With the New Year fast approaching, it’s time to reflect on all you accomplished in the past year and all you hope to do in the next. From finally getting to experience the beautiful underwater wonder of the Great Barrier Reef to joining a marathon in one of the coldest places on the globe, here are 30 things you may want to add to that 2017 travel check list. After all, the New Year is a perfect opportunity to try something — and somewhere — new (and Cheapflights.com.sg flight search can help you get there on a budget). Read on and start planning to have the best year ever. Let’s raise an in-flight beverage to new adventures…
1. Dive into the the underwater world of beautiful marine life alongside World War II shipwrecks in Palawan‘s Coron Bay.
2. Or make 2017 the year you experience a guaranteed snorkeling experience of a lifetime: the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, Australia.
3. Swim with jellyfish in the Philippines’ Sohoton Cove on Siargao Island. Don’t worry, they’re stingless.
4. Conquer your fear of heights and splurge on a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience at the same time by reserving yourself a seat at the table 50 metres off the ground for Dinner In The Sky‘s next leg. Check out the schedule here.
5. If sky-high dining is not that big a challenge for you, why not try the world’s highest bungee jump from the Macau Tower? Book here, if you dare.
6. Make reservations at Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo and sample some of the best sushi you’ll taste in your entire life.
7. While in Japan, take a train to Yamanashi Prefecture and book yourself a stay at the world’s oldest hotel Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, which is over a thousand years old.
8. Plan to see all of Croatia‘s UNESCO Heritage Sites such as the Palace of Diocletian, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Euphrasian Basilica, Cathedral of St James in Šibenik, Stari Grad Plain Hvar Island, City of Trogir, and, of course, the beautiful old city of Dubrovnik.
9. Go to a place none of your friends have ever been. How about Malta? Be sure to post your photos on Instagram for maximum impact. 🙂
10. Plan a trip to an emerging destination such as Bhutan or Cuba.
11. Book a beachfront villa in Koh Samui or Phuket and luxuriate in total privacy, waking up to the sights and sounds of crashing waves.
12. Pack your #healthgoals when you travel and support vegan and organic restaurants during your holiday.
13. For people who love marathons, challenge yourself and join the Antartic Ice Marathon happening in January and November 2017.
14. Get in on the ski world’s biggest secret and ski the slopes at Dizin and Shemshak resorts (just a two-hour drive from the Iranian capital of Tehran) instead of the European Alps.
15. See the stars from Chile — one of the best places to stargaze in the world. For the best views of the night sky (sometimes with a hint of the Milky Way), head for the South American country’s Atacama Desert or take a flight to Easter Island.
16. Get a taste of New World wines by exploring the vineyards in Argentina’s Mendoza, Adelaide in Australia, or Napa Valley and Sonoma in California.
17. Speaking of wine, a vineyard in Italy’s Abruzzo region (about two hours from Rome) has just opened a 24-hour red wine fountain. And it’s free! Sounds bucket-list worthy to us.
18. Another thing to add to your check list: Marvel at the 160 kilometre-long World Heritage ice field of Los Glaciares National Park in Southern Patagonia.
19. Wake up and smell the coffee in Colombia — one of the biggest producers in the world — by booking yourself a farm stay in its famous Coffee Triangle region.
20. Singapore citizens don’t need a visa to travel to Peru, so what’s stopping you from trekking to Machu Picchu?
21. See New York City‘s Central Park during Fall.
22. Take in Morocco‘s Sahara Desert. The best time to go is from January to April.
23. Watch a ballet performance at the famous Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Russia.
24. Spend your Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Andalucía, where you can watch the procession of the capirote-wearing nazarenos.
25. Design your own costume mask in one of Venice, Italy’s oldest mask-making shops, Ca’ Macana. In case you didn’t know, their masks were used in the Stanley Kubrick film, “Eyes Wide Shut.”
26. See the vertigo-inducing view from the top of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
27. Get into Berlin’s best clubs such as KitKat or Berghain. If you can, that is.
28. Instagram a photo of yourself strolling the beautiful lavender fields of Provence in France. Remember to visit between June to August when they’re in full bloom.
29. Ride the waves in Costa Rica.
30. See the spectacular landscapes of New Zealand‘s Milford Sound on a boat cruise or a kayak.
What’s on your list of things to do for 2017? Let us know in the comments and start your search.
Main image: iStockphoto.com/blublaf
