How to choose an unusual vacation
When you set about starting to choose an unusual vacation, it can feel a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. The world is not only your oyster, it is a veritable seafood banquet when it comes to finding something unique and special. However, some people are allergic to seafood, and might opt for meat. Others are vegetarian. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to sit in a classroom learning Spanish or getting up at 5am to survey beaches during their vacation, for example. Others may have dreamed about climbing Everest or wondered what it’s like to live with an African tribe. Whether it’s thrill-seeking or self-discovery, few people have regretted making childhood dreams come true. Here are some of the things you might want to take into consideration before you start diving for those oysters. They might help you find the quirky pearls more easily and not just take the quick route out and just book a run of the mill ‘could be anywhere’ resort vacation.
Our Unusual vacations guide Vacations
Spanish course & hiking vacation, Picos de Europa, Spain
Spanish classes + stunning hikes in Picos de Europa
From
€659
7 days
ex flights
Devon eco lodge accommodation, England
Quirky eco lodges, 1 with Hot Tub, on a Devon nature reserve
From
£205 to £810
per accommodation per week
Luxury fitness vacations in Spain
Luxury weight loss, detox, fitness & wellness retreat Spain
From
£995 to £1245
7 days
ex flights
Ivory Coast small group tour
Explore the little known but welcoming Ivory Coast
From
£2389 to £2995
11 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure vacation, salmon run
Active small group adventures in a retrofitted school bus
From
US $3640 to US $3690
20 days
ex flights
Burma cultural vacation
Discover a side of Burma hidden beyond the tourist trail
From
£1879 to £2075
15 days
ex flights
Sao Tome discovery tour
Explore these paradise islands with the Bradt Guide Author
From
£3225
10 days
ex flights
Self guided biking tour in Croatia
Explore the amazing island's coasts, medieval town on bike
From
€440 to €905
7 days
ex flights
Northern Lights photography vacation in Iceland, coast & ice
Photographic trip in the stunning west and southeast Iceland
From
£3250
10 days
ex flights
Peru tour, off the beaten track
An cultural small group tour to the Northern region of Peru.
From
£3035
14 days
ex flights
Sicily history tour, Italy
One of the most fascinating islands in Europe
From
US $1949 to US $2179
9 days
ex flights
Cross-country skiing vacation in Finland, Russian border
Guided hut-to-hut cross-country skiing vacation in Finland
From
€1030
7 days
ex flights
Vietnam small group cycling vacation
The best of Vietnam on two wheels
From
US $2099 to US $2549
14 days
ex flights
Burma sailing vacation, the Mergui archipelago
Adventurous exploration of the Myeik Archipelago in Burma
From
US $1778 to US $2720
9 days
ex flights
Western Mongolia tour, the Altai mountains & eagles
Culture and adventure in the landscapes of western Mongolia
From
US $2500 to US $2995
13 days
ex flights
Activity vacation in Montenegro
An active villa vacation at stunning Lake Skadar, Montenegro
From
£645 to £745
7 days
ex flights
Small group Albania vacation
An incredible history set against a rugged landscape
From
US $1349 to US $1479
10 days
ex flights
Petra and Wadi Rum by bike, Jordan
Cycling trip through stunning desert scenery
From
US $1879
9 days
ex flights
B&B self drive tour of Tasmania, meet the locals
Self-drive staying in Tasmania's most charming B&Bs
From
AU $1100 to AU $6000
14 days
ex flights
Georgia & Armenia cultural vacation
Journey to the furthest reaches of Europe
From
£2325 to £2450
16 days
ex flights
Altiplano de Granada activity vacation, Spain
Family Multi-activity cultural vacation in rural Andalucia
From
€370 to €480
8 days
ex flights
Learn Spanish & hike the Camino de Santiago, Spain
Spanish Course + walking in the Camino del Norte
From
€699
7 days
ex flights
Archaeology vacation in Greece
A small-group archaeology tour of Greece
From
€1250
8 days
ex flights
Coast to coast cycling vacation in Costa Rica
Take in the variety of Costa Rica by bike
From
US $3849 to US $3999
14 days
ex flights
Transylvania vacation accommodation
Stay at a Count's guesthouse
From
€100 to €174
per person per night
Sintra Natural Park accommodation in Portugal
Eco-friendly B&B, in Sintra Natural Park near lovely beaches
From
€90 to €120
per room per night
New Zealands Subantarctic Islands cruise, including Macquarie
Wildlife voyage to the Subantarctic inc Macquarie Island
From
US $7000 to US $7750
13 days
ex flights
Tailor made tours of Oman
Privately escorted mystical trip of stunning Oman
From
US $1999
8 days
ex flights
Going against the flow
This is when you go to a mainstream tourism destination, such as Spain or Croatia, but do something a little different to the norm when you are there. You can avoid the queues to get on board the island boats in Croatia, for example, and just spend a week island hopping by kayak. Or go walking and talking in Spain, on a language course where you also hike the hills at the same time as learning the lingo. Seeing Petra in Jordan is at the top of many travelers’ list now, but doing it on a bike is the cool, cultural way to go.
