These days, chocolates and long walks are certainly more realistic, but if lovers dare to dream, how about these eight suggestions for an unforgettable Valentine's Day.
1)Bike Ride in the Atacama
Chile's Atacama Desert may be the driest place on earth, but it's also one of the most spectacular. From the dusty streets of San Pedro, rent a couple bikes and head out into the moonscape of the Valley of the Moon, a national park with glowing red rocky outcrops and inspiring vistas.
Newly paved, flat roads also shepherd you along active volcanoes to the cold, brightly coloured Cejas Lagoon, fed by underwater rivers. After a refreshing dip, gaze at flamingos, and bike back for a candlelit dinner in San Pedro. The Atacama gives one the sense of visiting a desolate, utterly romantic planet, right here on earth.
Twinkle twinkle little firefly? Malays call them "kelip-kelip", which means "to twinkle", the result of a mating glow set off by these small insects in the dark blue night. From a wooden jetty at Kampung Kauntan, a man will row you and your loved one down a quiet river, standing as he does so, his motions slow and patient.
The boat trip itself is romantic, through warm air under bright stars. Suddenly, you see a tiny flash of light. And another, and another, until the shores of the river are lined with as many stars as the sky above, pulsing on and off. It feels like you're floating through your own universe, holding hands, with only the soft splash of wooden oars reminding you of earth. It's tough to catch fireflies, so just sit back, and enjoy the ride.
3)Sunset from the Rose Garden, Cappadocia, TurkeyThe boat trip itself is romantic, through warm air under bright stars. Suddenly, you see a tiny flash of light. And another, and another, until the shores of the river are lined with as many stars as the sky above, pulsing on and off. It feels like you're floating through your own universe, holding hands, with only the soft splash of wooden oars reminding you of earth. It's tough to catch fireflies, so just sit back, and enjoy the ride.
Over thousands of years, the wind and elements have carved a unique landscape in central Turkey's Cappadocia. Soft rocks have eroded into striking "fairy chimneys," standing upright in strange shapes and forms.
You can enjoy a hot air balloon at sunrise, drifting romantically above this quiet, eerie landscape. Alternatively, head to the Rose Garden, located a short drive from the town of Goreme, for a picture-perfect sunset, watching the chimneys and caves glow as pink as the cheeks of young lovers.
4)A Heli-Yoga Class in the Canadian RockiesYou can enjoy a hot air balloon at sunrise, drifting romantically above this quiet, eerie landscape. Alternatively, head to the Rose Garden, located a short drive from the town of Goreme, for a picture-perfect sunset, watching the chimneys and caves glow as pink as the cheeks of young lovers.
Adventurous couples, with a few dollars more than the rest of us, might want to consider heading to the Rockies of Alberta. Here, Icefields Helicopter Tours offer a unique service designed to connect you with nature, and each other. They'll drop you on top of a mountain with a certified yoga instructor, where you can enjoy a relaxing class, meditation, and delicious picnic.
Here, you can take a walk on top of the world, or even get married at a particularly romantic location. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, a pure blue sky above, helicopters help eliminate the physical effort in finding the peaks of romance.
5)Walk in a Cloud Forest, Monteverde, Costa RicaHere, you can take a walk on top of the world, or even get married at a particularly romantic location. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, a pure blue sky above, helicopters help eliminate the physical effort in finding the peaks of romance.
There's something sensuous about a jungle, as our hero discovered in the hit movie Avatar. Teeming with life and colour, a walk in the jungle is no walk on the beach, which is why couples chasing romance might consider Monteverde's stunning Cloud Forest. Its Skywalk consists of over 2.5 km of trails, with five treetop suspension bridges, the longest of which stretches about 243m.
Without worrying about mud or insects, you can stroll high above the land, peeking at cheeky monkeys, walking amongst the colourful butterflies and birds that live in the canopy. The Skywalk takes about two hours. One doesn't need to be a large tall blue alien to recognize that romance also comes in shades of green.
6)Onsen Hot Pools, New ZealandWithout worrying about mud or insects, you can stroll high above the land, peeking at cheeky monkeys, walking amongst the colourful butterflies and birds that live in the canopy. The Skywalk takes about two hours. One doesn't need to be a large tall blue alien to recognize that romance also comes in shades of green.
After a long day thrill-seeking Queenstown's famous adventures – bungy jumping, bridge swinging, river jets – the perfect place for Valentine's Day is inside a warm wooden pool, with a view. But this isn't just any hot tub. Press a button to open a retractable picture window and reveal a beautiful mountain view.
Couples get their own private tub, complete with change area and shower. The water is a combination of mountain spring, rain and lake water, constantly filtered with ozone so that it's clean enough to drink. The heated water can be cooled with the touch of a button, and the wooden tubs are big enough to accommodate four adults. Romantic, private, soothing, and wonderfully decadent.
7)Dance the Forro on Ilha Grande, BrazilCouples get their own private tub, complete with change area and shower. The water is a combination of mountain spring, rain and lake water, constantly filtered with ozone so that it's clean enough to drink. The heated water can be cooled with the touch of a button, and the wooden tubs are big enough to accommodate four adults. Romantic, private, soothing, and wonderfully decadent.
Ilha Grande, recently in the news because of heavy rains, has long been an escape for both Brazilians and travellers. It's an island, located 180km from Rio de Janeiro, and accessible only by boat. No cars are allowed on the island, which is largely protected from development, and offers beautiful hikes into the mountains, or along quiet, tropical beaches.
When I took this photo, Brazilian visitors of all ages had randomly decided to dance in the streets of the main village Abraao, to music playing only in their heads. The dance is called the forro, and being Brazilian, it involves intense physical contact, perfect for couples in love. Feel the warm sea breeze against your skin, hear the sound of a lone percussionist, beating to the rhythm of an island in love. It's reason enough why exotic travel will always be perfect for Valentines Day.
8)Midnight through the Locks of the Three Gorges Dam, ChinaWhen I took this photo, Brazilian visitors of all ages had randomly decided to dance in the streets of the main village Abraao, to music playing only in their heads. The dance is called the forro, and being Brazilian, it involves intense physical contact, perfect for couples in love. Feel the warm sea breeze against your skin, hear the sound of a lone percussionist, beating to the rhythm of an island in love. It's reason enough why exotic travel will always be perfect for Valentines Day.
Cruises have long travelled along the Yangtze, the third biggest river in the world, and now home to the most ambitious engineering feat in history. Sure, there's always romance in a cruise, but descending through massive locks, bypassing a dam powerful enough to generate energy equivalent to 18 nuclear power plants?
Power is always an aphrodisiac too. Standing on deck at midnight, the humidity hugging you close, it's a spectacle watching giant gates open and close, holding back the flood while lowering 10,000 tons of ship into the Gorge below. It's powerful, exotic, and romantic too. After all, size does matter.
Source: Life and Style, Gulf News
Power is always an aphrodisiac too. Standing on deck at midnight, the humidity hugging you close, it's a spectacle watching giant gates open and close, holding back the flood while lowering 10,000 tons of ship into the Gorge below. It's powerful, exotic, and romantic too. After all, size does matter.
Source: Life and Style, Gulf News
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