Just as dopamine dressing is about using bright coloured clothing to boost your wellbeing, ‘Dopamine Travel’ is about choosing colourful destinations with vibrant sights, smells and sounds to enhance your happy hormones and increase feelings of euphoria. As travel picks up post-pandemic, travellers are seeking a holiday of a lifetime, something to remember and an experience to share with friends and loved ones. Dopamine travel is a way of doing exactly that: finding a destination bursting with colour, beauty and feel-good travel experiences. From the lush green landscapes of Portugal’s Douro Valley and India’s Pink City of Jaipur to Indonesia’s colourful coral reefs, read on for a roundup of our top five destinations for Dopamine Travel...
1
India
From Holi Festival - the Festival of Colours - to the Pink City of Jaipur, India is the ultimate destination for Dopamine Travel. Fill up on feel-good travel experiences on a nine-day tour from Delhi to Udaipur. Beginning in the charmingly chaotic city of Delhi, set off with a knowledgeable local guide to discover the city’s incredible sights, sounds and tastes. Visit the artistic and bohemian Haus Khas village, with its boutique shops and rooftop terrace bars; marvel at the whimsical white domes of the Taj Mahal and the ornate Red Fort at Agra; and explore the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, now essentially an open-air red sandstone museum. In the brilliantly eye-catching city of Jaipur, browse the Bapu and Nehru Bazaar markets for saris and delicate embroidery and in Jodhpur – India’s famous ‘Blue City’ - stroll the maze of small alleyways and discover buildings in every shade of blue, from turquoise to indigo. Finish your trip with a serene stay in Udaipur, an elegant city sitting near five lakes which is the perfect place to reflect on the previous days’ stimulation.
2
Mexico
You can practically feel the happy hormones swirling on a trip to Mexico, a country awash with colour, from the clothes and pottery to the food, art and buildings. Take it all in on a 12-day, four-part trip which begins in Mexico City. Cycle the tree-lined avenues filled with Art Deco architecture and markets, take in the murals at National Palace and, for an entirely different sensory experience, watch a wrestling match at the Arena Mexico. Next, head to Puebla – Mexico's fourth-largest city – where you can pick up a piece of Talevera pottery, tour the UNESCO-listed historic centre and bohemian El Barrio del Artista (Artists' District), and marvel at the Capilla del Rosario of Santo Domingo Church, renowned for its 24-carat gold leaf interior. From Puebla, travel to the luscious valley of Oaxaca. Take a tour of the city, which is jam-packed with characterful colonial buildings, then explore the surrounding valleys which are home to numerous villages famous for locally-produced crafts including pottery, textiles, embroidery and Alebrijes (carved and painted animal figurines). End your trip in the port town of Puerto Escondido which is known for its world-class surf breaks, beautiful sandy beaches and buzzing nightlife.
3
Morocco
Morocco is another country bursting with colour, and you can drink it all in on an eight-day trip from Fez to Tangier, via Chefchaouen. Fez is the country's historical and cultural capital, full of old mansions adorned with colourful tiles. The alleyways of the UNESCO-listed medina, Andalusian gardens, myriad palaces and minarets, mosques and caravanserais make for one of the most evocative of all destinations. Fez is a hard act to follow, but Chefchaouen doesn’t disappoint; the bewitching blue-washed buildings of its old town are one of Morocco's best-known views. Dominated by the peaks of the Rif Mountains, the city blends Moroccan and Andalusian traditions, from the streets of the old medina to Uta el-Hammam Square, while the nearby Talassemtane National Park showcases every shade of green imaginable. The third and final chapter of this journey takes you to Tangier, one of the oldest cities in North Africa. At the crossroads of two seas and two continents, Tangier reflects the influence of several cultures, making it a fascinating place to visit.
4
Portugal
When it comes to feel-good travel experiences, spending time in nature is guaranteed to give you a dopamine boost. On an eight-day trip to Portugal, visit the pretty port city of Porto then escape civilisation as you wind your way through the Duoro Valley, with its endless green hills and lush vineyards; Bucaco Forest, with its redwoods and Himalayan fir trees; and the Sintra Hills with its craggy mountain range and vibrant palaces. End your holiday in Lisbon, the country’s capital, which is built across seven hills. Stroll through the bustling alleyways filled with colourful houses, browse trendy galleries and designer shops in Bairro Alto and don't miss a visit to Fronteira Palace, a homage to azulejos, the blue and white glazed tiles which are so emblematic of the country.
5
Indonesia
With its bluer-than-blue waters and wonderful wildlife, Indonesia is a Dopamine Travel hotspot. Embark on a 15-day Indonesian diving adventure to discover all of the highlights of North Sulawesi, above and below the waves, from diving with turtles and hairy frogfish to climbing volcanoes and searching for tarsiers. Experience epic coral diving among the wonderful and vivid sea life in Bunaken National Park, as well as some of the world's best muck diving in the Lembeh Strait, mixed with some spectacular topside adventures in the lush green highlands, where you can seek out endemic species, climb active volcanoes and relax by beautiful blue lakes. Along the way, visit Tangkoko National Park, a wildlife wonderland home to hundreds of unique animal species, including the world's smallest primate, the tarsier.