity you book. As such, some activities offer free cancellation within a certain period. However, some charge you an additional fee for canceling.

• Find cheap experiences in mid-size and large destinations.
• Browse for activities at the same time you book your flight and hotel.
• You won’t find attractions in many small destinations. 
• The booking platform (at least where activities are concerned) isn’t that user-friendly.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Expedia

7. Kayak Things to Do

Screenshot: kayak.com

Similar to Expedia, Kayak also offers “things to do” tickets . This is in addition to the flights, hotel rooms, car rentals, and train and bus tickets the site offers. Further reading: See our complete guide to booking travel with Kayak .

Likewise, Kayak does offer more experiences in off-the-beaten-path destinations. You can search for available experiences based on a range of factors. Beyond just location, you can also look for experiences based on accessibility and safety measures. 

However, since the travel aggregator is a third-party ticket provider, it doesn’t always help you with the booking side of things. For booking an experience, you’ll be redirected to whatever individual tour provider is offering the tour. Once you’re there, you can find more information. Sometimes, though, that information differs from what Kayak provides.

Cancel policy: Kayak only points you to experience and tour operators. As such, it does not help you book. Because of this, the cancellation policy will entirely depend on the individual provider.

• You can search for a wide variety of experiences in a wide variety of destinations.
• You can look for things to do at the same time as you book the rest of your travel.
• You can’t book your experience directly on Kayak. You have to book elsewhere.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Kayak

8. Travelocity Activities

Screenshot: travelocity.com

Owned by Expedia, Travelocity similarly offers an “Activities” booking feature. 

Many of the above ticket booking platforms allow you to browse through a range of options, to get inspiration. You don’t need to pick a destination. Travelocity, however, does force you to pick where you’re going, as well as dates. This is a bit limiting. That’s especially the case if you’re in the middle of planning your trip and are pretty flexible.

Still, if you pick your date and city, you’ll find … That you’re led to a booking page that’s almost identical to what Expedia offers on its Activities page. You’ll find the same tours and the same prices. Using one or the other all comes down to whether you prefer Travelocity or Expedia.

Cancel policy: Just like with Expedia, cancellation policies differ. The difference is according to the activity you book. Because of this, some activities offer free cancellation within a certain period. Some, though, do charge you an additional fee for canceling.

• You can find an array of cheap activities and tours in top travel destinations.
• You won’t find many available tours or activities in lesser-known destinations.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Travelocity

9. Orbitz Activities

Screenshot: orbitz.com

Likewise, Orbitz , another Expedia-owned travel aggregator, features an identical setup. You pick where you’re going and the dates you’ll be there. Orbitz will show you the same tour options in the same format. You’ll also see the same search functionality. 

So, again, whether you choose to use Orbitz, Expedia, or Travelocity, you’re going to have the same experience across all three platforms. The only reason why you might choose one over the others is if you’ve already booked other parts of your travel with one of them. Then, it makes sense to continue booking your experiences with that platform. That way, you have all of your travel details in one place.

Cancel Policy: Cancellation policies differ according to the activity you book. Some activities offer free cancellation within a certain period. Some charge you an additional fee for canceling.

• You can find an array of cheap activities and tours in top travel destinations. 
• Additionally, if you’ve already booked your flights and hotel with Orbitz, booking your activities here will keep things streamlined.
• You’re out of luck finding something to do unless you’re staying in a known travel destination.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Orbitz

10. Musement

Screenshot: musement.com

You can probably take a quick look at this platform’s name and guess exactly what it specializes in. Musement focuses on museums , of course. Then, it also offers tours and tickets to attractions like theme parks. You can choose between open tickets and set time tickets, depending on the attraction. Some tours even include transportation services.

Cancel Policy: Musement is a third-party booking platform. Cancellation policies are left up to the individual service provider.

• Find thousands of experiences in top destinations all around the world.
• Custom tours are available. 
• Customer service is available 24/7. 
• Many experiences are available in multiple languages. Some include other fun perks like skip-the-line.
• Musement requires you to print your tickets. This isn’t exactly convenient while traveling.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Musement

11. Civitatis

Screenshot: civitatis.com

Civitatis was originally founded as a tour and experiences provider for Spanish-speaking travelers. However, now, you can find a range of experiences available. 

This is a third-party platform. 

Depending on where you are in the world, you’ll notice that the platform pushes experiences in your supposed language. This makes the platform a good option for those who travel abroad quite frequently. More specifically, it’s good if you need experiences in a certain language. 

The platform mostly specializes in typical tourist activities in major international destinations. One cool feature, though? You’ll find free tours and activities. These are in addition to the paid options. 

Cancel Policy: The cancellation policy will differ according to the individual tour or activity provider.

• Find activities in your language in major destinations.
• Browse and book free tours and activities.
• You won’t find that many options in smaller destinations. You also won’t find many off-the-beaten-path activities.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Civitatis

12. Ticketbar

Screenshot: ticketbar.eu

Go to the Ticketbar website. There, you’ll automatically notice a difference between this booking platform and some of the other options on this list. Ticketbar is admittedly a little outdated. However, with its European focus, you can find a wealth of activities in smaller European destinations. Think from Andalusia to Delft. You might not find these on the bigger, international platforms.

Looking for private tours, combo tickets, attraction tickets, nightlife experiences, or airport transfers? They’re all available via this third-party seller. Many are available for a discount.

Cancel Policy: The cancellation policy will differ. The difference is according to the experience you book.

• Find tours and discounted tickets in both large and small European destinations.
• The website is a little clunky. There’s not a ton of information on it. Just in the planning stages of your trip? You might not find all the info you need here, before booking.

13. TourScanner

Screenshot: tourscanner.com

Want to compare and contrast various tours and travel activities on one platform? TourScanner is a good place to go . The travel aggregator compiles tour and activity tickets. It pulls the available options from more than 30 different booking sites. From there, you can pick the best activity and the best price for your trip.

TourScanner is a third-party platform. This means you do have to book your activity directly with the provider, not TourScanner. You’ll also be subject to their cancellation policies and their rules. TourScanner is just the place to go for your research and window shopping.

Cancel Policy: The cancellation policy will differ according to the experience you book. As a result, the policy will be the provider’s cancellation policy, not TourScanner’s.

• Find activities and tickets from more than 30 other sites, in one spot.
• You can’t book with TourScanner directly.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at TourScanner

14. TourRadar

Screenshot: tourradar.com

TourRadar is a great place to go if you’re looking specifically for multi-day, guided tours. You can browse tour options based on location and dates. You can also browse by tour types. Tour type options include themed experiences such as trekking or cultural, or even river cruises. There are tours available all over the world. You’ll likewise find frequent tour sales and private tours available. 

TourRadar is a third-party platform. However, it does work with a variety of operators who are vetted and well-reviewed. 

Cancel Policy: The cancel policy will differ according to the tour provider you book with.

• Find multi-day tours all over the world. Additionally, many are from vetted tour providers.
• You’ll get access to 24/7 customer service. Furthermore, the customer service has been highly reviewed as some of the best in the travel biz.
• Enjoy access to frequent tour sales and a best price guarantee.
• If you’re not looking for a multi-day experience, go elsewhere.

15. Klook Travel

Screenshot: klook.com

Originally started in Asia, Klook Travel now offers a growing number of experiences and travel services. They are available in a range of worldwide destinations. Go beyond just booking tours and experiences. Klook also allows you to purchase car rentals, train tickets, airport transfers, and even WiFi and SIM cards. 

In addition to the website, there’s also an incredibly convenient Klook app. 

Cancel Policy: The cancel policy differs according to what experience you book. Many offer free cancellation within a certain timeframe. That might be 48 hours ahead of your experience or 72 hours ahead of your experience.

• Klook offers the ability to book way more than just experiences. The platform probably has the greatest variety of offerings out of any of the platforms on our list.
• The Klook app makes booking and managing your travel even easier.
• You’ll mostly find offerings in Asia and Europe. There is, though, a growing number of activities in major international destinations elsewhere.

Click Here to See Cheap Activity, Excursion, and Ticket Deals at Klook Travel

16. WithLocals

Screenshot: withlocals.com

If you prefer a more hands-on approach, WithLocals might be one of the better travel experiences for you. With hosts in more than 100 worldwide cities, WithLocals provides experiences and tours led and hosted by locals. The experiences and tours are always private, too. Hosts focus on off-the-beaten-path, personalized experiences. It’s not about the tourist traps. Think of a private food tour in Amsterdam or a neighborhood tour of Paris’s Montmartre. 

Cancel Policy: You can reschedule your experience, multiple times, up to the day of your experience. You can cancel entirely for free and receive a 100% refund up to seven days before your experience.

• Enjoy private, personalized tours and off-the-beaten-path experiences.
• Tours are only available in limited cities and the cancellation policy is a bit strict.

17. Thrillophilia

Screenshot: thrillophilia.com

Third-party platform Thirllophilia will connect you with more than 12,000 activities. These are from more than 5,000 suppliers in more than 125 destinations. However, it is worth noting that the site heavily focuses on Asian countries. So, this is a great place to go to find experiences if you’re heading to that side of the planet. It’s not so great if you’re traveling elsewhere. 

Thrillophilia partners with an admirable range of reputable providers. These might include national tourist boards or Uber, Airbnb, or Marriott. In addition to booking activities and tours, the platform also gives you the option to book rentals and staycations. It also offers a handy gifting feature. 

Cancel policy: All purchases and reservations are final and non-refundable. This is according to Thrillophilia’s terms and conditions.

• Find a huge number of activities and experiences in Asian countries. 
• This is one of the only tour and experience-booking platforms where you can gift an experience to a fellow traveler.
• In addition to booking experiences, you can also book homestays and rentals.
• You won’t find many experience options outside of Asia.
• The cancel policy is unforgiving, to say the least.

18. Manawa by Adrenaline Hunter

Screenshot: manawa.com

Manawa by Adrenaline Hunter is a niche third-party provider. But, if you’re looking for its particular niche, you’re in luck. This is your place to go to book high-energy, intense, extreme activities. Think shark diving, skydiving, caving, or heliskiing. 

Of course, not everything is quite that extreme. You can also find more low-key adventures, like sailing or fat biking. However, in general, everything will be an active adventure. There are more than 5,000 bookable experiences in destinations all over the globe.

Cancel policy: The cancel policy ranges from super-flexible to super-strict, depending on what you book. If your activity has the “super-flexible” policy, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your activity and get a full refund. If your activity has the “super-strict” policy, you must cancel 90 days in advance of your activity to get a full refund. If you cancel less than 30 days in advance of your activity, you’ll receive no refund. Any cancellations between 30 and 90 days will warrant refunds in varying amounts.

• Find niche adventure experiences all over the world. 
• If you’re not into this niche, you’re not going to find much of interest.

19. Airbnb Experiences

Screenshot: airbnb.com

If you already use Airbnb for booking your travel accommodations, you might want to check out the platform’s various bookable experiences. You can book not only local-hosted experiences in a travel destination but also online experiences if you want to go the virtual route. 

Experiences range vastly in terms of both price and subject matter. From goat cuddling to sailing, food tours to cycling tours, you’ll find a bit of it all. Tours and experiences are either private or in small groups. The focus is often on things you wouldn’t be able to do on your own, as a traveler in a new destination. 

Cancel policy: To cancel your experience and get a refund, you have to go through your experience host to request a refund. If they do not grant a refund or if they do not grant a refund in an amount to your satisfaction, you’ll have to submit a claim to Airbnb.

• Many travelers already have experience booking accommodations with Airbnb, so booking an experience is a comfortable next step. This is especially the case if you’re wary of working with a provider that you may not have heard of before.
• You’ll find unique tour and activity options, led by locals, in small or private settings.
• Canceling your experience can be a really big hassle that will depend on your host and how agreeable they may or may not be.

20. Atlas Obscura

Screenshot: atlasobscura.com

You know Atlas Obscura. It’s the place to go for all your random, weird, travel facts and tidbits. But this publication also offers guided trips, with multi-day tours focusing on a range of topics, from arts and culture to wildlife and nature. 

Each trip is carefully crafted to zoom in on what makes a destination special. Each brings in the local history and culture as much as possible, so you go deeper than just the surface-level tourist stuff. 

Trips are conducted in English only and groups are kept small. A lot of the people who participate in the trips are solo travelers. The trips are a good fit for those who maybe want to explore with others, but who maybe don’t have anyone in their lives right now who’s up for an adventure.

Cancel Policy: You can cancel without penalty within seven days of booking, up until your final payment for the trip’s due date. After that final payment is made, you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee.

• Enjoy small group travel tours led by a trusted travel publication. 
• Tours are kept as sustainable as possible. 
• You can easily make your entire trip one of these multi-day tours, for easier travel with less planning on your end.
• These tours are mostly designed with younger, solo travelers in mind. They’re not a suitable option for families. 
• The tours can be on the pricier side, especially if you consider yourself a budget traveler.

When planning your trip, if you already know you want to visit a certain attraction — like a museum or theme park — booking your tickets in advance can save you time during your trip. (Because who wants to wait around in line when there’s travel fun to be had?)  Additionally, when you book with one of the above platforms, you can often save money by booking the best deals. You’ll also get to see the full range of options available to you, including some you may not have even known existed!

If you hate itinerary planning and just want to show up at a destination and have a great time, a multi-day tour may be perfect for you. The pros do all the work, so you have a unique and enjoyable experience, without the hassle of researching and booking everything on your own. Additionally, if you’re a solo traveler or a couple or a few friends who like to meet other travelers on your journeys, you’ll enjoy the small group environment a multi-day tour often provides.

If you like to go at your own pace, without any strict timelines or itineraries, you might not enjoy the structure of a multi-day travel tour. Likewise, if you don’t care about getting to know fellow travelers and like to go it alone, you may find the multi-day tour environment annoying. Additionally, some travelers just love all the planning and research leading up to a trip. If that’s you, you may have more fun planning your journey on your own.

By Holly Riddle

Holly Riddle is a freelance travel, food, and lifestyle journalist who also dabbles in ghostwriting and fiction. Her work appears in publications ranging from Global Traveler to Golf Magazine, Mashed to Forbes, and Bloomberg. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring the mountains near her home in the Adirondacks. Her favorite travel destinations include Chicago and New Orleans.

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The 25 Travel Experiences You Must Have

A pair of internationally minded writers, a chef, an architect and a landscape photographer made a list of the most extraordinary adventures a person should seek out. Here are the results.

By Alwa Cooper ,  Ashlea Halpern ,  Debra Kamin ,  Aileen Kwun ,  Miguel Morales ,  Dan Piepenbring and Michael Snyder

One July morning, a five-person jury — including the writers Pico Iyer and Aatish Taseer , the architect Toshiko Mori , the chef and food scientist David Zilber and the landscape photographer Victoria Sambunaris — gathered over Zoom to debate what, exactly, constitutes a “travel experience” and how some might rise above the rest. To get the conversation started, each panelist had nominated at least 10 selections in advance of the call; their job now was to slash that list from 55 to 25.

