Travel trends for 2019
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2018 is so passé, 2019 is where it is all happening.
A bold statement but that’s what travel is all about. Dreaming, planning and looking to the future.
You have likely seen the annual Best in Travel list created by Lonely Planet. It comes out each year and each year people are shocked as to the predictions of up and coming destinations and trends. Canberra created great waves on last years list.
Well, at HerCanberra we have some predictions of our own as to where travel is headed and where you as a Canberran should consider travelling in 2019.
Best in Active
Canberrans are well known to be an active bunch. You only have to head out on the country roads or even the highway on a Saturday morning to see the cyclists making the most of their weekend hours. So why not take that love of the active life and incorporate it into your next holiday with the Three Peaks Challenge.
This challenge involves hiking the three largest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales in a day. Amusing as it may be that that is even possible it might be a little extreme for some so you could also take a week or even two, see the countryside along the way and end each day with a pint in the pub whilst you plan your next hike.
The great thing about the three peaks is that whilst the views are gorgeous the summits are not an epic challenge. You can expect a four hour round trip on Snowdon and Scafell Pike and five hours for Ben Nevis. And whilst your trip will have a primary purpose of scaling these peaks you will get to see some of the best scenery across Wales, England and Scotland as a side note. What could be better than that? Do plan this one for summertime, unless you have experience in cold climate winter hiking it is definitely not recommended.
Pack some supplies for a picnic and plenty of water and head off on those trails to explore new worlds.
Best Roads Trips
Aussie’s love a road trip, you have to when living in one of the largest countries on the planet where you can drive for days and still not leave your own state. In 2019 why not take the iconic road trip to the next level and drive one of the most remote and spectacular highways in the world.
The 2232 kilometre Alaskan Highway runs from Dawson Creek in Canada to Delta Junction in Alaska. Whilst the road takes you through remote wilderness it is paved all the way and accessible year round. Peak time is May to September and with limited accommodation and campsites, it’s best to plan a few days in advance so you secure a place to stay.
Petrol is available approximately every 150 to 200 kilometers so you won’t ever be in need of a bathroom break and a fuel stop but expect long stretches of crystal clear rivers, hot pools, historic mining settlements and the largest protected wilderness area in the world boasting moose, black bears, mountain goats, dall sheep, bald eagles and possibly the occasional grizzly…hopefully not up close.
Best Budget Buster
The key to a budget buster holiday is choosing a destination that saves money on all fronts – cheap to get to, cheap accommodation, free and cheap activities and cheap eats. Whilst cities like Singapore and Hong Kong have been growing in popularity so have their price brackets – good luck getting a nice hotel in either city for less than $200 a night.
In 2019, Bangkok is where it is at. Flights are cheap as Bangkok is serviced by a wide range of airlines. Book ahead and travel in the off-season (mid-year) and pay as little as $600 per person return. You can score a 4-star hotel for as little as $60-$80 per night and you will find some of the most phenomenal street food in the world for mere dollars.
On the sightseeing front, a paltry entrance fee will get you into any of the hundreds of temples across the city. There are dozens upon dozens of night markets and street stalls where you can find knock-off bargains galore, the transport system and the riverboats are so cheap it’s criminal and you can also indulge in free pursuits such as enjoying the monitor lizards and octogenarians practising their tai-chi in Lumpini Park.
Best Luxury
Luxury means different things to different people but to many, the idea of not squeezing yourself into an impossibly small seat in an over-crowded metal tube for up to 16 hours is living the dream. If that is your dream then Canberrans cannot go past Qatar Airways QSuite.
This business class product is priced on the low end of business class fares yet has one of the most unique seating arrangements in the world. Located in the centre of the plane you have a configuration of two forward and two backwards facing seats where adjustable partitions means you can configure the seating to your needs.
Travelling in a family of four or on business with colleagues who need to conference you can be set up each in your own pod but grouped together with the partitions down so you can all see each other. Travelling as a couple you can have a private two-person pod which converts into a double bed for night flying. With Qatar touching down in Canberra daily and offering one of the largest flight networks in the world the QSuite will have you jetting off in luxury no matter where you want to holiday.
Best Armchair Travel
As much as we wish we could, most of us can’t holiday full time. To fill the long dreary workday gaps it is essential to fill your days with wonder and escapism and what better way than to do that with a book. I personally love to read travel autobiographies of people who do crazy things that I would never do. My most recent was Walking Home from Mongolia by Rob Lilwal.
Forget modern tales, take your mind back in time as 2019 is all about immersing yourself in historical literary journeys such as River of Doubt in which Theodore Roosevelt which recounts his treacherous journey exploring an uncharted tributary of the Amazon River. I mean, who would have known that a former US president was also an intrepid adventurer? For more historical travel writings check out Mark Twain’s The Innocents Abroad from 1869 or Syria by Gertrude Bell about her 1906 travels through the Middle East. A old/new perspective to expand your knowledge of the region.
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