If you’ve decided you want to take a gap year you might need a break. Perhaps you feel that you’re not quite ready to transition straight into higher education. A gap year can be a great way to get away from all the stress and superficiality of daily life. You can clear your head, find out who you are as a person and experience new cultures.
There is almost no limit to where you can spend your gap year because there are so many beautiful travel destinations in the world to see. But you may find some destinations more fulfilling than others. Here are four of the best gap year destinations for you to consider. You might pick something completely different. But these four should help you make up your mind. (Image Credit)
Australia
Australia is often one of the most popular gap year destinations. With it’s beautiful beaches and wonderful culture Australia continues to be a popular choice. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have Christmas on the beach? Well, now you can experience it for yourself. When you travel to Australia, you will experience a lifestyle and culture unlike anywhere else in the world. With its wealth of sporting opportunities, and English speaking locals you could do a lot worse than Australia. You should remember though that entry into the country will be difficult with a criminal history. Make sure you apply for a working visa and contact the embassy about your situation.
Africa
Okay, so Africa is a continent, not a country, but it is just so diverse that it’s difficult to break it down. Gap years to African countries have become a lot more popular over the past years. Visit The Leap to discover for yourself that it’s a huge, dry and arid place full of abject poverty and wonderful scenery. There is so much you could do. You might want to travel to Africa and voyage across African plains on a guided safari. You could choose to climb the beautiful snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro. Or you might even decide that you want to join an aid project. You could help in a school for a year teaching English to the kids. Africa will offer you so many chances to live, experience and give back. You will find yourself humbled, overwhelmed and changed by your adventure. (Image Credit)
India
If you want to experience another culture in its purest form, then India is the place to be. With a stark contrast of opulent beauty and abject poverty, India is a real eye-opener. When you travel to India your senses will indulge in life’s greatest sensory pleasures. The country is staggeringly diverse and full of opportunity. Steeped in a colorful history you will have the opportunity to relax on sandy beaches and visit magical palaces. Crowded, colorful and humid, India has so much to offer beneath the surface. It is certain to stir something in your soul and open your eyes to the contrast between your life and lives in other countries.
USA
What better place to enjoy your gap year than traveling to America. America is the land of opportunity, not to mention one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world. The ethnic and cultural diversity of the USA makes it one of the most interesting places to visit. You also have so much on offer due to the climate. Hot beaches, lush green forests and snow peaked mountains can all be found throughout the USA. Even if you’re American, the country is so enormous that you should have no problems finding somewhere to visit. So many states and regions of America are so different to others that it’s almost like visiting a new country.