The participants were all polite, often deferring to whomever they deemed an expert on a particular subject: Zilber, who worked at Noma and co-authored the Copenhagen restaurant’s 2018 book about fermentation, on outstanding restaurants; Sambunaris, who traverses the country several months a year by car to capture her images, on the spectacular topography of the American West. They were also quick to sacrifice their own darlings, particularly if they felt they were too familiar (Petra, Machu Picchu), too obscure (Alvar Aalto’s Muuratsalo Experimental summer house in Säynätsalo, Finland — a Mori selection), too personal (driving the Karakoram Highway connecting Pakistan and China — something Taseer heard about from his father) or too commodified (a Nile River cruise, most hotel stays ). As Iyer put it, “Hotels offer luxury and comfort, but they rarely touch my soul.”

Some panelists rescinded nominations for experiences they hadn’t had themselves, despite having dreamed for years about what it might be like to, say, hike through Japan’s remote Yakushima Island National Park , the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki ’s “Princess Mononoke” (1997) . (“I feel like I don’t know if going there would destroy or enhance my fantasy,” Mori said.) Others opted to keep in the mix selections to which they couldn’t personally attest — proving how powerful our collective imagination can be. If something seemed too easy, they worried it might not be special enough. At the same time, not every experience chosen is rare or difficult to access: Sometimes it’s just a matter of opening your eyes (or mind) to whatever magic a place has to offer.

The panel considered safety, too, with some participants concluding that what might make a destination “dangerous” is largely, though not entirely, shaped by personal history and worldview. Others wanted to be sure readers were asked to conduct their own research before deciding whether or not to set out for a certain place, as situations on the ground can change rapidly. At the time of publication, the U.S. State Department had issued its strongest possible warning — Level 4: Do Not Travel — for four of the destinations on the following list; several others have been categorized as Level 3: Reconsider Travel. But most of the panelists agreed, time and again, to include politically, ethically and ideologically fraught locations . “War-torn countries and places in conflict right now haven’t always been and might not always be,” said Zilber. “I don’t think [their current status] should negate their inclusion.” (In the months between when this panel met — on July 20, 2022 — and the list’s publication, the world continued to shift: the Russian war with Ukraine deepened; Iran erupted in protests following the arrest and subsequent death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman accused by the country’s morality police of violating their hijab law; and Ethiopia and the Tigray Defense Forces, a paramilitary rebel group, agreed to a cease-fire after two years of ruinous civil war.)

The final lineup, which is grouped geographically but not ranked, includes experiences of art and architecture, food, history and religion. There’s something for every whim and every kind of traveler — even those who may never leave their armchairs. — Ashlea Halpern

This conversation has been edited and condensed.

Ashlea Halpern: I’m curious to hear how each of you defined the word “experience” when you sat down to make your list.

Pico Iyer: I asked myself, “Which are the moments that most stay with me 30 years on in my life? Which are the most moving and also the most unexpected?” I wouldn’t include seeing the Taj Mahal by moonlight, because most Times readers would be aware of that. So something slightly different, but something that still reverberates inside me half a lifetime later.

Victoria Sambunaris: I defined “experience” as a journey, because that’s what I do in my life: I’m on the road for months at a time, immersing myself in the landscape. I’m interacting with people and learning about the [local] culture, history, ecology and geography. No reservations anywhere, being spontaneous, camping under the stars — there’s a great sense of adventure.

Aatish Taseer: I veer toward man-made things — cultural and civilizational complications. When a natural experience leaves me with a sense of wonder that I didn’t expect, it breaks the mold. Everyone travels with a sense of what they’re going to see; no one is completely blank. Then, occasionally, there’s a real element of surprise. That’s what I looked for.

David Zilber: “Experience” is really broad; everything is an experience. Binge-watching Netflix while sick is an experience, though I can’t remember what I binge-watch when I’m bedridden at home. But I do remember my 45-minute drive through the mountains of Crete to eat at this man’s biodynamic farm with his kids running around — and I probably will when I’m 75.

Toshiko Mori: I thought of natural wonders, because we forget how small we are, and of being able to observe animal life in a habitat without interfering with it. With Instagram, everybody posts awesome images; [the depicted locations] become huge attractions and it’s destructive to the environment. Also, I thought of certain civilizations and places that have had challenging pasts — like Kurdistan after ISIS retreated. It’s essential for us to engage in experiences like this, because we are incredibly privileged and protected. I didn’t want to forget places that really need attention.

A.H.: Let’s start with Europe. Spain received four nominations from four different panelists — more than any other country on your initial longlists.

1. Taste Wood-Smoked Sorcery at Asador Etxebarri in Spain’s Basque Country

The chef Victor Arguinzoniz was raised amid the rolling green hills of Atxondo, a small village in Spain’s Basque country where, when he was a child, his family kitchen had neither electricity nor gas. Perhaps that’s why the open hearth can produce such magic for him. He has no professional training but for 30 years has overseen a temple to smoke and flame at the Michelin-starred Asador Etxebarri, a rustic restaurant minutes from his childhood home. Arriving there, with its view of cattle grazing in the foothills below, is like stopping time. But in the kitchen, the clock has inched slightly forward: The six custom-made grills, designed by Arguinzoniz and adjustable via pulleys, are tools of culinary alchemy. The chef prepares his own wood coals in special ovens that are cranked up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit. For each protein, he pairs a fuel with the precision of a sommelier, selecting holm oak for delicate shellfish and turning to heartier vine wood for red meats. There’s only one service — at 1:30 p.m. — and one menu per day. The meal, served in 15 courses, is a symphony that builds, plate by smoke-kissed plate, to a crescendo: first the smoked goat butter with Périgord truffle; then the salted, home-cured anchovies on grilled bread; then the beef chop with its crisp black sear and lustrous purple center; and finally a coda of smoky-milk ice cream with an infusion of sweet beets. This is fine dining in its purest, most unpretentious form. — Debra Kamin

D.Z.: Meals are some of the stickiest memories around, and this is definitely in the top three of my lifetime. It goes without saying that the Basque Country of Spain revolutionized food in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the repercussions of that have been felt around the world. I started cooking in 2004, and all the techniques that I’ve learned came from that region. We can talk about Ferran Adrià and his El Bulli and all the progeny who are still cooking today in Barcelona and Madrid, but Etxebarri best encapsulates what this region is about and its deep connection to the land and its people. There’s no one who comes out of that restaurant who doesn’t leave deeply touched.

2. Search for Muslim Spain in Al-Andalus

From the eighth to the 11th centuries, the Iberian Peninsula, then under Muslim rule, was one of the world’s most important intellectual and artistic hubs. In the region of southern Spain known as Andalusia — the name a Hispanicization of Al-Andalus, as Islamic Spain was known — that heritage remains visible everywhere: in the crimped vocalizations of flamenco music; in the elaborate geometric friezes of Seville’s Alcázar Palace; in the infinite recess of the red-and-white archways of the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba; and, above all, in Granada’s storied Alhambra, the last Moorish stronghold on the European continent, where it glitters in honeycomb muqarnas and moonlight-washed, waterway-threaded gardens. During the so-called Reconquista, as the centuries-long process through which Catholic kings gradually eroded territories accumulated by successive Muslim dynasties has been historically misnamed, the great cities of Andalusia became spectacular palimpsests of divergent faiths superimposed on top of each other. In Seville, the 15th-century cathedral — the largest Gothic-style building in Europe — stands on the footprint of an Almohad mosque whose graceful minaret was repurposed as a church tower, while in Córdoba, a Renaissance cathedral bursts from the austere, rhythmic heart of the mezquita , itself built atop the remains of a sixth-century Visigothic basilica. After experiencing these spaces, one finds that the influence of Islamic aesthetics throughout Spain — and, indeed, throughout the Americas, devastated and remade under Spanish colonial rule — reveals itself everywhere. Beyond its beauty, Andalusia is a tribute to the indelible marks that cultures and communities leave on one another across time and space. — Michael Snyder

A.T.: Nothing in the world prepares you for the strangeness of the Grand Mosque in Cordoba [Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba]. I’ve grown up in places where there are the mosques on the bones of temples on the bones of Buddhist viharas, but this business of church upon mosque upon church, where you walk in and see the remains of a Visigothic church but you’re in one of the most beautiful mosques in the world [and since the 13th century a church again], it’s like an act of reclamation — or historical revenge. Even the minaret is buried in the belfry of the church. It’s a theme that I love — layers upon layers of history — and just one of the reasons I thought it was absolutely marvelous.

P.I.: I was the one who suggested the Alhambra, so it comes down to whether we want a zoom lens or a wide angle. I chose the Alhambra for all the reasons that Aatish was mentioning: the overlapping of cultures, the historical significance and also the fact that the Alhambra is fairly well known. On nights when it’s open after dark, you’re getting a familiar place in a relatively unfamiliar context. So our question, really, is whether we want to introduce everyone to that entire region or just a microcosm of it.

A.T.: There’s a development I like in a broader trip, where you come to Seville, see the Giralda, which was originally built as the minaret of the old Almohad mosque, now part of this cathedral, and then you’ll journey a little farther and go to Córdoba and see this stunning mosque that has been turned into a church, and then finally it culminates in this last gasp of Islam in Spain, the Emirate of Granada, which then obviously results in the Catholic monarchs and the end of Muslim Spain. But Pico is absolutely right: The Alhambra is the epicenter — the Moors’ last sigh.

T.M.: I like this idea of a journey. This exposure to Muslim culture is so much more interesting than a single place.

3. Venture Into the Norwegian Night in Search of the Northern Lights

​​Spotting the aurora borealis, the elusive natural phenomenon colloquially known as the northern lights, involves careful coordination of time, place and, yes, luck. Like a digital rendering or laser beams projected above an after-hours rave, the unpredictable show illuminates the sky with dancing streaks of saturated yellow, pink, purple and green, a tangoing of solar gas and Earth’s magnetic field rendered in Technicolor. Locales roughly 66.5 degrees above the Equator, where the Arctic Circle begins, are considered prime viewing spots; cottage industries across Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia have sprung up to sell package tours and overnight accommodations to aurora hunters. Lofoten, an archipelago off Norway’s northwest coast, offers one of the most picturesque backdrops for witnessing this mercurial sight. There, a coastline framed by jagged peaks, sweeping fjords, sandy beaches and rorbu , old fishermen’s cabins painted cherry red and pine green, makes for a serene visit, day or night. Winters on the archipelago are long (November to April) and dark (for five weeks in December and January, the sun doesn’t even rise), so consider them a prime time to settle down on a north-facing beach (Unstad and Gimsøy are particularly beautiful) or sink into a hot tub at a heritage fishing lodge, neck craned skyward — and wait. The anticipation is half the fun. — Aileen Kwun

D.Z.: The northern lights are one of those earthly phenomena that don’t make sense — I don’t think that my brain could fully compute what it was like until I saw it in real life. And Lofoten is just extremely picturesque: It’s hard to get to but very rewarding once you’re there. But I don’t know. Maybe the northern lights are the Mona Lisa of the natural world?

A.H.: Anyone else seen the northern lights in Norway or elsewhere?

T.M.: Yeah, I have, because I’m in Maine and you can see it in northern Maine, but I don’t think it’s anything like what Dave is talking about. Lofoten is on my wish list.

A.T.: I saw them in Iceland but I’m 100 percent pinching David’s idea.

P.I.: I was really excited as soon as I saw this [on the list]. I’ve been up to Fairbanks, Alaska, to see the northern lights, and I know people go to Churchill in Manitoba. But the combination of the northern lights and this remote setting sounds irresistible.

4. Journey Across Two Continents and Eight Time Zones on the Trans-Siberian Railway

Traveling to Russia now, as its war with Ukraine continues, is virtually impossible: Nearly all international flights have been suspended, and the State Department has recommended that Americans steer clear of the country. How or whether Russia’s relationship with the rest of the world, not to mention its tourism industry — a frivolous concern compared to the immense suffering of the Ukrainian people — will recover remains to be seen. But in more peaceful times, riding the Trans-Siberian Railway and its shorter connecting lines is an unparalleled experience — a tour through the many and varied cultures that make up the largest country on Earth. The 5,772 miles of track from Moscow to Vladivostok, built at the turn of the 20th century at the behest of Emperor Alexander III, constitutes by itself the longest continuous railway in the world, and before the pandemic and then the war interrupted its international reach, sleeper cars could take you from most major Western European capitals to Moscow in two or three days. From there, you can make it to the other end nonstop in seven days, but arranging layovers along the way allows for a variety of side excursions: Hop off at Yekaterinburg to see the Soviet-era architecture of Russia’s fourth-largest city, for example, or Irkutsk to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest freshwater lake. Better yet, switch at Ulan Ude to the Trans-Mongolian Railway, which extends through the capital of Ulaanbaatar and into the Gobi Desert, ideal for fossil hunting and camel riding, before arriving in Beijing. — Alwa Cooper

V.S.: OK, I know Russia is controversial right now. But this is the longest [direct] train journey in the world. You’re going through ancient cities, deep forests, breathtaking mountains and Siberian outposts. You’re seeing a lot.

A.H.: How does the panel feel about including Russia?

A.T.: I feel absolutely fine. Russia existed before Putin, and Russia is going to exist after Putin. I mean, how could I, with a straight face, eliminate traveling through Russia and then go scurrying down to my Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy? I have a firewall between this idea of Russia as a culturally rich nation and the political reality that one can speak critically of. Lots of nations that we love will come to be ruled by bad people.

P.I.: I agree with Aatish. Political complication, historical complexity and texture are really what make these places something more than sites.

5. Savor an Unforgettable Lunch at Ntounias in Western Crete

It takes a 45-minute drive from Chania, Crete, through the Greek island’s White Mountains to reach this mecca of homespun cooking in Drakona. Through scenic Therrisos Gorge, with occasional stops for sheep crossings, the journey is best made with the windows down, cooled by the hillside breeze and dazzled by the sun winking across limestone mountain caps. Expect a warm greeting upon arrival — the view from the terrace of the valley below will make up for any bumps in the rugged and twisty road — but don’t expect a menu. Along with his wife, Evmorfili, Stelios Trilyrakis, the chef, farmer, shepherd, butcher, owner and maître d’, takes care of all that. The daily bounty comes from an organic garden, part of the tavern Trilyrakis took over from his parents in 2004 after years of working as a chef in Chania. Guests are invited to tour the grounds and the nearby apiary as well as the wood stoves and ovens in the kitchen, though the meal rightfully remains the primary attraction. There might be a village salad (horiatiki), farm-baked bread and freshly churned butter, stuffed vegetables cooked in a traditional clay pot, potatoes fried in olive oil for close to an hour, goat sizzling in its own fat and house wine made on-site. In a country known for its cuisine, Ntounias stands apart. — Miguel Morales

D.Z.: This man used to be a chef in Chania and then seemed to think, as I did, that the world of restaurants is just not where it’s at. So he left and founded a little biodynamic farm. He has this plot of land that overlooks a verdant gorge, and he cooks everything on an open fire. You get snails, lamb stew, whatever is in season. It’s not complicated food; it’s never going to be in the Michelin Guide or on the “World’s 50 Best” list. But it’s the closest I’ve tasted to soul food.

