Looking for some travel inspiration? Want to experience something beyond just lying on the beach? We’ve put together some of the most popular simple bucket list ideas that any traveller can do.

Many of us travel to experience a side of the world that we wouldn’t normally get to see. A break from the 9 to 5, or just to escape the weather when is gets bad. Finding fun new experiences is all part of the fun…

We’ve put together some travel bucket list ideas to inspire you and help you choose your next break. All of these are the sort of thing you can do with no specialist training (although some might require a reasonable level of fitness).

As they’re bucket list ideas, not everyone is going to agree with all of them. But… How many of these have you done? And can you think of any good ones that we’ve missed off?

1. See the Aurora Borealis

The Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights can be glimpsed in the northern hemishphere, normally in the winter months, and is a very popular bucket list experience.

This spectacular natural light show is just a short plane ride away from most Europeans and North Americans (sorry Southern Hemisphere folks). Head to Alaska, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and the Baltic States to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

2. Swimming with dolphins in the wild

These graceful and beautiful creatures are often very playful and happy to visit boats and swimmers in many places around the world. If this travel bucket list activity is on your list, it’s best experienced in the wild. Avoid captive dolphins at all costs, and head to places like the Caribbean, Great Barrier Reef in Australia and Hawaii.

3. Go skydiving

Heart in the mouth time! Skydiving is a thrilling (maybe terrifying) bucket list experience that you can find in most popular tourist destinations. The best places to go skydiving in the world are Dubai, Spain, the USA, New Zealand and Australia.

Not sure if you have the cojones to jump out of a plane? Check out our guide to skydiving.

4. Scuba diving in the tropics

A dive to a tropical reef is a spectacular experience and one that you really should check out. Places like Thailand, Bali, the Caribbean, Malta and Egypt all offer excellent conditions for scuba diving as well as affordable prices.

5. Go on a road trip

Although we’ve got a guide about some of the world’s best road trip destinations, the beauty of a road trip is that you can experience it anywhere. Jump in a car, take your time to get from A to B, stop, explore, pick up hitchhikers. Enjoy the ride…

Our fave car rental service is Holiday Cars who always come out on top for the best prices. If a road trip is on your bucket list, check them out…

6. Volunteer

You may not think you have the time to volunteer on holiday, but this is a great way to give back and to experience something different. From beach cleaning, to helping build a school, or teaching English – there are plenty of volunteer opportunities waiting for you.

7. Visit a monastery

Get in touch with your spiritual side. This is a great way to unplug from digital distractions and experience a level of true bliss. You’ll find plenty of places where you can go and live the monk like existence, especially in places like India and Thailand.

8. Travel without your digital device

Hang on… What?? But you’ll get lost! How will you know which is the best restaurant? What if you need to look up a phrase? Yeah, the whole point is that you go back to basics. If you’ve only ever travelled with your smartphone to hand try this next time you’re on a city break! It might change the way you travel…

9. Do a hiking trail

You don’t have to climb a mountain, which does require a bit of training. But find a good nature trail that takes a day (or ideally longer), lace up your walking boots and start walking. There is lots to choose from with hiking trails in pretty much every country… OK, maybe not the Vatican.

Casual hikers will love the Cinque Terre in Italy. Or, if you’re looking for a hiking challenge, do the Camino de Santiago.

10. Take a cookery class

Food is one of the true joys of travel and what better way than to get involved and learn how to cook like a local? From Mexico to Japan, you’ll find options for cookery classes and food experiences. Check out Airbnb’s experiences or keep an eye out for local recommendations.

11. Visit a nudist beach

Yeah it doesn’t matter if you haven’t got a ‘beach body’. This is one of those weirdly liberating experiences that you really should check out at least once in your life. After getting over the initial shyness, you realise that no-one cares and it suddenly becomes quite liberating.

Agde in France is probably the best known, but you’ll find nudist beaches everywhere from Australia to Bermuda to Crete. Granted it’s a bit of a random travel bucket list idea, but one we think you should definitely tick off…

12. Sailing

If you’ve never been on a sail boat, it’s a really thrilling experience and one that you can do everywhere. Yup, you don’t even need the sea. OK, yes you do need water though.

Don’t worry if you have no idea about how to sail. You’ll find options to charter boats ‘skippered’ or with a captain. Bareboat means you sail it yourself. Check out boat rental sites like Sailo, Click and Boat and Nautal.

13. Party on a beach

Dancing on a beach like you don’t have a care in the world. Make this one a priority if you haven’t already – cos this is a travel bucket list activity that’s really easy to tick off. Head to Koh Phangan in Thailand for the Full Moon Party, get over to Ibiza for the summer or head to Brazil, Colombia or… Well, anywhere where there is beach!

14. Whitewater rafting

A bucket list activity you can tick off in a morning. And it’s so much fun…! Having done a few whitewater rafting trips I have to say this is one that you really should experience the list next time you’re in any mountain range (Alps, Andes, Pyrenees, Rockies etc).

