Top 6 Golden Week Destinations

Just a few more days until April ends and May begins – this can only mean one thing: Golden Week is fast approaching. This is one of three busiest holiday seasons in Japan – with a majority of people having a number of days off, thus making it a popular travel season. With crowded train stations, airports, highways and sightseeing destinations, this is the best time to travel abroad and explore. To help you decide, here are six of the best places that you can avoid the hustle and bustle and simply relax:

1. Peru

 

Source: Eder Fortunato

With the end of the rainy season, the month of May is one of the time to visit Peru, especially the Machu Picchu. The valleys of this World Wonder are still green and lush at this time of the year, plus you get to take it all minus the big crowds – which usually arrive in June. Experience hiking the Inca Trail – which is the best way to see the Lost City of the Incas; but book your flight to Peru as soon as possible because no more than 500 people per day are allowed on the trail. Permits need to be filed and granted months in advance. Most of the guided walks on this trail cover 26 miles in four days, where you get to marvel at nature’s beauty through steep sections and the chance to sleep at over 3000 meters.

2. Western Australia

 

Source: Adon Buckley

Long days of sunshine and clear blue skies greet you when you book a flight to Australia in the month of May. This is the beginning of winter or the dry season. It may not snow here but you get to see a different side of this country and of this season. Also, this is a good time to visit this part of the country due to the annual Whaleshark Festival at this time of year. This marks the return of these marine giants to the Ningaloo Reef. Festivities abound from parties and live music to float parades and discounted tours, where you can see the gentle giants as they bask over the reef. Be one with nature as you get to explore parks, sanctuaries and lagoons within the area.

3. Italy

 

Source: Thomas Fabian

With perfect weather and with the celebration of festivals, Tuscany is the perfect Italian destination in the month of May. Flights to Italy are available and not as full since not a lot of organized tourist groups visit at this time of year. Roam the streets of the birthplace of the Italian language and marvel at UNESCO world heritage sights, medieval country houses and ancient cities – a living and breathing museum at every corner. Try to bask in the warm, country air in a sundress as you walk through Chianti growing vines and Tuscan rolling hills. And don’t forget to indulge yourself with a scoop or two of gelato!

4. Greece

 

Source: Pom Angers

Discounted room rates, less crowds, comfortable days and cool evenings are what will greet you when you visit the island of Crete in the month of May. No need to worry because flights to this eastern Mediterranean treasure, called Greece, are accessible. If you want to bask under the warm sun of the longest sandy beaches, head to the northern part of the island. If you want to challenge yourself, head to the southern part of the island and start a hike to the Samaria Gorge. Know more about the island’s rich culture by visiting the Minoan palaces of Knossos and Phaistos, old towns like Chania and solemn destinations like Arkadi Monastery.

5. Bahamas

 

Source: A. Duarte

May is the best time to visit the Caribbean with rates starting to drop, the weather still good, the water warm and zero chances of a hurricane. Flights to the Bahamas are as hot and available as its weather. Get the chance to experience perfect beach weather in Eleuthera, one of the islands known as a prime hunting ground for idyllic strips of sand. Let’s not leave out Pink Sands Beach in Harbour Island as it is recognized as one of the most spectacular beaches in the world. Treat yourself to a fantastic beach getaway – minus the burning heat of summer and the presence of bugs and mosquitoes.

6. Morocco

 

Source: Juan Antonio Segal

Before the country starts experiencing the hot and sweltering summer heat waves, the month of May is an ideal month to visit Morocco. Book a flight as soon as possible to explore the cities of Marrakesh and Essaouira and enjoy warm spring days and cool nights. You also have the option to head on over to the Mediterranean coast and get a much-needed sunbathing session. Be one with the locals and attend the Rosa Festival in one of the small towns along the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Immerse yourself in three days of traditional songs, dance, sword-fighting and feasting. Celebrate until the end to get a glimpse of the nearby Vallee des Roses – a region blanketed in pink flowers every spring.