T.M.: I love Crete. It’s a very beautiful place and it still has a certain authenticity about it. The roads sometimes dead-end, and when I was there, you needed at least three maps to figure out where you were. It’s a real physical landscape.

D.Z.: The island itself is one of the oldest continually inhabited civilizations in all of Europe. It has a crazy history, and just going there and eating this food, the way that he cooks it, it’s so honest.

6. Join the Faithful in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a Different Kind of White Christmas

There is no Santa Claus in Ethiopia, no halls decked with holly. Christmas, which in so much of the Western world is a commercialized affair, is an intensely spiritual day here, observed not with gifts but with community, incantation and candlelight. The majority of Ethiopians are Christian and most worship freely, despite a history of extremist attacks on churches across the country. The nation follows a solar calendar, and Christmas, known as Genna, is observed on Jan. 7. The holiday begins with fasting on Jan. 6, when, at dusk, devotees head into the streets. In bustling Addis Ababa, a hush falls as thousands of men, women and children, all dressed in white and many wrapped in the traditional cotton robes called netelas , file to church like slow-moving snowdrifts. Many will worship all night, traveling by foot, lit candles in hand, from one church to the next until the small hours of morning. Ethiopia is home to some of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Africa, all of which are filled to capacity on Christmas Eve. (Visitors are welcome to observe.) In the capital, these include the Medhane Alem Cathedral, with its turquoise domes and columnar facade, and the Holy Trinity Cathedral, with its grand murals, jewel-toned stained glass windows and granite tombs in which Emperor Haile Selassie and his consort are interred. Some of the world’s oldest known human fossils have been unearthed from Ethiopian sands. On Christmas Eve, a nation that continues to endure famine and ethnic violence pauses for a prayer of peace. As worshipers pass one another and declare, “ Melkam Genna! ” — “Merry Christmas” in Amharic — the streets all but vibrate. — D.K.

P.I.: I seem to be haunted by places of spiritual intensity, from Lhasa to inner Australia. But I’ve seldom found anywhere to rival the power and magnetism of Ethiopia. It is, by some accounts, the oldest Christian country in the world, and when you drive through it, you feel like you’re going through the biblical books of Kings. But it comes to its culmination on Christmas Eve, when it seems like everyone in the capital is dressed in white, gathering around what look like mangers while these burning-eyed, bearded priests are rocking back and forth with little Bibles that fit in the palms of their hands. I’m not a Christian, but you look around and feel you could be in Bethlehem at the time of the birth of Jesus and that so little has changed in the past 2,000 years. Part of the poignancy is that life tends to be very difficult in Ethiopia, [teetering] between political uncertainty and impoverishment. So there’s this real sense that the religion and the moment mean even more than they might in Madrid or Paris. Although I was there 28 years ago, I’ll never forget walking through the night from church to church, seeing these people with tears in their eyes, gathered in the darkness, holding their candles and singing.

7. Traverse the Blossoming Oases and Ancient Desert Towns of Morocco’s Draa Valley

In precolonial Morocco, the imposing grandeur of the Atlas Mountains marked the boundary between the bilad el-makhzen — land under the rule of the Alaouite sultan — and the bilad el-siba , or “region of anarchy.” Today, to drive the circuitous route through the Atlases and into the Draa Valley is to exist on that line: It’s a liminal place where verdant gardens and soaring minarets open onto the vast barrens of the Sahara. Departing from Marrakesh, head southeast to Ouarzazate, or “the door of the desert,” and then onto M’Hamid, whose Dar Paru hotel exemplifies Berber architecture, with its rammed-earth walls and geometric parapets. From there, follow the N9 and N12 roads to hew close to the Draa, a river that runs along the Algerian border, nourishing a landscape of riotous color: The mountains’ ochers, umbers and emeralds cede to rippling oases of blue palms, olive groves, fields of golden barley and sun-baked adobe casbahs. Once home to a bustling trade route, the region bears the marks of Morocco’s imbricated faiths and folkways. Fragrant date palms, first grown by Arabs who arrived in the seventh century, freckle stretches of arable land hemmed in by sand dunes. Towns such as Tissint draw their influences from the Berbers, who have lived in North Africa for more than 4,000 years. (“Tissint” is the Berber word for salt, another early commodity.) Further southeast, in Akka, more than 300 miles from Marrakesh, are the remains of a community of Jewish merchants and silversmiths who plied their trade in the area as early as the second century. Their homes — made of mud brick and stucco, with walls now jagged or altogether missing — stand as monuments to the Draa’s rich, syncretic past and to the enthralling boundlessness of its present. — Dan Piepenbring

A.T.: I’d been to Marrakesh; I’d been to Tangier. Morocco, for me, was a known commodity. Then I did this journey south a couple of years ago. This is an Arabic place, and yet there’s this very profound other culture that’s always under the surface. The most startling moment came when I arrived in a town where there was an old Jewish quarter of silversmiths and we went into a house that felt like it had been abandoned yesterday. It was just one of those moments where suddenly all of the pieces fall into place and you get a window into another vein of culture or civilization and how it interacted with this Arabized Muslim state of Morocco. I also have to say, landscape-wise, it’s the only place other than Yemen where you’re driving through and you have these discrete, scarified mountains on either side, and every now and then there’ll be, like, a flowering tree against the desert. It’s stunning stuff.

8. Come Face to Face With a Rare Marine Mammal Off the Coast of Southern Mozambique

Sea pig, sea cow, sea camel — the dugong’s epithets aren’t particularly evocative, but its serene presence is the highlight of any dive trip. The 200 or so animals that scientists estimate live in the protected waters of Bazaruto Archipelago National Park constitute the largest remaining dugong population on the East African coast. To experience them, you must fly into the nearest international airport, in the town of Vilankulo, and then organize a helicopter or dhow ride to one of the archipelago’s many resorts and lodges. There are numerous diving and snorkeling spots along Bazaruto’s famed Two-Mile Reef, which offers unusually clear visibility and a thriving coral population. Found in the shallow coastal waters of as many as 40 countries, the large and placid dugong (imagine a manatee with a wider, shorter snout) is intensely shy, and its population is considered “vulnerable,” according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Its hearing is sharp but its vision is poor; moving in slowly, silently and respectfully is key. Even so, only the luckiest Bazaruto divers will ever spot a dugong — often from a distance of several meters — drifting alone or in pairs. — A.C.

A.T.: When I’m obliged to write about the natural world, I get kind of nervous because I think, “Oh, am I going to feel something? Am I going to know how to translate that feeling in my writing?” By April [2022], I had become very scared of travel: the pandemic, the restrictions, the fear that you were going to be stuck somewhere and not allowed back. All of this was weighing on my mind, and I’d almost lost that sense of wonder, that willingness to leave home. And in this place, which is the basin of the Indian Ocean in that part of the world, the plane tilted and I saw the sand flats push through this ancient archipelago and I thought to myself, “Of course, this is why one leaves home!” I hadn’t scuba-dived in 15 years, and here I was with blacktip reef sharks and sea turtles swimming into the raking light with plankton. Dugongs are incredibly rare, but as we came up from this dive, we saw one. It was a kind of emotional state brought on by the pandemic — a fear of leaving home running smack into that total excitement to be out in the world again.

A.H.: Many other lists like this would probably include an African safari; it’s refreshing not to promote a more traditional safari experience.

T.M.: The African safari has a checkered history because it’s related to hunting animals. There’s a balance now between conservation and infringement, but how those animals are really protected or may not be … there’s a lot we don’t know. So I’m definitely sensitive about not recommending a safari as an experience.

THE MIDDLE EAST

9. discover paradise on earth in the secret courtyard gardens of yazd, iran.

The very concept of paradise was born in Iran around 550 B.C., when Cyrus the Great, in the days of the Achaemenid Empire, oversaw the construction of a spectacular walled oasis called Pasargadae — a place of symmetry, flowering trees and calming waters — setting an example of how man might bend nature in pursuit of ultimate beauty. So deep do the Iranian roots of nirvana run that even the English word “paradise” comes from paridaida , the Old Persian term for walled garden. For those wishing to commune with Eden today, there’s perhaps no better place than Yazd, a 1,600-year-old Iranian desert town that was once a critical stop on the Silk Road. Here, the garden hotels of the city, which today is home to 530,000 people, pay homage to the Iranian legacy of paradise with their hidden courtyards. From the lush Kohan and the majestic Moshir Al Mamalek to the family-run Dad Hotel, the accommodations range from humble to luxurious. For guests who step through the door and out into the enclosed garden, hushed earthly delights of fountains and flowers — soft calla lilies, tulips and desert roses — await. — D.K.

P.I.: In all my traveling life, Iran is definitely the richest, most sophisticated, most surprising place I’ve been. And it’s the one I’m always urging my friends in California to go to — partly because I worry, as with Cuba or with other Middle Eastern places, that we’re reducing them to one-dimensional stereotypes from afar. And I’m so keen for people to experience the human reality firsthand. Sometimes friends will ask me, “Is it safe to go?” Well, I’m sitting here near Los Angeles, which for most of the planet is a really scary place.

Before I went to Iran, I was told by people who had been there that you only have to worry about two things: Everywhere you go, you’re going to be swamped with more friendliness than you know what to do with, and everyone’s going to invite you to dinner. The only reason that didn’t always happen to me was that people took me for Iranian, so they weren’t as excited as if they’d seen a more visible foreigner.

A.T.: I loved Yazd. I have to say that I did run afoul of the authorities in Iran and was turfed out with 48 hours to leave and probably couldn’t go back, but I completely second what Pico said. Up until that point, I had been met with nothing but hospitality and friendship, and Yazd was one of the highlights of that trip.

10. Swim in a Desert Oasis in Oman

Many of Oman’s wadis, or desert valleys, dry up in the scorching summer months, but at Wadi Bani Khalid, wide pools of water glisten year-round. You drive through the desert and suddenly there it is: a cliché of a gleaming desert mirage. But this is no illusion. Above the pristine pools, date palms sway in the breeze, and the rocky white cliff sides of the Hajar Mountains reveal canyons and caves; if you hike into them, you can see shimmering waterfalls. Thousands of tiny garra fish flash beneath the surface of these pools, ready to nibble at the dead skin on your toes. Wadi Bani Khalid is a three-hour drive from Muscat, making it an ideal day trip, although there are lots of budget hotels and desert camps in the area. Many visitors stop first at the sandy outpost of Al Wasil for camel rides and an overnight stay in a Bedouin-style tent. From there, the mountain road winds through fishing villages until the vast expanse of Wadi Bani Khalid, with its nearly 12-mile stretch of water, appears on the horizon. Its natural beauty is as intact today as it was when Oman’s Bedouin tribes relied on it, and a visit here offers an instant connection to the region’s deep history. The Oman government has helped develop the site in recent years, too, bringing with it a paved parking lot, bridges and public restrooms. — D.K.

T.M.: I share Pico’s notions that people should travel to the Middle East. The geographical diversity is incredible, and Oman is a peaceful and stable place. It’s absolutely gorgeous, the air is clear, the food is great and the climate is wonderful. It’s so easy for people to go here, yet Dubai takes all the tourists.

P.I.: I’m so happy to see Oman on the list. I think of it as the Bhutan of the Middle East because it’s so tastefully developed and preserved.

11. Delve Into 6,000-Plus Years of History at Erbil Citadel in Iraq

The longest continuously inhabited settlement in the world, Erbil Citadel lies at the heart of the modern-day capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. To the north, the Zagros Mountains beckon. The Kurdistan Regional Government has been developing trails there to promote hiking across a range that rivals the Alps in size — an impressive backdrop for one of the cradles of civilization. The 6,000-year-old fort sits atop a tell, a 100-foot-high mound the size of 19 football fields made by generations of Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities that built on top of one another. Courtyard homes constructed with oven-fired brick, said to be inspired by the ring of tents nomads once formed around their cattle, nestle inside the citadel walls. Their plain facades conceal branching floor plans that gave privacy to the extended families who once lived there. Visit the citadel with a guide in the late afternoon, when its brick walls turn the color of amber, and then drop by the bustling Qaysari Bazaar, one of the oldest covered markets in the world. Dating to the Ottoman era, it houses stalls of jewelry, textiles, crafts and sweets. Erbil and its citadel have withstood waves of conquest by Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Achaemenids, Greeks, Parthians, Romans, Sassanids, Muslims, Timurids, Mongols and Ottomans. To repair and preserve the settlement, the High Commission for Erbil Citadel Revitalization was formed in 2007; the Kurdistan Regional Government has allocated more than $30 million to the undertaking. But just as the citadel was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, the rehab stalled temporarily owing to the rise of ISIS. Work has since resumed; the ancient tell remains open; and, despite centuries of conquest and long spells of neglect, the citadel stands: a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. — M.M.

T.M.: Kurds will say, “We have no friends but mountains.” This is one of the world’s largest stateless populaces and it’s constantly in danger, sandwiched between Turkey and Iran. The citadel is still going through reconstruction. I wouldn’t say it’s beautiful, but it gives you a real sense of place and what it’s like to live in a region that has had to defend against ISIS attacks. It’s not a safe choice, but Kurdistan is a strong and resilient community that has survived ongoing and periodic attacks. There are prominent politically progressive women in the government and there are many untouched archaeological sites.

12. Marvel at the Threatened Mud-Brick Skyscrapers of Yemen

In an ancient Semitic world as yet undivided by modern faiths, long before the rise of Christianity or Islam, the cities of what we now call Yemen emerged from the desert as their inhabitants made their fortunes on frankincense and myrrh. As trade between southern Arabia and the Mediterranean flourished, beginning around the third century B.C., these new urban centers sprouted along the so-called Incense Route , their occupants developing, over time, ingenious systems of irrigation and urban planning that are as remarkable today as they were a thousand years ago. In the 2,500-year-old historic center of Sana’a, the capital of modern Yemen, residents adorned the ocher walls of their multistory homes with garlands of gypsum plaster, while in the town of Shibam, which emerged in its current form in the 16th century, rammed-earth towers rose as high as seven stories from a cliff’s edge overlooking the Wadi Hadhramaut, a vertiginous landscape that blurs the boundary between the natural and the man-made. For decades now, these ancient settlements and the people who reside within them have suffered crisis upon crisis — floods and famines and a years-long civil war that, since its beginning in 2014, has precipitated mass starvation, even as historic neighborhoods are shredded by U.S.-backed Saudi bombings. Among the most extraordinary human settlements on earth, the tower cities of Yemen — and, more important, the communities that have for millenniums called them home — are in grave danger of disappearing for good. — M.S.

