Locals rowing their sampans along the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

There are so many ways to travel. Whether you’re on a culinary tour around Italy, or ice-climbing in Patagonia, different travelers have their own style of travelling.  A cultural immersion often allows you to delve deeper into the soul of a country than a weekend holidaymaker usually would. Instead of standard sight-seeing, visitors would be meeting tribes or natives, staying with a host family and engaging in local practices.  I’ve rounded up the following destinations, perfect for culture vultures to get under a country’s skin.

1. India: Meditate in an Ashram

This spiritual land of yoga and holy ashrams definitely has charisma and plenty of culture within. Meditate in a holistic center, or dig up history at Taj Mahal or revel in the hippie’s’ playground in Goa: it’s a country packed with stories to tell and lessons to learn. Travelers could volunteer at a shelter in Mumbai, teach English in Bangalore or journey on a houseboat in Kerala – the immersion choices are endless here.

Photo by Nataraj Metz

2. China: Sleep in a Monastery

A land of spectacular natural landscapes, majestic temples, millennium-old traditions, China has so much character beneath its facade. Besides getting awed by its world-famous Tiananmen Square, Great Wall and terracotta soldiers, you can sit by the park and watch the senior citizens do tai-chi or meditate at a mountain-top monastery. More travelers are opting for China escorted tours to learn about the country – from its language to its food and people.

3. Peru: Visit Indigenous Tribes

From the floating villages of Lake Titicaca to the indigenous tribes in the Andes Mountains, it is the people of Peru that give the country its strong identity.Their characteristic villages and unique way of life are the biggest draw for travelers interested in digging deeper. Its cultural capital Cuzco makes an excellent base for travelers to explore the surrounding archaeological sites, including Macchu Picchu, and also get to taste local foods, visit markets and farms.

4. Argentina: Learn tango

Old-style European architecture, classic steakhouses, intense tango dancers, gaucho cowboys. The country is literally bursting with passion and burning with a culture so rich and vibrant. These days, students flock to Buenos Aires to learn Spanish, taking advantage of the peso. In between classes, they can learn to tango or visit the antique shops of San Telmo. Beyond the capital, you can bike between bodegas in Mendoza, watch folkloric dancing in Salta, or explore the stunning Iguazu Falls and breathtaking glaciers in Patagonia.

5. Spain: Cook a Paella

Angst-filled flamenco dancers tap their feet into the night, night-prowlers hop from one tapas bar to the next, feeding on savory eats like paella and jamon. Spain is loud, feisty and vigorous – a country with a raging personality waiting for you to uncover and explore inside out. Hordes of students come here on study-abroad-programs to learn the language, but most return with a new outlook in life. Having a reputation for being vivadores (people who live life to the fullest), the Spaniards can influence you more than you’ll imagine.

6. Vietnam: Cruise the Mekong River

The pearl of Indochina has a disturbing history and tragic past; but its scenic countryside, primitive tribes and performing arts often shrouds it in an optimistic glow. Besides visiting war monuments in Ho Chi Minh city, cultural enthusiasts can take a boat to see the communities of the Mekong River, listen to Vietnamese opera, sleep on a junk boat in Halong Bay or stay in the hill tribe village of Mai Chau. Tours to Indochina often entail all aspects of travel – adventurous activities to cultural visits and experiences.

*Photos not credited are shot by myself and Alberto Molero.

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Massive volcanic craters, acres of raw jungle and stretch of deserted sand dunes: the work of Mother Earth is beyond our imagination. Thanks to these natural wonders, our Earth has been blessed with gorgeous landscapes and undulating backdrops. Without environmental protection, they might be gone faster than we expect. To pay tribute to these phenomenal sites, here’s my roundup (based on readings and travels) of the world’s top natural wonders.

1. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The world’s largest coral reef system stretches over 2,600 kilometers and can be seen from outer space. Supporting a wide diversity of marine life, the Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site since 1981. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as overfishing and tourism. A holiday to Australia would be ideal from November to May, when summer temperatures are pleasant and Queensland’s vibrant aquatic life is at its most active.

Photo by Sarah Ackerman

Photo by Brewbooks

2. Amazon Rainforest, South America

An extensive forest covering most of the Amazon Basin of South America, is spread across 8 different countries and covers over 5.5 million km sq. Home to proliferate wildlife and nearly-extinct primitive tribes, the Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most species-rich tropical rainforest in the world.

The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with Rio de Janeiro as the best place to enter the jungle from. We trekked through the Ecuadorian part of the jungle, visiting tribes and exploring the forest at night.

3. Grand Canyon, USA

A steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona is one of the most awe-striking natural site in the United States. The Grand Canyon is a creation formed by over two billions years of nature’s work. Aside from casual sightseeing from the South Rim, the floor of the valley is accessible by foot, mule or rafting. Other activities like whitewater rafting, hiking and running are especially popular.

Photo by Andy Won

4. Sahara Desert, North Africa

The Sahara is the world’s largest hot desert covering over 9 million km sq of area. Spanning most of Northern Africa (Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Chad and Algeria), it’s almost as large as the continent of Europe. Consisting of rocky formations and large sand dunes, a trip through the Sahara is one of mystique and desolation. Visitors can experience the various cultures around the desert through the little Saharan villages.

Photo by wonker

5. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Over 972km west of continental Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands have been secluded from humans for thousands of years, resulting in unique and endemic species of wildlife. This volcanic archipelago of 13 islands is sprouting with marine lizards, giant land tortoises and blue-footed boobies everywhere. An opportunity to visit the islands makes one feels privileged to experience such rare sights in this modern world.

6. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

The crater is a sprawling conservation land, with one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. As a natural sanctuary to thousands of birds, lions, zebras, black rhino, it is often called Africa’s Eden.

Known as the “largest unbroken caldera in the world”, the crater is 610 meters deep and 260 sq km. Only the indigenous tribe of Maasai are allowed to live in the land.The crater is most popular for bird watching, photography, walking safaris, and game viewing.

7. Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay – meaning ‘Descending Dragon Bay’ in Vietnamese- is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It features thousands of limestone karsts and oddly-shaped islets rising from emerald green waters. The evolution of these limestone karsts has taken over 20 million years to form, under the impact of the tropical wet climate. With such biodiversity and ecologically-rich grounds, there is also a thick cultural and historical side to the country. Vietnam holidays often involve a perfect mixture of the two.

Photo by Ethan Crowley

8. Iguazu Falls, South America

Located on the Argentinean-Brazilian border, the falls divide the countries, as if the waters were plunging off the edge of the tectonic plates. It has been compared with the Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls, but the Iguazu definitely offers better views and well-designed walkways. At the Devils’s Throat, you are standing in the midst of the torrential waters, surrounded by 360degrees of waterfalls. Visitors can see the falls from the Brazilian side (Foz de Iguacu) or the Argentinean side (Puerto Iguazu).

References: TravelChannel and Wikipedia.

*Photos not credited are shot by myself and Alberto Molero.

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