8 Breathtaking Bucket List Destinations is my run down of extraordinary and unforgettable places. I believe any intrepid traveller should try to tick off at least a handful of these destinations in his or her lifetime.
Expect stunning temples, sublime nature, wildlife, desert and beach from different continents around planet Earth.
Of course, these are my bucket list recommendations and you will have your own too. I look forward to hearing what you think about the destinations I’ve chosen. Have you been to any of these places? What would you add to this list? Leave a comment at the very bottom of this blog post.
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1) Ancient Monuments Of Luxor, Egypt
Karnak Temple
My 8 Breathtaking Bucket List Destinations will begin at the spot where creation is believed to of started. Karnak Temple goes back to between 2055BC and 100AD. It was constructed as a cult temple, honouring the gods Amun, Mut and Khonsu. Here they were worshipped.
Work on Karnak Temple spanned over 1500 years by succeeding generations of pharoahs. There are temples, sanctuaries and other features here. To understand just how big this awesome site is, think of a football pitch and multiply it by 150 more pitches. And then some. Infact it’s over 200 acres in size.
Facts
- Karnak is an open-air museum and considered the largest religious site in the world.
- Karnak is an Arabic word meaning ‘fortified village’.
- It lies within the ancient city of Thebes (known as Luxor today).
- The site is over 2000 years old.
Opening times: 6:00 – 17.30 daily
Location: Karnak, Luxor Governorate, in the south of Egypt, east side of the River Nile
Luxor Temple
Also when discussing these ancient monuments, there is of course Luxor Temple. Unlike others, this was not built in dedication to a God, but to the rejuvenation of Kingship. There are many pharaohs buried at this particular site.
The temple is surrounded by mud-brick walls which symbolize the separation between the world and the sacred realm of the Gods. The temple holds extraordinary beauty in its ancient architecture and is guaranteed to capture your imagination!
We have all heard of the Great Pyramids and Sphinx, but on the other hand, a visit to mystical Luxor should definitely be on your bucket list. Here you can truly surround yourself with the magic of ancient Egypt.
2) Moraine Lake, Banff, Canada
Moving on is my contender for one of the most beautiful places on earth. Moraine Lake is in Banff National Park and is an icon of the Canadian Rockies, aside from Coors beer and Mountie police!
This brilliant turquoise lake is fed by glacial melt and set against the spectacular mountains in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The area is very famous, with millions of tourists flocking here every year. This heavenly wilderness even appeared on Canada’s 20 dollar bill at one time! The views here truly inspire awe within any traveller.
Moraine Lake is situated 14km south east of Lake Louise, within the same National Park. Come here between June and October, which is the only time to see the lake in all its glory. The rest of the year it is usually frozen over, due to the high elevation here. It’s 1885m above sea level (6183ft). However, it’s still equally beautiful in it’s own way, during these colder months.
For more info on this beautiful part of the world visit Natasha and Cameron at The Banff Blog.
3) Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan
Thirdly, in the south of Jordan, about 2 hours from Petra is Wadi Rum. This is the classic desert that lives up to everything your imagination could conjure up. Think of endless, shifting sands, valleys and caravans of camels.
Wadi Rum is also called the ‘Valley of the Moon’ and is a UNESCO World Heritage site roughly equivalent in size to New York City.
Moreover, several movies have been filmed in this Martian-like landscape, The Mummy, Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker and almost any movie with ‘Mars’ in the title! The epic 1962 movie ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ was also partly filmed here.
Getting there
Arrive at either Petra or Aqaba (the nearest places to the desert) and go from there. Buses are available. Ideally if you can rent a car then your routes to get here open up greatly. This company will help you out a lot. Hiring a car is definitely the best option for Wadi Rum.
Things to do
Overnight camp stays and jeep tours are popular activities here. Plus it’s highly recommended to stay overnight in the desert to really get a feel for this place.
4) Meteora Monasteries, Central Greece
In continuing my 8 Breathtaking Bucket List Destinations is the Meteora Monasteries in the prefecture of Thessaly, central Greece. Any tour of this Mediterranean country shouldn’t be complete without a visit to this spectacular holy complex.
Perched on a series of sandstone pillars, that stretch high into the sky, these monasteries are a dramatic sight to see. Six monasteries survive today, at one time there were many more, over twenty infact! They represent the complete solitude sought after by the monks back in the 11th century, who set up home here. Originally they lived here in caves. Today some monks and nuns still dwell in the monasteries that remain.
Kalambaka is the closest town to Meteora and it’s possible to take either train, bus or car here from many major cities. A well-paved road runs through Meteora, making it easy to access the lofty monasteries by either scooter, car or hike.