A.T.: Singularly, without a doubt, this was the most incredible trip I’ve done in my life. This is a rare, stuck-in-the-past kind of country: Like pre-Islamic Arabia, it felt Semitic in the deepest sense. Yemen, for me, was that one place where there was no creeping globalization; it was unbelievably pure. There were some dangers then, too, but not like there are now. I hesitate to recommend it because of the safety situation.

P.I.: I was thrilled to see it on the list. And if we have to single out one element in Yemen, those skyscrapers would be the place to start: Anyone who’s seen them is never going to forget them. I think we shouldn’t worry about safety. It is one of the great countries on Earth and, as Aatish was saying, not like anywhere else.

V.S.: Yes, I agree. We should keep it. Just Aatish’s description — I’m ready to go.

13. Follow the Silk Road Through the Caravan Cities of Uzbekistan

Step back in time with a visit to three of the most important stops on the Silk Road, each city a distinctive meld of Greek, Turkish, Mongol, Muslim and Russian cultures. In the tiled expanse of the Registan, ancient Samarkand’s public square framed by three madrasas (Islamic schools), stand transfixed beneath the grand portals, patterned minarets and ornate cupolas. A little down the road to the west lies Gur-e-Amir, the resting place of the Turco-Mongol conqueror Tamerlane. Resplendent with intricate tile work and crowned by a heavenly blue dome, the mausoleum inspired the Mughal master craftspeople of the Taj Mahal. A leisurely walk northeast, past new developments and century-old buildings, calls for a stopover at Siyob Bazaar, where you can wander the food stalls selling pomegranates, dates, halvah, naan and more. A few hundred paces away is Bibi-Khanym: One of the largest mosques built in the 15th century, the structure was restored to much of its former glory in the latter half of the 20th, its grand azure dome and four minarets suspended against the backdrop of the iwan. There are no direct flights from Samarkand to Bukhara, so take the scenic route by train, past rippling red sands, the oases that punctuate the bleached-out plains of the Kyzylkum Desert and Poi-Kalyan, the sprawling mosque complex, where the baked brick of minaret, madrasa and mosque glow pink at sunset. And though all three cities have centuries-old caravansaries — the famed inns where Silk Road merchants stayed — Ichan-Kala, a remnant of the ancient Khiva oasis, checkered with medieval Islamic buildings, appears completely untouched by time. Countless others have walked these walls before, and now you have joined your steps to theirs, grounded together in the richness of the past. — M.M.

A.T.: I mean, unparalleled, the most wonderful Silk Road trip you can do. Stunning monuments, red desert, old Persianate culture mixing with the culture of the steppe and then, obviously, the Soviet empire. I would recommend it very highly.

14. Tour the Lofty Potala Palace in Lhasa, a Sacred Repository of Tibetan Artifacts

Rising out of a cliff face more than 12,000 feet above sea level, Tibet’s Potala Palace feels like a lavish retreat, a religious sanctuary and an impregnable fortress all in one. The climb to the top of the 13-story building is breathtaking in every sense of the word; make sure you’ve acclimated to the altitude before you attempt it. And the palace’s sloped red-and-white facade — repainted annually with a mixture of honey, milk, brown sugar and saffron — is as inviting as it is magisterial. (Frank Lloyd Wright found it so inspiring that he kept a photo of it in his drafting room.) Completed in 1649, the palace’s two divisions, one red and one white, together comprise at least one thousand rooms that encapsulate the vibrant multiplicity of Tibetan history. Guided tours, lit by traditional butter lamps, take you through rooms crowded with hundreds of murals, works of porcelain and jade, intricate carpets and Buddhist scriptures; the world’s longest scroll of Tibetan calligraphy, measuring 676 feet in length, has been housed here since 2014. Also on display are astonishing gilded stupas — wooden towers of concentric rings inlaid with jewels, each crowned with a sun and moon — containing the remains of eight Dalai Lamas. The Potala is a tribute to Buddhism and an embattled people; located on a mountaintop in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, or “place of gods,” it has survived numerous attempts at looting and destruction since Tibet was annexed by China in 1950. Its resilience is reason enough to go. — D.P.

P.I.: Tibet is a really important place for people to visit culturally and politically because it’s so imperiled. Ladakh is more beautiful and Bhutan is more protected. But Tibet, the center of this rich culture and religion, is being destroyed very quickly, and anyone who goes there suddenly feels deeply invested in its protection.

15. Explore the Architectural Syncretism in South India’s Deccan Plateau

The vast highlands stretching between the eastern and western coastal ranges of the peninsular subcontinent have seen the rise and fall of countless kingdoms, each of which has left behind architectural remains as proof of its former glory. Nowhere is that immense cultural wealth more evident than in the temple towns and former imperial capitals of northern Karnataka, near the Deccan Plateau’s semi-arid heart. Beginning in the sixth century, the Eastern Chalukya dynasty, a vast and culturally diverse empire, turned its successive capitals in the now-sleepy villages of Aihole and Badami and the ceremonial center of Pattadakal into hubs for experimentation in religious architecture, assembling free-standing temples from elaborately carved stone that drew influence from both North and South India and excavating and erecting sites of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist devotion. In the 14th century, the Muslim Bahmani kings introduced Persianate domes and crenellated walls at the fortress capital of Bidar, while in Bijapur, roughly six hours southwest, the skyline bristles with minarets and domes left behind by the Adil Shahi sultans, who ruled there in the 16th and 17th centuries. Farther south, the subcontinent’s last great Hindu empire blossomed in the city of Vijayanagar, built over the course of 200 years, then abandoned in 1565 after its defeat by the sultanates of the northern Deccan. Now known as Hampi, that great city marks the pinnacle of Dravidian architecture, with its soaring temple towers and colonnades. Taken together, these cities and towns, clustered in the northern districts of Karnataka state, represent a practically endless trove of architectural treasures at least as rich as the Mughal mosques and Rajput temples of North India’s well-trodden tourist circuit. More important, they speak to the long tradition of syncretism that has always defined India, a tradition that contemporary politics increasingly — and tragically — aims to erase. — M.S.

A.T.: I went to school in South India, and the Deccan is very far from the world of the Taj Mahal and North Indian Islamic architecture. It was this unbelievable trail with beautiful temples in Aihole and Badami. Then you come to Hampi, which was once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, and it’s a site like Angkor Wat: absolutely stunning. Then you carry on to Bidar and Bijapur [Vijayapura] and you see mosques — it’s one of the most interesting, beautiful meeting points of Islam and Hinduism, but in the south of India as opposed to the north.

P.I.: I’ve been to India quite a few times and I’ve never heard about those wonders. It’s a fresh, eye-opening suggestion.

16. Hike Japan’s Lore-Steeped Kumano Kodo Trail

South of the ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara, Japan’s Kii Peninsula offers dramatic ocean vistas and dense old-growth cedar forests. Its flickering shadows, creeping mosses and shrouds of ethereal mist have enraptured pilgrims and seekers since antiquity, and the region’s awe-inspiring tranquillity has come to embody the long commingling of Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Every year, as many as 15 million people hike the Kumano Kodo, a network of trails more than a thousand years old and totaling more than 600 miles, whose cobblestone stairs and long wooden footbridges lead to three grand shrines: the Kumano Hongu Taisha, the Kumano Nachi Taisha and the Kumano Hayatama Taisha, all prized for their ability to heal and purify. (That last one is said to date to A.D. 128, when it was built for gods who’d descended to Earth.) Comprising seven routes around the peninsula or through the heart of the Kii Mountains, the Kumano Kodo is so sprawling that no two journeys will ever be alike, though all are formidable; its Kohechi trail, a four-day, 43-mile hike over three mountain passes, includes vertiginous ascents of more than 3,200 feet and is renowned for its difficulty. Those who make the strenuous climb will find weathered milestones, natural hot springs and a hand-operated cable car suspended over a riverbank. Visitors can seek shelter for the night at designated campsites or at minshuku, guesthouses scattered along the route. Further on, at the Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine, a stately three-tiered pagoda overlooks the 436-foot Nachi no Taki, Japan’s tallest single-drop waterfall, long considered a sacred entity, which has enveloped generations of travelers in its awesome roar. — D.P.

T.M.: I like the idea of Shinto mountain worship: It’s a challenging but incredibly cleansing experience — like the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.

D.Z.: I know two people who’ve done it, both after their fathers died. They said it was transformative.

T.M.: It’s arduous, and that makes it a strange spiritual experience unlike anything else.

17. Spend the Day in the Womblike Emptiness of the Teshima Art Museum in Japan

Before the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of travelers visited the art islands of Japan, a collection of some 20 former fishing and industry isles turned art havens scattered across the Seto Inland Sea, just over an hourlong flight from Tokyo. They made the trek via a combination of train, ferry, car, bus and bicycle, some with visions of Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin” (1994), a polka-dot yellow fiberglass pumpkin positioned at the end of a pier, in their heads. That sculpture was responsible for much of the foot traffic at the Benesse Art Site on Naoshima, a small island with several museums designed by Tadao Ando, until it was swept out to sea during a typhoon in 2021. (The work was eventually recovered, restored and, last month, put back on display.) As Japan slowly reopens, the Art Islands continue to attract pilgrims. Inujima, Shodoshima and Megijima host installations and art fairs in once-abandoned buildings, but it’s Teshima Island, home of the Teshima Art Museum, that travelers most need to experience. Designed by the Tokyo-based architect Ryue Nishizawa, the museum’s low-lying concrete shell is a feat of engineering and a work of art in itself. Inspired by the bulbous curve of a water droplet resting on a sheet of glass, it appears to emerge organically from a forested hillside overlooking the sea. Inside, two open-air oculi frame shifting scenes of water, sky and sunlight alongside the museum’s single permanent installation, 2010’s “Bokei” (Matrix), by the Hiroshima-based artist Rei Naito. The contemplative work features beads of water that emerge from, pool atop and are reabsorbed into pinholes perforating the floor. To enjoy a few hours in its engulfing silence, watching the light change with each passing hour, is to surrender to time itself. — A.K.

P.I.: I’ve been really impressed by the art project around Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea and how it has developed over the past 30 years. Though I would recommend the entire Naoshima project, the most piercing place is Teshima. You take a bus across a quiet island, end up on a hill and step into this vast empty space, which is the museum. There’s nothing there except two openings in the roof and drops of water being made to emerge from the ground. And somehow it’s transfixing — like a James Turrell Skyspace doubled and taken in an almost feminine direction. So many people, from billionaires to meditation teachers, have told me this is the single most moving place they have ever been.

THE AMERICAS

18. take the ultimate road trip: drive the pan-american highway from argentina to alaska.

Roughly tracing the path that early man followed after crossing the land bridge over the Bering Strait, the Pan-American Highway runs at least 19,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to Ushuaia at the edge of Tierra del Fuego, a subantarctic territory split between Chile and Argentina. Crossing 14 countries and interrupted only by the ecologically fragile forests of the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia, the highway — really a collection of interconnected freeways splintered across various routes — traverses the tundra of western Canada and the peaks of the Rockies, the deserts of northern Mexico and the pampas of Patagonia. Options for detours along the way are almost endless. You might weave through the national parks of the American West. In Mexico, depending on which route you take, you might feast on roasted goat in Monterrey or raw seafood in coastal Mazatlán. You could wander colonial cities like Antigua, Guatemala, or Granada, Nicaragua, and bird-watch in the rainforests of Costa Rica. In the valleys between Colombia’s triplicate Cordilleras, you could sip coffee among green hills in the department of Quindío and salsa dance in the lowland city of Cali. Following the Andes south, you’ll gaze upon the gilded extravagance of Ecuador’s whitewashed capital, Quito, or hike in the highland planes below the snow-dusted dome of Cotopaxi, that country’s highest active volcano. You could deviate from the main road to lose yourself in the endless white expanse of Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, then follow the spine of South America through regions of Argentina and Chile punctuated by vineyards and lakes. To drive the Pan-American Highway is to glimpse the immensity of the Americas and the unthinkable marvels of a world both ancient and irrepressibly new. — M.S.

V.S.: You’re driving through at least 14 countries including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. There’s surfing, jungles, swimming, birding, colonial towns, the history, the culture, glaciers, caves, blue lakes, beaches, hot springs in Mexico — it gives you everything.

19. Behold the Natural Wonders of Chile’s Atacama Desert

Ranging from the Pacific Coast to the Andean Altiplano and locked in the rain shadow of the world’s longest mountain range, the Atacama Desert, located mostly within northern Chile, is among the most alien landscapes on the planet. Pink flamingos gather at the edges of salt lakes the color of lapis or topaz or garnet. Perfectly conical volcanoes loom over salt flats and desolate plains where guanacos, elegantly proportioned cousins of llamas, and viscachas, which resemble long-tailed rabbits, drift through prickly wisps of ground-hugging vegetation. Jets of steam slip through the arid turf in some of the highest geyser fields, and rocky hills drop into the frigid blue waters of the Pacific. Uncontaminated by light or clouds or moisture, the night sky explodes with stars, recorded and studied by some of the most advanced telescopes on Earth. Covering a swath of 70,000 square miles and contiguous with similar biomes in neighboring corners of Argentina, Peru and Bolivia, the Atacama is so extreme in its atmospheric conditions that NASA used it as a test site for its Mars rovers in 2017. Until civilian space travel becomes a reality, the Atacama, with its spectral beauty, will remain perhaps the closest one can get to an extraplanetary experience. — M.S.

V.S.: The Atacama is the driest nonpolar desert on Earth. And I love extremes, obviously. I felt that this would offer a remote and diverse experience with lunar landscapes, salt pools comparable to the Dead Sea, sand dunes, rock formations, hiking and incredible stargazing.

T.M.: You can have an amazing time looking at stars, and it’s incredibly dry, so the atmosphere is very different. A truly visceral experience.

