Let your sense of
adventure fly this year with a holiday with a difference. Style picks out 10
bold holiday destinations for the intrepid explorer.
Vietnam
Cua Dai Beach
Best for: Grown-up
backpackers
Why go?: Although
long-haul travel may seem like an extravagance in cash-strapped times,
day-to-day living in Vietnam is actually very cheap.
Travel back several
centuries by visiting the world heritage town Hoi An, take a luxury cruise
along the Mekong or have a suit made for a pittance by a tailor in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly named Sai Gon).
With 3,400km of
sparkling coastline to choose from, beach lovers may also want to explore Vietnam as an alternative to Thailand.
Peru
Best for: History
buffs
Why go?: Last year
marked a century since American archaeologist Hiram Bingham’s discovery of
Machu Picchu, but Peruvians would argue 2012 is the real year for celebration.
The long-anticipated
Casa Concha museum opened at the end of last year in Cusco, housing artefacts
from the ancient Inca citadel, taken by Hiram Bingham 100 years ago. Not for
the faint-hearted, there’s also a new Inca trail to Machu Picchu.
Add to that ancient
ruins to marvel at, lakes to admire, waves to surf and labrynthine cities to
explore and there’s something for every venturer.
Myanmar
Best for: Culture
shocks
Why go?: Curious
travellers have always had Myanmar (Burma) on their radar, but up until now the
political situation has kept most visitors away.
Following the release
of pro-democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and her subsequent
seal of approval for tourism, tour operators predict this prodominantly
Buddhist south-east Asian country will be the place to go in 2012.
Hightlights include
cruises along the Irrawaddy river and visits to picturesque pagodas, enchanting
monosteries and forgotten hill stations.
But the biggest
allure is a country largely untouched by the outside world.
The Artic
Best for:
Adventurous families
Why go?:
Viewers
of the BBC’s Frozen Planet series with David Attenborough can’t fail to
have
been mesmerised by the dazzling midnight sun-strewn icebergs of the
Artic. Spitsbergen, the last stop before the North Pole, is rising in
popularity as an expedition
option for tourists, with the promise of dramatic scenery and wildlife,
including polar bears.
As one of the most
remote regions of the world, it’s not easy – or cheap – to get there; but it’s
undoubtedly a trip of a life time you’ll never forget.
Iceland
Best for: Bargains
Why go?: Once
considered one of the most expensive countries in the world, a financial crash
in 2008 made this volcanic island in the North Atlantic ocean much more
affordable.
Choose to enjoy a
city break with a difference in quirky capital Reykjavik, take a dip in the
famous geothermal Blue Lagoon, explore the island’s rugged terrain, or attempt
to see the northern hemisphere’s greatest natural phenomenon – the Northern
Lights. NASA predicts 2012 will provide the best opportunity in 50 years to
witness the enigmatic aurora borealis.
