23/09/2011

Fend off boredom with an adventure themed gap year holiday

A gap year is a fantastic opportunity to explore the world and discover more about yourself. Some people will use it to find out what they want to do with their lives while other people want an action-packed, fun-filled year crammed with excitement and unforgettable memories. Make sure you make the most of every moment and pack as much adventure into your year out as you can.

Adventure travel is becoming ever more popular as people want to get more thrills out of their gap year. There are so many places in the world just waiting to be explored but it takes an adventurous traveller to get there. A great way to see these places is through adventure tours which will take you to the heart of rural locations and unique destinations that are off the usual tourist trail. You will have a guide who can teach you everything you need to know and will travel with a group of like-minded adventure travellers, so there is never a dull moment.

Adventure travel can take you anywhere from Australia to the Antarctic and from Thailand to Tibet, making the whole process of adventure travel so much simpler; the only hard part is deciding where to go.

A great example of an adventure tour is one that takes you around the historic Golden Triangle which covers the area between Thailand, Laos and Burma. The Golden Triangle earned its moniker due to the prosperous opium that was once grown in the area. It is now a spectacular place to visit to explore the area’s rich culture, breathtaking beauty and the incredible adventures afforded by its bounteous resources.

The journey will usually start in Bangkok, the heart of Thailand and the first destination on many travellers’ trips. You will head north to Chiang Rai before moving onto the Thai-Burmese border where you will have the chance to meet some traditional villagers who will take you trekking through the amazing mountainous region that surrounds the area. You will visit many different villages during your trip and discover an entirely new way of life.

One of the must-see destinations in Laos is the beautiful town of Luang Prabang which was named the ‘best preserved city in South East Asia’ by

UNESCO. There are many amazing sights in the area, such as the thousands of orange clad monks and their huge number of ornate temples and monasteries. Another great adventure is awaiting in Myanmar, previously known as Burma, which is the perfect place to visit if you want to escape the crowds of tourists. Myanmar will give you an insight into how people travelled through Asia before the era of globalisation and mass tourism. Here you will find thousands of beautiful temples waiting to be discovered and an abundance of golden Buddhas. You will be able to relax on beautiful sandy beaches, trek through pine forests and visit rural villages and hitherto little-known ancient cultures.

If you would like to discover more of Myanmar than try an adventure tour that can show you all the highlights, the hidden gems and help you get involved with the culture of the country. Some of the top attractions to visit in Myanmar include Shwedagon Pagoda. This is the most important Buddhist shrine and the pure gold structure stands at a massive 98m tall. To pack even more adventure into your trip, take the road to Mandalay to visit Myanmar’s former imperial capital. This exciting jungle road trip will take you to the centre of Burmese culture so you can discover a great deal more about the history of the country.

With so many different experiences available for the adventurous traveller, you can be sure that your gap year is never boring and is instead, packed full of Eastern promise.