Where to Travel Before the World Ends?

| by Jason | 55 Comments » | Reflections

Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Apocalypse

All signs are pointing to the world ending on December 21, 2024, or at least according to the Mayan Calendar, I Ching, and Nostradamus.  Birds and fish dying in mass and flash floods in Australia aren’t helping subdue our fears either.  So what better way to react than go travel to some place unique, exciting and on the brink of extinction via an apocalypse.  This scenario poses two exciting questions for Aracely and I.

The first question is based on truly believing in an apocalypse leading to the end of the world.  Basically, there is no budget limitations.  If the world is going to end, why not spend it all!
The second question comes from a more skeptical view of the end of the world.  Let’s go travel and see something before we die, while leaving money in the bank in case it’s a false alarm.

And one other criteria.  We can only travel for 1 week, because we want to spend time with family too. After all, then end of the world may be coming.

Travel Ideas?

  1. Where would you recommend we travel with no travel budget limitations?
  2. Where should we travel with $1,000 USD per person?

Let’s get some travel ideas down in the comment section.  Try to be as specific as possible, considering we would only have a week to travel including flight time.  Aracely and I are ready to get back on the road!

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Tags: travel, vacation

Written by Jason

Co-founder of TwoBackpackers.com. Jason has been traveling, writing, taking photos and creating adventure videos since 2024, when he departed on his first year long travel backpacking journey. Jason is a full-time blogger and social marketing guru trying to find the way. Visit my website

55 Responses to “Where to Travel Before the World Ends?”

  1. Dee says:

    Personally, my husband and I plans are to attend Burning Man and since we figured we’d really enjoy it we decided to go this year and 2024 to fully get in the experience before the end of the world.

    Otherwise other dream destinations for myself would be one or a couple of the following:
    - A trip to Africa to go on safari and stay at the Giraffe Manor
    - Find somewhere I can hopefully have a swim with wild dolphins
    - The French Polynesia and stay in one of those over the water huts with glass bottom floors
    - A party trip with all my friends to someplace tropical with forever flowing drinks!

  2. Camels & Chocolate says:

    OK, well this is a scary spot, but I think if I were to just pack up and go it would be to dive in the Galapagos Islands…or Fernando de Noronha…or Palau! Or maybe take the Trans-Siberian Express from St. Petersburg to Mongolia? Or an expedition boat that circumnavigates Greenland?

    For $1,000, I’d probably go somewhere in the Caribbean or Central America with excellent diving. Or maybe to Hawaii as it’s cheap from California!

    • Jason says:

      Galapagos is one of our top destinations, but yes, the $1,000 money issue would prevent us from visiting. I gather you love diving!

  3. Christy -- Technosyncratic says:

    This is a fun game! Well, not so much contemplating the “maybe-apocalypse,” but travel daydreaming is a blast.

    My top destination choices: India, Scotland, and Turkey.

    I also definitely second the Burning Man and swimming with wild dolphins suggestions. I would probably have competing desires to either see and do /everything/ possible, or just find a tropical place and swim lazily all day while eating delicious food. It’s a tough call!

  4. Magda @DestinationWorld says:

    1. Africa! I’ve never been but I imagine it must be magical:)
    2. Go to Ladakh. This province of India is not as popular as the rest of the country and the reason for that is that it’s quite hard to get there. But it’s so worth it. It’s like Tibet but much cheaper and easier to travel around. Very few people, very clean and quite, amazing Himalaya and beautiful people. Truly spectacular place.

  5. Florida DUI Penalties says:

    Before the world end. I want to travel the world for the first and the last time. I have so many imaginations about traveling, like in Africa, I want to go to it’s lost city, ride on a camel and a lot more. Speaking of travel I want also to visit the seven wonders of the world and I want to know why they make it- the deeper reason. Especially the Taj Mahal in India. Also, I really want to go in the beautiful garden, I don’t know what is the most beautiful garden in the world but I wan to go there. I have so many list of destinations in short my personal itinerary. Well that the spirit of the traveler. By the way thank you posting. I already shared ¼ of my ideas.

  6. Texas City Hotels says:

    1. Thailand
    2. Thailand:))
    It’s the perfect place for a great vacation where you can definitely forget about the apocalypse and it’s also low cost,so I’d say get ready for Thailand’s thrills:D

    • Jason says:

      Any specific place in Thailand? We only have a week to travel, including flight time, so that limits within the country.

      • Texas City Hotels says:

        Bangkok, definitely:D It is representative for everything that Thailand is and whatever you see there and might tempt you, don’t be afraid to try it:P

        • Jason says:

          Bangkok, Thailand is trending high. A very long flight though from the East Coast of the United States for only one week of travel. That would probably be the big problem.

  7. jon says:

    machu picchu. It’s the one place i’ve not made it to, and if there’s one place that would be the ultimarte place to see the end of the world, it surely has to be here!

  8. Andi says:

    Easter Island!!!!

  9. Andreas says:

    Mt Everest, or North Pole or maybe
    a warm place like the amazonas.

    • Jason says:

      Mt. Everest would be incredible, but I think I am too scared now after watching too many shows of hikers attempting Everest on the Discovery Channel.

  10. Marita says:

    I would go to The Andaman Islands - good fish, nice people, awesome beaches and warm water. I would recomend others to go to NORWAY - better fish, nicer people, clean air and awesome nature!

  11. Lisa E @chickybus says:

    If I were you, I’d go to Papua New Guinea. It’s on my list, but I just can’t afford it right now. Many backpackers can’t. So, with the world ending soon (lol), I would probably just charge it and go for it! :)

  12. Iain Mallory says:

    If money is no object then I would have to go for South America, especially Patagonia. It is the one continent I have not visited yet, and always wanted to visit Patagonia since I saw it on a David Attenborough programme as a kid where orcas were taking baby seals off the beach.