We did a guide to whitewater rafting, so check it out…

15. The Rickshaw Run

There are several rickshaw runs that happen in India and Sri Lanka. There are about three a year, and they’re run by the Adventurists. It’s a truly thrilling experience and definitely a bucket list activity.

Our guy Seb did the Rickshaw Run a few years back and wrote about it for us in a very funny article.

16. Visit one of the Wonders of the World

Shouldn’t this be visit all the Wonders of the World? Well… We’re not one for being prescriptivist here at Gone Travelling. However, you should aim to visit at least a couple of the Wonders of the World. The thing is, there are quite a few of them. There are classical wonders, natural wonders, modern wonders, ancient wonders and probably some other wonders too.

For the sake of having a tangible list, the Wonders of the World are:

• The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
• The Colosseum of Rome, Italy
• The Great Wall of China
• Petra, Jordan
• The Taj Mahal, India
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Chichen Itza, Mexico
• The Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio, Brazil

You might not be particularly interested in some of them, but as a travel bucket list experience, this is kinda an essential.

17. Do a pilgrimage

If you read our history of travel article you might notice that pilgrimages played a major part in travel over the years. There are quite a few you can undertake yourself, including the Camino de Santiago that we mentioned earlier.

You don’t have to be religious, but the experience of joining people on an epic quest is something that can really change your perspective of the world and it’s people.

18. Go on safari

Seeing wild animals in their natural environment is a thrilling spectacle and an absolute must when it comes to the bucket list. Although a safari in somewhere like South Africa, Kenya or Tanzania is the classic experience, you’ll also find options to safari around the world.

Check out our guide to going on safari which includes some of the most interesting options around the world.

19. The Mongol Rally

Another epic road trip from the Adventurists, the Mongol Rally really is epic in the true and original sense of the word.

Make your way from Europe to Mongolia in a car that is guaranteed to break down multiple times. Have you got the stomach for this kind of bucket list activity? If yes, then you could have crazy stories for years to come.

An alternative to this is the Banger Challenge, which is similar but slightly less extreme.

20. Run a marathon

Running a marathon is such an achievement that it ranks highly among many peoples bucket lists. The most coveted are London, New York and Paris – with their iconic city backdrops.

But, why not think outside of the box and run a marathon in Uganda, Norway or Patagonia? As a simple bucket list idea, a marathon in an exotic locale is a great experience.

21. Explore by paddle board

This offshoot of surfing uses extra large boards that you can use to explore exotic islands, rivers, lakes and coastal locations. As you don’t normally get that wet, you can use a paddle board to see parts of the location that you wouldn’t normally see.

From our hometown of Plymouth, to tropical places like Koh Tao in Thailand, stand up paddle boarding is a great way to tour an area.

22. Snowboarding or skiing

We’re snowsports fans here at Gone Travelling, and both me and Mike can often be heard pining for the snow in mid-summer. Trust us and go and have a go on a snowboard or skis, even if only the once. It’s not as expensive as you might think…

Check out SunWeb, who offer fantastically affordable ski and snowboard packages in popular European hotspots.

(The ad below is an affiliate link, which means you’ll get some seriously good ski deals and we get a small commission).

If you’re looking for very cheap, I can also recommend Poland and Slovenia as accessible places to go snowboarding. Thank me later.

23. Couchsurfing

In all honesty, the heyday of CouchSurfing peaked around 2010. Since then the platform has been quite badly abused and it can now be quite hard to be accepted on someones couch unless you’re verified and all that. But… That doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

The key to successful CouchSurfing is to treat the host like a friend, take them a gift, respect them and engage with them (if thats what they want). It can be an excellent way of getting free digs in a location and also meeting the locals!

24. Go to a language meetup

I’m a big fan of language learning and I find language meetups a great way to meet locals and pick up some new phrases. Not so good with languages? It doesn’t matter! The locals are often more than happy to try out their English on you, and if you speak precisely nada* of the local lingo, chances are you’ll learn some phrases while you’re there.

Check out MeetUp, CouchSurfing and Facebook for language meetups.

*(zilch, rien, etc etc etc)

25. Teach

This could come under ‘volunteering’ which was one of our earlier simple bucket list ideas. But, you can also sign up to teach pretty much anything when you’re out there on the road. From your language, to music, to dance, to yoga.

Pop up a flyer in your new locality, pop a message on the Facebook group for your destination, get in touch with cultural centres. If you have a skill, people would love to learn it and this can be an excellent way to give back too!

26. Catch a solar eclipse

There is a solar eclipse pretty much every year, somewhere in the world. Check out when and where the next one is and see if you can make a trip to experience it.

You’ll find an up to date list of solar eclipses here.

