After A levels, many young adults aren't keen to start university or enter into a career right away- and that's totally understandable. It's natural to want to spread your wings and explore the vast world that you've read so much about in your history and geography lessons. However, with so many great destinations out there, it can be difficult deciding just where to go on your gap year. To help you decide, check out this brief guide to great gap year destinations.
Firstly, Australia is a firm favourite of gap year travellers, and that's for obvious reasons. Australia pretty much has it all- a friendly, English-speaking population, beautiful beaches, exciting cities and a delightfully sunny climate. Australia is a great destination for British gap year travellers who want to feel comfortable and at ease in their new location right away. Since Australia is an English-speaking country, you will probably feel very welcome in the Land Down Under. However, if you're looking for a completely new experience, the similarities between Britain and Australia may deter you from choosing it as your gap year destination.
For a more unique experience, visiting the highly-populated and futuristic cities of Japan may be the perfect choice. Though it may not be a beach paradise like Thailand or Fiji, Japan offers gap year travellers an insight into a completely different culture. The country is also known for its relatively low crime rate, speedy transportation links and buzzing club scene.
South America is another great place to explore on a gap year. You can pick a country and get to know it well, or you can explore the diversity of this continent by staying in a different country every couple of months. You can explore the famous Inca trail in Peru, experience the vibrant city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and trek through the Amazon jungles in Brazil. Often underrated, South America has only recently become popular as a gap year destination for Britons. The buzz surrounding South America is completely warranted, and you may just find that one year is not enough!
Of course, in addition to planning where to go on your gap year, there are a lot of other logistical matters to take care of. Once you set off on your travels, you probably won't want to deal with anything that seems even potentially stressful. You'll be too busy exploring new cities, experiencing unique cultures and meeting a variety of interesting people to care about 'boring' stuff like your budget, health insurance and checking in with your family back home.
It's best to plan ahead and account for all these situations before you embark on your epic journey. Look into various gap year travel insurance options, save your money and figure out a weekly budget to stick to throughout the year and, perhaps most importantly, figure out how you will keep in touch with your loved ones back home. Make use of international calling cards or make use of video-chatting software, perhaps via your smartphone.
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