Taking a 10-day road trip through Iceland was one of the most memorable experiences of my year abroad. With something exciting around every corner, there was never a dull moment in the itinerary. Giant waterfalls, gorgeous coastlines, and jaw-dropping views were an every day occurrence on this jam-packed Iceland trip. Any traveler who explores outside Reykjavik and off the beaten path will certainly not regret it.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is directly south of Phoenix and shares a border with Mexico. The closest US city is tiny Why, AZ with a population of 116 people. Although it may not stand out as an incredibly interesting place to visit, this part of the Sonoran Desert is beautiful. The Sonoran Desert may be one of the hottest places on earth but it is also a “green desert.” Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is covered in lush green cactus and offers the peaceful beauty only a desert can.
Pictures of Iceland’s breathtaking scenery have recently made this discrete country a popular travel destination. Once thought of as a barren, unexciting place with freezing temperatures, Iceland is now known as a country with mysterious natural beauty. There are many things to do in Iceland, but for those who love hiking Laugavegur Trail boasts a beauty that is rarely seen elsewhere.
I met some great people during my liveaboard in Australia. When saying our goodbyes we jokingly said “Let’s dive the Maldives next year!” Well, it wasn’t a joke for two of us, and 11 months later Colin and I found ourselves aboard a giant, luxurious boat in Maldives. Overall the diving wasn’t as impressive as Australia or New Zealand. In fact, Maldives is way down on my list of favorite places to dive. However, the boat, people, and gorgeous atolls made this a very memorable trip.
Singapore was never on my bucketlist. I had no aching desire to explore this city-state, but it happened to be the cheapest place to fly into on my way to Maldives. My fellow travelers recommended 2-3 days in Singapore. I gave myself five full days, assuming two of them would be spent sleeping off jetlag. Cities have never been the highlight of my travels but Singapore offered me something many cities don’t – an easy escape. Every day I could add some sort of garden or park to my itinerary. It was a chance to get out of the loud, busy city for a few hours. For this reason I have dubbed Singapore “The Garden City.” If you like gardens I would recommend 3-4 days here, and only 2 days if you don’t.
To conclude my three month trip through New Zealand I spent my last ten days exploring the area north of Auckland. South Islanders claim their island is the best, and of course North Islanders would disagree. The two islands are so different that it’s difficult to rank one before the other, but I really enjoyed my road trip north of Auckland. There was so much variety in things to do and places to see, ten days was hardly enough time to do everything the area had to offer.
New Zealand’s most popular destination is undoubtedly Milford Sound. The rain forest and dramatic cliffs leading into dark, ominous water gives it a sense of mystery. Being one of the wettest places on Earth, it can be difficult to catch this beauty on a clear day. However, its uniqueness is visible even at the cloudiest of times. A rainy day means less visibility but more beautiful waterfalls. I was fortunate enough to visit Milford Sound twice while in New Zealand. Once was to scuba dive the mysterious cold water, and the second time was to take a traditional boat tour. Both visits had their own charm and Milford Sound is certainly a treasure that everyone should experience.
Looking at a map, Fiordland National Park takes up a huge section of New Zealand. Visiting the famous, but small, Milford Sound didn’t seem to do the Fiordlands justice. I wanted to see more of the awesome beauty this national park had to offer and my guidebook recommended Doubtful Sound. Although many people skip it, it’s just as beautiful and dramatic as its sister Milford. It’s also much less touristy because only tour operators are permitted and you cant drive yourself. I wanted to do something more exciting than a boat tour and kayaking seemed like a full day of fun and exercise. Kayaking Doubtful Sound was one of my favorite experiences during my entire New Zealand trip.
The 43 kilometer Tongariro Northern Circuit begins as a typically beautiful New Zealand hike. Further along the route it’s easy to see this is no ordinary hike. Walking through dramatic volcanic landscape feels like you’re on an alien planet. With steaming mountains on the left and Mount Ngauruhoe on the right, this Great Walk earns the title in every possible way. Everything about it is great, along with exciting and other-worldly. Out of every hike in New Zealand, Tongariro Northern Circuit was my favorite.
The northern end of the South Island of New Zealand has many overnight hikes to choose from. After a bit of research I was stuck between the Queen Charlotte Track, Heaphy Track, and Abel Tasman Coast Track; all of which are known for beautiful New Zealand coastline. After speaking to a local friend of mine he couldn’t give a direct answer to which one was the best. However, I was running short on time and he bluntly told me Abel Tasman would be the easiest to check off the list. Queen Charlotte is tricky to organize, Heaphy is difficult logistically, but Abel Tasman Coast Track is all-around easy to plan. Thankfully there were still spots available and we booked them right away.
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