When it comes to travel it can often feel like there’s so much to do in such little time – and the trend of “slow travel” in someway seems a little backward, as today, we are focused on experiencing more, more, more and packing as much into our time as possible – particularly our holidays.

See, we often treat travel like a Chinese takeaway rather than a slow and luxurious Sunday Brunch; meaning we are dashing about here there and everywhere in order to satiate our quest to explore as many parts of the world as possible – in fact, we can be running around so fast that we barely get chance to enjoy our travels and truly absorb the experiences we are having.  This is where “slow travel” comes in.

Slow travel, basically means one will spend a reasonably long period of time in one place; such as a month, often working and fully integrating with the culture of the destination.  Some could argue that slow travel allows for the the best holiday possible as you get to truly know your destination, whilst for others, they might argue it’s limiting and perhaps even lazy, or boring, on the basis you aren’t experiencing the whole world – just one little pocket of it.

The thought behind “slow travel” is that by spending more time in one location, be that a few weeks or a few months, you can experience the place in more depth and perhaps more authentically, than the veneered view of a tourist.

The term “like a local” is often used to describe the enhanced experience a traveller has when getting beneath the surface of a city, however it takes time to get to this level, and isn’t something a guidebook can point out.

Slow travel, be it a few weeks or a few months, helps you experience anywhere in more depth & more authentically! Read some destination inspiration as to where to head to in order to engage in slow travel. #slowtravel #travelslow
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Whereas, if you were to spend, let’s say a month, integrating with the local culture you will experience a whole new side of the city that is much richer than the limits of the typical tourist trail.

Slow travel may or may not be up your street, but if you’re curious as to where to head to in order to engage in slow travel and integrate with the local culture, here’s some destination inspiration:

1. THAILAND:  CHIANG MAI

Many people would describe Chiang Mai as a land of temples, rice paddies, monks and natural jungle.  This is true for the areas around Chiang Mai, but the city itself can be a pretty bustling place that is like a much more relaxed version of Bangkok.

Finding somewhere cheap to live in Chiang Mai is pretty simple.  There are several modern apartments available on www.airbnb.com at a cost of just $10 per night (presuming you are renting for over a month).

Chiang Mai is a great place to have as a base whilst exploring the rest of Thailand as there are direct flights to beautiful islands such as Krabi, Phuket and Koh Samui meaning you can go on mini breaks to more exotic locations, whilst benefiting from being in the cheaper and some could argue friendlier North of the country.

2. TURKEY: ISTANBUL

Whilst there are the occasional political demonstrations in Istanbul, on the whole Istanbul is a very safe, peaceful and calm city that is tourist friendly and extremely polite.

Istanbul is a lot like London, New York and Paris – but a lot warmer, both in terms of the weather and the people.  It’s also a lot cheaper. Istanbul is unlike any other city in the world due to the fact it is separated by the Bosphorus Strait meaning the city is split into two sides, each on a different continent (Europe and Asia).

The European side offers well known brands occupying prime real estate on busy high streets with independent hipster bars and coffee shops found closer to the river, akin to the vibe one might find in San Francisco, whilst the Asian side has a much more rustic and raw vibe, where in parts, you could feel like you were in modern day Morocco.

3. MOROCCO: MARRAKECH

Talking of Morocco, Marrakech is an incredibly colourful and vibrant city that has a lot to offer tourists – yet most will visit only for a few days.

Whilst you may not choose to live in Marrakech for a whole month, it can be a fantastic place to base yourself for a few weeks whilst exploring the hidden gems of Morocco such as the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains.  Indeed, a more relaxed and much nicer alternative to Marrakech is Essaouira which has a far more chilled out coastal vibe akin to Portugal.

4. INDONESIA: BALI

Made famous by the film Eat Pray Love, Bali is a spiritual hotbed of hippie travelers all trying to make ends meet on the beautiful island of Bali.  That said, it isn’t all hippie creativity, there’s also a lot of pollution, congestion and club life; as Bali serves the same purpose for the young Australian crowd that the likes of Ibiza does in Europe.

Admittedly, Bali isn’t the cheapest destination in SE Asia, though it is one of the nicest – particularly if you head toward the Northern part of the island, away from the trashiness of Kuta.  Moreover, Bali is a good starting point to explore other parts of Indonesia, and these parts can be incredibly cheap yet equally as beautiful as Bali.

In fact, the lesser known parts of this country made up of hundreds if not thousands of tiny islands are in some ways even more magical than Bali because they retain their true essence without being corrupted by tourism.

5. SINGAPORE

Singapore is a melting pot of cultures with an incredible foodie scene.  Whilst Singapore isn’t particularly cheap as a place to travel long-term, you can earn a decent wage here, meaning if you were travelling long term and looking for a way to top up your travel fund this could be a good option.

Hotels can be pricey, but there are some great deals to be had on long term apartments; particularly through AirBnB.  That said, due to how polite people are in this region, it would be just as easy to live with someone on a roommate basis rather than renting an entire apartment.

Singapore makes a great place to have as a base for exploring other parts of Southeast Asia as there are very cheap flights to the majority of popular tourist destinations with flights just a few hours long.