20. Feast on the Cuisines of Oaxaca City, Mexico

The state of Oaxaca has long been a focal point of Mexican culinary identity. But in the past few years, the namesake capital’s limestone buildings and dazzling evening light have attracted unprecedented numbers of visitors, upending the equilibrium between its Indigenous identity and the constant demands of tourists for elegant restaurants and luxury hotels. Yet growing awareness of Oaxaca’s cultural wealth and diversity has also made it possible for chefs with local roots to open revelatory new businesses in spaces as simple as they are unforgettable. At Levadura de Olla, for instance, the chef Thalía Barrios García prepares food straight out of the remote hill country south of the city where she grew up. Bowls of black beans fragrant with wood smoke or, in season, tacos made with the brilliant crimson flowers of the pipe tree are the closest thing to country cooking you’re likely to find in any major city. Outside the center, the chef Jorge León has turned the tranquil garden of his family home into a restaurant called Alfonsina, where he serves an ambitious, adventurous tasting menu that draws on his experience as a cook at Pujol, the high-concept gastronomic temple in Mexico City, while his mother and aunts turn out a parallel menu of traditional dishes like a meticulously prepared hoja santa-scented mole amarillo. Every corner of this wondrous city and its surrounding countryside contains its own culinary jewels — from market stalls selling steamed tamales swaddled in banana leaves and crisp corn tlayudas folded like envelopes around sheets of chile-rubbed beef, to relaxed mezcalerías and market halls redolent of barbacoa cooked overnight in underground pits. The newer restaurants aim neither to replicate nor supplant these spaces but, rather, to honor them and, in their down-to-earth manner, expand their reach. — M.S.

A.T.: A lot of food scenes can be quite fussy. What was moving to me here were restaurants like Levadura de Olla, with a woman who’s come from the hills of Oaxaca to bring the cuisine of her home to this restaurant. Besides the food being wonderful, it seemed like a real break from the sort of fine dining you find elsewhere.

21. Dance Until You Drop at Carnival in Cuba

Cuba’s massive Carnival celebrations have been held in some form or another since the 17th century. As a series of winter events tied to the Catholic Church’s calendar, Carnival was largely reserved for Cubans of mostly Spanish ancestry, while its summer counterpart, the Mamarrachos, allowed laborers and the lower classes (mostly enslaved Africans and their descendants) a period of riotous release after the sugar cane harvest. Many other Carnivals across the Caribbean are still observed in February, before Lent, but Cuba’s Carnival has evolved into an exuberant summer event that is celebrated across the country. The most famous parties, held in Havana in August and in Santiago de Cuba at the end of July, have preserved the vibrant spirit and Afro-Caribbean influences of the original Mamarrachos. Spangled and feathered groups of dancers called comparsas perform in the streets between giant effigies of religious figures and celebrities, decorated floats and conga performers. The mainstreaming of festivals that originated from marginalized communities hasn’t been entirely seamless, with periodic attempts by conservative Cubans to sanitize them, but the omnipresent rhythm of the Carnival drums is a permanent reminder of their roots in resilience, triumph and pure joy. — A.C.

P.I.: Cuba is one of the most powerful places I’ve been and Carnival is a wild concentration of its energy, music and spirit.

A.T.: That’s a great way to do Cuba — because it’s atmospheric. Going there is one of those experiences that, 20 years on, I can’t stop thinking about.

22. Take In the Magnificent Scale and Immutable Geology of the Colorado Plateau

The high desert of the Colorado Plateau covers 150,000 square miles, stretching across the Four Corners region in an arid, empyrean expanse including not only its namesake state but parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, as well as the whole of the Navajo Nation. From its massive sedimentary rocks rise gnarled, sweeping geological marvels that seem to defy gravity and dwarf the human concept of space: Here are the mesas, petrified forests, monoliths, pinnacles and hoodoos that define the rugged archetype of the American West. The Ancestral Pueblo people, who lived on the plateau until around A.D. 1300, left ruins in the form of kivas — circular subterranean chambers often used for ceremonies — adobe pueblos and intricate dwellings built into the sides of cliffs. These are enshrined among the plateau’s eight national parks and 18 national monuments, which together constitute some of the greatest, most diverse terrain in the United States. In addition to the Grand Canyon, there’s Bears Ears, a pair of burnt-sienna buttes revered by Indigenous groups; and Grand Staircase-Escalante, an imbricated series of ascending rock layers punctuated with canyons and cliffs. The plateau, in its vastness, offers many opportunities for hiking, cycling, rafting and birding, but the best way to experience it is to camp there, watching as its endless horizons become a vault of stars. — D.P.

V.S.: This area of the country is physically magnificent and encompasses so much of what I find engaging in the West: the Kodachrome red rock formations; the sweeping views; the canyons, mountains, valleys, deserts; the 600-million-year-old geologic history of the plateau and the culturally significant sites of Ancestral Puebloans, reminding us of what was here before. It’s an awe-inspiring trip that will remind you of our fleeting time here while you experience the grandeur where past and present converge.

23. Witness a Solar Eclipse in a Sleepy Fishing Village in Newfoundland, Canada

The next total solar eclipse in North America will occur on April 8, 2024. Among the many scenic vantage points on its path of totality is Bonavista, a town of some 3,000 people on a bucolic peninsula in Newfoundland. There are plenty of remote places here from which to take in the atavistic spectacle: a sublime, disquieting experience, full of renewal and destruction, that shatters one’s sense of magnitude. When you’re not watching the moon engulf the sun in a rite of astronomical passage, you can enjoy more earthly pleasures at the Bonavista lighthouse, which looks out onto a seascape of unsurpassed beauty, featuring calving icebergs, breaching humpback whales and ambling colonies of puffins. Nearby are the Dungeon, a collapsed sea cave warped by erosion into a natural archway, and the Ryan Premises, a set of white clapboard buildings from the 19th century, striking in their simplicity, and once the locus of the town’s thriving cod-fishing industry. (Their slogan: “Where cod is culture.”) Bonavista takes its name from the Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto, often Anglicized as John Cabot, who is said to have exclaimed, “O buona vista!” upon glimpsing its shores in 1497. A full-scale replica of Cabot’s ship, the Matthew , floats in a harbor near the village center, where visitors can rent kayaks for whale-watching excursions. — D.P.

D.Z.: The one experience where I’m like, “I will die on this hill for this,” is to observe the next [full] solar eclipse in North America from the path of totality. I’ve never had the chance to [do this] myself, but I will be traveling to Toronto with my son — he’ll be two then — and I want to “ Lion King”-style raise him into the eye of the moon when this happens. It’s something our ancestors have built entire mythologies around: a way of keeping track of celestial bodies and realizing there were powerful forces far beyond our own imagination. With the association eclipses have historically carried with the end of the world, it’d be fitting to witness it from what’s colloquially known as the end of the world: Newfoundland. The province [Newfoundland and Labrador] doesn’t get a lot of credit, but it has some of the most beautiful coastal wild nature in North America. April is also iceberg season, which will only compound the viewing experience.

24. Labor on an Organic Farm in New Zealand

Travel can be alienating, expensive and bad for the environment. WWOOF , or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, was started in England in 1971 by Susan Coppard as “a way of getting back into the countryside.” The first weekend she spent on a biodynamic farm spawned a global movement with a simple premise: Volunteers lend a hand on organic farms in exchange for food, lodging and an introduction to agriculture. WWOOFing in New Zealand, particularly in Northland, the milder, less-urbanized agrarian hub that spans much of the North Auckland Peninsula and is renowned for its white-sand beaches and giant Kauri forests, pairs this enterprise with a fairy-tale atmosphere. More than 100 farms here accept volunteer workers throughout the year, letting you experience nature and tend to it at the same time, living alongside New Zealanders, learning firsthand about their way of life and finding a way to give back to the picturesque landscape. Farm life often requires rising with the sun, but chores, whether pulling redroot weeds or tending sheep, usually conclude by lunch. Afterward, grander adventures can be had as well: backpacking Northland’s Great Walks, where you can rove through remote subtropical forests, or canoeing down the Whanganui River. But the most rewarding and memorable aspect of the trip comes from forging a bond with the earth and the resilient people who work it. — M.M.

D.Z.: Working on a farm is something everyone alive should do so that they understand where food comes from. WWOOFing is a great way to do that.

A.H.: It’s interesting in that it touches upon a recent trend toward voluntourism but in a less expected way.

T.M.: I have a miniature farm, but it takes all seasons and years to really understand a cycle. It depends on when you go, but you might see the planting, you might see harvesting; you might only get to do weeding.

D.Z.: It’s not a hotel; you can’t come and go as you please. But I don’t think the fact that you don’t get to completely embed yourself in agriculture over the course of multiple years or seasons negates the importance of learning what it’s like to farm.

A.H.: Why New Zealand specifically, David?

DZ: New Zealand, which is absolutely otherworldly for its natural landscape, is also an island nation that is super self-reliant thanks to the work of its farmers. If you chose to, say, help locals regenerate their surroundings by planting food forests, harvesting fruits in an organic orchard or rewilding land to create more habitat for native and endangered species, you would also get to reap the benefits of spending your off hours exploring Middle-earth, finding yourself a short drive from amazing landscapes like Spirits Bay [Piwhane] at the very tip of the North Island or the Te Paki sand dunes. Plus, I mean, who wouldn’t want to see a Kiwi bird in real life, crossing your path as you work in the field?

25. Float in a Zodiac to the Edge of Human Experience

The only continent with no permanent residents, Antarctica is synonymous with isolation. A two-day cruise through the notoriously rough Drake Passage (or a two-hour flight over it) from the tip of either Argentina or Chile brings you to the planet’s southernmost landmass. Once you’re there, the sights are simultaneously imposing and palpably ephemeral; the grandeur of miles-high glaciers in an exquisite spectrum of blues and greens is only heightened by the fragility of the climate that supports them. Antarctic sea ice is melting less quickly than that of the North Pole, but the vulnerability of the frozen sheet that contains more than half of the Earth’s freshwater supply has never been more difficult to ignore. Earlier this year, Antarctic ice was measured as at a record low (though it fluctuates from year to year, in contrast to Arctic ice, which has been consistently shrinking for decades). If the world’s governments fail to limit warming in the coming years to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, as seems increasingly likely, ice sheet collapses in the Antarctic could cause a catastrophic rise in sea levels over the next several centuries. Still, Antarctica’s sublime beauty persists. In addition to its penguin colonies, best encountered from November till January, the whale watching is revelatory. Go in February or March, when receding ice allows the dozen or so passengers in the inflatable Zodiac rafts of expedition cruises to get up-close views of blue whales, orcas, humpback whales and other cetaceans. Travel to Antarctica remains heavily regulated: Unguided landings are forbidden, and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1991, instituted “leave no trace” guidelines designed to limit the human impact of tourism and scientific exploration alike. Before you go, do some research to identify the most sustainable way to explore . — A.C.

P.I.: I’m not very sensitive to nature, but this was beyond anything I’ve imagined or experienced, even in nearby Patagonia. It awakens you to the environmental concerns of the world, which are probably paramount in most travelers’ minds these days; being exposed to such majesty and beauty and also to the underlying frailty, you go home with important questions for your conscience as well as radiant memories.

At top: Footage of the World/Getty Images, Nick Ballon, Andrew Rowat, Iwan Baan, M’Hammed Kilito, Fernando Maquieira, Michael Turek (3), Nick Bondarev, Salvatore Di Gregorio, @SteMajourneys (2), Sjo/Getty Images, Luca Donninelli, Felix Odell, Stefan Ruiz (2), Grant Harder (2), Minasse Wondimu Hailu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images, James Thompson, Kelly Cheng/Getty Images

Research Editors: Mario Mercado and Alexis Sottile

Copy Editors: Diego Hadis, James Camp and Polly Watson

Photo Editor: Katie Dunn

Ashlea Halpern is a Contributing Editor for T Magazine.

An earlier version of this article rendered incorrectly the name of a city in Cuba; it is Santiago de Cuba, not Santiago del Cuba.

An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of a city in the Achaemenid Empire; it was Pasargadae, not Parsargadae.

How we handle corrections

12 Best Apps & Websites for Booking Travel Online

by Elizabeth Gorga - Last updated on January 8, 2022

• Travel Apps

If there’s anything better than traveling, it’s the build up. Daydreaming of the perfect destination, scrolling through unique places to stay, and browsing travel guides for the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants and local must-sees are all opportunities to start wanderlusting before you’ve even packed your bags.

Be honest—how many Airbnb Stays do you have bookmarked?

True, it can be overwhelming to map out the nitty gritty flights, connections, accommodation, and pit stops when there are endless options available, but having something exciting to look forward to is one of the keys to happiness after all.

Lucky for you, there are countless apps and websites to help you with booking travel online, so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed when planning the travel adventure of your dreams.

Whether you’re an Apple or Android fan, you’ll have the time of your life in the lead up to your trip with the best travel booking apps and trip planners around!

What to look for in the best travel booking apps

You’re scrolling the app store wondering, what is the best trip planner app? There are hundreds of apps out there—how do you choose? The struggle is real. The truth is, many of them will be more useless than helpful. So how do you weed out the junk that’s clogging up your phone?

The best travel booking apps have these essential features.

1. They’re available offline.

If you’re traveling overseas, there’s no guarantee that you’ll have easy access to WiFi. Unless you have an international phone plan, a local SIM card, or don’t mind roaming charges, limited WiFi can be a killer if you want to access your travel apps in-country. The best travel booking apps have an offline version, so you can access them anywhere, anytime.

2. They include a booking service.

If you’re looking for the best travel booking app, it will definitely have a booking service included. Whether you’re looking for accommodation options or are wanting to book tickets and tours, the ability to book from the app makes everything easier. Let’s call it your one-stop-shop.

3. They have reviews.

The best way to find authentic experiences is to look for recommendations from other people, whether they’re locals or tourists who have stumbled upon hidden gems. Reviews can really make or break your travel plans. The best travel booking apps will definitely have you covered with experienced travelers’ tips and recommendations.

4. They have a translation function.

When you’re traveling between countries, it can be helpful to have a translation function on your travel apps, so you don’t have to switch between apps to get what you’re looking for. With a translation option, you can move about without language barriers, making travel easy even if you don’t speak the native tongue.

5. They have social media integration.

As simple as it sounds, the time it takes to sign up and register for a new app can be a deciding factor for many. In a world where we want information at our fingertips, it can be a turn off when it takes too much time to create a profile before you can use an app.

The best travel booking apps allow you to link your social media accounts—not only for easy access, but so you can share the highlights of your trip directly to your social accounts!

6. They have a travel planner feature.

We want more than just a place to book a bed for the night. We want an app to help us organize our itineraries, bookmark our favorite travel destinations, create schedules, and make travel easy. If you’re wondering what the best trip planner app is, you’ll know you’ve found it when you can plan your travel all in one place.

READ MORE: How to Plan a Trip When You’re Short on Time—And Cash

What is the best trip planner app 6 top contenders.

Searching for the best travel booking apps around? Here are the top apps to download before your next big trip.

1. LikeALocal

• Why it’s the best: If you’re into hole-in-the-wall restaurants and hidden spots that only the most seasoned travelers frequent, LikeALocal is the best travel booking app for you. With guides, tips, and tricks, all the content is created by true locals who have lived in the destination for years.
• The app allows you to browse destination guides, book tours, and even connect with residents through their Q&A feature—and it’s all available 100% offline.