27. Experience an epic train ride

From the Trans-Siberian to the Rocky Mountain Express, you’ll find some fascinating train rides that are really inspiring yet simple travel bucket list ideas. A leisurely way to get from A to B, and experience some of the incredible scenery too!

28. Be an extra in a foreign movie

If you’re in Mumbai as a tourist, there is a high chance you’ll be asked to come and be in extra in one of the many productions that take place every year. You won’t be paid much (if anything), but they feed you and it’s an exciting glimpse into the world’s biggest film industry.

Other destinations with big film industries (and regular requirements for extras) include South Korea, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, the UK and, obviously, Hollywood, USA.

Search for ‘casting agencies’ or ‘be an extra in *destination*’ to find opportunities.

29. Learn to surf

Yes, there are lots of board sports on this list… But they’re great fun and are the sort of thing you do for half a day. Surfing is a hugely popular sport and you’ll find opportunities to learn from Bali to Bermuda, or from Cornwall to California. Prepare to be obsessed because (as this sites owner Mike can testify) it’s a lot of fun.

30. Go to an abandoned city

Although some cities seem to spring out of nothing and grow to absurdly huge proportions (I’m looking at you Dubai and Shenzhen), some seem to fall into obscurity.

It might be that they suffer a disaster that renders them uninhabitable, like Pripiyat in Ukraine. Or, it can be that the reason for their existence ends such as Hashima Island in Japan, or the many ghost towns in America’s west.

Abandoned cities and ghost towns can be eerie but are fascinating places to visit. Visiting these spooky destinations is a unique bucket list idea that can be surprisingly simple.

31. Climb a volcano

As if climbing a mountain isn’t tricky enough, add the potential for an explosion into the mix for a really unique bucket list idea. Central America, Indonesia and Italy all offer opportunity to climb a volcano.

32. Visit a country where nobody goes

What better dinner party bragging rights than telling people about the time you enjoyed street food in North Korea? Or maybe you can regale your date with your adventures in Bhutan…

Some of the more obscure countries that make fantastic unique travel bucket list destinations include:

• Iran
• Turkmenistan
• Sudan
• Somalia & Somaliland*
• Bhutan
• Nigeria
• Angola
• North Korea
• Saudi Arabia (although this is changing as we speak in 2019)

Always check travel advice when heading to high risk countries like Nigeria or Sudan. The FCO and US Department of State can give you up to date travel advice.

33. Visit a country that doesn’t exist

Due to diplomatic issues, some countries just aren’t recognised, which surely makes them very tempting bucket list destinations.

Some are simple to get to, with international airports and a standard issue tourist infrastructure. Others might take a bit of on the ground planning. These are the countries that technically don’t exist in 2019.

• Taiwan (Part of China)
• Tibet (Absorbed by China)
• Transnistria (Moldova)
• Somaliland (an independent and self governing part of Somalia)
• Greenland (Technically part of Denmark)
• West Papua (Part of Indonesia but maintains sovereignty)
• Catalonia (Declared Independence from Spain which was then ruled illegal)
• Abkhazia (Breakaway Georgian province supported by Russia)

These are just a few of the states around the world that are facing challenges to their independence and autonomy.

34. Visit three countries in one day

There are several places in the world where you can enjoy breakfast in one nation, lunch in another and then enjoy dinner in a third country, all without stepping on a plane. Most of these are in Europe (although there are some options too in Africa and Asia).

Try these on for size:

• France, Andorra, Spain
• Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Austria
• Luxembourg, France, Belgium, Germany
• Netherlands, Germany, Belgium
• Austria, Slovakia, Hungary
• Italy, Slovenia, Croatia
• Rwanda, Uganda, Dem. Rep. Congo
• South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique
• Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia

Of course, rushing through countries just to tick them off isn’t the best way to experience the culture. But as a travel bucket list idea (and if you’re going that way anyway), it can be a fun experience.

35. Camp on a private tropical island

Ever wanted to be a castaway for just a few days? You don’t need to sign up to a reality TV show to tick this off your travel bucket list…

There are a lot of islands around the world where you can set up camp under the stars safe in the knowledge that you’re the only human inhabitant(s). Some great places to tick this off your bucket list include Indonesia, the Philippines, the Bahamas, Australia and Central America.

You’ll need to come prepared, of course. And you might also need to pay park fees or transport access. Oh, and don’t forget to tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back!

Share your travel bucket list ideas…

Of course a bucket list is totally subjective and what one person adds to their to do list might totally not make the grade for someone else. But we would love to hear your travel bucket list ideas, no matter how simple or how wild.

Share your travel list ideas with us in the comments below, and if you’ve found this article useful or interesting then please share!

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If you’re looking for some thrilling travel bucket list ideas, G Adventures are the leaders in organising thrilling experiences. From trekking in Bhutan, or sailing in the Caribbean, to a tour of South America. Take a look at some of their latest deals and tick a few things off that bucket list!