Not that I blame them, it can be an intimidating prospect to jet off across an ocean to a land that is completely foreign to anything you've known. To each their own, but one day I will convince some of my friends to go on a trip with me somewhere exciting and unheard of.
Despite some of the travels I've undertaken, I still have a "bucket list" of locations I'd love to see before I die. Scanning down it will reveal quite a few recognizable locales: London, Paris, Cozumel. Locations that you would find on just about anyone's list. There are a few entries that might raise a few eyebrows though. My adventurous spirit hears the siren's call of quite a few exotic locations, and with enough luck I'll get to cross them off my list in my life time.
Here's a small sampling of 4 locations on my Travel Bucket List that you may have never heard of:
Andaman Islands
Paradise. At least so I imagine. And others seem to agree.
This Indian island chain in the Bay of Bengal seems to sneak under most radars. While locations like Hawaii and Bali seem to get most of the attention, this place appeals to me because it offers all the tropical beach bliss you can find in a more popular location without actually being popular. I was reading a recent story from someone who visited the island during its "high" tourist season and he reported that besides he and his wife, the only people who walked along the beach in front of their lodgings were local fishermen. No screaming kids, no speedoed eldery tourists. Just passing fishermen.
Getting to the islands isn't very easy. Their history as a prison for the British during the Raj will attest to how remote they are from the mainland of India. Flights are limited, but are available from Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai. A traveler also has the choice of reaching the islands by boat from Kolkata or Chennai, but as it costs the same as a flight and takes 4 days to arrive it seems taking a plane would be a wiser choice. If you are not an Indian citizen, you'll need a special permit to stay in the Andaman Islands. These are provided upon arrival if you choose to fly to the islands, or must be secured prior to arrival if you plan on taking the boat. All flights and boats disembark in Port Blair. Most travelers seem to arrange transportation to individual islands from here.
From a tropical paradise to a winter wonderland. Svalbard is little heard of and little heard from. A group of islands in the Barents Sea, directly north of Norway sitting well above the Arctic Circle, it's not surprising you may have never heard of it. My first introduction to the island group was while reading a children's novel: The Golden Compass. During the course of the story, the heroine of the novel travels to a land called Svalbard to meet with a polar bear. Thinking this was an land of make-believe, imagine my surprise when I discovered that this place actually exists!
Technically speaking, Svalbard serves as one of the northernmost points in Europe. The cities on these islands are the northernmost permanently settled locations on Earth. The biggest draw of making a trip to Svalbard is seeing the Arctic world in all its natural wonder. Residents and visitors alike are required to carry rifles when they leave the limits of established settlements. The biggest threat to safety on the islands would seem to be the bitter cold, but in reality it's the more then 500 polar bears that inhabit the islands. If you're gun shy, make sure you've booked a guided tour; they'll handle polar bear watch for you.
Similar to the Andamans, reaching Svalbard can be a bit of an effort. While a treaty signed by 41 nations technically allows for many nationalities to enter without a visa, the reality is that the Norway views Svalbard as part of its territory and therefore requires all visitors to pass through Norwegian immigration. There's no avoiding this, as the only regular method of reaching this snowy destination is domestic flights through Tromso and Oslo. The major city in the islands is Longyearbyen. From here you can arrange a variety of "touristy" activities including mountain climbing, arctic sailing, and viewing the abandoned settlements of previous coal mining operations from Russia.
Djenne
Mali is a country that many people couldn't point out on a map, let alone find Djenne which isn't even one of the larger cities in Mali. An oddly shaped nation in the middle of western Africa, Mali is the fabled land of Timbuktu. Africa is the continent that probably conjures the most apprehension in travelers, plagued by rumors of corruption, violence, and crime. While most rumors have some basis in reality, a simple investigation on the internet will bring forth a wealth of stories from everyday travelers who've made trips all across Africa in perfect safety. Sure, you might get asked to pay more then you should for a taxi from the airport, but that happens to me in New York City as well.
The town of Djenne might not be recognizable to you or me, but the United Nations sure knows it. The big tourist draw, the Great Mosque, was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987. While many cities have mosques, and even Great Mosques, the unique feature of the Djenne building is that it's made entirely of mud bricks. The mosque was first built in the 13th century, with the current structure being erected in 1907. Being made of mud, the elements in Mali takes a toll on the structure. To address this, every year the community of Djenne holds a festival where food and music is enjoyed while the entire community participates in repairing any damage to the building. As if the structure wasn't enough to lure you into visiting, every Monday the city holds a massive market where vendors hawk just about anything you can think of.
Mali is a little easier to get to then some of our previous locations. A previous French colony, your easiest method of arriving is to take a flight from Paris to the capital, Bamako. Another option is to fly with Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca. Save for a few neighboring countries, all visitors to Mali are required to secure a visa prior to arrival. Once in Mali, you can arrange with a car hire or taxi to drive to Djenne. The best day of the week to attempt to get to Djenne? Monday's market day.
Ushuaia
Situated on the southern tip of Argentina's section of the isle of Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia is far removed from the tango dancing and beef grilling sights one would typically find in tourist friendly Buenos Aires. With a temperate climate, it's warmer then one would probably expect from a city that seems so far south. Being far removed from the rest of the world and even the rest of Argentina, Ushuaia has had an interesting history over the years such as being a home for missionaries, a penal colony, and eventually a location for the Argentinian navy. The modern era has marked Ushuaia for a more interesting fate though; it's the launch point for the majority of tourist cruises to the elusive 7th continent, Antarctica.
Ideally situated for Antarctic tourism, Ushuaia is often host to adventurous tourists prepping for or returning from tours of the ice strewn land mass. Tours to Antarctica aren't cheap. My most recent search indicated that the least amount of money I could shell out for a trip was somewhere in the ball park of $2999. This was with a company that had mostly negative feedback. A reputable tour operator could cost you between $5000 and up. None of this covers the cost of the additional clothing and supplies one would most likely need on a trip to a land with such a harsh climate. The town itself isn't without its own charms. There are plenty of museums detailing the history of Tierra del Fuego and its original inhabitants. The natural beauty of the area shouldn't be overlooked either, with pristine water and sheltered bays dotting the area.
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Getting to Ushuaia is fairly simple. You'll either have to make your way to Buenos Aires, Argentina or Santiago, Chile and grab what seems to be an expensive flight. There are methods of getting to Ushuaia over land, but these are cumbersome and take several days. Visas are issued upon arrival for most nationalities. Lodgings in Ushuaia range from bare bones hostels to 5 star resorts.
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