Travel While You’re Still Young! The 10 Most Exciting Places in the World to Visit for Iconic Attractions, Culture, Food and Ease of Travel (2020)

Travelling does not only help us relax but also gives us precious memories. The experiences that we gather while travelling are unlike our daily experiences and so the memories of such times become special to us. For instance, if while on a trip you go paragliding, that's an activity you do not perform on a regular basis so the memory of that paragliding experience will have a special place in your heart. Besides giving special memories, travelling also helps broaden your mind. When you travel, you come in contact with customs, traditions and cultures that are very different from yours. You get to observe and be a part of a different kind of people and place that not only give you knowledge but also teaches you acceptance.

As the adage goes, all work and no play will do no good to us. That’s why we have leisure time and leisure activities to counteract our hours of business. Though there are millions of ways to spend your leisure yet travelling tops them all for some of us.

Travelling is one of those few leisure activities that allow you to spend your spare time productively, all the while you are enjoying the process. You get to see different people, learn about their cultures, myths, history and lifestyles. This gives you additional knowledge and the tales and lore of a particular culture entertain you. Even regular activities like eating, drinking and walking seem new! To top it all, such moments of enjoyment are not restricted to the place you visit as they stay with long after the trip is over in the form of memories. You not only return to work with a broadened perspective of things but also memories that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Our world is a diverse place and that is a blessing. It is not at all boring and mundane with every element is similar across the face of the planet or even a small region. It is geography, weather, diction, customs and traditions often change every 100 kilometres. In our world exists thousands of ethnicities, languages, dialects, religions, cultures, food and histories, each quite different from one another. This makes our world interesting and gives birth to the concept of exploring. One of the many ways of exploring this diverse world is travelling. Travelling allows you to learn about various cultures and traditions, both existing and extinct. You can spend your leisure in an interesting way of learning about people and places so diametrically different than yours. Soon you can feel an evolution in you that all this knowledge will bring.

Travelling takes you to the epicentre of a particular culture-the place of its origin. You can always read a book and know about culture but it is not the same as getting to know it after first-hand interaction. Moreover, no matter how unbiased a book is, it is still the opinion of another person. But if you travel to a particular place, you get to know its culture and people from your own experience. This intimate interaction allows you to know about various types of people and their customs and traditions. This not only makes you knowledgeable but also broadens your mind. You are learning about them through stereotypes or opinions of a writer but the inputs of your own eyes, ears and nose. Knowledge gained such is the truest form of knowledge.

Coming in contact with different people in different places make you experience events that are unique and special. When you go on a trip, even everyday activities like eating, are done in a different way and a different setting. You usually do not eat your noodles with chopsticks or sleep in a bungalow in the middle of a forest estate or shop from vendors moving around in boats. These experiences are unique to you as they are realities of cultures that you don’t belong to. Travelling allows you to savour these unique experiences, making you enjoy life to the fullest.

Asia is not just the largest continent in the world but also the most varied. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea in the West to the Banda Sea in the East. In between falls geographies, cultures and religions that are very different from each other. To tourists, it provides the optimum dose of adventure, culture and history. It also has some of the most naturally beautiful places in the world. On top of it, it is one of the most pocket-friendly continents to travel to. You can have the experience of a lifetime without burning a hole in your pockets thus earning the continent the Mecca of budget travel. The continent is known for historical cities, delicious street food, old cultures, fascinating customs and traditions. Follow this BP Guide to explore Asia.

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is a unique city that houses both the charm of the past and the vibrancy of modernity. This harmonious juxtaposition gives this city a dynamicity that is not seen anywhere else. Bangkok is known for its active nightlife and colourful street life as well as its ornate palaces and shrines. The Chao Phraya River that flows through the city is home to many floating markets and together with the many temples and palaces provide an aesthetic definition to the city. Famous places to visit are the Wat Arun Temple, the Grand Palace and the Wat Pho Temple.

Dubai is a city that showcases the magnanimous ability of man-made beauty. It is living proof of the depth of human imagination and enterprise. It is the most luxurious city in Asia known for its luxury living, shopping, ultramodern buildings and a lively nightlife. It is a place where one can see that which cannot be seen anywhere else. Ubiquitous luxury cars to keeping exotic and wild animals as pets, Dubai never ceases to amaze. Famous tourist attractions are the Burj Khalifah, the tallest building in the city, Dubai Fountain and the artificial Palm Islands.

