St. Augustine once said “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Travel is good for lots of things, but it can also increase mental well-being – and not just in the short-term. Whether you’re traveling for business, on a one-week family holiday, or have sold everything to pursue a life on the road, traveling can make you a happier person by building self-confidence, providing new experiences and memories, breaking routine and allowing you to meet people from all over the world.
We at The Week talked to some of the familiar faces of our country to find out which is their favorite travel destination in hopes of inspiring you to pack your bags and take a little time out to recharge yourselves.
Malvika Subba
Ever since she visited the place in 2009, she hasn’t been able to get Hawaii out of her mind. It is a place she thinks everyone should go once before they die. “There is something in the air of Hawaii that intoxicates you and makes you addicted to it. The food, the weather and the beaches all make you want to stay there forever and never come back again. It is truly the most beautiful place on earth,” says Subba.
Its natural scenery, the warm tropical climate, the abundance of beautiful public beaches and the oceanic surroundings and the active volcanoes are what attracted her most during her stay in Hawaii. She believes it to be not just the most beautiful place on earth but the most perfect one too.
Abhaya Subba
Diary from Panch Pokhari
Being an avid traveler, it was hard for her to decide which places she loves the most, but after much deliberation she settled on her top two destinations: Lo Manthang and Barcelona.
“It is very unique to have a walled city inside a country and not many people realize the stark beauty that Lo Manthang possesses. It is a very rugged and spiritual place for me and it is very close to the mountains too,” she says.
She recently went to Barcelona and fell in love with their culture and the architecture. One of the most enticing architecture she came across was the Sagrada Familia that was designed by Antoni Gaudi. “It is disturbing at first glance but as you keep looking at you, you realize that it is frighteningly beautiful.” The food, the vibrancy and the people all left her with an unforgettable experience. The freedom she felt there; she hadn’t felt anywhere else before. “Nobody glances at you twice and there are no lewd comments no matter what you wear and what time of the night you are out and about,” says Subba.
Nattu Shah
When she thinks about her most favorite place in the world, she is immediately transported to Singapore where she spent some of the best days of her life. The restaurants inside the super trees in Gardens by the Bay made her feel like she was a character in the Avatar movies and the fact that they light up at night made it even more magical.
However, even the super tree groves were no comparison to Sentosa Island where she kept going back every day in order to explore every nook and cranny and experience all the fun filled activities the island has to offer. The magic of universal studios affected her and she loved going on all the movie themed rides. “Thailand was too commercial for my taste, Singapore offered so many fun filled activities that I keep wanting to relive those days.”
Jems Pradhan
“My forever favorite place in the world will always be Pokhara. I love the mountains and even when I’m in the city I constantly find myself towards the west of the city, unconsciously finding myself gravitating towards the mountains,” he says. He is enjoying the clear weather with the scenic panorama of the mountains in the background. It doesn’t, however, compare to the closeness he feels with the mountains in Pokhara. There are plenty of places you can visit around there too with higher elevations that have an even more beautiful view of the mountains.
He loves to travel and all the places he has been to have had so much to offer, culturally and scenically however he really wants to go to Thailand with his family next. All the things he has heard about Thailand, the photos he has seen of the beaches, the food and the people all make him want to experience and explore the uniqueness of the country by himself.
Sugarika KC
Though she has never been, the one place she would love to visit is Istanbul, a transcontinental city in Eurasia. “I have never been attracted to big cities, huge buildings and shopping malls. The narrow alleys, the culture steeped in all the stones of the place and the local bazaars are what attract me the most,” she says.
It is a cultural, economical and historic center where people from all over the world have left their mark on, for it was in a strategic position on the historic Silk Road, the rail networks to Europe and the Middle East passed through there, and it was the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
“I recall reading somewhere that the sky of Istanbul is the purest and the clearest, and I would love to see for myself if it is true,” she says adding that she hopes that in the next few years she will finally get to go.
Rohit John Chettri
He has always wanted to be closer to the mountains and longs to go to Manang for an extended vacation however the opportunity to go there hasn’t presented itself yet. The next best thing, however, for him is Pokhara. He has been there about seven times both for concerts and leisure time. Most of the best memories he has were made while he was in Pokhara.
When there he always goes to Sarangkot and Pame and enjoys taking leisurely strolls along the lakeside during the evenings. “I enjoy photography very much as well and Pokhara is a great place for photo opportunities. There is always something interesting to see,” she says. He recently went camping in markhu kulekhani though it isn’t a very mainstream place to go. The place nonetheless was breathtakingly beautiful and gave him the much needed respite.
