Travelling is a gift. It expands horizons and perspectives about life through the unique experiences brought by those places visited. When people have an intense yearning to travel, they usually want to explore what needs to be discovered. Once done, a grateful and fulfilled heart is satisfied.
To see the world outside the comfort of one’s so-called home is a calling to the greater good. Traversing the beauty of this planet allows individuals to collate memories that can be shared throughout generations – an opportunity to inspire.
And in every continent, unexpected yet exciting escapades await. Unleash that wanderlust soul with this bucket list.
Africa
1. Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve, South Africa
The Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve is a South African gem nestled against the Cederberg’s natural rock formations. This pristine location allows guests to connect with the soulful heritage and breathtaking landscape where the past meets the present. The place offers open-air suites where guests sleep and stay exposed to nature. It is the best place to spend quality time with someone under the good night sky splattered by the wave of the Milky Way. The absence of light pollution allows clear night skies to explore the galaxy of stars as if dreams nearly be realised. Other accommodations include cave suites, hut suites, and camping tents.
Address: Cederberg Mountain Range, South Africa
Rate: From 160 USD/night
Description: Nature Reserve Accommodation
Website: https://www.kaggakamma.co.za/rates.php
2. Pyramids of Meroë, Sudan, North Africa
Meroe is home to 200 discovered pyramids. It is the ancient capital of the Kushite Kingdom, in Sudan’s Nile Valley, and contains essential Nubian architecture. Hence a protected place by UNESCO Sudan due to its historical importance. The said kingdom once ruled Egypt and covered over 1500 km more of the Nile Valley; they were called ‘’The Black Pharaohs”. The pyramids possess unique designs rising from narrow footprints with heights from 6 meters, elevating to 30 more. Contrary to the Giza pyramids in Egypt, the Nubian counterpart does not have burial chambers inside. In addition, the Meroitic language has not yet been fully translated by historians and is currently understudied; more stories have yet to be uncovered from these texts in the future.
Address: Sudan, Northeastern Africa
Rate: about 20 USD/person
Description: Heritage site
Website: https://artsexperiments.withgoogle.com/meroe/
Antarctica
3. Ross Sea Ice Shelf
The continent is an ice kingdom. It is almost covered by ice sheets that contain about 70% of the world’s freshwater. It is by far the largest ice shelf of Antarctica, covering 487,000 square kilometres, making it one of the most captivating and stunning natural attractions in the world. Furthermore, there is also an active volcano, Mt Erebus, situated at an altitude of 3,794 meters on the island.
Address: Ross Ice Shelf, Continent of Antarctica
Rate: n/a
Description: Floating Ice
Website: https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/blog/science-of-the-ross-ice-shelf
Asia
4. Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Singapore adopts the concept of having a city within a garden. With the integration of creativity, science, and technology, the country displays iconic structures that emphasise green architecture. This is evident with Gardens by the Bay’s surreal sights, paradise-like spaces, and lush greenery. Occupying over 101 hectares, the tourist attraction houses a Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, and Supertree Grove that recreates an eternal spring season. The spectacular sunset scenery at Bay East Garden rounds off one’s visit to the place with an unobscured view of Singapore’s skyline.
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore
Rate: about 40 USD package
Description: Garden of Wonder / Recreational
Website: https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/
Australia
5. Sydney Opera House
Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the Sydney Opera House is an iconic site to visit in the country. This magnificent work of art had UNESCO listed Sydney Opera House World Heritage Site. Over a million roof tiles covered around 1.62 hectares sitting over the structure and were made in Sweden. The place gathers more than 10.9 million visitors inside the building every year, making it one of the busiest opera houses in the world. During special occasions like the New Year, a dramatic lighting display enchants the building’s façade.
Address: Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Rate: about 43 USD for adults / 23 USD for children
Description: Opera House
Website: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/
North America
6. Times Square, New York City
As a dream destination, Times Square is a popular destination in North America. It is renowned for the sheer amount of theatres along Broadway, in Lincoln Centre, and in the Theater District. Award-winning plays and musicals are available all year long. The area transforms into a dynamic space during annual festivities like New Year’s Eve, where every street corner becomes busy. Its iconic setting has featured various Hollywood films and has drawn visitors from different parts of the world.
Address: Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA
Rate: n/a
Description: Entertainment Hub
Website: https://www.timessquarenyc.org/
South America
7. Machu Picchu
This historic sanctuary stands 2,430 meters above sea level amidst tropical mountain forests. Considered the most incredible architectural creation of the Inca Empire, there are approximately 200 structures that make up this great religious, ceremonial, astronomical, and agricultural centre. This extraordinary masterplan is situated on a steep ridge crisscrossed by stone terraces. It also displays sophisticated planning, which divides into a lower and upper part, separating the farming from residential areas.
Address: Eastern Cordillera of Southern Peru
Rate: about 40 USD entrance fee / 70 USD with tour guide
Description: Heritage Site
Website: https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/
Europe
8. Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel tower is a Parisian landmark. It is also a technological masterpiece in building construction history. Considered a breakthrough creation, this 300 meters lattice wrought iron is proof of the sophisticated engineering and architectural knowledge of the time. This masterpiece was designed by Gustave Eiffel and is now a symbol of Paris.
Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris
Rate: about 17 EUROS for adults / 4 Euros for Children
Description: Wrought-iron lattice tower
Website: https://www.toureiffel.paris/en
References:
Taylor, A. (2015). The Forgotten Pyramids of Meroë – The Atlantic. [online] www.theatlantic.com. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/05/the-forgotten-pyramids-of-meroe/392312/ [Accessed 1 Dec. 2022].
Dobre, C. (n.d.). Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve. [online] Christina Dobre. Available at: https://christinadobre.com/kagga-kamma-nature-reserve [Accessed 1 Dec. 2022].
ocean.si.edu. (n.d.). Ross Sea Ice Shelf | Smithsonian Ocean. [online] Available at: https://ocean.si.edu/holding-tank/ice/ross-sea-ice-shelf [Accessed 1 Dec. 2022].
“Gardens by the Bay.” Gardensbythebay.com.sg, 2019, www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2022.
McLaughlin, Molly. “Complete Guide to the Sydney Opera House.” TripSavvy, 26 Mar. 2020, www.tripsavvy.com/sydney-opera-house-complete-guide-4783244. Accessed 2 Dec. 2022.
Timessquarenyc.org. (2019b). Times Square NYC. [online] Available at: https://www.timessquarenyc.org/ [Accessed 2 Dec. 2022].
UNESCO World Heritage Centre (2011). Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. [online] Unesco.org. Available at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274/ [Accessed 2 Dec. 2022].