India’s economic capital is a city of history, culture, heritage and modernity. Home to India’s iconic Hindi language film industry, Bollywood, the city is no less colourful and varied like the movies it produces. It has a rich and diverse history as many cultures docked in this port city in the past leaving their marks upon every aspect of the city. It would not be wrong to say that these cultures have contributed heavily to the formation of Mumbai. It is rightfully said that Mumbai might not be for everyone but no one ever manages to forget this city once they have visited. It is a city that is what it is not only for its markets, restaurants, Bollywood and historical buildings but also for its people. Some popular tourist attractions of Mumbai are Gateway of India, Elephanta caves, Juhu Beach and the famous Marine Drive.

This metropolis is the capital of South Korea and is famous for its skyscrapers, modern buildings with futuristic designs, high-tech life and for being Asia’s centre of pop culture. But this is just one side of this magnificent city. On the other side, you would find the soul of Seoul in its street markets and the numerous palaces and Buddhist temples that speak of its rich culture. Besides these, spring in Seoul is a sight for sore eyes as its surrounding landscape is dominated by the lush green of nature and the soft pink of cherry blossoms. Some of the popular places to visit are Seoul Tower, Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace and various national parks.

It is a port city situated on the island of Honshu in Japan. This city homogenously amalgamates the past and the present as is apparent from the existence of both ancient shrines and high rises of modern architecture. The city is also known for its delicious street food. This city has a unique feature, that it is surrounded by a moat and a park that boasts of peach, plum and cherry blossom trees. Thus, during spring, the city gets surrounded by beautiful sights of pink cherry blossoms. Tourist attractions in the place include the 16th century Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi-taisha, Japan’s oldest Shinto shrine, Osaka Aquarium, Ummeda Sky building and Universal Studios Japan.

Probably the most famous place in Asia, Singapore is a versatile tourist spot that has a bit of everything for all kinds of visitors. This is an island-city state that has many adventure activities in the form of theme parks and many more. There are beaches too and is a heaven for shoppers. Its multicultural population gives Singapore its dynamic and rich culture and heritage. One of the most famous locations is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple that is said to house a tooth of Buddha.

There is no other city in the world that is as unique as Istanbul. To start with, it is situated right at the meeting of Asia and Europe and has served as a gateway of the two continents since the days of the early civilizations. Second is the fact that it was the home of both the Orient and the Occident as ruins of both the Roman hippodrome and the ancient Egyptian Obelisk can be found here as proof of that. Not just that, Istanbul was first a Christian city and known as Constantinople before it fell into the hands of the Turkish sultans and became Istanbul, an important centre of their empire. Thus, it is a city that has been called home by polar opposite cultural and religious institutions. This enabled the city to have a dynamic historical and cultural heritage. It is peppered with historical monuments of both Orient and the Occident, Islam and Christianity. It is well and truly a history buff’s paradise. Some of the famous attractions are the Hagia Sophia, Galata Tower, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque.

This Indonesian island is known for its natural landscape and holy sites. The forested volcanic mountains, rice paddies that have become iconic to the place, coral reefs and beaches make Bali one of the most beautiful islands in the world. This very landscape provides ample opportunities for adventure sports like surfing, scuba diving, mountain climbing, trekking and many more. Bali is essentially heaven for adrenaline junkies and people who get mesmerized by nature. Some of the places to visit in Bali are Tanah Lot Temple, Ubud Monkey Forest and Bali Safari and Marine Park.

Tourist attractions, delicious Chinese and Cantonese food and luxurious shopping destinations make Hong Kong a hotspot for tourists. It is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy life to the fullest. What with the city boasting of the highest per capita income in the world, Hong Kong encapsulates fine and elite living. Tourist can get some fine experiences upon visiting this gem of a city. Also, Hong Kong has a protected nature wherein thrives rare birds. Thus, the city has both natural and artificial beauty. Some tourist attractions in the city are Tai O Fishing Village, Tian Tan Buddha Statue, Wong Tai Sin Temple, Victoria Peak and Repulse Bay.

It is a coastal city in Thailand that is famous for its picturesque beaches. Once just a serene fishing village, Pattaya has now grown into one of Thailand’s most visited locations. Now it boasts of luxury resorts, shopping malls, high-rise condos, bars and designer golf courses. The Pattaya Bay provides beautiful views of sunsets and sunrises. This city is the perfect spot for you to give yourself a much-needed break and relax. Some of the tourist attractions are the Wat Phra Yai Temple that features a Buddha statue that is 18 ft tall, Cora Island, Sanctuary of Truth, Buddha Mountain Chi, Central Festival Haunted House and Sri Racha Tiger Zoo.