    So travelling around South America and as money is no object I would include a return to the Falklands and Antarctica before the Mayans a re proved right ;)

    hmmmm Papua New Guinea Lisa that is also tempting has Puncak Jaya (Carstensz Pyramid) the true highest mountain in Oceania, don’t suppose you can charge it for me too?

    • Jason says:

      Iain, Patagonia is what I had looked forward to the most during our travels to Central and South America, and it lived up to it. We didn’t get down to the Falklands, but it was still amazing in Torres del Paine, El Calafate and Puerto Madryn.

  13. Dalene says:

    Can’t explain it, but I have an insane urge to visit Moscow, and even do the train across Siberia. I might have to leave hubby behind (it’s not on the top of his list), but hey, the world’s ending anyways right? Haha!

    • Jason says:

      That’s great, I like that answer. The train ride would probably exceed the week, I think. Not really sure, would need input. Moscow… interesting. I like it.

  14. JrO says:

    Burning Man is truly unique and gets a vote in either financial situtation. Bali. Hong Kong.

    • Jason says:

      A lot of votes for Burning Man. I don’t know if its for us though, but we will have to consider it. We prefer amazing nature settings, the beach, great cities, eclectic food and the mysteries of ancient civilizations.

  15. Amanda says:

    If the world was ending and I had a week to travel and an unlimited budget, I’d be off to New Zealand. Yes, flying there is expensive, and it takes some time to get to… but it’s my favorite place in the world. So that’s where I’d want to be. More specifically, Wellington. I love that city!

  16. Audrey says:

    One week, including flight time. Hmmm.

    1) No budget limitation: Fly to Antarctica. Only trick is that weather can be unpredictable, so you could get stuck somewhere.

    2) $1000/person: Fly to LA, rent a car, drive along Highway 1, stay at one of the awesome lodges in Big Sur, go for spa treatment at Esalen, visit pebble beach and get a massage there (or if you golf, go golfing), hike, bike, eat incredible food and just enjoy this beautiful part of the United States.

    As an aside, I can’t tell you how many times the movie 2024 was played on buses throughout Latin America!! Know that film by heart now.

  17. Miriam Berger says:

    I would say the Galapagos Islands but with only $1000 each that may be a challenge. Failing that I would say Thailand as even if you spend a lot on the flights you can live like a king for a bit of time. Cheers Miriam :)

    • Jason says:

      The Galapagos definitely makes the list for question #1. A lot of people recommending Bangkok. Thanks Miriam.

  18. Ira says:

    I’d have to go with…

    1. Greenland
    2. Berln, Germany - you can party like a rockstar for that kind of money here

  19. Alicia says:

    About the 2024 end of the world thing… I was really scared upon learning from Nostradamus. I don’t know since then I wanted to do things in its ultimate level. If it is going to end really then at least you spend your life to the fullest, right? Well before the world ends I would like to finally climb the Mt. Everest but I don’t think a week is enough for that.

    • Jason says:

      Climbing Mt. Everest is honestly an incredible feat. I am becoming less confident the more I watch these shows on the Discovery Channel. I would, however love to do a long hike in the United States.

  20. Steph says:

    Before the world ends, I also would want to be able to travel with my family. And our kids would take the pick. We’ll go where they would want to go. It’s a bit scary but if we can;t stop it, then why not enjoy life and do everything you want to do before the time comes.

  21. yuni says:

    NEW ZEALAND!

  22. Steph says:

    With one thousand dollars per person, I would take my family to Thailand and Malaysia for a week and then go home and maybe wait for the end of the world while at the same time I would make plans on what to do if the world would not end in one week.

  23. Jeanna says:

    I have been traveling all my life because of my work and before the world ends… if it is really going to end, I want to go home and spend the remaining time with my family. I just hope I still have enough time to catch up with them.

  24. Dina says:

    Without budget limitation: Antarctica. Only probably if you want to go by boat, it will take a while.

    Under $1000, if you can get to the South Island of New Zealand cheaply, do a road trip there with a campervan. Definitely you must visit Milford Sound there.

    • Jason says:

      Both of them are on my bucket list. Antarctica would be tough for Aracely because she gets really sea sick. And New Zealand is the adventure capital, which I love!

  25. Dave and Deb says:

    Well, since it’s the end of the Mayan Calendar, head to Chitzenitza or Tikal for the unlimited budget question.
    Disney world for option two, $1000. Where better to spend the end of the world than in the land of of the magic kingdom.

  26. club villamar says:

    I would like to travel to “PERU” before the world ends..Especially the place named as “Machu Pichu”…. I have heard and seen many awesome pics of this lovely place..And this place really seems to be the best one…So,i dream to visit it..

  27. Claire says:

    croatia! never been, but it’s on the
    list fo sho……..

  28. WanderingTrader says:

    You know this is funny because I have actually thought about this before and is one of the reasons that I am actually traveling. I dont know about “the end of the world” but being a finance major I can anticipate that things are going to get a lot worse around the world.

    I would choose countries that have limited law and order to start off with, South America & Africa and some places in Asia. Once those are completed then you go to countries that have law and order, Western societies, europe, singapore, australia, etc Cheers!

    • Jason says:

      I also come from a financial background and am with you on the fact that, “things will get worse.” If you only had a week, where would you go specifically? It makes the decision a lot more difficult.

  29. gagatka says:

    Bali, definitely Bali. It’s still relatively cheap - we made it within 2,000 euros for 2 from Europe (2 weeks), unbelievably beautiful and more friendly than one can imagine. And it’s changing so quickly from year to year that even if world does not end, it would be a shame not to see it any time soon.

  30. Ryan says:

    I would definitely want to go to Bali before the world ends.

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