You can ensure that you get the best out of your Slow Travel experience with a bit of simple planning. Check out some destination inspiration for a great slow travel adventure! #slowtravel #travelslow #SeeTheWorld
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Though some people might worry that slow travel could be boring, you can do a lot to ensure that you get the best out of your travel experience with a bit of simple planning. Where else would you consider as a great place for those looking to experience slow travel? Let us know in the comments below!

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The post Slow Travel: Is It The Way Forward? appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

Indonesia is a Southeast Asian nation. It’s made up of thousands of tiny individual islands, all of them volcanic at some point during their life. Those thousands of tiny islands have grown in popularity over the past few years, with thousands of tourists either flocking there for an adventure holiday, or even inhabiting the islands. There’s just so many to explore that no one would ever get round them all. There’s around 13 thousand of these mini islands to be precise. So when thinking about what parts of Indonesia you want to discover, you need to think about some of the main islands and the qualities of them. We’ve picked out some of the best that we think would make an excellent holiday for you, read on to find out more.

The many islands of Indonesia would make an excellent adventure holiday. See what islands should be on your bucket list as you Discover Indonesia! #DiscoverIndonesia #VisitIndonesia #IslandLife
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Sumatra

Sumatra is one of the biggest Indonesian islands that you can visit, a lot of them really are going to be tiny! Even though it is such a big island, it isn’t usually on people’s list when it comes to planning an Indonesian holiday, but there’s so many reasons why it should be. For one, it is full of your typical beautiful beaches, but also has the perfect mix of luscious forest terrain covered in volcanoes. Hidden within this terrain is wildlife still roaming in its natural habitat. There’s lions, orangutans, elephants, all of which you might be able to have a glimpse of. Well, hopefully not the tigers, but you can definitely see the orangutans in their natural habitat. There are two major cities of Sumatra. The first is Banda Aceh, the city that was sadly destroyed in the 2011 tsunami. But since then the city has been rebuilt year on year, and there’s now even a museum to visit that commemorates the tsunami and all the victims that were lost. If you’re going to Sumatra, one place that has to be on your hit list is Lake Toba. It is just a beautiful day out, especially if you’re looking to cool off with a swim. It is also easily accessible by car. Here’s a few more things that you can do in Sumatra https://www.tripzilla.com/sumatra-things-to-do/56022.

Borneo

Borneo is becoming ever more popular due to the volunteering work that goes on there. Year on year hundreds of Europeans and Americans flock there to give their aid to the people that need it. But that doesn’t mean Borneo is a developing island that isn’t worth visiting, it is far from that. In fact, it has some of the best scenery, and some of the most diverse things to do out of all of the islands, and it is still immensely popular with tourists looking for a fun holiday. Borneo’s Sabah coastline is the place people go to relax. It has some of the most beautiful beaches that would be perfect for unwinding after a long day of exploring the rest of the island. But if you are looking for things to do that are a little more adventurous as of the day time, one of the most popular things to do is a hike up Mount Kinabalu. It definitely isn’t for beginners, expert climbers can do it in around two days if they wanted to get to the peak. But you don’t have to go that high, you can just go as far as you can in half a day and you’ll still experience some amazing views. If you’re looking for some amazing underwater views, scuba diving or snorkeling off of the Sipadan island should definitely be on your hit list.  

With thousands of tiny individual islands, the Bucket List Project shares a few of the best ones that should be part of your bucket list as you Discover Indonesia! #DiscoverIndonesia #VisitIndonesia #ExploreIndonesia
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Java

Java is one of the main and biggest Indonesian islands, it also holds Jakarta, Indonesia’s official capital. If you’re going to head to Java, then be warned, you will fall in love. There’s so much to do in terms of diverse culture and landscapes. The people there are always so welcoming, and the food from some of the local markets of Jakarta will either freak you out or want you leaving more. More and more people are choosing to move to the island of Java no matter where they come from in the world. This is purely down to the fact that Jakarta is becoming a hub for thriving business life. If you think you’d ever be interested in buying or renting a home in Java to either live, or have some of the best holidays, check out this link, https://www.rumah.com/rumah-dijual/di-area-bandung-idjb01. So, now to talk about the things that you can do there on a holiday. Anyer is one of the best parts of the island to head to if you want that typical beach holiday. Anyer is towered by a volcano that makes for a perfect hiking destination where there are even guided tours. It isn’t your typical white sanded beach that a lot of the Indonesian islands offer, but does have some of the best waters to take a dip in. Plus, there’s plenty to do in terms of water sports on the beach. Make sure you do take a trip to Jakarta to experience the true hustle and bustle of Indonesian life.

Bangka

Bangka is a relatively big island with a population of around 1 million people. However, it isn’t as popular in terms of tourism. If you are heading there though, there’s plenty to do that’s going to keep you entertained. It’s the perfect island for those hoping to have a lovely little retreat, with a bit of adventure mixed in. First you’ve got the Bangka botanical gardens with some of the most beautiful plants and wildlife to have a look at. This makes for a lovely half a day trip out as there is a place to eat there as well. There’s also Kaolin lake, a beautiful body of water with a nature trail surrounding it ready for you to explore. The water of the lake is so piercingly blue, it really does make for a good photo. Finally, when your adventuring is done and you’re ready to relax, Parai Tenggiri beach is one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever come across, it’s perfect for soaking up that Indonesian sun.

We hope this article has helped you discover a little more of Indonesia that you might not have considered before!

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