The Ultimate Travel Bucket List Ideas
I love making lists. If you peeked into my diary or any blank piece of paper I could get my hands on, you’d find every type of lists imaginable, including the usual to-do lists, to-buy lists, to-read lists, the ever-repeating monthly expenses, and the ones that don’t make sense at all, like the list of English words beginning with the letter C that I could come up with in 5 minutes (112).
In 2013, I created a bucket list to help me deal with depression and quarter-life crisis. The things listed were very extensive, ranging from the mundane (learn to ride a scooter) to the outrageous (jump out of an airplane), from the attainable (climb Mount Kinabalu) to the nearly impossible (have a flat tummy). But the list gave me a reason to get out of bed every morning.
While the original list had close to 1,000 items, the one featured here has been pared down to just over 700, to keep it (more-or-less) travel-related. Enjoy!
Ummi's Bucket List
Table of Contents
Travel (General)
- Be a tourist in my own city
- Travel solo
- Hitchhike
- Couchsurf
- Visit all countries in Southeast Asia
- Visit 50 countries
- Visit 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Visit all 7 New Wonders of the World
- Visit all 7 New Natural Wonders of the World
- Visit all 7 continents
- Visit the happiest country in the world
- Visit the coldest capital in the world
- Visit the smallest country in the world
- Visit the largest country in the world
- Be in two countries at once
- Live on a tropical island for a month
- Become a citizen/permanent resident of another country
- Go to the North/South Pole
- Visit a castle
- See windmills
- Climb to the top of a lighthouse
- Walk across a hanging bridge
- Walk across the world’s longest hanging bridge
- Walk across a glass-bottom bridge
- Go on the world’s tallest elevator
- Visit a floating village
- Visit a ghost town
- Swim in a cenote
- Swim in a glass-bottom pool
- Go on a desert safari
- Go on a African safari
Travel (Location Specific)
Asia
- Visit Bhutan
- Visit the Angkor Wat | Cambodia
- Visit the Great Wall | China
- Visit Tibet | China
- See the terracotta army in Xi’an | China
- See the Stone Forest in Shilin | China
- See the Taj Mahal | India
- Visit Auroville | India
- Visit Jerusalem | Israel
- Swim in the Dead Sea | Jordan/Israel
- See the ancient ruins of Petra | Jordan
- Climb up the steps of Batu Caves | Malaysia
- See or climb the Mulu Pinnacles | Malaysia
- Visit the Maldives
- Visit North Korea
- See the Chocolate Hills in Bohol | Philippines
- See Mount Fuji | Japan
- Go to the poop museum | Japan
- Swim in the infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands | Singapore
- Cycle around Taiwan
- See the floating markets in Bangkok | Thailand
- Visit the Maeklong Railway Market | Thailand
- Visit the airplane graveyard in Bangkok | Thailand
- Visit the Land of the Fairy Chimneys | Turkey
- Visit Pamukkale | Turkey
- See Haghia Sophia | Turkey
- Visit the hair museum in Turkey
- See the Burj Khalifa | U.A.E.
- Visit the incense farm in Vietnam
- Visit Socotra Island | Yemen
Europe
- See the Tower Bridge | England
- See the Big Ben | England
- See the Stonehenge | England
- See the Eiffel Tower | France
- See the Catacombs in Paris | France
- See the Berlin Wall | Germany
- See the ruins in Athens | Greece
- Visit Santorini | Greece
- Soak in the Blue Lagoon | Iceland
- Kiss the Blarney Stone | Ireland
- See the Leaning Tower of Pisa | Italy
- See the Colosseum | Italy
- Make a wish at Trevi Fountain | Italy
- Visit Cinque Terre | Italy
- See the Dark Hedges | Northern Ireland
- See the fjords of Norway
- Pose on the Trolltunga rock | Norway
- Visit Auschwitz | Poland
- Visit the Crooked Forest | Poland
- See the waves at Nazare | Portugal
- Visit the Red Square in Moscow | Russia
- See La Sagrada Familia | Spain
- Cross the Tunnel of Love | Ukraine
- Visit Chernobyl | Ukraine
Oceania
- See the Sydney Harbour Bridge | Australia
- Travel the Great Ocean Road | Australia
- See Ayers Rock | Australia
- Swim the Great Barrier Reef | Australia
- Walk in the Bora Bora lagoon | French Polynesia
- Visit the Hobbiton | New Zealand
- Swim in the Jellyfish Lake | Palau
Africa
- See the Pyramids of Giza | Egypt
- Visit the Blue Pearl | Morocco
- Shop in the souks | Morocco
- Swim at the edge of Victoria Falls | Zimbabwe
North America
- Visit Anne of Green Gables’ house | Canada
- See the Mayan ruins | Mexico
- Visit Bioluminescent Bay | Puerto Rico
- Visit the White House | U.S.A.