For further, more detailed info about visiting here check this out.
5) Taroko National Park, Taiwan
Next up and taking it’s name from the Taroko Gorge, a local landmark here, Taroko National Park offers an abundance of sublime views. It’s a true gem for nature lovers, with its awesome mountains and deep marble canyons.
The park is to the east of the island nation of Taiwan, spreading over three counties: Hualien, Taichung and Nantou. There’s well over 100 named mountains here and 27 of the ‘100 peaks of Taiwan’. They tower over 3000m above sea level.
For adventure seekers and nature lovers, this park is a must-visit destination. It’s packed full of short, tranquil trails and more challenging mountain climbs. There’s an amazing array of flora and fauna here, old shrines and temples and historical artefacts, some being thousands of years old.
Taroko Gorge has even been referred to as the Grand Canyon of Taiwan. Indeed the scenery is absolutely mind-blowing, making it deserving of a place on my bucket list.
Accessing the park
Entry to the park is free, however entering via Zhaila Old Road will require a Park entry permit and incur a small charge. You can apply for the permit on the Taiwan National Park Permit Website.
6) Taj Mahal, Agra, India
The sixth destination on my 8 bucket list destinations is perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. The Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh really is one of those famous travel landmarks that totally exceeds expectations.
When I visited in Autumn of 2019 I went very early in the morning. This way I managed to get unobstructed views of the Taj Mahal, minus hundreds of tourists. In turn, resulting in some fantastic photos.
The Taj Mahal is a funerary mosque built in 1648 by Shah Jehan in memory of his late wife. It’s recognized as the world’s greatest Indo-Islamic building.
The ivory-white mausoleum seems to appear like an apparition before you, as it is utterly sublime. A walk around the grounds of the Taj is very relaxing and you can appreciate how tidy and well-kept this place is.
For something different, why not arrange a night view, available for 5 nights of the month. This would be an ideal activity for couples wanting to do something very romantic together. For more info visit here.
For a 15 day Uncover India Tour with $160 cashback check this great deal.
7) Tanzania, East Africa
The penultimate bucket list destination I have chosen is Tanzania. It’s a mecca for any self-respecting wildlife lover. It contains a star-studded list of animals within the Serengeti National Park. These include lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalo. You will experience the ultimate safari when you visit this very friendly and safe country.
Furthermore, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and you will find it here. It’s certainly worth the hike to the top!
In addition to the above, one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles on the planet takes place in Tanzania too, that being the great migration. Literally millions of wildebeest, zebras and antelope sweep across the plains of the Serengeti. To witness this is something extremely special. It’s believed late June to November is the best time to see this event. To learn more about the great migration visit here.
Facts
- Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania is home to more baboons then anywhere on Earth.
- There’s over 120 ethnic groups within the country, probably the most famous being the semi-nomadic Maasai.
- The official language is Swahili, yet you will find many people speak English too.
- The densest population of animals in the world live in the Ngorongoro Crater – an estimated 25,000 animals inhabit this conservation area.
8) Baia Do Sancho Beach, Brazil
The holiday brochure turquoise waters are packed full to the brim with sealife, such as schools of dolphins and turtles. As a result, it is one of the top diving destinations in Brazil. There are also a prolific array of tropical seabirds here.
What places are on your bucket list?
Sooo to wrap things up, I hope you have enjoyed my 8 Breathtaking Bucket List Destinations To See At Least Once In Your Life. While it may be true that many famous places weren’t included, I have, however, made this bucket list unique to me. Perhaps I will do a part two in the future too! We all have different dreams of course and you can share in the comments below some of your bucket list destinations. I’d love to see them and know why you want to go there!
About me
Mark James Murphy is a writer, artist and adventurer. He was born in Sunderland, North-East England in the early 1980s.
He has solo travelled extensively throughout the world and in 2017 decided to leave behind his job and apartment in the UK to teach English in Vietnam, South East Asia, for almost five years, describing it as the best moments of his life so far. There he also continued developing his practice as an artist and printmaker, documenting his travels through the medium of linocut.
In 2019 he fulfilled a childhood dream when he backpacked for two months throughout the whole of India, ending up in a remote village in the Himalayan foothills.
He has played football with local kids in the Sahara desert, lived with Hmong people high in the mountains of North Vietnam and worked as a farmhand in Southern Spain.
Mark is currently based just outside of London.
Mark is author of this invaluable travel guide ebook available on Amazon now: ‘Travel For As Long As You Wish: The Blueprint For Budget Travel, Backpacking And Escaping The Rat Race’
