Trip of a Lifetime

[La Fiera]

Ok, so before I'm off to intern year, I have the entire month of May to travel to wherever I want in the world.
I have a credit card which can be paid back at some later date

The problem is, I can't decide where I want to go! My roommate also wants to go, and between the 2 of us, (him an ex-peace corps volunteer, and me a traveling junkie) we want to go somewhere neither of us has been. We both want something exotic, something that involves either the beach or mountaineering, a little archaeology (I was going to be an undwater archaeologist before I went to med school!), and maybe some Spanish, to brush up on the language. I can surf, snowboard, hike, scuba dive, and snorkel. I don't want to be too hot or too cold. SO, if you guys could give me any feedback on some of the following that we are considering that would be super!

In no particular order:

1. Greece + Turkey

2. Spain + Morocco/Algeria/Tunisia

3. Belize/Dominican Republic + Cuba

4. Bolivia + western Brazil

5. Tibet +/- Nepal

6. Indonesia +/- Thailand

7. Western Africa

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[OwnageMobile]

I'm personally all about brushing up on the language. Plus there are still many cool things to be done in Spain + North Africa

 

[surjanky]

Scratch Tibet off of your list. It would be way to much travel time for the variety your looking for. The Friendship Highway from Kathmandu to Lhasa takes several days and there is a bunch of bureaucratic chinese tape to cut through (don't think you will get a chinese visa in Kathmandu, unless things have changed you will need to do it stateside or someplace other than Nepal). There may be flights from chengdu, but then you would have to go to chengdu. You can pm me if you are serious about Tibet but for your length of time I've got more - than +. Nepal + Thailand is very doable. A ten day trek in the Himalayas followed by a couple weeks on Thailand's islands= a damn good month. BKK may well be the cheapest city in the world to fly in and out of by the way.

 

[Kimmer]

Since you mentioned weather as a factor - Indonesia = V. V. hot. That was my experience anyway. I was there in Jan though. Thailand not as bad. It was still hot of course but I don't remember ever getting that deathly hot feeling in Thailand. They were both so cool though. Talk about exotic. I didn't get to Sumatra but my friends who went there had spent a year going around the world and said it was the best experience they had. Bali was wonderful - but I was there a long time ago and I am sure a LOT has changed. Java was kind of tense. I am sure there was tons to see but I felt kind of hemmed in by real safety concerns. But when I was out and about I definitely felt like I was off the beated path. I created quite a sensation wherever I went b/c everyone said I was the tallest woman they had ever seen (when they said anything - many people just stopped in their tracks and pointed) and I am only 5'8"! Thailand is great for meeting other travelers - young people, fun times.
I am sure you will enjoy whatever you do.

 

[coastal]

I'd do Indonesia minus the Thailand. I was planning a trip there this summer, and it looked awesome. Good diving and surfing, incredible culture. Minus the Thailand 'cause you could spend months in Thailand just on it's own.

Have you already been to the rest of Central America? Wicked diving in the Bay Islands off Honduras (like Belize but dirt cheap!) and the Mayan ruins in Tikal, Copan, Palenque etc are amazing. Plus it covers the Spanish angle. Guatemala and Honduras would be a good month.

 

[La Fiera]

Can any one comment on why they picked Spain + Morocco/Algeria/Tunisia- my mom didn't want us to go to Morocco because of politics between the French, Spanish and Muslims trying to get into Europe. I've always been really interested in this part of the world though!

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Well for my trip in a lifetime I'm gpoing to Australia. New Zealand, Tahiti and Fiji. I know that wasn't one of your choices but to me it's ideal. First of all my gf is in Australia. The languages are English or at least for tourists even in French Polynesia they speak English. It gives you a variety of cultures and activities. There's also virtually no crime in any of those areas which to me is an important consideration. So if you consider that I can tell you some places I hope to visit.

 

[LINEski]

After doing a 7 month trip in SE Asia and Oceana I'd definitely recommend Indonesia. Bali is probably the best place on earth as far as human interaction, food, culture, surfing, and beauty. There are about 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia and it is really undiscovered by tourists. Not to mention that you can travel nicely on $25 a day anywhere in SE Asia. If you're looking to just chill out and need a REALLY slow pace then hit up the South Pacific...also fairly cheap.

 

[BooMed]

I can't pick which one to vote for, I think they would all be completely amazing.

Personally I wouldn't go to Tibet/Nepal or Morocco... I would really love to someday, but I'm not sure if those are the safest locations right now. Being kidnapped/robbed isn't the kind of adventure I crave.

Oh, you don't have it one there but I vote for Italy!