• Why it’s the best: There’s no better way to settle into a new destination than staying in a local’s home. Airbnb is rising as one of the best travel booking apps for accommodation, offering an excellent in-between for hostels and hotels.
• Whether you want to book individual rooms or entire houses from local residents, there are options to suit most budgets. Through the app, you can easily communicate with your host, making it easy to check-in, out, and get the best tips on local hot spots.
• Available for iOS and Android.

3. HotelTonight

• Why it’s the best: While some travelers plan out every detail before leaving home, others live for spontaneity. Luckily, there’s an app for that, too. HotelTonight helps you find last-minute deals on nearby hotels, making it perfect for spur of the moment holidays or road trips with unplanned stops along the way.
• It’s easy to use, with filter options to help you find the right place to suit your needs, and booking a room for the night is just one click away.

• Why it’s the best: Are you a travel junkie? Love multi-destination travel? If you answered ‘ yes’ and you’re still wondering what the best trip planner app is, look no further than TripIt. All you have to do is forward your travel confirmation details to [email protected], and the app creates a master document for all of your travels so you can stay organized!
• You can access it any time, WiFi or dead zone. Upgrade to their paid version to receive real-time flight alerts, a currency converter, socket requirements for your destination, tipping advice, alternative routes for canceled flights, and even track your reward points.

5. Skyscanner

• Why it’s the best: If you’re looking for flights, Skyscanner is where it’s at! The app gives you access to flights from over 1,200 different sources so you can find the best options out there, whether you’re looking for the cheapest options, the fastest routes, or the most affordable days to fly.
• If you’re in the daydreaming stages and open to new possibilities, Skyscanner also has an “anywhere” option to help you find affordable flights you never knew were possible. You can even set up alerts for price dips to find the best airfare rates around.
• Available for IOS.

6. PackPoint

• Why it’s the best: For some travelers, packing can be the biggest headache when preparing for a trip. PackPoint will keep you organized and do the hard work for you. The app creates a custom packing list based on your gender, travel destination, dates and duration of travel, and the type of trip you’re planning. It even checks the weather for you!
• You can add or remove items to make it more personal and check them off as you go, making the packing experience quick and easy.

6 best travel booking websites

Prefer to sit down in front of a computer to do some brainstorming for your next trip? Then you’re probably wondering what the best travel booking website is. Here’s a round-up of the best places for booking travel online.

1. Tripadvisor

No trip is complete without a visit to Tripadvisor. Whether you’re looking for tours, hotels, transportation, restaurants, or just a little travel inspo, Tripadvisor is one of the best websites for browsing and booking travel online.

You can read reviews, save your favorites, get organized using the map features, and book travel all in one place. This site is a must when planning your next trip.

2. Intrepid

Adventure junkies love Intrepid. With small group tours to more than 100 countries, Intrepid is one of the top tour companies for solo travelers who want an adrenaline rush and connection to like-minded people. While most tours attract young travelers under 30, there is no age limit for tours through Intrepid.

Search for unique, niche experiences, from cycling the Middle East to trekking the world’s tallest mountains. With great deals all year round, you can score discounts of up to 50% and reserve your next tour for as low as $1.

3. Hostelworld

Who doesn’t love a good hostel? Backpackers on a budget can find some of the most affordable accommodation options through Hostelworld. Search for your destination, filter by price range or ratings, and find accommodation descriptions, reviews, and booking policies for hostels in over 170 countries worldwide.

The full-screen interactive map makes it easy to see if the hostel is near where you want to be—whether that’s down the street from night clubs or nature.

4. Couchsurfing

If you want a truly unique travel experience at the absolute lowest cost, why not try couch surfing? Through Couchsurfing, you can connect to locals and stay in their homes for free, saving you money and giving you access to true local experiences.

If you don’t feel comfortable staying in someone’s home, Couchsurfing also has a Hangouts feature for you to use to meet and socialize with other travelers—perfect for solo travelers!

If you’re booking travel online, Momondo is worth a browse. This flight search engine is unique to other sites, showing prices of smaller airlines and travel companies that are often overlooked by other popular search engines.

With Momondo, you can find the best times to fly using their monthly matrix, featuring the best prices and routes, no matter where you want to go. Check out the flight insights page for trends and analytics, which will give you insight into how far in advance you need to book your flights to save the most money.

6. GoAbroad

Last, but certainly not least on the list of best sites for booking travel online, is the one and only GoAbroad (that’s us!). Find your perfect program for meaningful travel abroad, with over 15,000 programs, destinations worldwide, scholarships, and insider tips.

If you want to travel abroad with purpose, GoAbroad can undoubtedly help you discover the program to help you smash your goals and make your wildest dreams come true! You can browse our Travel Resource Hub right now to get a jump start on your travel planning.

Booking travel online is fast and easy!

If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, there’s really no excuse not to start planning your next getaway. Check out the best travel booking apps and websites to stay organized, score great deals, and quench your wanderlust. Booking travel online has never been easier! You’re just a click away from your next big adventure abroad.

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What is Booking Experiences and How to Make the Most of It

Table of Content

What is booking experiences, booking.com relies on actionable insights to develop their experiences platform, should you list your offers on booking experiences, booking experiences commission fees, wrapping up.

The experience economy, as well as the shift to buying experiences over things, has been studied since the 90s. It is also well understood  that travel is the ultimate experience which is why experiential travel marketing and branding is currently one of the top tourism trends .

Indeed, planning a trip is not just about finding the best accommodation: It is about finding and having the best experience. What does that mean?

Simply put, users want to quickly and easily find the best things to do in the destinations they are traveling to. Booking.com studied that desire and behavior, understood it, and then delivered it in the form of Booking.com Experiences.

Booking.com Experiences was initially developed to complement Booking.com’s main offering: accommodation. Its addition to the Booking.com products and services suite means that travelers can now book their entire trip in one place: from accommodation to walking tours and museum visits .

Let’s go deeper to see what Booking.com Experiences is all about and how you can get in on the action.

Tours and activities are usually found via hotel front desks or directly from tour and activity providers. However, the mobile generation, mostly millennials, prefer to use their phones to research and instantly book a tour or activity.

This change in user behavior saw the rise of several online booking tour and activity wholesalers , like TripAdvisor and Airbnb. Booking.com also decided to dip its feet in the game.

Booking.com immersed itself in the tours and activities sector in 2016 with a digital product called Experiences. You’re probably thinking it sounds a lot like aforementioned TripAdvisor or Airbnb Experiences .

Booking.com Experiences is a tad bit  different.

The Experiences category was created to enable travelers to book everything they need for their vacation in a central place. Yes, think of it as a mobile hotel concierge desk.

When travelers book a room in a city that Booking.com Experiences is available in, they get a varied selection of local tours and activities with special discounts or benefits like skipping the line.

It previously only offered Experiences to customers that booked a hotel in a destination where Experiences was available. Users would get a link after they book a hotel — a link that takes them to a personalized landing page with a list of tour and activity offerings in the city they are touring.

Sounds pretty novel right? Well, the novelty really lies in the technology Booking.com uses.

It uses artificial intelligence (AI) with mobile so travelers can instantly book attractions and tours using a QR code. It specifically uses AI and machine learning to predict traveler’s intent to provide a customized experience; faster and simpler payment options; and priority queuing. It also provides personalized experiences based on prior travel preferences.

Ram Papatla, Vice President of Experiences at Booking.com, says , “We’re constantly exploring new ways to leverage technology in order to facilitate seamless and enjoyable travel experiences for our customers at every stage of their journey and with Booking Experiences, we’re doing just that.”

Let’s take a more detailed look at how it works.

Booking.com users that are vacationing or living in any of the cities where Experiences is available have access to all participating tour and activity providers and venues, via a single QR code .

The QR code is linked to the user’s preferred credit card to make the payment process as seamless as possible. That method cuts the need for travelers to make advanced bookings or stand in long queues to buy tickets.

Booking.com Experiences users simply show up to the venue, scan the QR code and enjoy the tour or activity at a special or discounted rate. Some Booking.com customers find that too good to be true !

Travelers can select from an extensive list of participating tours, activities and venues prior to arrival or while they are at the destination. One of the novel aspects of Booking.com Experiences is that customers are only charged for the activities they want to experience, which means that they can change their itineraries at any time or decide to attend tours and activities last minute (without worrying that their spot will be taken).

Booking.com understands that the decision to book a tour or activity is quite spontaneous, hence that approach.

Booking.com Experiences is currently available in select cities in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

Booking.com revamps its mobile app with the insights they get from millions of customers about their destination/experiences likes and dislikes. They then pair that data with customers’ previous travel preferences, their current location and third-party information from local attractions.

That enables them to learn more about their users over a period of time. With that data, they can provide users with more personalized suggestions and recommendations; consequently enhancing their destination experiences and driving sales.

That’s the reason why Booking.com doesn’t really advertise their Experiences offering (Experiences is not available on the main Booking.com site). Users only see it when they book a hotel in a city where Booking.com Experiences is available. Even then, the links to Experiences are relatively hidden. Why?

Because they aren’t really worried about traffic to their Experiences category. They have 1.5 million bookings per day on average. That’s a big audience to run a controlled experiment with, and here’s how it works.

Since a user will be staying in a specific hotel, in a specific location and on specific dates, Booking.com can provide a targeted Experiences offering to individual travelers. They can then better understand what appeals to a traveler and what doesn’t.

Papatla said, “We are starting with great demand, with a great dataset as we figure out how we can remove friction from consumers to help them enjoy and experience the world more.”

Booking.com is also learning about booking behaviors. For example, how families and solo travelers are booking experiences; the difference in booking behaviors of people on short trips versus those on longer trips; and how limited supply drives early bookings.

Their ultimate goal is to use data and technology to facilitate seamless bookings, and to enable customers to plan their itineraries without needing to check their phones constantly (which takes away from an experience).

Papatla states that they “want people to enjoy the world and want people to not have to look at their phones while they’re doing that. We would love our customers to never to have to stand in line. The phone will buzz and inform them at the right time what the next thing to do is. We don’t just want to sell tickets.”

Booking.com is really on a mission to enable tourists to plan their entire trip on a single platform.

Tour and activity providers with online offerings also have local tour offices where customers can book from when in the destination. However, when they are not online, it’s hard for customers to decide which tour operator to go with.

Travelers usually prefer online platforms as they have quality control measures like reviews and instant messaging for customers to file complaints on. Some platforms also employ secret tourists to test tours for quality control.

However, as it stands, about 80 percent of experiences  are booked offline, via phone, travel agencies, hotel concierges, etc.

On the other hand, the amount of money spent by travelers on tours and activities has grown 21 percent since 2014 to $159 billion . Companies like Booking.com, Airbnb and TripAdvisor are all trying to get customers to buy more of them online, via their platforms.

And it’s working. TripAdvisor reported that tour and activity bookings are its fastest-growing revenue stream, accounting for about 50 percent of their non-hotel revenue ($360 million) in 2017. This tells us that there is an increasing number of travelers booking their tours and activities online.

The advantage with offering your tours and activities on Booking.com, in particular, is the sheer size of the tourism market they control. With the addition of their Experiences category, the platform has become a place where tour and activity providers, like yourself, can provide travel experiences that customers want in this day and age. And  in higher volume.

Furthermore, their platform is open to all travelers — both international and local. That’s right, they previously only offered Experiences to travelers who booked hotels in destinations where Experiences are available.

They decided to separate Experiences from hotel bookings earlier this year so that tours can also be accessed by locals or people who book their accommodation via another site like Airbnb. That’s a big market opportunity that you can take advantage of as a tour and activity provider.

Additionally, unlike Airbnb Experiences, Booking.com is focused on offering mainstream attractions rather than unique tours and activities.

Want to get your tour or activity listed on Booking Experiences? While it’s not available everywhere yet, you can join if you’re based in certain cities like Berlin, Paris or Amsterdam. There are two main ways to do this:

• Check with your booking software provider in case they offer Booking.com as a sales channel.
• Contact Booking.com directly and ask to talk to a Market Manager.

The commission fees for Booking.com Experiences is not readily available to the public. Their commission fees vary by country so you would need to list your offerings with them to find out the exact amount of commissions you would pay.

What we do know is that the company works with a commision-based model  which ranges from 10% to 25% depending on your location.

Oh, and if you’re worried about uniform cancellation policies, they vary by vendor guidelines; meaning, you get to set your own cancellation policy.

Similar (well, almost similar ) to Airbnb Experiences and GetYourGuide , Booking.com Experiences is a good way to widen your distribution channels, get your brand in front of more eyes and increase your bookings.

We all understand that, in this space, there are lots of things you need to do and invest in, in order to sell A LOT of tours and activities. Listing your offerings on platforms like Booking.com Experiences makes that effort a lot easier. Especially if you don’t have a solid online presence and want to reach more international and millennial travelers.

Take a dip and let us know how it goes!

You might also like: 

• What You Should Know About Hosting an Experience On Airbnb
• How to Become a Viator Supplier and What You Need to Get Started
• How to Boost Sales in Asia with Klook
• Reserve with Google: Sell your Tours and Activities Directly on Search Results

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Book The Best Local Experiences Through These Amazing Sites

We have curated a list of the best websites to help you travel locally.

When we plan to take a vacation, we keep a track of airfare, the best hotels to stay in, and car rentals. What we sometimes overlook are local tours and activities to experience, hoping we’ll get a sense of them when we reach our destination. But booking these local events and excursions in advance helps save time and money, and also gives you an idea of the culture of the people you are about to visit. They will enhance your overall travel experience, where you can either see the city from a different vantage point or get in-depth, local knowledge on landmarks and lesser-known spots. Book local experiences for an enriching travel experience wherever you go. And here’s is a list of the best apps/websites for booking local experiences .

Also read: The future of travel: What to expect post COVID-19

Find Local Guides And Book Local Experiences And Tours With These Websites

1 airbnb experiences.

They might be best known for their accommodation services, but Airbnb also offers over 15,000 unique experiences, activities, tours, and unique things to do in cities and towns all around the world. These experiences can be hosted individually where the activity goes beyond the typical tour or class. Unique experiences include cooking, crafting, kayaking and more — all designed and led by locals. o

2 Tours By Locals

Tours by Locals connects travellers with local tour guides worldwide, with tours typically charged per experience rather than per hour. Changing the way people travel, Tours By Locals has made it easy to find reliable, experienced and inspiring local tour guides absolutely everywhere. Through the website, travellers can discover new cities, towns, and regions through many lenses such as history, photography, food and wine, architecture, art, music, nature and local culture to name a few!

One of the biggest names in this list, Viator hosts tours, activities, sells tickets to attraction sites,  and local tour guides for more than 1,300 destinations.  A TripAdvisor company, Viator gives direct access to more than 200,000 bookable activities allowing the travellers to discover, research and book thousands of these curated tours.

4 Show Around

Show Around helps you book local guides that can help you see an edgier, more beautiful and authentic version of the host city. This way users have the freedom to tailor tours with guides (or residents) before they arrive at their destination.

