A lot of flexibility and some caution would be the first thing to pack if we are thinking of traveling again. 

Little by little, some borders are opening up. Among them, those of Chile. And the desire to visit other places, to get out of the routine returns. 

What could be our next trip, something exotic and far away, one of those classics that we really want to visit sometime in our lives?

In the cultural webinar "Opening Borders", held last Thursday, July 29, we talked about five alternative destinations for all types of travelers. 

Here I tell you what they were: 

In the south of India there is an island country in the shape of a teardrop. It is Sri Lanka (until recently it was called Ceylon). It offers beaches for all tastes, timeless ruins, plenty of elephants and wildlife, and a high-altitude region that the British carpeted with tea plantations. A destination where natural beauty, history and culture abound.

Something closer? More classic? It could be one of Europe's best-kept secrets: Slovenia. It is one of the smallest countries (it fits thirty-seven times inside Chile) and probably one of the most charming too. A perfect destination for nature lovers. Forests, lakes and rivers that have been the setting for movies like The Chronicles of Narnia, subway caves, castles and even a Venetian-influenced walled city on the coast of the Adriatic Sea are some of its treasures, and all within easy reach. From its capital, Ljubljana, it is possible to visit any of the wonderful landscapes and cities of the country within the same day.

Jordan. Its capital, Amman, breathes a fascinating mix of the traces left by Bedouin nomads, Roman legionaries, Crusaders and Byzantines, to name a few, and the modern and cosmopolitan. And further south, the lost city of Petra, one of the wonders of the Ancient World. One of those places that remind us of Indiana Jones, and where every traveler dreams of going sometime. Petra is an amazing city, which remained hidden for centuries, until the Swiss explorer Burckhardt discovered it in 1812.

Very close to Jordan, another destination that you must visit before you die: Egypt. Contemplate with admiration what remains of a civilization that was already ancient and advanced when the Greeks and Romans were just beginning to develop. Navigating the Nile River and remembering that Cleopatra and other immortal pharaohs sailed the same river several times.

Visit Colonial Mexico between October 28th and November 2nd is much more than a trip, it is an experience! At that time of the year the "Day of the Dead" is celebrated, one of the most emblematic and well known festivities in Mexico. Death is lived in a unique way, full of colors and traditions. The cemeteries are filled with flowers, candles and visits (mainly during the night vigils) and every corner is filled with altars and offerings with which the deceased relatives are expected to return to earth to visit their loved ones.

Magdalena Guzman

Journalist and Master in Political Science. 

Organizer of Group Trips to Asia and the Middle East.