- Walk in Central Park, Manhattan | U.S.A.
- See the Empire State Building | U.S.A.
- See the Statue of Liberty | U.S.A.
- See the Hollywood sign | U.S.A.
- See the Golden Gate Bridge | U.S.A.
- See Mount Rushmore | U.S.A.
- See New England in the fall | U.S.A.
- Do the Hollywood Walk of Fame | U.S.A.
- Visit all 50 states of America | U.S.A.
- See the Niagara Falls | U.S.A.
- Visit McKamey Manor | U.S.A
- Go to Candytopia in Santa Monica | U.S.A.
- Go to Meow Wolf in Santa Fe | U.S.A.
- Go to the Pecularium in Portland | U.S.A.
- Visit the Museum of Death in New Orleans | U.S.A.
South America
- Visit Patagonia | Argentina
- Visit Salar de Uyuni | Bolivia
- Visit the Amazon | Brazil
- See the statues on Easter Island | Chile
- Visit the Galapagos | Ecuador
- Swing at the end of the world | Ecuador
- Visit the rainbow mountains | Peru
Adventure & Sports
- Go white-water rafting
- Go tubing in Vang Vieng
- Go kiteboarding
- Go flyboarding
- Go zip-lining
- Go paragliding
- Go parasailing
- Go paramotoring
- Go skydiving
- Go Scad diving
- Go hang-gliding
- Go bungee jumping
- Go on a ropeswing
- Do the reverse bungee (slingshot)
- Do the waterblob (human catapult)
- Base jump with a wingsuit
- Wing walk on a bi-plane
- Swim in the largest pool in the world
- Do the Polar Bear Plunge
- Jump off a cliff
- Rope swing into water
- Go snorkeling
- Go scuba-diving
- Go free-diving
- Go sea-walking
- Ride on the Sea Dart
- Ride the Aquaskipper
- Ride a banana boat
- Fly on a trapeze
- Go abseiling
- Go wall-climbing
- Go rock-climbing
- Go spelunking
- Go canyoneering
- Climb a tree
- Run a full marathon
- Compete in a triathlon
- Run barefooted
- Go dog-sledding
- Go tobogganing
- Go luging
- Go snowboarding
- Go snowshoeing
- Learn to ski
- Learn to roller-skate
- Learn to surf
- Go body-surfing
- Sand surf in a desert
- Try stand-up paddling
- Go volcano-boarding
- Go zorbing
- Go aqua zorbing
- Try archery
- Learn to shoot a gun
- Play golf
- Learn yoga in India
- Climb the KL Tower
- Walk on the sky bridge of Petronas Twin Towers
- Do the rope-course challenge at Komtar, Penang
- Do the CN Tower Edge Walk
- Do the Mount Huashan plank walk
- Go sea kayaking
- Kayak through icebergs in Greenland
- Go cave canoeing
- Row a sampan
- Learn to sail
- Join the Croatia Sail Week
- Experience zero gravity
- Watch a sports match in a stadium
- Watch a muay thai match in Thailand
- Learn muay thai in Thailand
- Learn capoeira in Brazil
- Watch sumo wrestling in Japan
- Watch The Alternative Games in Wales
- Watch the Grand Prix in Monaco
- Attend the Olympics
- Attend a WWE match
Hiking
- Climb the Piedra el Peñol | Colombia
- Climb Mount Rinjani | Indonesia
- Walk the Kumano Kodo | Japan
- Climb Mount Kinabalu | Malaysia
- Hike to the Annapurna/Everest Base Camp | Nepal
- Participate in the 4-Day Walk of the World in Nijmegen | Netherlands
- Walk the Te Araroa Trail | New Zealand
- Hike on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu | Peru
- Walk El Camino de Santiago | Spain
- Walk the Jeju Olle Trail | South Korea
- Hike the Grand Canyon | U.S.A.
