Are you stuck where to go for your next holiday? We did some research and discovered some of the most desirable and unique destinations for 2019. Here are five picks to add to your bucket list. After compiling this list, we can’t wait to start exploring these fantastic destinations. The only difficult thing is deciding which one.

Who do you fancy meeting most – a snow monster or Dracula?

1. Soufrière, St Lucia

An under-the-radar showstopper in the Caribbean

St Lucia is renowned for being one of the most picturesque islands in the Caribbean. Alongside undulating golden beaches, you’ll find striking black-sand bays, and the coastline is speckled with serene fishing villages and remote yet luxurious resorts. It’s also a renowned hiking destination, boasting rainforests and two towering volcanic mountains, The Pitons.

In Soufrière, you have it all – deserted beaches, and easy access to the island’s mountains and forests. You’ll be able to tuck into traditional Creole cuisine in local cafes or snorkel in the clear waters. You’ll even be close to two of the island’s national parks, where you can swim in mineral pools and explore lunar-like volcanic landscapes. High season is between December and April, but you can also get deals on all-inclusive summer holidays to St Lucia.

Why 2019? Considering Soufrière’s stunning and diverse topography, it won’t be an under-the-radar destination for much longer.

2. Matera, Italy

A unique city was renowned for its limestone grotto dwellings.

Matera is an ancient city in southern Italy, situated on the edges of a rugged ravine. It’s renowned for its Sassi; unique cave dwellings built into the rock. Many of them have been converted into cave hotels, upscale restaurants and galleries. You’ll love wandering the labyrinthine alleys and cobbled piazzas of the Sassi neighbourhoods and checking out its crypts, museums and cathedral.

Why 2019?  Matera is a European Capital for Culture in 2019. This means that there’s a year-round programme of events, ranging from concerts to poetry readings, festivals to art exhibitions.

You can also read: Top 7 Amazing Destinations for Greek Islands Holidays

3. Tohoku, Japan

An underexplored region of Japan, renowned for its ‘snow monsters’.

Japan is a popular tourist location, with millions of people visiting every year. But few of them venture to the Tohoku region in northern Japan. It’s renowned for its volcanic landscapes, alpine meadows and lakes, and a rugged coastline scattered with hundreds of tiny islands. The region can be visited year-round and is a renowned hiking and culinary destination.

It’s also popular in the winter – visit the Zao Mountains if you’re looking for a skiing holiday. As the snow falls, the trees collect thick deposits of snow and ice, transforming into monstrous humanesque forms. These are now monsters’ make for some great photo opportunities.

Why 2019? In 2020, Tokyo will be hosting the Olympics, and attention will also turn to Tohoku, just 90 minutes north of the capital. Efforts are being made to promote the area and offer more tours and activities for travellers.

4. Pittsburgh, USA

A lesser-known US city with great art and culinary scene.

Most people head to the US to visit places such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. But the States has many more lesser-known cities to offer, and Pittsburgh is one of them. The city is the birthplace of Andy Warhol – a legacy apparent in the yellow steel Andy Warhol bridge and the six-storey Andy Warhol Museum – and is bursting at the seams with eclectic art galleries and museums.

It also has a fantastic wining-and-dining scene, with everything from markets to gourmet restaurants. The city boasts three rivers and lots of green spaces, with plenty of hiking and biking trails.

Why 2019? This year, British Airways has launched a new direct flight from London Heathrow to Pittsburgh, making it easier than ever to visit. What’s more, BBC Good Food and Restaurant Hospitality named Pittsburgh one of the top foodie destinations of 2019.

You can also read: 7 Best Places To Visit While In Mykonos

5. Cluj-Napoca, Romania

This lively bohemian city is the gateway to ‘Dracula country’.

Cluj-Napoca is a picturesque university town that will capture your imagination with its architecture, ranging from baroque castles to intricate Gothic churches. It has a burgeoning arts scene, bohemian café culture, and lively nightlife. The city also hosts annual film and music festivals.

What’s more, it’s a great base for exploring the nearby mountains of Transylvania, the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler (the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula novel).

Why 2019? It’s becoming increasingly easy to visit Cluj-Napoca, as more and more airlines are offering flights to the city. Ryanair has just opened a route from London Southend.

While Dubai may be better known for its retail haunts, more and more travelers are making the journey to the City of Gold to experience some truly thrilling adventure sports. Beyond the traditional tourist attractions, shopping, and wining and dining, Dubai offers its visitors plenty of indoor and outdoor adventure activities to be explored.

