7 travel ideas that’ll take you off the tourist trail

Take the road less travelled, leave the swarm of tourists behind and get ready to head off the beaten track. These unusual tourist destinations don’t pop up often on your social media feed, and that’s precisely their appeal.

So you’ve headed to Siam Reap to visit the incredible (and popular) Angkor Wat. While you’re there, it’s worth checking out this lesser-known wonder, about 50km northeast of Siam Reap. Trek your way through the jungle to discover the Kbal Speanan, its riverbed decorated with stunning carvings of lingas and Hindu gods. Dating back to the 11th century, the carvings illustrate Hindu mythology and symbolism. Don’t forget to pack plenty of water, and best to wear shoes you can trust.

With average winter temperatures of -24C during the day and -36C at night, you’re in for a surreal experience in this frozen frontier town, where the aurora borealis can often be seen dancing across the clear night sky. By day, explore the Great Slave Lake’s ice roads and see colourful old houseboats frozen in place. View the vast, white north from a different angle on a bushplane flight or dog-sledding ride. The Snowking Festival in March, complete with epic ice castle, is a celebration of the northern way of life. There’s ice sculptures, live music, curling, and the hilarious skijoring race – where competitors on skis are pulled along (with varying success) by their dogs.

If you’re a fan of felines, you’ll be in good company on Tashirojima, a small island 20km offshore from Ishinomaki. Here, roaming cats outnumber humans six to one, and they’re well cared for by the locals who believe that feeding the cats will bring them good fortune and wealth. The island is walkable via roads and trails that link the two fishing villages, so you can take in the natural scenery at a relaxed pace. And what better place to stay overnight than a cat-shaped lodge complete with cat-themed artwork, courtesy of some of Japan’s most famous manga artists.

Once you’re done tubing down the Nam Song River in Vang Vieng, head to Phonsavan and prepare to have your mind blown. The Plain of Jars is one of the most puzzling and unique Laos attractions. Giant jars in various sizes, crafted from sandstone and granite, abound throughout the Xieng Khouang Province. Thought to be over 2,000 years old, the purpose of the jars is unclear. Some believe they were used to store rice and lao-lao (rice whisky); others believe they were used for storing the dead. The verdict is still out.

There’s so much more to Dublin than the Guinness Storehouse. Often overlooked, the Natural History Museum (also referred to as the Dead Zoo), features a wide variety and extensive zoological collection and is an unofficial tribute to taxidermy. Bursting with exhibits spanning the entirety of the animal kingdom, the varying quality of the taxidermy itself is both fascinating and frightening. You may just need a Guinness once you’ve visited here.

Palawan’s spectacular limestone lagoons attract big crowds, but you can have a different kind of experience with eco-tour operator, Tao. Join a multi-night island-hopping adventure between El Nido and Coron, exploring coral reefs and deserted beaches where the boats full of daytrippers don’t go. You can snorkel all day, get a massage on the sand, and sleep beachside in bamboo shelters at remote island camps. Fill up on Filipino-style meals freshly prepared by the crew and eaten together. Mod-cons are intentionally minimal – you’ll sleep beneath a mozzie net and rinse off in outdoor showers – but by embracing the simplicity of island life, you’ll find more freedom to connect with nature, your fellow castaways, and yourself.

Rome – home of the Colosseum, and the little-known Capuchin Crypt. This strange bone church is located near Piazza Barberini and is a calming yet creepy oasis from the bustle of Italy’s capital city. Housing the skeletal remains of around 3,700 Capuchin friars, there are six rooms in the crypt. Five of these feature unique and somewhat artistic displays of human bones, believed to have been taken from the bodies of friars who died between 1528 and 1870. While no photos are allowed, postcards are readily available for sale.

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