- Hike the PCT | U.S.A.
- Climb one of the 7 summits
Nature
- Hug a redwood
- Visit a virgin rainforest
- See an iceberg
- See a blowhole
- Visit an ice cave
- Visit a sulfur mine
- Climb an active volcano
- Fly over a volcano in Hawaii
- Walk in sea foam
- Experience a hailstorm
- See a tornado
- Stand under a waterfall
- See a petrified waterfall
- Watch a solar/lunar eclipse
- See a meteor shower
- See the Aurora Borealis
- See the Aurora Australis
- Experience the midnight sun
- Experience the polar night
- Visit a red-sand beach
- Visit the Red Beach, China
- Visit a pink-sand beach
- Visit a black-sand beach
- Visit a green-sand beach
- Visit the glass beach in California
- Visit a pink lake
- Visit the spotted lake in Canada
- Visit the biggest lake in the world
- Visit the deepest lake in the world
- See a baobab tree
- See a giant sequoia tree
- See cherry blossoms
- Visit a lavender field
- Visit a tulip field
- Visit a poppy field
- Visit a sunflower field
- Visit a bamboo forest
- Visit the black stone forest in Kunming, China
- Walk through a corn maze
- Pick my own strawberries at a strawberry farm
- Pick wild blackberries
Animals
- Attend a horse race
- Ride a horse
- Learn to be a gaucho in Argentina
- Ride an ostrich
- Ride a camel
- Bathe an elephant
- Learn to be a mahout
- Be a sea-lion trainer for a day in Canada
- Swim with pigs in the Bahamas
- Swim with dolphins
- Swim with whale sharks
- Swim with manta rays
- Swim with manatees
- Swim with otters
- Kiss a sea lion
- Cage dive with sharks
- Cage dive with saltwater crocodiles in Darwin
- Go whale-watching
- Go bird-watching
- Go bear-watching in Alaska
- Shear a sheep
- Milk a cow/goat
- Herd cattle
- Feed a crocodile
- Play frisbee with a dog
- Walk a St Bernard on St Bernard’s Pass
- See kangaroos in their natural habitat
- See penguins in their natural habitat
- See polar bears in their natural habitat
- See fireflies
- See the salmon run
- See a yak
- See an alpaca
- See komodos on Komodo Island
- See the Serengeti’s great migration
- Witness the Monarch butterfly migration
- Witness the red crab migration
- See glowworms in New Zealand
- Visit the Giraffe Manor in Kenya
- Visit a bee farm
- Extract honey from a bee hive
- Visit the rabbit island in Japan
- Visit the cat island in Japan
- Be a panda keeper in China
- Hold a monkey/ape/chimp/orangutan
- Hold a koala
- Hug a sloth
- Hold a tarantula
- Cuddle a tiger cub
- Wrap a python around my neck
- Release a bird
- Release baby turtles into the sea
- Adopt a pet dog
- Go to a pet cafe
- Go fishing
- Go deep sea fishing
- Go clam digging
Transportation
- Cycle in a foreign country
- Cycle down the Danube Bike Trail
- Ride on a tandem bike
- Ride a unicycle
- Go sky-biking
- Go fat-biking
- Learn to ride a scooter/motorbike
- Ride the E-Monster Roller
- Ride a Vespa
- Ride a Harley
- Ride a Segway
- Drive an ATV
- Drive a dune buggy
- Drive a Go-Kart
- Drive a truck
- Drive a tractor
- Drive a sports car
- Drive abroad
- Drive Route 66
- Go on a hayride
- Participate in a rickshaw run
- Ride in a songthaew
- Ride in a convertible
- Ride in a limo
- Fly first-class
- Fly in a private jet
- Fly in a fighter jet
- Fly in a hot-air balloon
- Fly in a helicopter
- Fly in a blimp
- Fly in a seaplane
- Learn to fly an airplane
- Travel on a steam train
- Ride on the Puffing Billy Railway in Australia
- Travel on an Indian train
- Ride the bullet train in Japan
- Cross Russia via Trans Siberian/Mongolian railway