If you’re seeking adventure, Dubai has it in spades. Whether it’s by land, sea, or air, Dubai and its surrounding landscape is a huge playground for adventure lovers. From skydiving and desert safaris to skiing in the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East, Dubai is truly an undeniable blissful adventure.

For adventure enthusiasts, here are the 10 must-try thrilling experiences in Dubai.

1. Skydiving

via: YouTube

Falling from at least 4,000 meters in the air isn’t exactly most people’s idea of fun. But for thrill seekers, skydiving is right up their alley. The thrill of free falling is an undeniable experience and one that cannot be easily mimicked.

The rush of jumping out of a plane is the ultimate thrill ride. Daredevils traveling to Dubai get to experience this epic adventure as they leap out of a turboprop plane at almost 4,000 meters. Particularly as you freefall to the sights of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and the city’s towering skyline.

For inexperienced skydivers, tandem parachute flights are available. It’s important to note that age, height, and weight restrictions do apply, so inquire before you go.

2. Water Parks

via: Pexels

Dubai’s water parks are a welcome sight for thrill seekers in search of aquatic adrenaline rushes. Aquaventure Waterpark, Wild Wadi Water Park, and LEGOLAND Water Park are just some of the water parks available in Dubai ready to provide liquid thrills.

No matter your chosen water park, each is a vast playground for adults and kids alike. Aquaventure Waterpark has a near-vertical plunging waterslide aptly named Leap of Faith. Meanwhile, Wild Wadi offers the exhilarating Jumeirah Sceirah, a death-defying tandem slide that is a wild ride from start to finish.

Certain water rides will have minimum height requirements. Opening hours will also vary according to the water park and by season. Check each respective website for more information.

3. Hot Air Ballooning

via: Instagram

Savor the best of Dubai’s landscape with an early morning hot air balloon experience. Take to the skies as you bear witness to an incredible sunrise peaking its way through the Hajar Mountains and blanketing Dubai’s endless sand dunes with its warm glow.

As you glide up and away from the city, you are given a fantastic vantage point to view Dubai’s dramatic and beautiful desert landscape. Rising in popularity over the years, certain hot air ballooning experiences provide a complete adventure package complete with a falcon show and gourmet breakfast once your feet return to the ground.

4. Climbing

via: The National

Dubai may have a flat, desert landscape, but in a nearby emirate, there is a unique mountaineering experience that is both challenging and exhilarating. The Hajar Mountains and the mountainous parts of Ras Al Khaimah offer climbers, hikers, and mountaineers memorable, picturesque views from the summit.

With limited technical climbing available, this adventure experience is perfect for any tourist seeking to escape Dubai’s glittering metropolis.

However, if your climbing experience is more catered to the indoors, there’s plenty of opportunities to get vertical in Dubai. The Rock Republic, Pharaoh’s Club, and other rock climbing venues allow adventure enthusiasts the opportunity to scale walls like Spider-Man.

5. Surfing

via: Facebook | @WadiAdventure

Taking to the waves off Dubai’s coast is the perfect way to cool off. While not known as a surfing destination, surf seekers will find plenty of action here in Dubai. With pleasant water temperatures and the absence of rocks or corals, Dubai is the ideal place for casual surfers to develop their technique.

The World Islands, Palm islands, the Dubai Eye, and other coastal re-developments offer limited surfing opportunities, but there are still plenty of breaks to be had if you know where to look.

Sunset Beach and North Beach are both a surfer’s paradise, though the latter is more catered to experienced surfers due to the formation of high swells throughout the season.

You can also read: 10 Must Do Things in Dubai for every adventure lover

6. Desert Safaris

via: Planetrovers

Desert safaris are one of the most popular ways to explore Dubai’s vast desert landscape. Certain safari adventure companies provide package deals so you can enjoy unique desert excursions. Your desert rendezvous will be led by an expert local guide who can tell the tale of Dubai’s enchanting, barren landscape.

Dune bashing, camel rides, and sandboarding are a must while exploring the desert. Each is a different thrill that is sure to get your heart racing.

When the sun dips below the horizon, complete your desert excursion with a relaxing camping retreat under the unrivaled Arabian stars. Dine and feast on a delicious barbeque dinner by the fire as you enjoy a traditional tanoura dance performance.

7. Scuba Diving

via: Bayut

Just like on land, there is plenty to see and do under Dubai’s waters. Despite being overlooked as a top diving destination, Dubai offers a range of dive sites that offer pristine reefs, incredible wreckage, and an abundance of marine life.

