Trip of a lifetime suggestions

[Ziferblat]

We usually focus on European travel but a big birthday is coming next year and my mind is turning to how few holidays we may have left with DC who are tween and teenage.

Where have you been that has blown your mind?

We are not super active but will try to shape up for the right trip and love great scenery, different cultures etc but also some comfort.

I’ve never been obsessed with animals but everyone seems to rave about safaris.

A lot of friends have gone to Costa Rica the last few years too.

Long haul places we have been to include: Australia and New Zealand; Malaysia, Singapore and Borneo with DC.

Before kids, we did the Yucatan peninsula and the entire West Coast of the US plus New York and Miami.

We would allocate about two weeks for this. Has to be in school holidays though DC get quite a lot of time off.

Where have you been that is long haul and you’d consider a trip of a lifetime?

I love the idea of South America but it is just so huge I don’t know where to start.

Anywhere else that you’ve been bowled over by?

Peru provides amazing scenery and an exotic feeling. You could do high plains, ancient ruins, mountains and deep jungle. Very friendly and easy to get around.

If you are interested in Mexico, one of my best trips there was doing the copper canyon railroad - it was absolutely incredible and nobody had ever heard of it! I started in Chihauhua and got off at lots of different stops along the way, just booked as we went along - some of it is proper cowboy country, lots of ranches that do horse riding treks, loads of places to rent bikes etc. the scenery is just stunning! We went all the way to the pacific coast and into Baja California (ferry from Mazatlan to La Paz). Then we worked down the coast and stayed in peurto Vallarta for a bit of resort time but I think you can also go up into USA using the trains. Have a great time planning your trip wherever you go!

Over the past few years we've been to the west coast US (twice), Costa Rica and Japan. All were amazing. On our future list are South Africa, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Mexico and Australia. The latter, we'll only go to if/when we can do more than two weeks as I've been to Australia before and vowed not to fly direct if I go again.

Thanks again! Will respond in backwards order!

@cheezncrackers Sounds like we have similar travel goals. Yes agree with Australia and NZ - need at least 3 weeks for one country (do not attempt both!!). I’ve lived there and been multiple times which perhaps explains our lack of other world t travel as so much of our budget and annual leave has been mopped up with trips to see family (the rest is just European holidays in the sun or city breaks).

Mexico is on my return list and I’ve never been to those parts. That railway sounds amazing @Rosieumbrella . Thanks for the tip!

Peru has always sounded fascinating @BadActingParsley : I’ve heard Lima is a bit shady but Cusco etc sounds incredible.

Your Japan adventure sounds incredible @Cinaferna . A lot more people seem to be going there in the last few years, perhaps because of the yen making it more affordable?

Did you book this through an agent or did you plan it yourselves? Your itinerary sounds fabulous.

Ooh I must look into it. Thank you! This wasn’t on my radar.

Japan

Does it gave to be a place? Could it be an experience? Sailing tall ships? Route 66 in America?

We've just got back from a South Africa safari - we did mabula which is about 2.5 hours north of Joburg. It was safe, and amazing, but eye wateringly expensive for 2 adults, a 14 and 15 year old. Having said that, given a sudden influx of money (c'mon on euromillions) I'd be back there in a heartbeat. We stayed at safari plains - I cannot recommend it enough. I would like to have gone on to Mauritius, but the NHS doesn't pay that much! You do need a break to chill after staying there.

We'd previously done Tanzania and Zanzibar - which I feel is overrated - there are much better beaches a lot closer.

However, my all time favourite is still 3 nights in Cairo, fly to luxor and pick up a small boat (ours had capacity for about 60 people) for 7 nights to Aswan and back - phenomenal experience.

Travel counsellors are fantastic at arranging stuff like this - pm me if you'd like the details of the lady we've used.

I am well travelled except for south America (two weeks feels too short to scratch the surface of many of these countries so waiting for retirement or being between jobs! )
Reading the sort of things you like I would suggest Japan (DIY and off the beaten track) would work well perhaps going via South Korea (exciting addition and helps reduce cost of flights)

Agree with adding in South Korea. I love Seoul amazing temples, palaces, easy to navigate, plenty of reasonable accommodation (we stayed at the ibis). We then took the train to jeonju, then bus to gyeongjiu (capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla) and then to Busan by train. I’m not that keen on Busan, but easy to get connecting flights to Japan. We flew to Osaka.

A friend with 4 kids the youngest was still a teenager went to Costa Rico and had a fabulous time the photos looked amazing.

South Africa- DS was 2.5. Stayed in Cape Town, Kynsa and a game reserve. Fabulous food and didn’t feel unsafe generally.

Maldives- DS was 7. Stayed in a resort and all loved snorkelling.

Brazil- DS was 6. Rio, then Iguazu staying both Brazil and Argentina side as they are very different! Then back to Rio and onto Buzios. It was fab! I would add in the Panatal for animals with older DC.

I am limited as I’m not allowed live vaccinations and I feel like I had to avoid the Amazon/ other parts of Brazil due to yellow fever.

I would really recommend a tour of Vietnam, absolutely fantastic.

And maybe do Iguazu Falls,on the border between Argentina and Brazil.

From both sides as completely different views. Id stay the Argentinan side though as foz in Brazil is pretty meh

Please don’t avoid Cambodia as it’s an amazing country and tourism is so vital to them.

The only time you’d have to engage with the history is if you decide to visit the prison and killing fields in Phnom Penh or the caves in Battambang. I did as it was important for me to understand the history of the country - it was harrowing but seeing how they’ve rebuilt and are such a friendly and welcoming country is also inspiring.

Siem Reap and Angkor Wat are unbelievable and then down on the coast Kampot is beautiful (we did kayaking, boat tours, trips to Kampot pepper farm, and a national park) I could easily have spent longer there, and then Koh Rong island is one of the most peaceful and stunning beaches I’ve been to and really affordable.

A multi destination Japan trip is next on my bucket list.

Me & DH went to Tokyo-Shanghai-Hong King a few years ago on (without kids) and it was all fabulous, but I fell in love with Tokyo. I’d love to travel around Japan with our (now adult/late teen) kids!

My dream trip would be Sri Lanka. Booked it twice and had to cancel both times - first was a terrorist attack and FCO said no travel, and second was Covid. It just looks such an interesting place to visit.

Now we have aging relatives depending on us not sure we'll every make it 😭

Srilanka ticks your boxes. Do a multi centre. Sigaria there you get the countryside, mountain, and safari , then head to Kandy, the capital for the temples , then head to a beach place

It's truly wonderful

I actually got married in Sri Lanka. It is a lovely place. I visited again some years later as it was one of the few places letting us in during spells of covid and I hadn't seen jaffna up in the north previously as had been forbidden to travel there when I first went

Sorry to hear you had to cancel Sri Lanka twice @OllyBJolly . Third time lucky? Can you get any respite from care for 2-3 weeks?