While you stay at home and honour the lockdown order implemented by the government, you may well find yourself having some extra time to daydream about some of the bucket list locations you’d like to tick off once life starts returning to normal. 

If you’re looking for some inspiration on where you should travel once the ban has been lifted and it's safe to go abroad again - or you just need a healthy distraction from having to talk to your family members all day - look no further. 

Use Your Imagination: Travel Inspo for After the Travel Ban

While it isn’t possible to travel right now, using your imagination is the perfect way to combat the isolation blues and figure out where you’d like to visit once the travel restrictions have been lifted. Ask yourself the following questions while daydreaming about your next overseas adventure:

WHERE HAVE I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO?

In the past, there may have been a single destination that’s always tickled your fancy. To be safe, think of three to five options to open up the possible destinations you can visit, being mindful that there may be long-term travel restrictions on one or more of the destinations you’d like to visit. Call it having a plan B, C, D and E.

WHO DO I WANT TO TRAVEL WITH?

This is normally something to ask whenever you start planning a trip, but deciding who your next ‘partner in crime’ will be early on rather than right before you book can change everything. Remember that travelling with grandma won’t be quite the same as doing so with your best friend from high school. Gran sure loves her clubbing, doesn’t she?

WHAT AM I CRAVING MOST IN TERMS OF A HOLIDAY ABROAD? 

The answer can vary, from a need to get more sun after all the isolation to wanting to explore a new culture to just trying a dish that you read about online recently. If you know your intention, location choices will open up from there. You may even just be excited to be on a plane again after such a long time!

WHICH DESTINATIONS HAVE I LOVED IN THE PAST?  

While you might not want to visit the same location twice, knowing what you enjoyed previously while on holiday can help you narrow down your choices purely based on setting. If you got a little more than ‘sun kissed’ the last time you hit a beach destination, you know warm weather destinations may not be a good fit for you. No need to go full igloo holiday, but you catch our drift.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST LESSON FROM MY LAST TRIP ABROAD? 

This question gives you the chance to reflect on something memorable, or even some of the challenges from the last time you were abroad. Have a proper think about the trip and what stood out for you. Knowing what you want to avoid certainly makes it easier the next time around, whereas a fond memory can quickly point you in the right direction.

Get Inspired by These Bucket List Destinations

Now that you’ve done some soul searching, you’re just about ready to start getting inspired by some bucket list destinations. The following ideas will give you and your travel buddy the foreign destination fix you need once the travel restrictions are eventually lifted.

ADVENTURE BEACH: BEACH AND MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is one of the most breathtaking countries in the world, and its coastal city of Cape Town is a popular tourist destination for millions of people each year. While you can enjoy a lot of time in the sun on Clifton Beach - where you will feel rich and famous even if you’re not - you also have the pleasure of exploring Table Mountain, one of the most iconic South African tourist attractions, which is just a stone's throw away from the ocean.  

A visit to South Africa can give you a lot of options, allowing you to work in a bunch of activities that will make the adventure all the more memorable. Cape Town’s summer, which takes place between December and February, is the perfect time to visit, with generally hot temperatures and minimal rain across the board.

CULTURAL INSPIRATION: EXPLORE A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

If cultural inspiration is part of your travel bucket list, there are many naturally beautiful heritage sites all over the world you can choose to visit. These include the likes of the Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison in Barbados and the painted churches in the Troodos region of Cyprus, as well as the León Cathedral and the old city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. The opportunities are endless!

Each of these sites has the UNESCO stamp of approval, so if you’re looking for a holiday leaning more towards the cultural, these are the places to be. Did we mention that you might run into Rihanna - or some statues of her, at least - in Barbados? See! Cultural.

OUT OF THE ORDINARY: VOLCANIC IMMERSION IN TURKEY

For something completely different, have a think about visiting the ‘fairy chimneys’ in Cappadocia in Turkey. This remote region contains a sea of volcanic peaks that visitors are actually allowed to trek through. There are many other ways to experience them as well, including cave exploration or even having a look at them via hot air balloon. 

For some of the early inhabitants of the area, these volcanic peaks were used to create homes and churches, which would eventually perfectly match some of the historic castles in the area. There’s nothing quite like seeing the fairy chimneys in person for the first time, so avoid doing too much Googling before you leave.

FAUNA AND FLORA : A SAFARI EXPERIENCE IN EGYPT

Hurghada is a well known tourist resort in Egypt, providing many things to do including luxury beach breaks and the exploration of ancient tombs and pyramids. If you’ve seen a lot of this kind of thing on YouTube while under lockdown, you may be keen to keep scrolling. WAIT.

You probably haven’t thought about going on a different kind of adventure that breaks away from all stereotypes. Think flowers, plants and animals. Lots of them. Now we’re talking!

A 4x4 safari experience is memorable no matter the destination, simply because it gives you the chance to reconnect with nature, to see animals you’ve never seen before and to share a unique experience with people from all over the world. It’s the kind of holiday that never disappoints. 

Making Your Travel Dreams Come True

Armed with all this wonderful knowledge about a few of the incredible bucket list destinations out there in the world, we’ve hopefully whet your appetite for a new travel adventure once the global restrictions have been lifted. 

If not,our blog posts should do the trick. One of the more recent ones discusses a list of travel documentaries to watch at home, which should help tide you over until you can get back out there. It’s totally cool - and understandable - if you watch Around the World in 80 Days more times than you can count between now and then. 

Here’s to a lot more time spent daydreaming about your next trip, and to things returning back to the way they were sooner rather than later. Stay strong and happy travels!