Getting the bragging rights to a holiday destination is becoming increasingly difficult in this world of mass consumer travel. However, with an attentive eye and a bit of ingenuity, there are still a few hidden beauties to discover! Unusual travel destinations such as those covered in this article will have your mates bursting with jealousy over a drink back home, but more importantly, they are truly stunning destinations in their own right. So strap on your boots and get the travel bag ready, this is a selection of some of the more unusual, rustic or downright wacky destinations to visit on your next adventure.
Christiania, Denmark
Denmark is famous for doing things slightly differently, normally with more desirable outcomes than we find back home. That’s why it’s not so surprising that in the orderly capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, one can find a hippie commune located just east of its centre. Christiania is almost a completely autonomous district of the capital that provides stark relief to the more serious centre. Scattered throughout the area are homemade houses built by the inhabitants. As such, every single one is unique and often completely environmentally friendly. This is very much indicative of the successful model that Christiana’s founding model: green, caring and local. The heart of the district has become somewhat commercialised in recent years, but within a few minutes stroll one can find Christiania at its best; overgrown with trees and plants and connected by cutesy trails. So get down with the hippie vibe and chill under a tree for a few hours at this most unique of urban suburbs.
Lake Khovsgol, Mongolia
Mongolia is a much-underappreciated country nestled between the two giants of Russia and China. Despite such dominant neighbours, it has its own unique identity that any visitor will find welcoming and refreshing. This lake specifically is one of the most refreshing on offer in this country. During the summer months, it is a glistening oasis of calm water next to which one can easily spend a lazy afternoon in the sun. To really see the lake at its best though, the winter months are without a doubt the time to visit. A plethora of spectacular winter games are held on the ice with supporters cheering on their side from the banks. The winter wonderland is then topped off by an ice carving festival where enormous statues are erected from hammer and chisel.
Skeleton Coast, Namibia
They say a summer on the Namibian Skeleton Coast is as punishing as any Russian winter, but don’t let this dissuade you from visiting one of the most fascinating corners of our planet. The coastline is untamed by humans which gives it an air of the unknown. So rugged is the landscape that one could be forgiven for thinking they had arrived on another planet entirely. Many a shipping vessel has met its end here. Most notably, the ship of Eduard Bohlen rests almost entirely submerged by a foreign sea of unnavigable sand.
Unusual travel destinations are perhaps the ultimate adventure. Whether traversing a brutal coastline or relaxing in a hippie commune, these destinations won’t fail to mesmerise your friends back home and provide many an impressive anecdote for years to come.
Ethan Bailey is an experienced adventure traveller to unusual travel destinations and an insurance expert with the team at Let's Go Insure. Ethan’s passion is to inspire his clients to go just that little bit further, deeper and higher on their travels and his expertise in providing the ideal insurance cover allows them to do just that. If you're looking for the best backpacker travel insurance Let's Go works with the most experienced underwriters, intermediaries and insurers to offer a range of competitive insurance without compromising on cover.
This article is copyright free.