12 Bucket List Trips to Take in Your 20s

Your 20s should be spent exploring new places, crossing off goals and learning more about yourself! Travel is one of the best experiences you can have while you’re young, especially taking a solo trip. If you’re looking for adventurous activities and beautiful places to add to your bucket list, you’ve come to the right place. You need to check out these 12 bucket list trips!

1. Climb the Stairway to Heaven

The Stairway to Heaven (also known as Haiku Stairs) can be found in Oahu, Hawaii. The 3,922 steps will take you along an exciting journey, offering unique and stunning views of all of Oahu. There are two different routes you can take when doing this hike – one is legal and the other isn’t. If you don’t want to risk a hefty fine, you can still do the legal hike and get photos at the stairs.

Read more about the legal and illegal route on my Stairway to Heaven Hike Guide!

2. Backpack Through Australia

Backpacking through Australia is one of the best bucket list trips you could do while you’re in your 20s! Most travellers explore the east coast, travelling from Cairns to Brisbane or vice versa. If, or rather when, you fall in love with Australia (because it’s bound to happen), you can decide to do a Working Holiday Visa where you can live, work and travel around the country from 1-3 years!

Make sure you don’t miss the Whitsundays while you’re there. Whitehaven Beach is one of the most pristine beaches in the world and an absolute MUST!

Read more about doing a Working Holiday Visa in Australia here.

3. Attend Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is the BIGGEST electronic music festival in the world! It’s held in Boom, Belgium and usually takes places over two weekends in July each year. The festival began back in 2005 and continues to sell out within minutes and draw in crowds of around 400,000 people! Tomorrowland has been one of my bucket list trips since I got into EDM in high school. While it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, there’s no doubt in my mind that it will be back soon enough.

4. Visit Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is certainly, one of the most breathtaking places in the world. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site found in the Cusco region of Peru, sitting 7,970 feet above sea level. It’s what remains of Inca civilization and is one of the new 7 wonders of the world! Before I started travelling, I learned about Machu Picchu and it’s what made me want to go out and explore the world. While I’ve yet to see it in person for myself, it’s definitely at the top of my bucket list trips.

5. Island Hop in the Philippines

If you haven’t been island hopping in the Philippines, you’re missing out! Coron and El Nido are popular places to island hop and you can get a private tour for under $50 USD PP. When planning your next trip to Asia, add the Philippines to your list!

Read my Philippines itinerary for more info on island hopping.

6. Wander Through the Rice Fields in Bali

Bali is another beautiful Asian destination that everyone needs to check out. It’s become increasingly busier over the years but still remains a spectacular place. The Tegallalang rice terraces in Ubud are stunning no matter the weather conditions. I was there while it was raining and it was still worth the trip!

Read more about luxury Bali travel for under $50/night here.

7. Bungee Jump in New Zealand

There’s no better way to face a fear of heights than by bungee jumping in New Zealand! Queenstown is New Zealand’s adventure capital with a wide range of activities to choose from. I went for their tallest jump at 134m tall. While I’m not usually bothered by heights, it took a little bit for me to warm up to jumping off the platform on my own.

Read my New Zealand backpacking itinerary here!

8. Holi Festival

The Holi Festival is a Hindu festival that takes place at the end of March each year in India. It’s also known as the festival of colours, as bright colours are thrown in the air and at each other in celebration. The colours used to be naturally derived from plants such as turmeric, neem, dhak and more. As the celebration has become more commercialized, all colours have been used and by the end of the day, everyone looks like a brightly coloured canvas.

I can’t wait to get to India and experience this celebration!

9. Check out the Pyramids in Egypt

The famous pyramids in Egypt needs to be included in your bucket list trips! Not only would it be an amazing experience to see this world wonder in person but Egypt is also such a unique country to explore. It’s a transcontinental, meaning it falls in between Asia and Africa and has influences from both continents. Temperatures easily rise above 50 degrees celsius in the summer, so it’s best to visit during cooler seasons!

10. Watch the Northern Lights in Iceland

Although you can see the northern lights (aurora borealis) in many countries, including Canada, Iceland is one of the best places to see them! You only have a chance of seeing them in the fall/winter when there are enough hours of darkness but it’s always dependent on weather conditions. A trip to Iceland should definitely be on your list, even if you don’t luck out with the northern lights.

Read more about my week in Iceland here!

11. Take the Train from Ella to Kandy

Sri Lanka is an Asian country that’s often overlooked and I’m not sure why! In recent years, it’s gained some popularity among tourists but it still remains fairly untouched compared to Thailand or Vietnam. The train ride from Kandy to Ella or vice versa was one of the highlights from my time in Sri Lanka. It takes about 6-8 hours and it’s known as one of the most scenic train rides in the world!

You can find my Kandy to Ella train guide here.

12. Swim at the Beaches in Zanzibar

Zanzibar is located in the African country, Tanzania. It’s an island just off the coast of the mainland and is known for its breathtaking beaches, with crystal clear and bright blue water. If you read my blog on the cheapest travel destinations for 2021, you’ll know that I’ve been dying to get to Zanzibar!

What Other Trips Are on Your Bucket List?

I’m incredibly excited to start travelling internationally again shortly. Where will you head first? Leave your bucket list trips in the comments below or connect with me on Instagram! Also, follow me on TikTok for daily budget travel tips and I’ll be back next week with another blog.

Cheers,

Amy x

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