- Ride the iron ore train in Mauritania
- Ride the Orient Express
- Ride the Glacier Express
- Ride “the Tube” in London
- Ride the double-decker bus in London
- Ride on top of a train
- Travel on a sleeper bus
- Ride on a bamboo raft
- Ride on a water taxi in Bangkok
- Ride a jet-ski
- Ride a gondola in Venice
- Ride a shikara in Kashmir
- Ride a hovercraft
- Ride in a submarine
- Go on an ice-breaker ship in Sweden
- Go on a river bus in Hamburg
- Go on a cruise
- Travel in a camper van
- Ride in a cable car
- Ride on a ski lift
- Ride a funicular
Accommodation
- Stay in an ashram
- Stay in a Buddhist monastery
- Stay in a nunnery
- Stay in a cabin in the woods or by a lake
- Stay at a dude ranch
- Stay in an ice hotel
- Stay in a cave hotel
- Stay in an underwater hotel
- Stay on an oil rig
- Stay in a longhouse
- Stay in an overwater bungalow
- Stay in a jjimjilbang
- Stay in a capsule hotel
- Stay in a ryokan
- Stay on a houseboat
- Sleep in a tent
- Sleep in a tree house
- Sleep in a cave
- Sleep in a salt mine
- Sleep in a teepee
- Sleep in a yurt
- Sleep in an igloo
- Sleep in a trailer
- Sleep in a castle
- Sleep in a prison cell
- Sleep in a hammock
- Sleep on straw in a barn
- Sleep in a windmill
- Go glamping
- Stay at a Hard Rock Hotel
Food & Drinks
- Eat chili crab in Singapore
- Eat pho in Vietnam
- Eat pad thai in Thailand
- Eat Peking duck in Beijing
- Eat sushi in Japan
- Eat an omakase meal in Japan
- Eat nagashi somen in Japan
- Go to an egg buffet in Japan
- Eat raw chicken in Japan
- Eat kimchi in South Korea
- Eat biryani in India
- Eat momo in Nepal
- Eat ema datshi in Bhutan
- Eat shawarma in UAE
- Eat kibbeh in Lebanon
- Eat pavlova in New Zealand
- Eat Turkish ice-cream in Turkey
- Eat plov in Uzbekistan
- Eat dolmasi in Azerbaijan
- Eat khachapuri in Georgia
- Eat borscht in Russia
- Eat verivorst in Estonia
- Eat cepelinai in Lithuania
- Eat mamaliga in Moldova
- Eat goulash in Hungary
- Eat sarmale in Romania
- Eat cevapi in Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Eat pierogi in Poland
- Eat tzatziki and souvlaki in Greece
- Eat Belgian fries in Belgium
- Eat sauerkraut in Germany
- Eat macarons in France
- Eat fish n chips in a pub in London
- Eat strawberries and cream at Wimbledon
- Eat haggis in Scotland
- Eat Irish stew in Ireland
- Eat frikadeller in Denmark
- Eat meatballs in Sweden
- Eat smalahove in Norway
- Eat stroopwafel in the Netherlands
- Eat pizza and pasta in Italy
- Eat rosti in Switzerland
- Eat paella and tapas in Spain
- Eat churros in Spain
- Eat Portuguese egg tart in Portugal
- Eat francesinha in Porto
- Eat schnitzel in Austria
- Eat halusky in Slovakia
- Eat fli in Kosovo/Albania
- Eat couscous in Tunisia
- Eat kushani in Egypt
- Eat tagine in Morocco
- Eat an Ethiopian meal in Ethiopia
- Eat nyama choma in Kenya
- Eat succotash in Equatorial Guinea
- Eat New York Cheesecake in New York
- Eat buffalo wings in Buffalo
- Eat Kentucky Fried Chicken in Kentucky
- Eat poi in Hawaii
- Eat poutine in Montreal
- Eat maple syrup pancakes in Canada
- Eat tacos in Mexico
- Eat gallo pinto in Costa Rica
- Eat ropa vieja in Cuba
- Eat ceviche in Ecuador
- Eat pastel de choclo in Chile
- Eat feijoada in Brazil
- Eat bugs
- Eat bird’s nest
- Eat red durian
- Eat cactus
- Eat escargot
- Eat raw oysters
- Eat caviar
- Eat a century egg
- Eat sea urchin
- Eat kangaroo meat
- Eat crocodile meat
- Eat crocodile egg
- Eat herring
- Eat the stinky tofu
- Eat balut
- Eat a wormcake
- Eat black pudding
- Eat nagashi somen
