Most Remote Destinations in the World
Cape Town, Cairo and Casablanca. Rome, the Riviera and Rio De Janeiro. San Francisco, Saigon and Sydney. All beautiful locations, but to the adventure-seeking traveler, these famous places are merely the aperitifs to the unique, exotic, un-tasted banquet of marvels offered up by our seven great continents. To feast on these locales, however, one has to step off the beaten path and take the routes less traveled.
Try Siberia, for example. Lake Baikal is a 600 kilometer (370 miles) body of water that hosts 2,000 species of plants and animals and twenty-seven islands. After taking a dip in the icy waters of the lake (which are known for curing all sorts of ailments), you can take a bus, train or boat tour around the islands and camp in remote locations, visit with the locals, sample the local seafood and then return to the lake, which is considered one of the world's best diving locations.
Then you can continue your island hopping by heading east, into Asia. The Gili Trawangan island of Indonesia is a 4.8 km (3 mile) island that boasts some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world and offers a breathtaking view of Mount Rinjani, an active volcano in nearby Lombok. Gili Trawangan is essentially a village island and a haven for backpackers who will find almost all of the island's tourist facilities located on a half-mile stretch along the beach.
The next stop on your remote island vacation might be the province of Surigao, located on second largest island of the Philippines. On this route, you'll have left behind the tropical weather of Indonesia and dropped yourself into a land where it rains 223 days throughout the year. The oft-gloomy weather is befitting for the native population here, which clings tenaciously to its supernatural beliefs. You can visit a voodoo practitioner in the suburban village of Mabua, or join the locals in digging up their backyards in search of the gold that Japanese soldiers supposedly left behind during an invasion during World War II. Despite the remoteness of the area, Surigao also boasts stunning beaches, unique rock formations and delicious local delicacies made from rice, coconut and fresh seafood.
Then onwards, brave traveler, into the Caribbean, to the island of Curacao, 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of Venezuela. Here, you can rest. The locals won't trouble you for they, too, will be resting, relaxing, smiling, singing karaoke and cooking up delicious delicacies that reflect the diversity of the island's inhabitants. The road-side kiosks, despite their shabby appearance, offer delicious food that fuses culinary influences from Haiti, China, the Netherlands Venezuela and Cuba. You can golf, gamble at a casino, visit an ostrich farm, or see death-defying motorcycle tricks on Sunday afternoons at an illegal race track. In Punda, Willemstad, you will find some of the best duty-free shopping in the Caribbean.
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