White sand vacations are fine for catching up on R&R;, but nothing brings a couple closer together than a true adventure. Don’t think she’ll be game? Consider this: Nearly three in five women say that their significant other is their favorite travel companion, and 95 percent of all the ladies we surveyed wish they traveled more often. Here are four exotic trips that are sure to spice up your down time—and your relationship.
Explore Deserted Islands (South Pacific)
There’s a good reason why the remote island of Aitutaki is billed as “the best kept secret of the South Pacific.” Located halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, this unassuming 18 square mile atoll is one of 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands. “It’s like Hawaii, but not nearly as developed,” says Melanie Walderman, founder of travelswithtwo.com. “When you’re not relaxing on the beach, you’re trekking through the jungle, snorkeling, and exploring caves.”
Flights depart from the United States to Rarotonga, the more-populated main island. From there, you can hop on a 20-minute flight to Aitutaki. Stay in a beachfront bungalow at the Pacific Resort Aitutaki (aitutaki.pacificresort .com), where you’re just a stone’s throw from pristine beaches and volcanic cliffs that sink into stunning turquoise waters. Book a private charter (our choice: Bishops Cruises, bishopcruises.com) to explore the Aitutaki lagoon and its six uninhabited islets (called motus), where you can stop to catch some sun, hike, or snorkel with parrotfish, blue starfish, and black-striped angels. (And when you're done, make sure you know how to take a great beach photo.)
Kayak the Hongs (Thailand)
Just off the coast of Phuket, Thailand’s largest island, lie dozens of secluded islets with lush foliage, huge limestone cliffs, and secluded beaches that fit most people’s idea of paradise (and which you might recognize from the film The Beach).
“The best way to reach these idyllic spots is via kayak,” say Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil, cofounders of the travel website ThePlanetD.com. Indeed, that’s the only way to explore the area’s most exciting feature: Tidal caves, called hongs, which are only accessible during low tide.
Book your kayaking trip with John Gray (johngray-seacanoe.com), who discovered most of the hongs himself. One of his most popular tours is “Hongs By Starlight,” which takes guests on an afternoon tour of four tidal caves before settling down for a Thai seafood buffet under a blanket of stars. (Never been kayaking? Here are the tips you need to get started.)
Hike the “Other” Rockies (Canada)
It’s worth a trip to Canada to see our northern neighbors’ version of this majestic mountain range. “The landscape and the wildlife are incredible,” says Walderman, adding that area’s fierce beauty and rugged grandeur rarely fail to captivate even the most die-hard urbanites.
Start your journey in Calgary, and drive along the Trans-Canada Highway until you reach Banff National Park. The park’s 2,564 square miles are packed with glaciers, meadows, forests, and mountains, not to mention black bears, says Walderman. After you’re finished exploring, check into the charming, red-roofed Post Hotel (posthotel.com) located on the banks of the Pipestone River near Lake Louise (discoverlakelouise.com), an area widely known as “The Hiking Capital of Canada” thanks to its impressive network of trails, peaks, glaciers, and waterfalls. “For the best views, take the Lake Louise Ski Area’s gondola, which runs year round,” says Walderman. “You’ll be able to stare for miles at pine forests and snow-capped mountains, even in summer.” If you love to hit the trails, then make sure you check out these 7 amazing hikes.
Cycle from Cairo to Capetown (Africa)
Looking for something a bit more...extreme? Some people refer to the Tour d’Afrique (tourdafrique.com), a trans-continental bike trip from Cairo to Cape Town, as the adventure of a lifetime. The 120-day journey will certainly take up a good portion of it. But many of those who’ve completed all 7,281 miles describe the trek as nothing short of transformational. “It was just as mentally challenging as it was physically challenging,” says Corbeil. “It was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.”
Part of the reason might be that all you have to navigate the continent is a hand-drawn map. Trucks carrying tents and supplies travel ahead of the bicyclers, leaving you to find your own way to each night’s campsite. Starting in Cairo, you’ll follow the Nile river into Sudan and the eastern Sahara. “Sudan was the hardest country to cycle through, physically, but the people there were so nice,” says Corbeil. “They had so little to give, but so much to offer. Everyone would stop and talk to us.” Next, you’ll pass through Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia before traversing South Africa to the finish line in Cape Town. On your way across the continent, you’ll pass the Luxor Temple, camp on the Red Sea, sail along Lake Nassar, and take in breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Victoria Falls. (And for the best gear and know-how, check out this tipsheet on mountain biking.)