Going off the beaten path
Sometimes you are just tired of the old tourism map. All the silver bits on your scratch map have been scraped off, and you crave pastures new. The media is always jumping on board the ‘best new destination’ bandwagon. But we like to highlight ‘different’ destinations because they are in a position to bring high quality, exciting responsible tourism offerings to the table. Not just because it appears in the latest blockbuster movie, or because some celeb has opened a hotel there. Some favourite places for being really different but at the same time still feel very real, are Mongolia, inland Montenegro, Haiti and Alaska.Quirky mix
We are not only getting quirkier in our travel tastes, but we are also getting more demanding. Trekking the Camino de Santiago isn’t enough anymore; we have to combine it with an intensive Spanish course. People love the idea of learning a new skill on vacation, or find breaks that exercise their bodies, minds and soul. You can do yoga just about anywhere these days, on a boat or up a mountain, with saluting the sun on a traditional Turkish gulet boat the ultimate pose. You can even go on a running vacation with a bit of whale watching thrown in. Beware though, don’t try and tick too may boxes but concentrate on one thing at a time. The last thing you want is to spend time recovering from your vacation after trying to cram too much in!Our top Unusual vacations guide Vacation
Spanish course & hiking vacation, Picos de Europa, Spain
Spanish classes + stunning hikes in Picos de Europa
From
€659
7 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2020: 16 Mar, 23 Mar, 30 Mar, 6 Apr, 13 Apr, 20 Apr, 27 Apr, 4 May, 11 May, 18 May, 25 May, 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 15 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Jun, 6 Jul, 13 Jul, 20 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 24 Aug, 31 Aug, 7 Sep, 14 Sep, 21 Sep, 28 Sep, 5 Oct, 12 Oct, 19 Oct, 26 Oct
2020: 16 Mar, 23 Mar, 30 Mar, 6 Apr, 13 Apr, 20 Apr, 27 Apr, 4 May, 11 May, 18 May, 25 May, 1 Jun, 8 Jun, 15 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Jun, 6 Jul, 13 Jul, 20 Jul, 27 Jul, 3 Aug, 10 Aug, 17 Aug, 24 Aug, 31 Aug, 7 Sep, 14 Sep, 21 Sep, 28 Sep, 5 Oct, 12 Oct, 19 Oct, 26 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Unusual vacations guide or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
Do something different
These are vacations for active types, who don’t just want to go off the beaten path, but want to build the path while they’ re at it. Going on a family volunteering vacation with turtles in Costa Rica, learning how to cook in a Kerala homestay, sledding with huskies through Finnish Lapland, learning yoga on a gulet in Turkey or going on an Arctic diving vacation, are all just a few of the busy and sometimes bizarre beauties on offer, when you are looking to do something different on vacation.
Bizarre beds
Unusual accommodation is always a top of our list when it comes to unique vacations. Not only because they tick that ‘got to do something different’ urge, but because they are often created by people who have ambitious visions when it comes to responsible tourism. Such as an eco yurt vacation in Lanzarote, a tree hotel in Sweden, a straw bale house in Yorkshire, a barge in Bruges or an Ecuadorian ecolodge.Travel & learn
Learning something new or volunteering can be a most rewarding form of travel. You’ll gain so much when volunteering, whilst also giving something back to the local community or the environment. And you can now learn almost any new skill in the stimulating environment of a new country and different culture – from languages to cooking, game ranger skills to journalism.More about Unusual vacations guide
This unusual vacations guide steers clear of trends for ‘what’s cool and different right now’ but takes you on a journey of eclectic adventures , one of which is guaranteed to wow you into that ‘let’s do something different this year’ mode.
We love this section of the guide. Not just because they are unusual and fun places to stay, but also because accommodation like these are created by people who really want to blend with their environment, tie in with traditional culture and also offer a memorable vacation for people.
From kayaking in Montenegro to monkeying around, literally, in South Africa. Sleeping in the Sahara to trekking with a donkey in Alps. Keep scrolling until you see those grins get bigger and bigger.
Choosing a top ten unusual vacations list is nigh on impossible, but not when you ask all of our responsible travel experts to pick their quirky leaders in the field.
This q (uirky) tips section is very useful, with lots of unusual vacation travel tips from expert suppliers who know that what they do is a bit different, but are doing it anyway because eventually people try them out, and that’s it - they are hooked.
Unusual vacation destinations are not all about where’s cool to go this year. They are about people who are providing out of the ordinary experiences in places that you might not usually think about visiting.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Paul Vinten] [Intro: MAKE IT KENYA PHOTO / STUART PRICE.]
[Going against the flow: DavorLovincic]
[Do something different: TriplexAdventures]
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