Are you tired of always traveling to new places every day? Do you sometimes feel like you’re rushing on your trip? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It’s normal to feel like you need a “vacation from your vacation” because we are so keen on seeing and doing everything that we are often feeling completely burnt out. We want to tick off as many countries as possible and we want to see all the main attractions while not having the right amount of time that’s actually needed to do so.
But what if you actually took the time to fully explore the destination you were at? What if you stayed in one place for longer than just a few days? Many people are starting to embrace the art of slow travel. People are no longer rushing on their vacation. Instead, it’s becoming more popular to choose experiences over sights. It’s about quality over quantity. When we travel in a slower pace, we get to really connect with the place we’re at, we get to know the locals, find our favorite cafés, immerse ourselves in the culture and we get to unwind and relax. This is so important for us if we want to enjoy our vacation.
So, if you’re also interested in practising slow travel, here are some of the best destinations:
Portugal
Europe is known to be a very expensive continent and rightfully so. It’s definitely not the cheapest destination in the world. But there are some countries in Europe that are still quite budget friendly. Portugal is one of them. Since tourism boomed in Portugal, the tourism infrastructure has improved and AirBnB has become a big thing here. If there’s a place in Europe where you should travel slower, it’s here. There’s numerous listings on AirBnB where you can find apartments that can be rented for a longer period of time. Portugal has two main cities that are famous for tourists – Porto and Lisbon. Both of the cities have a big expat community and many people who intended on just passing by, ended up staying here instead. There’s plenty of things to do in both Lisbon and Porto that will keep you occupied for a long time. Who knows, maybe you’ll also end up living there.
Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the most budget friendly destinations in the world and is a joy to travel around in. But it’s also a massive country with tons of sights to see, so tourists often do the mistake of trying to put everything in their calendar. Try to settle instead for one place and see it thoroughly. For example, the capital city Hanoi is an excellent base if you want to travel around in the north. Hanoi is a thrilling city filled with motorbikes, people and street food stalls. The expat community is also growing bigger here and there are events happening almost every day. It’s the perfect city to stay in for a longer period of time. Find your favorite café, try as many hole in the wall restaurants you can, enroll in a Vietnamese language class and meet locals, go to the park and read a book, and just enjoy everything that this thrilling city has to offer. When you want to get out of the city, just take a bus to nearby Halong Bay, cruise around the thousands of limestone islands and islets that’s risen from the sea, go swimming in one of the beaches in Cat Ba and eat some tasty seafood.
Thailand
Head to the islands if you want to party and head north if you want to chill. Thailand is home to some of the most iconic backpacker spots such as Pai, Chiang Mai and Phi Phi Islands. If you’d like to find a place where you can basically do nothing without feeling bad about it, head north to the little town Pai. It’s famous for being a laid back, charming town where everyone basically just chills. There are many beautiful spots though around the town to explore such as the Pai Canyon, hot springs, waterfalls and Tham Lod Caves, located about 35 km outside of the town. If you don’t want to ride a scooter, you can also just walk around in Pai and enjoy the surrounding landscapes, find a bohemian café to sit in and when night falls, head to the night market. Time seems to have stopped here in Pai and perhaps that’s why it’s one of the best places to slow travel.
Italy
This highly popular European country has captured many people’s hearts from all over the world and is a must visit. It has one of the highest numbers of UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world. Italy has also one of the world’s most beautiful rivieras (although some say it’s the most beautiful), amazing food and incredibly friendly locals. The Italian culture will charm you, the architecture will take your breath away and the food will make you wish you never had to leave Italy. Time moves in a slower pace here in comparison to the rest of Europe, so go with the flow and do as the locals – take your time!
