A vacation is all about escape. If you don’t want to be surrounded by your hometown at an all-inclusive in the Caribbean, that’s the first sign that you need to take a different route. Get off the beaten path and forge your own. It isn’t as hard as you think. Here are 5 easy ways you can do it:
1. Hit the road on two wheels. Riding a bike is the best way to cruise through new territory, not to mention a great way to get some much-needed exercise (but make sure you’re in good enough shape for the tour that you choose!). Grab your travel buddy and cycle long distances through wine country, which is always a good way to see France but also a way to see South Africa. Join a group and start your tour in Capetown or Johannesburg.
2. Do what you love. If you are the active type (or you just have an active imagination), follow the hobby that makes you happiest. Do you like fishing? Try a remote locale, like an exclusive retreat in northwestern British Columbia. Are you an aspiring yogi? Practice your downward dog at a wellness spa on an island in the Philippines. Are your dreams of the Sahara inspired by literature? Live with Tuareg nomads in the desert in West Africa. Let your interests at home guide your big adventure abroad.
3. Don’t look too hard. Try staying ON the beaten path but go during the off season. If you’re a ski bunny you may want to try Whistler in the summer. Hike, wander in the woods, get lost or examine mushrooms. It’s an entirely different experience from the one you’re used to. Or what about Cuba in the summer? While many snowbirds fly down for the winter months, there’s never a bad time for a rum cocktail on the beach.
4. Don’t be a tourist. Meet locals by taking a volunteer vacation. When you work in the community you will meet people other than the people who work for (or prey on) tourists. Farmers, teachers, health care workers, moms and dads. There’s no better way to truly meet people. Volunteer vacations are a burgeoning industry for those who want to give back to communities they visit. Apply your own skills, whether it is teaching or carpentry or engineering. It’s a much richer experience to stay in a village than it is to be in a fancy hotel.
5. Let your stomach guide you. An otherworldly visit may be as close as your fork and plate. Every city has a food culture that you haven’t yet tried. You can try the delicate vermicelli and herbs of Vietnamese food in Saskatoon, or the robust spiciness and flatbread of Ethiopian food in Regina. Try a grocery shop that serves immigrant communities and lose yourself in exotic packages and flavours. Even if your budget only allows for dinner and a movie, you can plan a night that will take your taste buds around the world.