The places where the best thing to do… is nothing at all.
There’s nothing like a lazy beach day… or a lazy week on the lake.
Sometimes travelling is hard work, and I find myself in need of a holiday within a holiday. (what in the inception!?) When this happens, I do one of two things; A: I get myself to a sleepy fishing town, surf spot, or tucked away jungle village with nothing but hammocks and sleepy dogs that look like they’ve melted into the wooden cafe floor. Or. B: I ignore the need to relax, and continue on with my all-energy1 exploring until… I cave in and find myself… at option A. So, in reality, there’s no real choice2, and I always find myself reading my book while absentmindedly petting the sleep dog as it slowly becomes one with the sandy cafe floor.
Now, of course, you don’t need to be burnt out and utterly exhausted to get yourself to these black holes of never-ending relaxation. I mean, many times, that’s all we want to begin with! So, let’s take a look at some of the best places around the globe to do nothing but sip iced coffee in the morning, smoothies in the afternoon, and beers in the evening. As you can assume, this list will be largely (though not totally) dominated by beach and lakeside towns. As they are, after all, usually the best places to go when you need nothing more than a book and a place to sit your over-backpacked butt down.
Don Det, Southern Laos
There’s nowhere more appropriate to start than with the very place that inspired me to put together this list. I’ve raved about Don Det to nearly everyone I’ve met, and I will continue to do that until I move there and never leave. No seriously, you may think of doing the same. Don Det, also known as the “4000 islands”, is a unique spot on the southern tip of the perpetually underrated Laos. One island of an archipelago on a particularly wide section of the Mekong, everything about Don Det is lazy in the best way. The ingredients to a perfect day on Don Det are: Smoothies, a pack of cards, a book/kindle, bug spray (the only downside), ice cold beer, sunscreen, and your bathing suit. It’s a simple life, and can serve perfect break between the adventures of Laos, and the plethora of things to do in Cambodia.
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Many backpackers have fallen victim to the spell of Lago de Atitlan. The lake is a classic recharging spot for anyone travelling through Central America. Life here is, perhaps in tandem with the lake, still. Of course, you may have also heard of the lake as an adventurous spot with no end to the activities you can do, and it’s the truth! The truth is, though the Lake is known for much more than just sitting, they (the many activities around the lake) are all secondary to the blissful relaxation that comes when sipping a cold Gallo on the hostel rooftop as the sun sets over the glittering lake.
A lesser known spot in Guatemala that I want to give an honourable mention to is the lazy but lovely Livingstone, on the Caribbean coast.
A great place to stay on the lake is San Pedro, where you can find the perfect mix of relaxation and fun. It’s also one of two towns with Chabad houses and Kosher food (the other being San Marcos). A hostel I recommend in San Pedro is Amigos, which is practically next door to the Chabad House. If you’re looking for a more luxurious stay, I’ve heard only good things about Sababa Resort (they even have a dorm if you like to backpack in style).
The Seychelles
Well, Nothing plus snorkelling. I once spent a week on the Seychelles and, though I’d originally wanted to be quite active, found myself simply going back to the same beach on the daily to chew on some fresh coconut and swim with the fishes. OK, so maybe my desperate lack for money and merciless food poisoning went a long way to ensuring I kept things simple but seriously; Port Launay Beach! I would gladly go back just to spend another week lazing on those white sands.
Of course, I’d only do that with my trusty Snorkel but that still counts doesn’t it?
Port Barton, Phillipines
In a country stuffed with adventure like a Thanksgiving turkey, there’s Port Barton. Though the country is practically overflowing with stunning beaches, Port Barton is where you’ll find two of the very best. Namely; White Beach, and Coconut Beach. Two pristine, palm-lined beaches with snow-like white sands and water as blue as the sunny sky. The town itself, though not bereft of tourism, is definitely a shade or two calmer and quieter than other beach town counterparts in the country such as Siargao and El Nido.
Seville, Spain
Compared to the other places on this list, Seville has quite a different version “doing nothing” to offer. The city is filled to the brim with things to do and see, and there’s no beach to tan on, but what there is, is a city that brings you into a warm embrace and tells you to wait a day before leaving, then tells you again, then again, then again… until after a week, you realise you’ve spent the majority of your time there people watching from cafes and park benches (“My Momma always said: Life is like a box’of tapas.” No no no, that wasn’t it 🤔).
No, Seville isn’t the place you come to do nothing in; It’s the place you return to to do nothing in.
Of course, if you’re going to Seville for the first time, you’ll want to experience the best of what it has to offer before its lazy persona gets a hold on you and ties you to that park bench. (Hey, maybe you’ll at least get offered some tapa… Chocolates! Thaaat’s what it was!) Check out these articles on Seville for a taste of this memorable place.
Seville Travel Guide: Top Attractions and Tips
“The Last City of Romance”, “Europe’s Sunniest City”, and “The…
Keep reading
Some Honourable Mentions
Perhaps I’ll make a part two looking at these places in more detail but for now…
Railay Beach, Thailand
Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
Rio Dulce/Livingstone, Guatemala
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Algarve Coast, Portugal
Sorrento, Italy
Florida Keys, USA
Tayrona National Park, Columbia
Cozumel, Mexico
Well, there you have it. Those are my personal top picks for where to sit back and recharge while travelling. Hopefully in time I’ll have more such places to tell you guys about but for now, these will have to do. Remember, seeing and doing as much as you can whilst travelling can be fun, but don’t forget why you’re travelling in the first place; To enjoy yourself (well most of you are). So don’t feel bad if you have to slow things down for a time, we all do. Now go book that hammock!
Sitch Travels 
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