Take off on your next dream holiday

You may stumble upon a picture of the beach that instantly transports you to its shores in your mind. You may dream about visiting Antarctica’s frozen terrain after completing a school project about penguins. You and your best friend may make a pact to visit the Galapagos Islands together before you turn 50. Whatever your inspiration is for going on holiday, everyone has his or her own ideas of a dream holiday and what that entails. Read on about some of the best trips of a lifetime and start planning your voyage abroad.

Dream holiday destination: the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands have it all—beaches, nature, adventure, divine cuisine, and more. Most commonly associated with Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution, these islands are an ecological wonderland of largely endemic wildlife and have been established as a World Heritage Site. You’ll have no problem finding idyllic white sand beaches where swimming and snorkelling are encouraged. Be on the lookout for turtle nesting sites on land and for sharks and manta rays below the waves.

If you prefer adventure, you can head to Santa Cruz or San Cristobal where the off-trail roads and uninhabited terrain beckons mountain bikers from far and wide. Plus, with such a surplus of fresh seafood available, it’s not hard to understand why the cuisine on the Galapagos is superb. Try the ceviche, thick fish soups and plantain dumplings for a true taste of the Galapagos Islands. Located in the Pacific, the Galapagos Islands are a perfect retreat for everyone—regardless of your kind of holiday.

Dream holiday destination: Morocco

A land of extremes, Morocco is a fantastic spot to visit. From the snow-dusted High Atlas Mountains to the scathingly hot and dry Sahara, Morocco will put your senses on high alert. With a plethora of ancient cities and urban city-centres, there will never be a lack of activities to participate in. Rabat offers the European feel while Tangier’s flavour is more Spanish, with colourful street life and relaxed coastal living. Visit Marrakech and Fez for a trip back in time to the Middle Ages, where donkey carts rattle through the streets of these imperial cities. If leisure and enjoyment are more your speed, be sure to visit Casablanca of Hollywood fame, where you can feast on sumptuous meals along café-lined streets.

Outdoor adventurers can find their home in Morocco too, if they head to the High Atlas Mountains, where you can hike up the striking peaks and pass through small Berber villages that haven’t changed in ages. Or, check out Ait Benhaddou, which glows a deep red as the sunsets. If you have a sense of adventure, an interest in the mysterious, and an appreciation for history and culture, Morocco may be the dream trip you are looking for.

Dream holiday destination: Antarctica

Antarctica's the coldest spot on the planet, but it's a hot destination for travellers seeking the next great adventure. Antarctica is home to exotic wildlife and landscapes that are equally savage and beautiful. Be prepared for ice like you've never seen it: monumental icebergs morphed in surreal formations that sit side-by-side with craggy glaciers that unexpectedly crash into the sea, and even sheer ice-encrusted walls that form magnificent canals.

A major highlight here is the wildlife. If you love penguins, you will find colonies of several hundred thousand nesting and chattering away throughout the area. And you may have been whale-watching before, but in Antarctica, the experience is hard to beat. There are humpback and orca whales that are often spotted poking their noses out of the frigid water. If you prefer to bird-watch, you’ll be able to spend hours observing the variety of unique seabirds, including petrels and albatrosses.

Like the early explorers who first visited this faraway continent in the 1800s, travelers today revel in the chance to venture to a pristine region where relatively few humans have stepped foot before, and since Antarctica sits at the 'End of the World', it compels many a traveler to add Antarctica to their dream holiday lists. While a holiday to Antarctica is not cheap and travelling time teeters on tediously long, many of Antarctica’s visitors would agree that the extreme effort is worth it.

Dream holiday destination: Belize

Social butterflies will find their paradise in tiny Belize. Squeezed between Guatemala and Mexico, Belize is found right in the heart of Central America and is overflowing with natural beauty. You can go caving the Cayo District, scuba-diving in the barrier reef, explore and demystify the spiritual Mayan ruins tucked away in the mountains, or hike the mountains within the Cockscomb Basin Forest Reserve, where endangered jaguars find their homes.

If you prefer to shop and spend your time within city walls, be sure to stay in Belize City where you can browse through Mayan-inspired jewellery, and handicrafts made by local artists. Then, as the sun sets, take part in the after-dark club lifestyle that comes alive in small beachside cities like San Pedro. From barefoot bars to betting in casinos, Belize offers up a nightlife scene that is hard to pass by.

Whether you plan to hike the rainforest-draped mountains of Cockscomb Basin, scuba dive with sharks and kaleidoscopic fish in the world's second longest barrier reef, or unearth Mayan pyramids the hardest thing you’ll have to figure it, is deciding what to do first.

Now that your creative juices are flowing and you’re ready to start working towards your dream holiday, a quick reminder about the importance of travel insurance. With a travel insurance plan in your back pocket, your next expedition will be prepared for anything, your investment will be protected and you can focus on the new experience instead of the what ifs. Choose the Options travel insurance plan from Cover-More New Zealand for the best protection from the unexpected.