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If you think you have seen it all – been there, done that, bought the T-shirt – then welcome to the world of true Off The Beaten Path tourism.
Take a peek at a few holiday ideas you may not have thought of when you bought your last Lonely Planet.
Extreme Tourism:
Swimming with crocodiles, BASE jumping, white-water rafting in rapids that wouldn´t feel ashamed next to Niagara Falls. These are just a few things that travellers are plunking down their ready cash to be a part of. One of the most out-there options is a holiday in Chernobyl. Yes, Chernobyl, site of the largest nuclear-power accident in recorded history. Technically, no-one is allowed close to the eerie, desolate site (although there are plenty of instances of former residents ´sneaking´ back into their homes) but enterprising tour operators have somehow wangled the permits to take guided groups into the Danger Zone. There is a mountain of paperwork before you leave – mostly along the lines of ´I won´t sue if I get radiation poisoning and my kidneys start leaking out of my ears. ´ Although the feel of the place is creepy at best, taking home a I Went To Chernobyl and All I Got Was This Lousy Third Arm t-shirt is a great conversation starter in the local bar.
Holidays in Space
Richard Branson continues to push for world domination (and now outer space domination) of all pop industries with the Virgin plans to take tours into space. Although this idea is not new (it´s been kicked around since 2004), the technology required is becoming a concrete reality. In true Space-Race form, the Russians are also hard at work building space ships that are suitable for passenger purposes. So far, no monkeys have been hurt in the making of this joke. Although Moon Landings are not yet on the Space Tour itinerary,. The $200,000 price tag will buy you a larger-than-normal sized seat, as well as all the oxygen you can suck up. And yes, if he is still with us on THIS earth, Sir Richard Branson will be on the first passenger list.
Slum Tours
Life imitates art with slum tour operators cashing in on the popularity of films like City of God and Slumdog Millionaire. The slums of Brazil (or Favelas) are notoriously dangerous – so much so that it is difficult to convince local police to enter them. This has not stopped Marcelo Armstrong (founder of Favela Tours) from taking guided tours through the often-treacherous streets. For more than fifteen years, he has been using the tours not only as a way to make a living but also as a tool of education. His deft and sensitive tours are between equals – human beings meeting each other rather than wealthy Westerners gawking at the ´poor kids.´ Unfortunately, there are less savoury types who are cashing in – either leading unsuspecting tourists straight into a mugging, or plain old annoying the Favela locals by treating them as animals in a zoo. Tread carefully.
The End of The World
Not to be confused with Doomsday Tourism (yes, that really exists), we´re talking about Antarctica. Although there are no hotels in this extreme Southern environment (hot showers would be something of an issue) there are some mighty luxurious cruise ships willing to give you a tour of the End of The World for between ten and twenty thousand dollars a pop. Before you sign up, Antarctica tours have drawn some heavy criticism from environmentalists: In a part of the world where a single boot-print can stay intact for 200 years or more, the impact of people here is unavoidable. Restrictions have been put in place, but as no-one actually owns Antarctica, no-one is really responsible. Except you.
Grief Tourism
This is the kind of tourism that makes places like Auschwitz, Ground Zero at the World Trade Centre, and Devil´s Island (one of the worst, most inhuman prisons in recent history) seem attractive to holidaymakers. While this is a far cry from typical holidays that involve nothing more taxing than choosing between a Mojito and a Daiquiri, this type of tourism is big business. Respect to the victims, or macabre voyeurism? The jury is still out.
Renting an apartment in Helsinki may not count as extreme tourism but it sure can be fun.
