From the vast, timeless sands of Wadi Rum, Jordan to 12,000 feet above Nadi, Fiji, where the sky and water blur the lines of reality, these five epic bucket list journeys should be on everyone’s list. I’ve visited each of the five and recommend them as some of the best bucket list destinations in the world. Which ones have you experienced?
1. Wadi Rum – Jordan
This is a stupendous, timeless place. Here, it is the weather and winds that have carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers of sand and stone. Ride a camel like Lawrence of Arabia or hire a four-wheel drive and arrive at a Bedouin Camp for a night under the stars.
2. Estosha National Park, Namibia
With a salt pan so large that it can be seen from space, this national park is abundant in wildlife that congregates around the waterholes, giving you almost guaranteed game sightings. Etosha National Park is one of the most accessible game reserves in Namibia and Southern Africa.
3. Innsbruck, Austria
Three times host to the Winter Olympics, this region boasts nine ski areas for alpine skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing. Their winter sports menu also includes tobogganing, ice skating, alpine-style curling, and even a ride in an Olympic bobsleigh. In no other place in the world is the dividing line between an urban area and rugged mountain terrain so thin. The Nordkettenbahnen transports visitors directly from the city center of Innsbruck to high mountain terrain in just twenty minutes.
4. Nadi, Fiji
This bustling, multi-cultural town is the main hub for international travelers to Fiji. Skydiving, dune buggy driving, scuba diving, snorkeling, open-water shark diving, rafting, hiking, waterfall jumping, and golf can all be found within driving distance of the Nadi international airport. It is here that the lines between water and sky become blurred and having the blues is a good thing.
5. Southern California, USA
Similarly to Nadi, Southern California is a hub for adventure and extreme. Do you want to fly a fighter jet, a biplane, a helicopter, or an airplane? You can do them all in SoCal. Maybe you’d prefer skydiving, dirt bike racing, or bungee jumping? Check, check, and check. Where else can you surf in the morning and ski in the afternoon? Southern California is an adventure seekers Paradise.
What’s on the top of your travel bucket list?
