In 2023/24 I came up with the idea to start an international tour company while halfway around the world on a trip to circumnavigate the globe. Along the way both great and not so great destinations including shark cage diving in South Africa and getting interrogated at a border crossing between Thailand and Malaysia. So in all the locations I visited along the way, what were the most recommended stops along the journey?
From the rainy hills of the Faroe Islands to the jungles of the Seychelles, here are some of the top locations I recommend visiting on your own quest to circumnavigate the globe.
Archanes, Crete
After spending an entire morning hiking up to an abandoned monastery in the Cretan interior, I came down from the mountainous heights completely exhausted and empty of any remaining water my water bottle had left in it to find a lunch restaurant serving local seafood. After sitting down for a relaxing lunch and rehydrating with both water and local wine, I took the time to head to the bus stop to return to Heraklion only to find the bus would not arrive for another hour. It turned out to be the break I needed as I was able to have plenty of time to explore the small interior village of Archanes before heading back to my hostel. From incredible local cuisine to beautiful alleyways calling out to any cultural traveler, Archanes was an incredible opportunity to take a break from the busy tourist traps of Greece and get a glimpse into the daily lives of Cretans.
Galleria Sabauda; Turin, Italy
While on a mission to learn more about Medieval warrior women, I stopped into Turin, Italy en route from Paris to Rome without realizing the city had one of the world's best collections of Medieval arms and armor. Once in Turin, I found the name of the museum on a list of museums to visit in the city and immediately set out for the day. While wandering several halls filled with armored knights and their horses displaying weaponry, shields, and all the panoplies of Medieval warfare; my childlike wonder emerged with wide eyes and eager feet ready to step into each next room filled with even more swords and halberds.
Waiheke Island, New Zealand
While exhausted after spending more than a week in Wellington trying to fight jetlag from being in seven time zones in the previous month, I booked the cheapest hostel in the Auckland area before hopping on a bus to the north end of New Zealand's north island. Once there, I realized the hostel I booked was on a completely different island- accessible only by ferry which only had one last departure left on the evening I arrived in the city. Fighting sleep deprivation, I braved increasing exhausted to hop on the ferry to Waiheke Island where I spent the next three days exploring the small towns on the island and its even smaller beaches far from the busy city life of nearby Auckland- and it was exactly what I needed.
Langkawi, Malaysia
While I may have had some issues with getting out of Malaysia and back into Thailand, overall Malaysia turned out to be one of the coolest countries I had ever been to. But most impressive about the country was the island of Langkawi. While the Thai side of the border is famous for island on either side of the peninsula, many of them have become overfilled with tourists who leave garbage and pollution for locals to clean up. On Malaysia' Langkawi, the crowded tourism of Thailand's islands has not yet damaged the growing tourism scene of the island. Instead, it still hosts local restaurants and beaches perfect for watching the sunset.
Bishop Museum; Honolulu, Hawaii
Perhaps one of my favorite museums in the world- the Bishop Museum showcases the natural and human history of the Pacific with exhibits on marine biology and Polynesian cultures including antique surfboards, artifacts from cultures across the Pacific, and a full-scale replica of a whale visitors can walk through. Although a bit pricey, the museum is well worth the visit for those exploring Oahu for more than a week and in search of something to do on a rare, rainy day in Hawaii.
Mahe Island, Seychelles
Growing up in Missouri and Southern Illinois- and even taking part in an archaeology dig on the Illinois-Kentucky border raised my on a belief I knew what hot and humid meant... until I tried hiking in the tropical jungles of the Seychelles. Although I was flooded by my own sweat every one of the five days I hiked on Mahe Island, I enjoyed every moment of my time exploring the Indian Ocean island paradise including one brief jaunt into an abandoned resort the island's jungle deemed fit for reclamation.
Castillo de Sao Jorge; Lisbon, Portugal
My one visit so far to Portugal had been completely unplanned. In need of a flight from Dublin to Madrid, I discovered I could save a tremendous amount of money staying in Dublin three extra days and booking a flight to Madrid with a 13-hour layover in Lisbon. During that layover, I took the time to explore the city including navigating several back alleys uphill towards the imposing fortress of the Castillo de Sao Jorge. Not only did the castle have a tremendous museum displaying artifacts from the city's history, it also had several incredible sculptures and an amazing view overlooking the entire city of Lisbon.
Gravity Research Center, West Australia
While exploring the city of Perth in West Australia, I admittedly was having trouble finding things to do. After enjoying a military museum outside of the city, I took up an offer from fellow hostel guests to join them for a visit to West Australia's Gravity Research Center where they provided night-time exhibits on the night sky. During our visit, we met with some of the world's leading astronomy experts, looked through some of the world's most expensive telescopes, and learned stories from local Australian Aboriginal mythology about their names for night sky constellations.
Step Pyramids of Saqqara; Cairo, Egypt
While countless tourists visit the world-famous Pyramids of Giza daily; Cairo's best kept secret may be the other location for Egypt's best preserved pyramids. At the almost desolate Saqqara neighborhood are the step pyramids which would go on to inspire the larger pyramids in Giza. With no entrance fee (except a parking ticket if you'd like to drive to the site), Saqqara's step pyramids still contain much of their original hieroglyphics- many of which still hold their original paint- due to the low number of tourists going around the chambers of the various structures and rubbing their hands over their walls (as is the case with those of Giza).
Comentarios