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.

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!

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.