Five Trips to Take For Your Birthday- From Discoverer

What better excuse to treat yourself and jet off on a once-in-a-lifetime trip than your birthday? From epic treks to life-changing cultural experiences, blow out the candles and get to packing. Whether you’re commemorating a milestone or simply celebrating another year of life, let us help you decide with these 10 trips to take for your birthday.

1. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

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The Galapagos are an unparalleled journey into one of Mother Nature’s secret hideaways.

 Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, this wonderland of biodiversity has been

 inspiring nature lovers since Charles Darwin first set foot here in 1835. For a truly

 spectacular experience, book a luxury cruise that takes you on a deep dive (literally) 

into the Galapagos’ unique ecosystems. Each island in the archipelago offers diverse

 wildlife experiences like coming face to face with Galapagos tortoises, the oldest of 

whom is over 100 years old.

2. Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Held every November during the full moon, the Yi Peng Lantern Festival is a mesmerizing

 way to celebrate your special day. Gaze into the dark evening sky as the lanterns slowly 

float away, signifying the end of another year of life. Yi Peng typically coincides with the 

magical Thai holiday Loy Krathong, when locals gather along the banks of the Ping River

 to celebrate the goddess of water and ask forgiveness for any harm they’ve done to the

 water itself. The contrast between the glowing offerings floating down the river and the

 lanterns slowly ascending into the dark sky is otherworldly.

3. Sahara Desert, Merzouga, Morocco

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The largest sand desert in the world, the Sahara, stretches coast to coast over 10 

countries in Northern Africa. One of the most popular places to witness these fiery

 dunes is Merzouga, a day's drive outside of the tantalizing historical city of Marrakech.

 Celebrate with the iconic Moroccan mint tea at a luxury camp, sleeping under the 

blanket of a million stars.

4. Cherry Blossom Festival, Japan

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If you happen to have a spring birthday, make a sake toast underneath thousands of 

cherry blossoms. The Japanese word, hanami, refers to cherry blossom viewing.

 To experience the perfect hanami, make a break for Japan in late March to early April

 at peak bloom. Locals often pack picnics for the sakura viewing parties. Truly

 unforgettable views include a boat ride in the shadow of the Himeji castle and attending 

one of the nighttime viewing parties such as Hirosaki Park in Aomori.

5. Greenland Expedition

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Greenland is a stunning opportunity to witness the ephemeral beauty of the arctic. Sail 

past colorful settlements as narwhals, the unicorns of the sea, glide right outside your

 window. Greenland is the largest island in the world and home to the aurora borealis, 

fjords to rival that of Norway, and a menagerie of wildlife. Greenlandic customs and 

traditions are alive and well throughout the country. You can learn about them at the 

National Museum of Greenland in the capital, Nuuk. Greenland’s mysterious disposition

 and status as the “new kid on the block” makes it the perfect way to commemorate 

another year exploring the world.

About the author: Aimee Long | Writer

Aimee Long is an American freelance travel writer and content creator currently exploring the world full time. She recently spent 8 months traveling the world from Mexico to South Korea and many places in-between. Aside from travel, her true passion is writing and helping others realize their dreams through it. When she’s not writing, Aimee can be found cuddling her beloved cat, exploring other creative pursuits, or looking for shells in coastal North Carolina.

Meanwhile, Did you know that......

Britain's oldest wedding bed, dating from the 1570s, was rediscovered at a Bonhams auction in London in 2014 after disappearing for centuries. Originally owned by the Radclyffe family of Salford and located in Ordsall Hall, the bed was an elaborate piece of furniture, made for Sir John Radclyffe and Lady Anne Asshawe. John, born in 1536, was a Knight of the Shire known for his Catholic faith, while Anne, born in 1548, was a wealthy heiress and Lady of the Court of Elizabeth I. The bed disappeared around 1650, reappearing in various hands until it was acquired in 1968 by a collector. In 2014, Ordsall Hall managed to raise funds to buy the bed at auction, beating out a wealthy businessman who also wanted it. With a moving appeal, curator Caroline Storr persuaded the new owners to return the bed to its original home, Ordsall Hall.