The Ultimate Travel Bucket List

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 list imaginable: the usual to-do lists, to-buy lists, to-read lists, 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 five minutes (112).
In 2013, I created a bucket list to help me deal with depression and a quarter-life crisis. The items were wide-ranging, from the mundane (learn to ride a scooter) to the outrageous (jump out of an airplane), from the attainable (climb a volcano) to the nearly impossible (have a flat tummy).
The list gave me a reason to get out of bed every morning. It also, in a way, planted the seed for this blog.
While the original list had close to 1,000 items, this version has been pared down to just over 700, to keep it (more-or-less) travel-related.
Enjoy!
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Items in bold mean I’ve done them. Click the linked ones for the stories and guides; the others are still waiting to be written (yes, yes, I’m working on it).
Travel (General)
- Travel solo
- Hitchhike
- Couchsurf
- 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 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
- Travel for a month with only a backpack
- Spend a week traveling without a phone
- Revisit a place that didn’t impress me the first time
- Go to the North/South Pole
- Visit a medieval castle
- See windmills
- Climb to the top of a lighthouse
- Visit a floating village
- Visit a ghost town
- Sleep under the open sky with no tent
- Go on a desert safari
- Go on an African safari
Travel (Country-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
- Go on the world’s tallest outdoor elevator | China
- Climb the Macau Tower | Macau
- 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
- See the floating markets in Bangkok | Thailand
- Visit the Maeklong Railway Market | 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
- Walk on the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge | Czech Republic
- 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
- 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
- Swim in a glass-bottom pool
- Walk on a glass-bottom bridge
- Walk on a hanging bridge
- Do the Polar Bear Plunge
- Jump off a cliff
- Rope swing into water
- Go snorkeling
- Go scuba-diving
- Go freediving
- 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
- Join a tower race
- Walk on the sky bridge of Petronas Twin Towers
- Do the CN Tower Edge Walk
- Do the Mount Huashan plank walk
- Go sea kayaking
- Kayak through icebergs in Greenland
- Go on a multiday canoe or kayak expedition
- 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 & Nature
- Climb the Piedra el Peñol | Colombia
- Climb Mount Rinjani | Indonesia
- Hike to see the blue crater lake of Kawah Ijen | 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
- 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
- Watch sunrise on a mountaintop
- Fly over a volcano in Hawaii
- Walk in sea foam
- Experience a hailstorm
- See a tornado
- Stand under a waterfall
- See a petrified waterfall
- Swim in a natural infinity pool
- Swim in a cenote
- 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 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
- 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
- Go whale-watching
- Go bird-watching
- Go bear-watching
- 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
- Go to a pet cafe
- Go fishing
- Go shrimp fishing
- Go deep sea fishing
- Go clam digging
Transportation
- Cycle in Amsterdam
- 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 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
- Go on a river bus in Hamburg
- Go on an ice-breaker ship
- Ride a hovercraft
- Ride in a submarine
- 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 traditional 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 Peking duck in Beijing
- Eat sushi in Japan
- Eat momo in Nepal
- Eat chili crab in Singapore
- Eat kimchi in South Korea
- Eat pad thai in Thailand
- Eat plov in Uzbekistan
- Eat pho in Vietnam
- Go to an egg buffet
- Eat raw chicken in Japan
- Eat nagashi somen
- Eat biryani in India
- 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 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 croissant 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 in Spain
- Eat churros in Spain
- Eat Portuguese egg tart in Portugal
- 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 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 the spiciest chili on earth
- Eat liquid-nitrogen desserts
- 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 on a food tour
- Join a cooking class
- Take a mixology course
- Have an omakase meal
- 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
- 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 in India
- 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
- Witness the alm-giving ceremony in Laos
- 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
- 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 / hanfu in China
- Wear a sari in India
- Learn to make a sari in India
- Wear a kimono / yukata in Japan
- Wear a hanbok in South Korea
- Wear a kilt in Scotland
- Wear traditional Thai costume in Thailand
- 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 the summer 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 a traditional puppet show
- Watch a shadow puppet show
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Learn to blow glass
- Learn blacksmithing skills
- Learn carpentry skills
- Learn to make candles / soap
- Paint Easter eggs in Ukraine
- Create my own perfume
- Learn a new language
- 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
