5 With Locals

This travel marketplace helps you book unique private tours and activities with locals worldwide. It has over 2,000 unique experiences with verified locals in 88 destinations. You can also personalise your experience to your desires.

6 Get Your Guide

This travel platform offers a great selection of local tour guides who will help book the best local experiences your destination has to offer. Headquartered in Berlin, they introduce unbeatable activities for all ages and interests, where you can get personalised recommendations before and during your trip to experience all your destination has to offer.

7 Couch Surfing

This global homestay platform allows travellers to stay with the locals and meet other travellers as well. You can stay or share your home and hometown with travellers.

8 Spotted By Locals

This site has published online city guides and offline apps with up-to-date tips curated by handpicked locals in 80+ cities across Europe and North America. These guides are made by ‘Spotters’ who live in the city and speak the language—thereby providing a unique up, close and personal look at the destination you choose to visit.

9 Free Tours

This website has made authentic local tour experiences accessible to all, regardless of a budget. Unlike regular tour providers’ services, Free Tours has no set price for tours. Here, you can discover various cities from more than 80+ countries, with free walking tours and unforgettable local guides.

Change Your Way Of Travel: Add Some Local Activities In The Mix

While we all are trying to get used to a new normal, let’s look forward to travelling and also try to support local businesses by travelling locally in the future. Book local tours with the abovementioned sites and get ready for a unique experience with local history, authentic culture, food and traditions. Book local experiences and share your experiences with us in the comments below!

Also Read: Is 2020 Our Chance To Travel Local?

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Booking Travel Experiences with Headout: A Review

People say that the world is like a book….. if you haven’t traveled, you’re still on the first page. And we tend to agree!

Travel can provide us with more knowledge than an encyclopedia and more adventures than Gulliver’s Travels. But travel isn’t always as easy as it seems. You can’t just pack your bags, blindly choose a direction and head off into the sunset… that is, until Headout came along.

Headout.com is a travel booking website that has an extensive list of activities, tours, tickets and excursions that you can book all around the world. They also have an easy to use website and an app that can be downloaded on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for taking your travels on the go.

You no longer have to stress for weeks in advance about what you’re going to do on your next vacation . Simply head out and enjoy the experience. 

The Ins and Outs

When it comes to booking travel online a lot people can still be quite skeptical. People are worried about getting scammed, or pressing ‘book’ and then next minute having to make repayments on a new timeshare they accidentally purchased.

But as technology advances, and we start to become more comfortable with online travel purchases, we’re seeing some amazing advancements to websites and app that are enabling a much safer and easier way to book travel. And thankfully for you, you’ll find that the booking process with Headout is just as safe and easy.

First things first, go on to their website or download the mobile app and create an account. We recommend the mobile app, because it’s great to take on the go, but if you find it easier to browse on a bigger screen, check out their website. Once you have an account you can save your card details, trip details, and view and manage your tickets there.

Now that you’ve got an account it’s as easy as searching where you want to travel and seeing what type of tickets pop up. For example, if you’re headed to San Francisco and wanted to explore Alcatraz . All you have to do is search the city or experience, select the activity and Headout will show you date options, inclusions, exclusions and reviews.

Once you’ve paid, from inputing your payment details or the pre-saved details, you’ll receive a confirmation email to confirm the booking. The tickets will then show up as electronic copies in the mobile app or in your inbox. This is great because you don’t have to worry about losing the physical tickets. Simply show your ticket code at the entrance to the chosen activity and let the adventure begin!

Headout’s Customer Service

Ever since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2020, travel has been one big question mark – especially the hassle of canceling reservations. It’s always nerve-racking wondering if you’ll actually get a refund or if you’ll be out of luck on a trip canceled due to COVID. Rest assured if you using Headout, you don’t have to give this a second thought. 

Headout’s customer service is above and beyond. You can contact them via email or you can talk to someone from their 24-hour support team on their website’s live chat option. They typically respond within minutes of your chat request – it took someone less than 5-minutes to chat to me.

Headout’s Cancellation Policy

With Headout, you can cancel your tour in full and either receive a credit that can be cashed in on their website for an alternative tour, or you can receive the original payment back.

You can receive a full refund if the booking was made after 1 April 2020 if:

• The venue is closed
• Reservation is under the cancelation policy (so make sure you check if your tour falls under the cancelation policy first)
• Entry was denied due to capacity restrictions
• Tour operator confirms a refund

There are also situations where partial refunds of the tour price in Headout credits are awarded:

• If you test positive for Covid then you are entitled to a 50% refund in credits, but you have to show a valid test.
• If you are forced to do a mandatory quarantine due to government regulations, a 20% refund is rewarded in credits.
• If you are unable to visit the venue due to government restrictions, you will be entitled to a 20% refund in credits.
• If you have any flight or visa cancelations or issues, you can email [email protected] with a screenshot of your cancelation message and you will receive a 20% refund in Headout credits.

Best San Francisco Experiences on Headout

Planning a trip to our favorite city by the Bay? Headout has several different options when it comes to booking experiences and tours in San Francisco . They offer tours and attraction tickets, including tours to Alcatraz Island.

The Alcatraz Island tours are perfect for history buffs who want to explore the infamous cells made famous by the movie, ‘The Rock’. Walk the same halls as American crime legends like Al Capone and Frank Morris.

Headout also bundles tours so you can experience a few places at once. Here are a few different options for tours from San Francisco that include Alcatraz:

• Golden Gate & Alcatraz Island Cruise
• Napa Valley Wine Country & Alcatraz Multi-day Tour (Wine & history tour? Yes please!)
• Muir Woods & Sausalito with Alcatraz Tour
• San Francisco City with Alcatraz & San Francisco Dungeon tour
• San Francisco City Bus Tour With Alcatraz tour

If old prisons aren’t your thing, they are plenty of other unique tours that you can purchase from Headout’s website or the mobile app:

• Muir Woods & Wine Country Coach Tour
• San Francisco Helicopter & Sausalito Lunch Tour
• San Francisco & Sausalito Bike Tour
• North Beach Food Tour
• Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito Bike Tour
• Muir Woods & Sausalito Tour & Golden Gate Bay Cruise
• San Francisco City, Muir Woods & Sausalito Bus Tour
• Muir Woods and San Francisco City Tour

There are also city based tickets that help you skip the lines at these places and normally offer discounts on the prices too. San Francisco Attraction Tickets are mainly for visiting popular sites in the city like:

• Skip the line California Academy of Sciences Admission Tickets
• San Francisco Exploratorium Admission Tickets (If you have kids, or even if you don’t, we highly recommend the super fun and interactive Exploratorium!)
• The de Young Museum & Legion of Honor Admission Tickets
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts Entry Tickets
• Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Entry Tickets
• San Francisco Zoo Tickets
• Aquarium of the Bay

Is Headout a Reliable Site?

Yes, Headout is legitimate and a reliable website to use for activity bookings in the San Francisco Bay Area and many other parts of the world.

They offer a fast and efficient way to book tickets for activities in and around cities. Skip lines to famous spots, book tours with multiple tour operators, and don’t worry about losing your tickets because it’s all stored on the mobile app or in your email!

These tours are the best of the best, so head out right now and book yourself something to do in the city we’re lucky enough to call home, San Francisco.

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First Time Travel Experiences

First Time travel experiences: How to make friends and influence people

Booking.com uncovers that new travel experiences make for more confident, decisive and interesting people

• First-time travel experiences inspire us to make life-changing decisions - with more than one in 10 (13%) switching their job or career, one in 10 (13%) changing their relationship, and one in five (21%) deciding to move somewhere completely new because of a first-time travel experience
• A first-time travel experience is more exciting than a first date (53%), a first job (51%), making a new friend (62%) and even a first kiss for more than one in three people (36%)
• Two thirds (65%) say first-time travel experiences lift their confidence
• Three in five (61%) think the well-travelled are more interesting, and almost half (45%) believe travel makes them more successful in life and career

The thrill and excitement of our first time travel experiences positively increases our confidence, broadens our horizons and makes us ultimately more successful in life according to new global research commissioned by Booking.com , the global leader in connecting people with the most incredible places to stay. Whether you’re getting your passport stamped for the first time, trying out a new city or doing something completely out of your comfort zone, the research, which surveyed over 15,000 people from 20 countries worldwide, proves that travelling to new places and opening your mind to different, novel experiences inspires life enriching changes.

A life less ordinary

Whether their first-time experience was travelling abroad, embracing a new destination, or travelling solo, almost two thirds (65%) said that pushing themselves to take part in a new travel experience vastly increased their confidence. While first-time travel can seem daunting, most agree (61%) that any nerves felt before they travelled were unnecessary.

Re-energised and with confidence, we can be motivated to make more dramatic life decisions. One in 10 (13%) state a first-time travel experience has led them to switching their job or career, one in 10 (13%) saying a first time travel experience led them to change their relationship, and a fifth (21%) have decided to move somewhere completely new.

Respondents also claim that confidence boosted by first-time travel can also open doors to other life-inspiring opportunities, such as meeting new kinds of people (40%), cooking and eating new types of food (43%), learning a new language (29%) and reading and learning about another culture (29%).

This impetus to experience and learn new things leads people to believe that those who have travelled to many places and have tried out different travel experiences tend to be more interesting that those who have not (61%), and that with all these new interpersonal and practical skills they tend to be more successful in their life and career (45%).

First-time travel thrills

A first-time travel experience can be such a momentous occasion in a person’s life that people deem it more exciting than going a first date (53%), landing their first job (51%), making a new friend (62%), and even having a first kiss (36%).

And it seems that once people have the travel bug, it’s hard to shake with about two in three (64%) stating that experiencing places for the first time prompts them to visit other new places, experiences or accommodation in the future.

In fact, almost half (45%) plan to be more adventurous in their travel plans in 2017 and one in two (56%) plan to travel further away from home. Over half plan to take more weekend getaways (54%) and visit somewhere where their friends haven’t been (47%) [i] .

And the types of first time experiences people are keen to try in 2017 are broadening, with volunteering based trips (21%), spiritual adventures (23%), eco tours (39%) and road trips (44%), proving to be popular choices for globe-trotting travellers [ii] .

Pepijn Rijvers, Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com comments:

“ The adrenalin and confidence boost that travelling somewhere for the first time gives us makes it irresistible. Our first time travel experiences open our minds, sparks our imagination and inspires us to continue trying something new or change direction in life. Once you catch the travel bug it’s simply contagious!”

“There’s so much of the world to explore and experience to fuel your wanderlust. With over 1.1 million unique properties that have over 23 million bookable rooms, Booking.com offers more awesome, unique places to stay than any other travel company in the world. From homestays to apartments, villas, igloos, boats, treehouses and more, whatever kind of incredible ‘First Time’ stay you can imagine, Booking.com has got the one that’s right for you.”

CONTACT DETAILS

For further information, contact the Booking.com UK Press Office:

[email protected] / 020 3755 6400

NOTES TO EDITORS

Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 respondents from the USA, Brazil, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Germany, China, India, and 500 respondents from the Netherlands, Croatia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden. In total, data from 15,077 respondents (18yrs +) was collected from 11 January to 30 January 2017.

[i] According to data collected by Booking.com with 12,781 respondents across 13 markets in September 2016. Respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have travelled at least once in 2016 and had to be planning at least one trip for 2017. All respondents had to consider themselves part of their travel decision-making process.

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24 Wellness Experiences to Book in 2024

Posted: April 12, 2024 | Last updated: April 12, 2024

The wellness economy has reached a fever pitch: The Global Wellness Institute predicts that, in 2024, the market for wellness tourism will become a trillion-dollar industry. And truly, the options are endless. Here, we’ve searched the globe for the best of the best when it comes to new wellness experiences, from a once-in-a-lifetime retreat in the Himalayas to a practical center you can integrate into your daily routine in the heart of New York City. Enjoy—and be well.

1) Join The Well

Full-service wellness center The Well is a haven for energy healing, bodywork, skin treatments, and more. Its newly introduced flexible monthly, quarterly, and annual membership options make it easier than ever to integrate wellness into even the busiest of urban routines—and to foster connections and tight-knit community with your fellow namaste’ers.

2) Dive into Psilocybin in Jamaica

CBD is so 2019. The new frontier in potent botanicals is psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. And at the beloved Rockhouse Hotel & Spa in Negril, you can enjoy a guided meditation and sound bath with an (optional) microdose of Patoo chocolates, which incorporates locally grown psilocybin.

3) Turn Back Time at Corinthia London’s Regenerative Institute

Centrally located just off Trafalgar Square, this decadent London hotel has partnered with two of London’s top plastic surgeons to create the London Regenerative Institute, a spa-within-a-spa concept inside the hotel’s award-winning (and enormous) ESPA Life spa. Guests can meet in a relaxing and deeply chic environment for medical-grade longevity treatments that go a step beyond the typical spa menu, including personalized IVs, stem cell facials, 3D body scans, and more.

4) Sail Through Croatia in Style

Cruising the Dalmatian coastline with mindful activities to invigorate body and soul? Yes, please. Sail Croatia’s new itineraries integrate plenty of yoga and relaxation with optional excursions like cycling, guided hikes, and wine tastings.

5) Escape to a Private Island

There is zero shortage of beautiful spas (or private islands) in the Maldives, but the new Wellbeing Village at Velaa Private Island feels a cut above the rest, offering a robust menu of services that are difficult to find anywhere, even when you aren’t in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The entirely bespoke treatments focus on the three core pillars of medicine, osteopathy, and Ayurveda, ranging from mindfulness breath work to Pizhichil oil baths.

6) Sleep Well in the Desert

If practicing the art of shut-eye is your idea of a good 2024, consider a trip to historic Castle Hot Springs, Arizona’s iconic desert spa oasis, which has long played host to the Hollywood elite. A series of three-night sleep retreats led by Dr. Rebecca Robbins include discussions, meditations, and personalized strategies to make 2024 your most restful year yet.

7) Save During Bermuda Spa Month

You can fly to Bermuda faster than it takes to drive to the Hamptons most weekends, and February Spa Month makes a compelling case for visiting in the off-season: Many of the island’s top spas offer 50 percent off select treatments.

8) Simmer in the Catskills’ Hot New Spa

Buzzy upstate resort Inness will add a spa this spring, featuring an outdoor covered sauna deck with radiant heated floors, hot and cold plunges, and an emphasis on organic products.

9) See a Different Side of Miami Beach

Since the pandemic, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort has been beefing up its menu with more tech-forward and touchless experiences, including BioCharger NG ; vibroacoustic, electromagnetic and infrared therapy ; halotherapy ; and more. This is a must-visit if you’re a tech-loving wellness buff looking for an enviable Instagram of yourself festooned in the latest wellness gadgets and gizmos.

