This summer was going to be my last break in university, and I had big plans. Armed with a yearning for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure and ambitious travels, I wanted to go on a solo trip to a monastery in China for a month-long immersion. Then, after returning from a transformative temple stay, I was going to embark on a few short getaways with friends who were also graduating from school.But then, the pandemic struck. Beyond my quixotic travel plans, life, as we all know, has entered some kind of strange limbo. As non-essential travelling came to an abrupt halt, the global tourism industry now finds itself reeling from the impact of the coronavirus, with tourist favourites like Japan taking a massive hit.
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Stuck at home in Singapore, suspended in uncertainty and overcome with wanderlust, I tried to travel vicariously through articles, Instagram photos, and friends’ stories. I imagined myself walking around cities and islands where I would rather be, and promised I would visit them once I can. Below, are the places that emerged at the top of my post-pandemic travel bucket list, and why you might want to add them to yours too.
Petra, Jordan
One of the "New Seven Wonders of the World," the Lost City of Petra in Jordan needs little introduction. Its world-famous archaeological ruins have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The extraordinary ancient structures, carved into the side of a stone cliff in 200 A.D. by the Nabataeans, drew over one million tourists in 2019. And it’s not hard to see why. Nestled within colossal desert canyons, the site harbours impressive architecture in a warm—almost surreal—colour palette that leaves visitors awe-inspired at the immense history of a once-flourishing empire.
Akrema Beach, Timor-Leste
The youngest country in Asia and one of the least visited travel destinations in the world, Timor-Leste welcomes about 75,000 tourists a year—a far cry from Bali, the Indonesian island located just 1,000 kilometres away, which received nearly 6.3 million tourists in 2019. But Timor-Leste’s beaches are no less breathtaking than Bali’s. One such stunner is Akrema Beach, located about an hour’s speedboat ride away from the country capital Dili, which boasts white sand and clear blue waters. It’s the perfect spot for an afternoon of diving, snorkelling, or simply frolicking—except during the wet season from November to May.
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Hakka roundhouses in Fujian Province, China
Baracoa, Cuba
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