Alternative Travel Destinations

We often hear the few common travel destinations that most people are craving to visit for at least once in their life. These countries often have Instagram wannabe posing a picture of themselves in front of such monuments. Having visited these attractions seems to be an achievement unlocked. When people sees such posts, they will go in awe and have it marked down on their bucket list. Don’t get me wrong, I am fine if you go to such destinations as I would also love to visit one day & marked it “done”. Every place on this planet has their own charm and is worth at least a visit once in your lifetime. However, if getting to this so call “must-visit” attraction would mean burning a big hole in your pockets, have to squeeze with so many people most of the time, why not consider alternative travel destinations that can be as pretty or even more grand as the “original” place of attraction. Read on to find out where you can head to…

#1: Sahara Desert  (Northern Africa) Vs Mui Ne Desert (Vietnam) 

Yes, you have heard or even study in school that Sahara region is the largest desert on this Earth. You would crave to have a look, but being located so far away from Asia region, travelling to Africa would mean you require at least 10 days to make the trip worthwhile. Having said so, I admit that I did made a trip to Morocco with the main objective to visit the Sahara Desert. It was certainly a sight to behold. If you are looking to explore Sahara Desert, you may log on to the link found here.

However, if I would say there lies an alternative in the form of Mui Ne desert in Vietnam, which is equally marvelous. Would you go? It is only less than a day of travel from Singapore and at a fraction of the cost. Located on the southern coast of Vietnam, most people would enter via Ho Chi Minh. Mui Ne is in fact a resort town, four hours away from Ho Chi Minh City. In additional, Mui Ne is a seaside resort. You can enjoy the sights of desert and yet swimming in the sea within the same day, making it truly an unique place to go!

Source: VietFun Travel 

#2: Arc de Triomphe (France)  Vs Porta Arc (Macedonia) 

Beside the romantic Eiffel Tower which you often witnessed loving moments shot on movies, the Arc de Triomphe is the next must see attraction when one is in Paris. Perhaps, when you are there, you will realized that in reality, there will be so many people cramping in this tiny area wanting to get the similar shot you are craving for.

Source: Culture Trip 

Why not head to Macedonia, located in South Eastern Europe which was once under Soviet rule. Things are definitely much cheaper and taking a photo would be even easier. Did I also mention that they have beautiful lakes in Macedonia as well? The Porta Arc which is of almost similar resemblance of the one in Paris is located in the capital name Skopje. An extra trivia, Mother Teresa was born in this area and reside there as well. I had wrote a blog post on ways to visit this enchanting country, you may refer to this link here.

#3: Maldives Vs Belitung Island (Indonesia) 

Yep, that is right, Maldives with its crystal clear water that many see it as a paradise resort. Indeed, Maldives is on top of my travel list. Imagine the sound of the sea waves sweeping beneath your resort, sliding open your unit balcony and welcome the sparkling water that seems to be smiling at you. Life is great, sipping down wine as you see your partner snorkel around the resort. A drawback thou, a stay in these resorts often comes with premium price.

What if you do not look that far? Indonesia with over 17,000 islands is in fact a hidden treasure.  Immerse yourself in the beauty of Belitung, a paradise located in the mid-west of the Indonesian archipelago and is known as “the Maldives of Indonesia”. Here you can dive, snorkel with thousands of fishes and at the same time enjoy quiet moments while overlooking crystal clear water as well. I spent my weekend in Belitung Island,you can read on how one can enjoy the island even more, link found here.

#4: Bungy Jump in New Zealand Vs Bungy Jump in Nepal 

The next one would be a rather different perspective. Rather than looking at visiting a certain destination, let’s now focus on choosing where to engage in our next adventure activity. The same activity that one do in Country “A” would cost much lesser if one were to do in Country “B”. Yes, definitely safety comes into question when one think I would rather pay more to do in Country “A” because it is more reputable. I am now comparing the thrill seeker activity , Bungy Jumping between in New Zealand and Nepal. I was blessed to have the experience of doing Bungy Jump in New Zealand’s Queenstown, particularly on Kawarau Bridge, known to be the birth place of the first commercial Bungy jump. This less than 30 seconds activity certainly does cost a bit , at a range of US Dollars 300.

1 year later, I chanced upon another opportunity to do the same thrilling activity in The Last Resort located in Nepal, at one third of the price. Certainly, the first thing that pops onto my mind was: “Is it safe to do in Nepal?” Upon further research, I realized it has good safety records and checks were conducted regularly with strict standards. After all, with the price being one third of what one can get back in New Zealand, I did not wait for another invitation to have a try at this one and I lived to tell the experience. For more travel tips to Nepal, visit this link here.

#5: Switzerland Alps Vs Grossglockner High Alpine Road (Austria) 

Yes, the Alps in Switzerland are world famous. I could not to agree more that the scenic view in Switzerland makes it a top quality holiday destination. I am also craving to go there one day. As I did a research on the expenses of travelling to this land locked country located in central Europe, I found that hotels, food and transport cost so much more than the neighbouring countries.

Source: World Normads 

However, not that far away from Switzerland, there lies a country name Austria. Geographically,  only Switzerland and Austria can be considered true Alpine countries. For almost similar scenery but at half of the price that one paid in Austria, why not consider heading to the region of Grossglockner High Alpine Road. It is the highest surfaced mountain pass road in Austria. I had fallen in love with this place as I drive through the mountain roads, every corner that I maneuvered, it was a pleasant surprise filled with snow capped mountains. If you are looking for cheaper alternative and wants to explore the thrill of driving along Grossglockner High Alpine Road, refer to link here.

#6: Grand Canyon (USA) Vs Charyn Canyon (Kazakhstan) 

Everyone have heard of Grand Canyon in the United States of America. It is one of the most visited national parks with an estimated 5.9 million people visiting it a year. It had grown to the point where more lodging was needed in the area. Would you want to jostle with the crowd in order to take that picture?

Source: National Park Service 

Why not consider visiting an exotic country, Kazakhstan located in Central Asia region. In less than 200 kilometres away from the largest city of Almaty, Charyn Canyon is a place I would strongly recommend to anyone. When I was there with my private tour guide, there were not many people to begin with. The feeling of just you owning the whole canyon was so surreal. No amount of words could describe it and we even drove down to the Canyon to have a picnic. Along the way, I could count the number of cars I came across, less than 10! If you are looking to explore Charyn Canyon, my suggestion is to do it fast as it is becoming more popular under the international travel community. For more information on touring in Almaty, Kazakhstan, refer to link here.

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