There are night dives, reef dives, and guided dives available to adventure seekers off the coast of Dubai. For those hesitant to take the plunge into the deep blue sea, aquarium dives are available at the Dubai Aquarium located in The Dubai Mall.

For any indoor or outdoor diving excursion, restrictions apply, so check before going.

8. Indoor Skiing

via: Ski Asia

No adventure experience in Dubai could be considered complete without a pilgrimage to Ski Dubai.

The first of its kind in the Gulf Region, Ski Dubai is a wonderfully enchanting alpine winter wonderland situated in the Mall of the Emirates. Ski Dubai’s mountain can serve as the perfect escape for slope-starved expats and adventure tourists looking to escape Dubai’s sweltering heat.

While it may not compare to places like the Alps, curious tourists and snow virgins can be challenged enough to enjoy the experience.

9. Flyboarding

via: Dubai Travel Blog

This relatively new adventure sport utilizes snowboard-style bindings and a water-powered jetpack to propel adventure lovers high above the Persian Gulf.

If your quest for adrenaline-filled activities includes an aquatic component, then flyboarding will suit your needs. The ultimate, gravity-defying watersport, flyboarding is an adrenaline-filled watersport experience unlike any other.

With twin jet nozzles strapped to your feet, you are free to slice through the water or zoom around in the air like a superhero.

10. Autodrome Racing

via: CircuitProDigital

The ability to race a supercar around a dedicated race track is a dream for many adrenaline junkies. At Dubai Autodrome, rubber truly meets the road. The ultimate motoring experience, racing around the Autodrome is an unforgettable life-defining experience.

Specially prepared authentic Formula One race cars like the Jaguar F1 2000 or the Arrows F1 2002 allow thrill seekers and car enthusiasts alike to feel the power of acceleration and the heart-racing pace of an F1 race.

If letting loose on the track may be too much to handle, Dubai Autodrome also has a dedicated indoor and outdoor circuit for kart racing aptly named “Kartdrome.”

Finding adventure with Dubai

Dubai’s reputation may be steered more towards being a glamorous playground, but those seeking adventure will be spoiled for choice with Dubai’s rich variety of adrenaline activities, all just waiting to be experienced.

You can also read: 15 Things About Top Attractions, Stay and Food To Make Your Dubai Tour Dam Easy

Featured image source: Peepal Travels

We all love to travel and spend leisure time at some place nice, quiet and peaceful but mostly when we plan a good peaceful holiday at a serene and quiet beach or resort we end up cutting a very big hole in our pockets but what if we tell you that there is a place that will ask you to stay there and live there permanently. And not just that they give you money just to be there. yes, it is a place on earth and it is real.

There is an Island in Greece that has so much low population that they invite people to stay there and live there. Not only that they also pay you to get settled there.

According to a source, The island of Antikythera is one remote island that is still hidden from the rest of the world. This island strives for not tourist but permanent residents as the total population here are 25 which may rise to 40 in summer. It is hard to believe a place that has only 25 or let sat 40 people living there.

via: A Greek Adventure

This is why the government of the Island wants more people to come here and liver there to increase the population. They want more young families to come and flourish here, so much so that the local government even pays you to live there.

In order to raise the number of people on the island, the local government pays 500 Euros per month to live there. It continues to give 500 Euros for about three years and that’s not all, it also gives you free land to build you a house and free business opportunity to flourish there.

The President of the Island himself told a Greek website iefimerida that occupation like a stock farmer, builders, bakers, and fishermen have better chances at the island, he says “We are looking for many families to ‘revive’ our island. These are professions which can guarantee a decent income for those who will come to our island.”

While the priority is given to the Greek families, people of all the nationalities are welcome here to live permanently.

via: Photo by Evgeni Dinev Photography/Getty Images

If you are wondering what facilities there will be as the number of people living there is very low, then you are probably right. There aren’t many modern facilities, they have only a few or just one shop that is more like a supermarket that sells usually seasonal fruits and vegetables.

There is no ATM on the island, but for our surprise, they do have electricity and internet connection. But during the windy winter season, the electricity is quite unstable.

If you are a person who doesn’t want great ties with the rest of the world and like to live a quiet and remote life, then what is better than living on an Island of beautiful Greece, with no financial insecurity and low key lifestyle. It is like the whole life is a holiday package.

However, this could be quite boring for a person who has tasted the lifestyle of metropolitan cities and cannot do without higher amenities of life. There are no discos, pups or many bars to have a nightlife for having so youngsters might easily get bored here.

Featured Image source: A Greek Adventure