10) Visit Any Auberge Resort

Cuisine and experiences have always been front of mind at Auberge Resorts (which include The Vanderbilt in Newport, Rhode Island; Stanly Ranch in Napa Valley; Hotel Jerome in Aspen; and more). Still, it feels like the brand is really stepping up its wellness programming this year: Esperanza in Los Cabos, Mexico, just opened a revamped spa. The Lodge at Blue Sky in Park City, Utah, just unveiled a new “Edge Sanctuary” space offering programming with a Wim Hof-accredited expert, “energy journeys,” and sacred plant ceremonies. And European-based fitness craze Sanctum will provide retreats across a number of Auberge properties throughout 2024.

11) Vibrate in Ojai, California

Partake in spa treatments at the newly refreshed Spa Ojai and Spa Penthouse Suites at the gorgeous Ojai Valley Inn . Resident healer and psychic Nancy Furst leads the way with cleansing sage rituals, meditative journeys through drumming and Native American prayer song, and psychic readings utilizing crystals.

12) Hang Ten at a Luxe New Hotel in Nosara

Introducing Silvestre Nosara , the wellness-meets-surfing luxury hotel of your dreams. With just nine grand residences (some up to 2,000 square feet) and cold plunges and saunas in most rooms, there’s plenty of space to stretch out and relax.

13) Head to Healdsburg, California, for the Wellness (and the Wine)

People might know Healdsburg in Sonoma County for its incredible food and wine scene (it’s home to such Michelin-starred restaurants as chef Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen and SingleThread Farm, a Relais & Châteaux), but you can flock here for the spa treatments and outdoors experiences, too. Book a positively warm and goopy Harvest Honey Ginger Infusion Ritual at the Montage Healdsburg, where you’ll be cocooned in local honey. Or reach out to certified nature therapy guide Jenny Harrow-Keeler to arrange one of her transformative forest bathing sessions—she offers them in a number of select local wineries, so you can wander through the vineyards as you take in all the sights and sounds of this beautiful landscape.

14) Learn About Ayurveda in Sri Lanka

Where the leopards lounge and the jungle meets the sea… doesn’t that sound divine? Check out the environmentally conscious new Kotiyagala Luxury Villas nestled in Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park. Each villa includes a private swimming pool, and guests have access to an Ayurveda Spa and yoga sessions for ultimate relaxation.

15) Party Hard and Recover Harder in Ibiza

There’s a misconception that Ibiza is all about what the locals gently refer to as “celebration.” In fact, this island is actually home to a number of really fascinating wellness hubs: one of its outlying islands, Es Vedrá, is one of the most magnetic places on earth; there’s a beautiful regenerative farming movement happening here; and new resorts like the Six Senses Ibiza are leading the way with a full lineup of retreats, wellness programming, and the groundbreaking RoseBar longevity center.

16) Experience Joanna Czech in...Tennessee?

In 2023, acclaimed Relais & Chateaux resort Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee, became the first Joanna Czech-certified spa in the U.S. with a “Joanna Czech Method Enhanced LED Facial,” an 80-minute treatment customized with microcurrents, cryotherapy, oxygen infusions, serums, masks, and more.

17) Visit the Emerald Isle

The 163-acre Liss Ard Estate, a gorgeous Georgian mansion that recently joined Relais & Châteaux, just completed a stylish renovation. The property is home to a James Turrell crater garden that’s perfect for wandering on those chilly Irish mornings, as well as a Lakeside Wellness Center where yoga, tea ceremonies, acupuncture, and more are offered.

18) Get Inspired in the Hamptons

It’s difficult to beat the tranquil environment of Shou Sugi Ban House, the only spa hotel of its kind on Long Island. This January, they’re doing an inspirational “Claim Your Confidence Retreat” with renowned auctioneer Lydia Fenet.

19) Visit the Givenchy Spa

Finding yourself on the Riviera in 2024? Hop over to the painfully chic Spa Metropole by Givenchy at the Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo , one of only three Givenchy spas worldwide. New to the menu is an exclusive Givenchy Skin Perfecto treatment, a 90-minute experience including a pink quartz gua sha massage to reveal your skin’s natural glow.

20) Ski (and Après-Ski) Your Way to Wellbeing

The elegant new Six Senses in Crans-Montana, a ski resort in Switzerland, will offer a Ski and Yoga retreat this March with guided yoga and ski runs with world slalom champion Giorgio Rocca. Get an entire year’s worth of leg days in one trip.

21) Venture to the Himalayas

Set in the magical foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, Ananda in the Himalayas is widely considered the world’s most renowned holistic wellness retreat. They just concluded a three-year glow-up of the property—so if you’re looking to run into a prince at your morning vinyasa, this is where to do it.

22) Celebrate Leadership in Greece

The Greek Isles? Tired. The Peloponnese? Wired. Travel insiders are buzzing about the Greek mainland, and the Euphoria Retreat is perfectly situated to take in all the magic and energy of this landscape. This March, the resort’s founder is hosting a four-day retreat on women’s leadership to explore new archetypes of leadership for today’s world.

23) Coachella? More Like Spa-chella

Since it opened in late 2022, the Sensei Porcupine Creek has brought a new wave of wellness tourism to the Coachella Valley. The Japanese-meets-Californian aesthetic is undeniably fresh, and the science-backed approach to personalized wellness programs is, we think, the future of wellness tourism. Their popular five-night Rest & Recovery program includes a WHOOP wearable tech bracelet to measure your biomarkers, so that your Sensei Guide can create a targeted, data-driven plan just for you.

24) Unwind Upstate

If you thought “all-inclusives” were limited to boozy, buffet-heavy Caribbean beach resorts, then think again—the brand-new Hemlock Neversink brings a profoundly relaxing, contemporary experience to the Catskills. Your all-inclusive rate includes healthy plant-forward meals, workshops, meditation and yoga classes, and a dedicated Experience Guide to help you create the perfect itinerary. You’ll need help navigating it all: There are over 230 acres of grounds to explore, complete with wildflower meadows, private trails, and even some resident goats. Check-in, then let your mind check out.

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2024 summer travel trends revealed

Key Takeaways

• Host cities like Paris, Lille, and Munich are trending as excitement builds ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 and the European Football Championships.
• Guests are seeking experiential stays that are destinations in their own right, with searches for the Play Category more than doubling for this summer.
• With a 30% increase in searches for outdoor amenities, families are searching for space to spread out.

Whether it’s rooting on a team at a nearby sporting event, drifting down a lazy river with loved ones at a Play category listing, or enjoying the pool with friends at a beachfront villa, there are plenty of playful adventures awaiting this summer. 1  

Global sporting events fuel travel excitement 

As the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 draw closer, guests from around the world are looking to secure a front row seat at the event. While Paris 2 , is the most searched city worldwide on Airbnb this summer, cities like Lille, Versailles, and Lyon are trending thanks to the strategic decision to host Paris 2024 throughout France 3 .  Listing page views during the Games period have been on average 11 times higher in the French host cities and their surroundings compared to the previous year 4 .

With the European Football Championships set to kick off in ten locations across Germany this June, three of the host cities Dortmund, Munich and Stuttgart have emerged as trending destinations this summer. In the US, several host cities of America’s Soccer Tournament such as Glendale, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV, are trending 5 with the tournament scheduled to kick off this June.

Trending destinations globally

• Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom
• Dortmund, Germany
• Chiclana de la Frontera, Spain
• Munich, Germany
• Stuttgart, Germany
• Barretos, Brazil
• Tokyo, Japan
• Lille, France
• Nazaré, Portugal
• Heroica Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico

Trending destinations in the US

• Quincy, Washington
• Columbia, South Carolina
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Glendale, Arizona
• Ouray, Colorado
• Eugene, Oregon
• Broken Bow, Oklahoma
• Saint Paul, Minnesota
• Rosemary Beach, Florida
• Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

Guests seek play-based stays and experiences

With searches for the Play category more than doubling this summer 7 , guests are searching for stays that are experiences in their own right. The Play Category features listings with fun–filled offerings that go beyond the typical amenities, including basketball courts, game rooms, trampolines, water slides, and more.

Whether it’s a studio with its own climbing wall or a rainforest chalet with waterslides and waterfalls, some of the most wishlisted listings in the Play category are ideal for an action-oriented stay:

• Historic Home with Bowling Alley , Hastings, UK
• Fun Studio with Climbing Wall , Rače, Slovenia
• Trullo with Indoor Pool , Locorotondo, Italy
• Seaside Summerhouse with Trampoline , Orø, Denmark
• Chalet with Slides and Waterfalls , Ilhabela, Brazil
• Beach Cabin with Cubbyhouse and Play Area , Torquay, Australia
• Arcade House with Games Room , Bloomington, Illinois
• Three Story Cabin with Playground , Broken Bow, Oklahoma
• Luxury Entertainment Oasis , Tracy, California

64% of guests say 7 that traveling on Airbnb provides a closer connection to the local culture than staying in a hotel or resort. Airbnbs are not only found in more authentic neighborhoods, but many of the stays on the platform are incredibly characterful, offering a glimpse into local tastes and passions. 

Families seek outdoor space and beachside stays 

Having more space to be outside is a priority for families this summer, with searches for outdoor amenities like pools and BBQs increasing by 30% for family travel 8 . With amenities like chef’s kitchens and private outdoor areas, Airbnb is the preferred choice of many families. Almost three in five guests say being able to fit all their family in one place is a major deciding factor when booking, according to a recent survey 9 . And 71% say that amenities such as kitchens, workspaces, and backyards are important when booking 10 . 

This summer, families are looking to Airbnb to hike, swim and soak up incredible views. Some of the top categories booked for families this summer have a waterfront theme, including Beach, Amazing Pools, and Lake categories. Here are some of the top trending destinations near the water for families this summer:

• Çeşme, Turkey 
• Krk, Croatia 
• Jeju, South Korea
• Cebu City, Philippines 
• Melbourne, Australia
• Puerto Escondido, Mexico 
• Nassau, Bahamas 
• Durrës, Albania 
• Miramar Beach, FL, United States
• Marquette, MI, United States

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To ensure you get the best possible savings, Experience Card features include transferability, registration, loss protection and pooling of related cards.

BC Ferries Experience™ cardholders must have their physical card in their possession and visible at time of payment. It is not possible to use Stored Value if a cardholder does not have their physical BC Ferries Experience™ Card present. View the PDF below for Experience Card Terms & Conditions or visit  our fares and fees page  for more detailed fare information.

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Once you have your card, register and load it online with the minimum amount required for the fare choice discount you plan to use, and start using it to pay for travel.

Effective April 1, 2024, the minimum amounts are:

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• $120 for passenger with standard vehicle fare - up to 20 ft. (6.10 m) long

To receive discounted Experience Card rates, you must load the minimum amount of stored value onto your card and have enough stored value remaining to cover the entire fare at the Experience Card rate.  

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To manage the balance on your Experience Card, set up Auto Load to automatically load your card when your balance falls below a certain amount. You can also manage your Experience Card account online and manually reload your card with the minimum amount required.

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If you want to change your fare type, you can easily switch when you reload your card.

Important: The funds on your card never expire.  Register your card to be eligible for loss protection. Funds loaded onto your Experience Card are non-refundable.

You can use your Experience Card on the following routes:

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• Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale)
• Victoria (Swartz Bay) – Southern Gulf Islands
• Salt Spring Island (Fulford Harbour) – Victoria (Swartz Bay)
• Salt Spring Island (Vesuvius) – Crofton
• Inter Southern Gulf Islands travel
• Chemainus – Thetis Island (Preedy Harbour) – Penelakut Island (Telegraph Harbour)
• Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island (Descanso Bay)
• Sunshine Coast (Earls Cove) – Powell River (Saltery Bay)
• Powell River (Westview) – Comox (Little River)
• Powell River (Westview) – Texada Island (Blubber Bay)
• Port McNeill – Malcolm Island (Sointula) – Cormorant Island (Alert Bay)
• Denman Island West – Buckley Bay
• Denman Island East (Gravelly Bay) – Hornby Island (Shingle Spit)
• Campbell River – Quadra Island (Quathiaski Cove)
• Quadra Island (Heriot Bay) – Cortes Island (Whaletown)
• Graham Island (Skidegate) – Moresby Island (Alliford Bay)

You can use your Experience Card as a method of payment for regular fares on the following routes:

• Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Victoria (Swartz Bay)
• Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Nanaimo (Duke Point)
• Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

With Auto Load, you can set up your account so that it will automatically load more money when your balance falls below an amount that you choose.

For example, you could set up your account to Auto Load $200 whenever your Experience Card balance falls below $25.

To set up Auto Load,  access your Experience Card account online .

If you lose your card, you can contact BC Ferries and we'll cancel it and move any remaining balance to a new card.

• Call 1-888-BC FERRY (1-888-223-3779)
• Visit in-person at any major BC Ferries terminal administration office (we will ask for valid photo ID)

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• Pooling allows your secondary cardholder to share your balance, but does not allow the secondary card to carry its own balance
• Transferring lets you transfer money to the secondary card and allows the secondary card to carry its own balance

With an Assured Loading Card enjoy priority boarding and guaranteed travel on three of our busiest routes.

Get 30 day payment terms and more with a Commercial Travel Card.

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WestJet introduces a new way to experience travel with Extended Comfort

Starting April 10, guests who book any Economy cabin fare (Basic, Econo, or EconoFlex) onboard WestJet’s 737 and 787 aircraft can also select WestJet’s most relaxing economy seat option with Extended Comfort . The product is the first-of-its-kind for the airline and is designed to make the overall flight experience more seamless. 

The full Extended Comfort experience includes:

Seats with extra legroom (3-6 inches)

Priority boarding (Zone 2)  

Early access to overhead bin space

Quicker exit upon arrival 

A distinct section at the front of the Economy cabin

A complimentary alcoholic beverage during inflight service (based on flight duration, aircraft type and destination)

“The addition of Extended Comfort reaffirms WestJet’s commitment to providing a diverse range of products to enable guests to choose what best aligns with their travel preferences and budget,” said John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer. “Conveniently located at the front of the economy cabin, guests will benefit from an enhanced experience that is aligned with WestJet’s values of affordability and accessibility.”

A seat in Extended Comfort can be selected anytime throughout the guest journey (in advance, at the time of booking, at check-in or post purchase through WestJet Manage Trips or through the WestJet app). The fee charged is based on several factors including: origin and destination, fare bundle purchased, date of travel and seat location.

As of April 10, 2024, Extended Comfort will replace WestJet’s current Economy Cabin Preferred seating. Any guest who previously purchased a Preferred seat for travel on or after April 10, will be treated to the new Extended Comfort experience at no additional charge. All guests can book the Extended Comfort experience starting April 10.

More information about the Extended Comfort experience.

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Starting April 10, guests who book any Economy cabin fare (Basic, Econo, or EconoFlex) onboard WestJet’s 737 and 787 aircraft can also select WestJet’s most relaxing economy seat option with Extended Comfort.

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