- Eat the spiciest chili on earth
- Eat liquid-nitrogen ice-cream
- Eat fondue
- Dine in the dark
- Dine in the sky
- Enter a food eating contest
- Eat a molecular gastronomy dinner
- Chew betel leaf
- Chew khat
- Drink Ceylon tea in Ceylon
- Drink tea in England
- Drink kopi luwak
- Drink eggnog
- Drink at an ice bar
- Go to an oxygen bar
- Go tea-tasting
- Go cheese-tasting
- Go on a food tour
- Attend a cooking class
- Take a mixology course
- Learn to distill spirits
- Roast a turkey for Thanksgiving
- Learn to shuck an oyster
- Learn to make sushi in Japan
- Learn to make dim sum in China
- Learn to make fresh pasta in Italy
- Learn to make tacos in Mexico
- Join a chocolate-making workshop
- Learn to make gelato in Italy
- Learn to make latte art
- Learn to make pickles
- Learn to make cheese
- Make homemade jams
- Bake a cake
- Make bread from scratch
- Make my own pizza
- Make homemade marshmallows
- Learn fruit-carving
- Carve a pumpkin
- Learn to weave a ketupat
- Wade in a cranberry bog
- Stomp grapes for wine
- Tap a maple tree
- Learn to forage for wild ingredients
- Go truffle-hunting
- Go to a chocolate factory
- Visit a cheese museum
- Eat surstromming in Sweden
- Visit the disgusting food museum in Switzerland
- Eat at a Michelin starred restaurant
- Eat at a Hard Rock Cafe
Festivals & Culture
- Observe silence during Nyepi in Bali
- Throw tomatoes at La Tomatina
- Participate in the Battle of the Oranges in Italy
- Run with the bulls in Pamplona
- Celebrate Las Fallas in Valencia
- Join a hammer festival in Portugal
- Attend snowbombing festival in Austria
- Run after a giant wheel of cheese in Gloucestershire
- Witness the wife-carrying festival in Finland
- Celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich
- Go to the Brazilian Carnaval
- See the Burning Man in California
- Celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans
- Celebrate the UFO Festival in Roswell
- See the Chicago River turn green on St Patrick’s Day
- Go to a renaissance festival
- Spend the 4th of July in USA
- Celebrate Holi
- Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Mexico
- Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Times Square
- Celebrate Christmas with a Christian family
- Decorate a Christmas tree
- Go Christmas-caroling
- Have a white Christmas
- Celebrate Hanukkah with a Jewish family
- Go trick-or-treating on Halloween
- Celebrate Songkran in Thailand
- Celebrate Loy Krathong in Thailand
- Celebrate Yi Peng in Chiang Mai
- Attend Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea
- Go to the Harbin Ice Festival
- Attend a Japanese tea ceremony
- Join a kava ceremony in the Pacific Islands
- See a real-life geisha in Kyoto
- See the whirling Dervishes in Turkey
- Join a voodoo tour in Ghana
- Take haka lessons in New Zealand
- Visit an Amish community in Ohio
- Attend a pow wow
- Attend a pride parade
- Attend a wedding of a different culture
- Attend a Bon Odori festival
- Release a sky lantern
- Wear a cheongsam
- Wear a sari and bindi
- Learn to make a sari in India
- Wear a kimono/yukata
- Wear a hanbok
- Wear a kilt
- Wear traditional Thai costume
- Wear a conical hat in Vietnam
- Wear traditional Balinese costume
- Wear a burqa in the Middle East
- Wear baju kurung in a foreign country
- Watch a flamenco show in Spain
- Listen to fado music in Portugal
- Attend the Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching
- Attend the Merdeka Parade
- Go to a hot-air balloon fiesta
Just for Fun!
