5 Unique Christmas Holiday Ideas

Every year, the same refrain rings through all households the world over. You know the ones, about boughs, decks of holly, mildly bully reindeer and socks awaiting goodies from Santa Claus.

However, this year, instead of sticking with the tried and tested, think about and different ways to celebrate your Christmas holidays. Swimming with sharks? Zip-lining in places steeped in history? Climbing volcanoes? Any of these could be yours for the taking.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Where – Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

One way of making the annual holiday unique and memorable is to go on a quest to tackle Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. While it isn’t exactly a walk in the park, it is also not as crazy a climb as other tallest mountains in Asia and Europe. Travelers, though, should be wary about getting altitude sickness. With five different terrains to pass through before reaching the summit to see one of the most glorious sunrises of your life, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is a perfect Christmas for those with a dash of adventure in their hearts.

Swimming With Sharks

Where – Tiger Beach, Bahamas

Though it is a relatively low depth dive (about 20 feet), the plethora of aquatic life will be a balm for your soul. Here you dive with the greats – hammerheads, tiger sharks, lemon sharks, spotted dolphins and Caribbean lemon sharks. Tiger beach is considered to be a Mecca for underwater close-up shark photography, where due to long exposure to humans, sharks have overcome their shyness, making these encounters very ‘in your face’.

Climb An Active Volcano

Where – Kilauea, Hawaii

If you want to climb an active volcano, do it in style. At Kilauea, the most recent eruption happened in January of 1983. That doesn’t sound as exciting as when you learn that the eruption is still ongoing. Rivers of lava flow down lava tubes at a languid pace. The best part? Kilauea does not adhere to random frenetic explosions, making this an extremely attractive option for tourists the world over.

Zip-lining

Where – La Bestia (The Beast), Orocovis, Puerto Rico

This is where you can tackle the world’s longest zipline. It is a two and a half kilometer zipline which reaches exhilarating speeds (of upto a 100 km/hour). The zipline will offer you beautiful sights of the Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park. If you book this “beast” of an experience, it comes with transportation from the closest area: San Juan. However, keep in mind, that after this zip-lining experience, every other zip-lining tour will pale in comparison.

Spelunking

Where – Puerto-Princesa Underground River, Palawan, Philippines

When you think spelunking, water is not what automatically comes to mind. However, in this beautiful underground cave system there is water, and lots of it. Spelunkers are brought in via boats to get a glimpse inside the natural stalactite formations of this seemingly otherworldly location. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a bonus, the Princesa Subterranean River National Park surrounds the system, which is a chock-a-block full of amazing wildlife.

Cave Tubing

Where – Waitomo Caves, New Zealand

Cave tubing is another name for Black Water rafting, which is essentially riding through underground caves on a large rubber tube. The Waitomo Caves are a perfect place to do some cave tubing since they offer breathtaking sights. These caves are covered in glow worms which make for an impressive viewing experience, along with amazing stalactite and stalagmite formations.

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