How do you holiday? Are you the type who seeks total relaxation, or purely hedonistic pursuits? Perhaps you’re more of a culture vulture taking in the sights or a foodie hunting down local delicacies. Or do you have a taste for adventure?
There’s no doubt there are still many of us who look forward to time away to rest and unwind from our busy lives in a luxury villa during our holidays. But there is a growing trend for more active holidays which provide us with opportunities to embark on a journey of self-discovery, to push our limits and find out what we are capable of.
Media coverage of the rich and famous and their appetite for increasingly eccentric and original luxury adventures, are driving us to seek out unique and more immersive experiences, such as safaris, “dream” destinations, active holidays, and immersive and transformative travel. High-profile personalities include Richard Branson, whose pursuit of aviation adventures led him to achieve two hot air balloon “firsts”, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 1987 and the Pacific in 1991. Not to mention his successful trip to the edge of space in July 2021 in his Virgin Galactic rocket plane. Actor Ewan McGregor has motorcycled thousands of miles around the world and fellow motorcycle enthusiast and actor Keanu Reeves recently featured as a guest on the Ride with Norman Reedus reality series, riding from Barcelona to Valencia.
Although history shows us that pursuing unique luxury travel experiences is not just a modern obsession. Think of Ernest Hemingway – visiting Pamplona for the first time in 1923 during the San Fermín Festival – who joined the hundreds of men and boys in the bullring to take part in amateur bullfights.
The trend for increasingly extreme adventures could be driven by the numerous TV series showing celebrities and members of the public willingly subjecting themselves to gruelling physical and mental challenges in the name of testing their own endurance. A perfect example is Chris Hemsworth in the Limitless series, whose tests included swimming in the Norwegian arctic and taking part in the insane Navy SEAL drowning drill. And Spain isn’t immune to the trend: the Spanish version of the Survivor franchise – Supervivientes – has been running since 2000, spawning spinoffs such as Pasaporte a la isla and La Isla de los FamoS.O.S.
But for those of us who don’t wish to have their suffering televised or go to such extreme lengths to prove themselves, we are increasingly seeking the services of expedition-style operators who provide once-in-a-lifetime trips. These days, a “polar plunge” in Antarctica, a hike to Everest base camp, or a swim with manta rays in the Maldives are on many a bucket list.