Technology is great and all, but it can be reeeeally all-consuming – of our time, emotions and electricity. Everyone deserves to take a break every once in a while, and going off the grid is one of the coolest ways to do so, because it’s super easy to unplug when there’s literally nowhere to plug anything in. So whether it’s just an internet-free excursion or a full on renewable-energy-only retreat, for a week or just an hour, here are the most picturesque and bucket list-worthy places to log off for a while:
Canada
Recreational wilderness is a huge industry in Canada, and with its gorgeous parks, lakes and the amazing phenomenon that is ‘cottage country’ there’s more than enough off the grid options for everyone.
If you’re into camping or RVing, national parks like Algonquin, Jasper and Banff are a great place to do so. If you’re into cabins, lodges and cottages, areas like Muskoka and the Laurentians are the prime place to find yourself a little lakeside retreat in the woods.
There are also yurts in Northern Ontario and the Yukon, hella treehouses in the east and west, and ample farmland practically everywhere to successfully immerse yourself into nature for a while. Plus if you’re in Canada during the winter, the snow can make rural areas as isolating and peaceful as you could ever want them to be.
Thailand
You can definitely do Thailand solely in the comfort of posh hotels and modern hostels, but why? Sure, you’ve gotta experience Bangkok and all of its crazy energy, but unless you’re going off the beaten track in Thailand you’re seriously missing out on what makes this country so unique and beautiful.
A village stay is a great way to get off the grid in Thailand, but if you really want a unique and legendary off the grid experience, the jungle tree houses and floating bamboo raft huts in places like Khao Sok are the proper way to do it.
If you’re not putting your phone down and enjoying the raw beauty of the jungles and shores of Thailand, you’re not doing it right.
Iceland
One of the most iconic wanderlusty travel images ever is of yurts and tents in the snow under the Northern Lights, and Iceland is the ideal place to make this wilderness dream an epic reality.
Iceland is rugged, gorgeous, and easier to get to than you think, and it’s quickly becoming a travel hotspot for those of us who wanna explore a new and mysterious place.
There’s just something so peaceful and serene about being in all of that wilderness, surrounded by the silencing powers of snow and falling victim to the hypnotic powers of the northern lights. We can’t think of a better reason to be a little chilly, or a better place to give a yurt a try for the first time.
Mediterranean Sailing
If you’re more of a water baby than a land lover, a sailing trip is the best way to get outdoors and float your way to isolation.
It honestly doesn’t matter if you’re 10 feet or 1000 feet from shore, being on a boat in Turkey, Croatia or Greece adds just the right amount of distance to make life just a little less complicated and your head a whole lot clearer.
When your biggest worry is what time you’ll have a nap on the deck today, or if your bathing suit will stay on for your 10th flip of the day into the Med, trust us, the dog filter should be the furthest thing from your mind. Besides, who needs Wi-Fi when you’re living the mermaid life with a group of friends, fresh fish to eat and the beauty of the sea around you?
Brush your hair with a kitchen fork and enjoy the water already.
Scotland
Remember the epic ending of Skyfall when James Bond is holed up in his childhood home in the Scottish highlands? Well imagine that, take away the evil villain, add more sheep and cattle and you’ve got a perfect rural farm retreat for getting off the grid.
Rustic old estates, wood stoves and candlelight, woolly socks and a glass of scotch are pretty much all you need to make yourselves right at home in the isolation of the rolling green hills.
Bring along a good J.K. Rowling read and you’ll feel as if you’re right in Hagrid’s Hut. This beats a dude ranch any day.
Peru
Remote landscapes in Peru are kind of what it’s known for, and if the Andes were good enough for the Incas then you’re bound to find your technology-free solitude there as well. If you’re up for stunning scenery and an epic altitude camping and hiking experience then the Inca Trail is an ideal place to unplug.
If you’re looking for something a bit less strenuous, a trip down the Amazon River and through the Amazon jungle for a stay in a jungle lodge is one of the coolest ways to unplug and blend right in with all of that gorgeous Peruvian nature.
And if heights and jungle aren’t your cup of tea, nestle yourself into the bottom of the Colca Canyon to stay in a local village, or make yourself at home on the legendary floating islands on Lake Titicaca.
