Top 10: The new travel bucket list

Forget climbing the Great Wall of China, or diving in the Great Barrier Reef, this is 2015 and we’ve made it our aim to start a whole new travel bucket list. From watching sunrise over the Namib Desert to walking the barely trodden paths of Myanmar, this is a selection for only the most intrepid of travellers.

NAMIBIA

Sossusvlei_oPEYRE

Wait until you see the stars piercing the inky darkness on a clear night near Sossusvlei. Your gaze will be taken hostage, neck snapped skywards and mouth unknowingly agog. It is nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Nothing you’ve felt before. And it is just one highlight of many from this enthralling country.

MYANMAR

burnam

‘This is Burma,’ wrote Rudyard Kipling. ‘It is quite unlike any place you know about.’ His words still ring true. Until recently, much of the country was off limits to tourists, but this is rapidly changing, and with these openings come a treasure trove for the exploratory traveller. It will only be a matter of time before word has spread like wildfire about this extraordinary land, so the time to go is now.

IRAN

Kharanaq old city, Iran.

One of travelling’s main ecstasies is the element of shock and awe when stepping into the unfamiliar – the ability to be surprised. In this respect, Iran must be up there with the most rewarding countries to visit within the pages of the atlas.

In addition to being bordered by conflicting countries Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran has featured in many restless headlines of its own in recent years, but for intrepid travellers a wealth of opportunity awaits.

OMAN

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Arab society is dominated by the decadency of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, but Oman offers the rare opportunity to delve into the traditional side of this fascinating culture without the excessive wealth.

There’s an authenticity and allure to Oman that will get under your skin, from the brown pleated hinterlands to the cerulean coast of the Arabian Sea.

CUBA

cuba

Thoughts of travelling to Cuba are usually accompanied by a litany of reasons to do just the opposite. All too easily labelled from afar as a grey communist dystopia with a crumbling infrastructure, it’s far simpler to turn to her neighbours such as St Lucia or the Cayman Islands when booking a summer escape. But to do so is to miss out on a country of distilled magnificence, where talc-white sands are lapped by cerulean waters. A country that time forgot, with a breadth of historical heritage that is as intoxicating as the rum for which Cuba is so renowned.

ROMANIA

romania

The landscape has to be seen to be truly appreciated in all its majesty. The Carpathian Mountains crook through the centre of the country, a severe band of snow-capped peaks surrounded by groves of pine and deciduous trees, and patches of verdant meadow below. Either side of these towering peaks, a dynamic and natural culture oozes from every valley – still, astonishingly, something of a mystery to the Western world.

RWANDA

rwanda

Think Rwanda and immediately the chilling atrocities of the 1994 genocide come to mind, when nearly one million men, women and children where slaughtered at the hands of their fellow countrymen. Twenty years on, however, it is remarkable to see the happy state of a country so viciously ripped apart – it is now one of tribal unity, political stability and a promising future.

ESTONIA

estaonia

When discussing Estonia, the word unique is something of a prerequisite, as visitors can expect to encounter a mix of urbanity and wilderness, of the medieval and the contemporary, with crumbling castles and colourful design permeating urban landscapes. In Estonia a kaleidoscope of culture, scenery and characters await – best visit now before this delicate gem becomes a homing beacon for visitors the world over.

BOSNIA

bosnia

It wasn’t long ago that Bosnia was making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The civil war between 1992 and 1995 inflicted a number of wounds on the country – travel, obviously, wasn’t an option. But these wounds have become scars and visitors are able to soak in the deep, unassuming human warmth and intriguing atmosphere. Bosnia is, in a word, stunning, offering a delightful fusion of East and West in the heart of the Balkans.

NORTH KOREA

korea

Perhaps the perfect place to finish – there can be very few people who have realistically considered North Korea as their next foray. In fact, many of you may not even know that it is possible to travel here. Given the instability and uncertain security situation this is excusable, and doing so doesn’t come without compromises.

Visiting North Korea is challenging, but challenge can be a byword for adventure. You’ll be accompanied by two government minders at all times and only hear a one-sided account of history – those who can’t accept this may be better off looking to other climes, but those who can will have a fascinating trip into an unsettling world.

For the full article, see our current issue.

By Patrick Tillard

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