Stayed in a lighthouse yet?

The bucket list is passé. What’s in are offbeat holiday destinations that promise you experiences that linger long after they are over, writes PRIYADARSHINI PAITANDY

March 19, 2016 05:00 pm | Updated 05:00 pm IST - CHENNAI

The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, are seen near the city of Tromsoe, northern Norway, late Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Stargazers were out in force in northern Europe on Tuesday, hoping to be awed by a spectacular showing of northern lights after the most powerful solar storm in six years. (AP Photo/Scanpix Norway, Rune Stoltz Bertinussen) NORWAY OUT

The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, are seen near the city of Tromsoe, northern Norway, late Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Stargazers were out in force in northern Europe on Tuesday, hoping to be awed by a spectacular showing of northern lights after the most powerful solar storm in six years. (AP Photo/Scanpix Norway, Rune Stoltz Bertinussen) NORWAY OUT

Holidays these days… they are more like the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Sample this: A private yacht to cruise around the Mediterranean islands. A party ferry where you can revel onboard for a week and sail to the most happening Croatian ports. A night or two in historical mansions in Ireland or Scottish castles. Or, a chance to channel your inner Tarzan in a tree house in Provence.

Fun, quirky, unique experiences are taking over. It’s no longer about hopping from Paris to Geneva overnight, ticking off the sightseeing spots, clicking pictures, and heading to the next country (which, according to most package tour itineraries, would be Germany) within a few hours.

The rise of travel channels, shows, Instagram posts and inviting pictures on the Internet have stirred up people’s desire to discover the world. No wonder, travel loan is a thing now. And stories of people quitting their jobs and crisscrossing the globe are hardly surprising. And, there are those who save for an entire year to be able to go on that much-planned and dreamed-about annual vacation. Sometimes, there is company and, at others, people set off by themselves. “Solo travel has picked up. A majority of our clients travel alone. These are people who don’t like sticking to an itinerary and love exploring at their own pace,” says Promita Chatterjee of The Backpacker Co, a Mumbai-based company that offers backpacking trips for a group of people.

Such trips, on a majority, see single travellers from different places. By the end of the trip, they’re buddies. “Hostel accommodations are increasing, and it’s great for those on a tight budget. There are no more any apprehensions of sharing a dormitory with other travellers,” she adds. Currently, Japan is emerging as a favourite, with many opting to backpack across the island.

“Untouched destinations are becoming popular. Some of our clients want to be among the first few to visit a place, and beat their acquaintances to it. Apart from the usual, this year there have been queries for Montenegro and Croatia, especially Dubrovnik and the islands of Hvar and Split,” says Natashya Kent, retail sales officer, Vacations Exotica-Balmer Lawrie.

Eastern Europe, too, has been drawing in a large number of tourists in the last two years. Prague, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia are the new poster girls of the avid traveller. Natashya notices that these trips are mostly booked by those in the 25-40 age group, as they involve a fair bit of walking. Older clients prefer cruises or locations with less strenuous physical activities. Alaska, Russia, Turkey and Greece suit them better.

“A few clients of mine always have a bunch of unusual things on their to-do lists. For example, in Zagreb, one of them wants to visit the Museum of Broken Relationships, spend a week on a party yacht and visit cave clubs… some of these are new to us, even as tour operators. It challenges us to keep abreast of new trends in travel and make them available,” she adds.

Agrees Manjari Verma, who co-founded travel curation company Broken Compass with Avani Patel. “We have a couple of regular clients who delight us with their own research. Our team constantly browses for new, exciting locations and hidden gems, but, sometimes, clients suggest places we haven’t heard of — recently, someone wanted to go to Appenzell, a quaint town in Switzerland.”

Suggesting and booking offbeat plans and stay options is Broken Compass’ forte. Their suggestions include cities, towns and villages that are almost always overlooked by tourists and certain holiday planners. Italy is not just about Rome, Venice and Florence — they throw in Alberobello, known for its trulli houses; Greece isn’t limited to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini but also includes lesser-known Pirgi; and for holidayers in Iceland, they recommend a Thrihnukagigur volcano tour. “Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, Ethiopia, Israel, Mongolia and Bolivia are becoming preferred choices for vacations. Wellness and health-related holidays, extended family holidays and mini weekend getaways rate high on trend charts,” says Manjari.

For some, destinations dictate the nature of vacation; for a bunch of others, its food, sports or even films. Pop culture and movie-based tourism is on an incline as well. The Lord of the Rings made the Hobbiton tours of New Zealand a must-visit. Malta and parts of Northern Ireland get a steady flow of Game of Thrones fans, all the Tamasha that Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor did in Corsica helped this French island make its way to several bucket lists.

Music festivals, too, are a new, albeit niche, market that’s fast growing. The Ziro festival in Arunachal Pradesh, Tomorrowland in Belgium, Coachella in California, Glastonbury in the U.K. and Sunburn in Goa attract music lovers from all over.

The adventurous love trekking and hiking holidays. Bhutan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Northeast are fine examples of destinations that promote this genre.

Then, there are those with specific requests such as witnessing the Northern Lights in Norway, or in Lapland while in the comfort of their glass igloos. A few prefer to get away from technology and the crowd, and camp in cabins in the wilderness or by a lake. Another exciting opportunity they seek is to stay in lighthouses overlooking the bay. Surreal experiences indeed.

The travel markets have opened up, with places even as far-flung as Antarctica luring travellers. And once the aficionados are done getting the visas of all the countries stamped onto their jumbo passports, there’s always Mars to fly to.

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