Where Will You Be In The Rest Of 2016?

It is monsoon season all over India, and while we all love a good drenching, it does get pretty monotonous after a while, doesn’t it? Even those who yearned for the romantic coolness of the monsoon as the summer scorched the earth will admit to being slightly depressed waking up to grey skies every morning.

But since you cannot control the weather, you can take yourself away from scenes of constant showers and puddles to lands faraway…where the sunlight dapples leafy streets, where friendly foreigners invite you to their table for a beer, where the sheer beauty of the landscape takes the breath away. The time is ripe to take a trip out of the country – after all, you only have six more months in 2016 left!

We’ve put together a little list of five different holiday experiences for you. Take your pick from:

1 A budget holiday in Estonia.

You can save a chunk of money (which you can reroute into your trip!) when you holiday in Estonia. Get off the ferry from Helsinki or Stockholm and enter a land of unsurpassed beauty backed by the most pocket-friendly experiences in food, shopping and accommodation. Exchange your Euros for local currency and revel in the sightseeing (check out the gorgeous Baltik Island, Lahemaa National Park and several small beaches) and book yourself into a hostel for the night to save more money.

2 A Panda holiday in China.

Now who doesn’t love Pandas? If you don’t, scroll further down this list. But if you do, head to Chengdu Panda Research Base in China. This research hub was set up to study the cuddly little animals in greater detail and to protect them from extinction. The entire facility has been designed to create recreational and resting spaces for scores of pandas, and visitors can watch them frolic and being simply adorable, from a distance. The morning times are the best to visit if you want to see just how winsome a baby panda can be. Plus, you can ask to hug a panda as well.

3 A sleepover with dinosaurs.

It’s not just Ross from Friends who goes gaga over dinosaurs, apparently dinosaur studies is a thing among many youngsters and adults around the world. So if you’re a closet dinosaur fan, you can burst out of the closet confidently and book yourself for a night with dinosaurs at London’s Natural History Museum for a sleepover. You can grab a sleeping bag and a suitable corner in the hall for your snooze. This is an experience of a lifetime – expect to be surrounded by many chattering children – with a science show, dinner, music, and an all-night dinosaur movie marathon for adults. You can wake up to breakfast and live entertainment before leaving.

4 Burger adventure in New Zealand.

This year observes the centenary of the hamburger bun. It is the ideal occasion to stuff your face with the most delectable burgers you will ever find this side of the planet. New Zealand combines the dietary possibilities of burgers with the adrenaline-pumping opportunities for adventure sports, and so you can find the protein-rich Fergburger as well as the smaller, absolutely delicious lamb burger. Try an unusual taste with the fish burger or a chicken and pork combination that you can pair with fabulous Kiwi tap beer. Once you’re done gorging, get your travel insurance’s worth by going bungee jumping or zorbing to your heart’s content.

5 A yoga holiday in Mexico.

(Picture courtesy travspire.com) Want some peace and quiet while standing on your head? The world sometimes makes better sense upside down, and it certainly becomes more beautiful and inspiring at the Hridaya Yoga retreat in Mexico. The retreat is a silent space created at the stunning Mazunte beach in Oaxaca over three days of mind-bending contortions and head stands. You can even book a 10-day stay or the longer, more intense 49-day experience. Expect to find Hatha yoga tutorials, reading of Sufi, Buddhist and Hindu texts, meditation and a long separation from your phone and other gadgets. You will eat only healthy food prepared with the least amount of spice and flavouring. If it’s total detachment you’re looking for, this is the place for it.

Can you feel your passport calling out to you? Make up your mind quickly and decide on your holiday spot. Book your tickets and travel insurance for one (or more) of the holidays mentioned above and make the rest of 2016 count.

This article is originally published on HuffingtonPost