Where you possibly can take an alcohol-free, sober-curious trip

Years ago, the manager of a hotel on Koh Samui, Thailand, told me about an unusual booking he once received in the course of the night.

A traveler had flown along with his entire family in a personal jet from Brunei to the Thai island after learning upon landing in Brunei that it was a “dry country”, meaning that the sale of alcohol was prohibited.

This is a person who makes it a degree to have a drink or two while on vacation.

Of course, he's not alone. Many people drink alcohol to calm down and relieve stress, which is one in every of the foremost reasons people travel. Plus, at many resorts, alcohol appears to be all over the place, from the swim-up bar within the pool to the champagne brunch where unlimited sparkling wine is served with breakfast.

But drinking on vacation isn't nearly sipping frozen cocktails on the beach; it may well help people cope Problems that occur throughout the tripto alleviate all the pieces from fear of flying to social anxiety, based on Texas-based New Dimensions Day Treatment Centers.

Airports will also be a trigger: there, people celebrating the beginning of a vacation – or lamenting its end – mingle with those passing the time in bars and lounges where drinks are served across the clock.

While many individuals have no real interest in trying it, increasingly more persons are exploring a “sober, curious” lifestyle for reasons of physical healthmental well-being and work/life productivity.

A former heavy drinker from Asia, who wished to stay anonymous to guard his identity at work, told CNBC Travel that a sober lifestyle was like a “superpower.” He mentioned that on business trips, his colleagues had trouble getting off the bed long after he had already exercised and answered emails to clients.

The trend towards “sober curiosity” has also led to an increasing variety of non-alcoholic spirits, beers and cocktails appearing on the menus of bars and restaurants around the globe. Some bars have even completely alcohol-free.

Social media conversations about topics like “dry tripping,” “sober travel,” and “alcohol-free vacations” are also on the rise, increasing 205 percent up to now six months on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, and Tumblr in comparison with the previous six months, based on social media listening company Sprout Social.

The variety of unique authors posting in regards to the sober travel trend has increased by 186%, which is the variety of public interactions with news via likes, comments or shares. – and has almost doubled during this era, based on the corporate.

The data also shows that conversations peaked in June 2024, initially of the summer travel season, especially amongst social media users within the US, UK, Canada, South Africa and Australia.

However, there are also critics of sober-curious travel. The mood over the past yr shows that 32% of interactions on social media are positive, 38% neutral and 30% negative.

Those who need to limit their alcohol consumption or avoid it altogether while on holiday will find it easier to achieve this in some destinations than in others. This is the results of a brand new rating by the insurance agency InsureMyTrip.

However, the rating isn’t a listing of nations where the sale of alcohol is prohibited – resembling Brunei, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Rather, the US company evaluated the countries based on nine criteria – from the value of local beer to the typical alcohol consumption of residents. The study also checked out what other activities travelers can include of their itinerary, especially those related to rest, resembling national parks and high-quality wellness resorts.

The destinations were rated on a 10-point scale. The company called the “The best destinations for sober travel” as:

1. Nepal: 7.02
2. Morocco: 7.00
3. Costa Rica: 6.73
4. Türkiye: 6:57
5. Greece: 6.41
6. Indonesia: 6.31
7. Jordan: 6.00
8. Italy: 5.93
9. Singapore: 5.92
10. India: 5.67

Six out of ten countries are in Asia. Nepal takes the top spot because of its many hiking opportunities and affordable wellness retreats. According to InsureMyTrip, the average stay costs $584, making it the cheapest country in the study.

Morocco came in second, attributing to the low drinking culture of its Sunni Muslim population. “It also has high ratings for its national parks (4.42/5), with many wildlife areas and beautiful hiking tours,” the report said.

Costa Rica came in third – the only North American country to make the top 10. Its focus on outdoor tourism, from beaches and rainforests to eco-wellness, is a draw for people looking for a vacation that improves their physical and mental health.

Greece, at number 5, tops the list of “best things to do in the area” and “best places to relax.” Travelers can keep themselves busy touring the 19 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the world-famous Acropolis, and spending their free time at the highly rated, yet affordable, spas, according to the rankings.

On average, residents of Greece drink more than seven litres of alcohol per year, far more than residents of Jordan (number 7 on the list), who, according to the data, drink less than the equivalent of a bottle of beer per year.

The remaining countries made the list for different reasons: in some countries alcohol is in short supply for religious or social reasons (Indonesia, parts of India), in others it is widely available but expensive (Singapore), or it takes a back seat to the many other fantastic things to do when visiting (Italy – apart from the wine-producing regions).

For those who are determined to remain abstinent, careful planning and a proactive attitude are crucial, according to the New Dimensions Day Treatment Centers website.

It advises travelers To:

• Plan a mix of physical and relaxing activities to reduce stress.
• To encourage personal responsibility, tell everyone in your group that you plan not to drink.
• Keep a travel journal to stay present and alert.

American Jessica Watson said her attitude toward some travel destinations had changed since she quit drinking four years ago, including a popular tourist town in central Texas.

“I went to Fredericksburg once I quit drinking, and I spotted that folks there just walked around with wine and shopped, so it was now not an interesting place for me,” she said. “Once you are taking drinking out of the equation, you realize how much people revolve around it.”

Watson said she went skiing in Colorado after quitting and located she enjoyed it more.

“If you abstain from alcohol on vacation, you concentrate much more on the actual destination, are much more active on the trip, get up early and feel great.”