Which destination has changed your life the most?
Mark BroadheadLonely Planet author
Change is at the heart of travel. While it might not be the reason we head out the door and cross oceans, it is an almost inevitable by-product. How can you interact with other people and cultures, be pushed out of your comfort zone, have your perceptions challenged and not alter a little inside? Obviously, travel is not always about rewriting your personality — but even the most humble of trips can change us in ways big and small.
So, curious, we asked our followers on Facebook and Twitter which destinations had changed them the most. Over 1000 people responded, with Asia-Pacific dominating the top destinations.
It seems that if you want to increase your chances of a life-changing experience then you should head to India, which was far and way the most common country destination. With its heady combination of beauty, cultural diversity and an air filled with spices, it’s hardly surprising that wonderful India is a change maker for many.
Image of Pushkar Fair in Rajasthan (India) by Koshyk
Below is a Wordle of all the responses (as you can see, India is way out in front).
More unexpected (at least for someone who hasn’t been there) was Cambodia coming in at number two. Almost tied for third place were Australia and Thailand. France, New Zealand, Nepal, Vietnam, Peru and Egypt followed, but these were all beaten by the only city to score big: New York. Indonesia was also a major life changer – when Bali was added to the mix.
Image of Buddhist monks in Cambodia by mark sebastian
After New York, London (Lonely Planet’s top city of 2012) was the next most-mentioned city, then Istanbul, Tokyo, Paris and Berlin. A notable mention also goes to Machu Picchu and the Pyramids in Egypt.
Image of Machu Picchu, Peru by szeke
How were people changed?
A lot of respondents also told us how the destination had changed them. A common theme was getting infected with the ‘travel bug’ from their first international trip. The diversity of humanity was also mentioned often, which explains the prevalence of heterogeneous and distinct destinations like India and Cambodia. But inhumanity also affected people, with Nazi death camps (Auschwitz) and memorials to the victims of the Khmer Rouge named. People also found change in the humbling experience of how big the world is, and how small their place in it. This was often the result of sublime encounters with nature.
Here is a selection of responses:
@ColeenMo: ‘Six months, southern Patagonia. How much can I actually get by on? How much can I give? A lot less. A lot more.’
@maretr86: ‘Experiencing (real) Yee Peng in Chiang Mai. How friendly, welcoming and peaceful the Thai were, changed my life.’
@Jp_yu: ‘Stopping for a few days in Varanasi and staying near the Ganges, changed my view about death.’
@The_Foxtrotter: ‘Greece as a child with my grandma. So much beauty & history. I decided to become an historian of art. And I did.’
@srishubha: ‘India definitely! Trip 2 mountains & all kind of adventures here showed me an adventurer inside me.’
@solangefrancois: ‘Cambodia made me more appreciative of the opportunities I have. New York gave me creative ambition.’
@insertindian: ‘Australia – taught me to smile at random strangers and say hello.’
Bridget McMahon: ‘Love Berlin! My home city is terribly boring in comparison. Made me realize what I’m missing, for sure going back :D’.
@StacieChevrier: ‘Colombia. It opened my eyes, made me appreciate what I have & taught me not to judge a country by it’s reputation.’
Which destination has changed your life the most, and how? Respond in the comments below.
Further reading:
Ethiopia… changed my concepts in life for life.
definitively India has changed my life, after living 11 months I can’t wait to come back!!! missing the unrealistic daily living, color, texture, spice. Phir milengue Hindustan!!!
As for me, it was progressive, starting when I moved from France to the US at the age of 4 but not completely until I’d visited this tiny village outisde Varanasi, at the age of 14. I’d grown up in two different cultures but I was still measuring each new culture I found relative to those two. Over the course of my first travels I slowly learned that there’s no single “reference” civilization, and probably nowhere more so than in that small nameless village.
I still remember it: just a bunch of houses, one pick-up truck, one TV (with power only about 1hr a day), one cow, two goats, that was all they had. And yet, they were happy with that.
I also remember the major reality check when the one guy in the village with a bit of English in him told us, quite calmly, that California (where we lived at the time) was a Third-World country, with rigged elections (this was 2001) and power outages.
Thanks to this experience, I have stopped trying to compare cultures and have learned instead to appreciate each for its own absolute, intrinsic value. I have also gained the very elusive goal of keeping the best of all of those cultures as part of my personality.
If I could only remember the name of that tiny one-truck (to use modern terms) village…
First day ever in Hanoi. Late evening and I was in the Old Quarter. I had never felt anything like it. Narrow streets, a multitude of mopeds, noise and the smells (not all pleasant).
After about one hour I wondered if I hade made the biggest mistake of my life.
No, been back 4 times and enjoy Vietnam (and the rest of SE mainland)more each visit.
Obviously…travel to places completely outside of your normal experience can be enlightening…
I’ve seen the night markets of Asia…the crowds of Java… The Culture of Bali…a Old Hindu vestiage from the Days of “Indianization”… Singapore’s Skyline, Bangkok’s Eye Candy Temples…
I’ve heard the call to prayer in Istanbul and Cario…and been in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings…which are very impressive…
But the most mystical thing I can remember ~ is being left alone in the tomb chamber of the Great Pyramid of Gaza…for a short time when all the others had left…
That was magical…!
Kauai most changed me! it was by far the best trip of my life. Swimming with the dolphins was magical and those beaches are the most gorgeous I’ve ever seen. I think I could really adapt to the ALOHA life style. http://on.fb.me/klvfdz
To “change your life”, I would guess it would be something really different from your day-to-day life. Since the survey is conducted in English and most of the participants would be from US and other western country, so it is no surprise that the results are the mysterious and far-away Eastern countries. As an Asian, I doubt the answers would be the same if the survey is conducted in Asia.
My trip to Kauai was by far the best week of my life. I made sure to mingle with the locals and make the most of my experience and I must say it was truly incredible. Kauai Vacation Rentals really helped make planning easy
India!!! I found a new me through meditation and chanting. All the awakening awaits you to discover and experience for yourself.