- Go on a ghost tour
- Ride on a Ferris wheel
- Ride a carousel (as an adult)
- Ride on a roller coaster
- Ride a mechanical bull
- Go to the circus
- Go to Madame Tussaud’s
- Go to Universal Studios
- Go to Disneyland
- Ride a toboggan in Switzerland
- Visit an upside-down museum
- Visit a 3D-art museum
- Experience the Grand Wailea water elevator
- Go to a music festival
- Go to a drive-in movie
- See a Broadway musical
- Watch ballet
- Watch the opera
- Watch a Chinese opera
- Watch the launch of a space shuttle
- Learn to deal card games at a dealer school
- Smoke hookah
- Smoke a cigar
- Learn to roll a cigar in Cuba
- Drink weed tea
- Drink bhang lassi
- Inhale the laughing gas
- Try the magic mushroom
- Eat space brownies
- Go to a full-moon party
- Go to a luau party
- Party on a helipad
- Party on a yacht
- Party at the Playboy Mansion
- Watch a ping pong show in Thailand
- Receive a lap dance
- Go skinny dipping
- Shower outside in a sarong
- Sunbathe topless on a crowded beach
- Go to a nude beach
Self-Care
- Go to a fish spa
- Take a mud bath
- Get a Balinese massage in Bali
- Get a Thai massage in Thailand
- Get an Ayurvedic treatment in India
- Go to a hammam in Turkey
- Go to an onsen in Japan
- Go to a jjimjilbang in South Korea
- Get a shiatsu massage in Japan
- Go to a thermal bath in Hungary
- Go to a beer spa in Austria
- Have a sulfur bath in Georgia
- Get a Swedish massage in Sweden
- Soak in a natural hotspring
- Try a sensory deprivation tank
Personal Growth
- Go on a meditation retreat
- Go on a darkness retreat
- Get ordained
- Work on a ship
- Work as a fruit-picker abroad
- Quit my job and be my own boss
- Start my own business
- Have my own business cards
- Learn to use chopsticks
- Learn Thai massage in Thailand
- Take an Ayurvedic course in India
- Learn shiatsu in Japan
- Attend a basic survival course
- Attend an avalanche survival course
- Learn Arctic survival skills
- Learn desert survival skills
- Attend a space camp
- Learn to swim like a mermaid
- Learn to escape from quicksand
- Learn to throw a boomerang
- Learn to juggle
- Learn to eat fire
- Learn to dance flamenco
- Learn to waltz
- Learn to salsa
- Learn to rumba in Cuba
- Learn to tango in Argentina
- Learn to tap dance in Ireland
- Learn traditional Balinese dance
- Learn to belly dance in the Middle East
- Dance bharatanatyam
- Do the Hula dance
- Join in a tribal dance
- Learn to play gamelan in Bali
- Take bagpipe lessons in Scotland
- Learn to weave a basket
- Learn to make batik art
- Make something out of clay
- Create Maori art in New Zealand
- Blow glass
- Learn blacksmithing skills
- Learn carpentry skills
- Learn to make candles/soap
- Paint Easter eggs in Ukraine
- Create my own perfume
- Learn to speak a new language fluently
- Take Spanish lessons in a Spanish-speaking country
- Learn sign language
- Celebrate my birthday abroad
- Watch a TED talk live
- Meet an internet-famous animal
- Meet a president/prime minister
- Meet the POTUS/FLOTUS
- Meet the Dalai Lama
- Meet the Queen/King of England
- Meet the Pope
Giving Back
- Volunteer to clean up a public space
- Volunteer at an animal shelter
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen
- Volunteer/work on a farm
- Volunteer to build a house
- Join a reforestation program
- Be an aid worker in a third-world country
- Help someone cross something off their bucket list
- Pick up a hitchhiker
- Host a Couchsurfer