Traveling is all about experiencing different cultures and traditions. So what is more fun than visiting a new country only to experience something totally unique? Need some ideas for your bucket list? Redditor u/Devastater90 asked, "What are global events that happen once a year worth visiting?" Here's what people said.
1. "Naadam, the annual summer festival in Mongolia. Think horse racing, archery, and wrestling in pink vests and briefs."
2. "The Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was fun. I didn't even go on a balloon; I just watched them from the ground and had a good time. If you spend more time here, I recommend going up to Santa Fe, and if you like white water rafting further up north in Taos, it is amazing (plus a beautiful area to explore)."
3. "Kite Festival in India or Pakistan. My extended family is from Gujarat, India, and visiting during this festival was some of the most fun I've ever had. Everyone is out on their rooftops all day flying kites. They 'fight' the kites by trying to cut one another's kite strings."
4. "I just came back from Carnival in Rio, and it was such an amazing experience. If you think it will be anything like Mardi Gras, you are very fortunately wrong. It was an event that was full of national pride. It takes a full year's worth of effort to put on a great party. Everyone dresses up and drinks all day, but it's not like people are passed out, destroying things, or being overly rowdy. That being said, the drinks flow nonstop from sunrise to sunrise."
5. "Nieuwjaarsduik in The Netherlands. It's a Dutch tradition of swimming/plunging into a cold body of water on the first sunrise of the year."
6. "The Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand."
7. "Oktoberfest in Munich was a blast and definitely my favorite festival I've traveled to so far. The atmosphere there was unlike anything else I have ever been to. However, to do it right (IMO) you need to get a table in one of the tents."
8. "La Tomatina. It's an hour-long, large-scale tomato-throwing battle in the streets of Buñol, Spain."
9. "Holi in India! What's better than throwing colored water and powdered dyes on your friends? Best holiday ever!"
10. "If you're into performing arts, Edinburgh's Fringe Festival runs the month of August and it's absolutely amazing!"
11. "The Pierogi Festival in Krakow, Poland. When I booked a trip to Poland I didn’t realize it was going on. It was such a good time and the food was great. Krakow in general is awesome."
12. "The Winter Carnival in Québec City is beautiful. They also have a peewee hockey world championship at the same time that draws in around 15,000 fans for games played by 12-year-olds, which is a lot of fun to watch."
13. "Attending a Cabalgata de Reyes Magos in Spain is a ton of fun. I went in Seville this year, and it feels like the entire city came out to party."
14. "New Year's Eve in Sydney. Being out on the harbor watching the fireworks was spectacular."
15. "Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in either Oaxaca or Mexico City. If I had my pick, I'd go with Oaxaca."
16. "Carnival of Venice is a lot of fun, especially watching lots of people walking around in outrageously expensive costumes."
17. "My husband and I timed our Bali trip with Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence. The idea is to keep the island silent and dark as evil spirits pass over. There's no sound, no lights, no internet (!), no travel, and flights are at a standstill. People don't go out, even for food. No one is allowed on the streets except the Pecalang (the traditional police in Bali). The days before and after Nyepi are filled with different ceremonies and festivities. It was truly amazing to experience this part of Balinese culture, and I can't wait to visit Nyepi again sometime in the future!"
18. "Glastonbury in Somerset, England. IMO, it's the mother of all music festivals. I've now been to a few festivals around the world (including Coachella last month), and Glastonbury is still head and shoulders above the rest."
19. "I happened to be in Nepal during one of their Hindu festivals called Tihar, and really enjoyed it. Lots of lights, music, colorful mandalas, and flowers all over the streets of Kathmandu. I saw fireworks go off at night and passed several small parades in the streets."
20. "Semana Grande in San Sebastian is epic. A week of parties, DJs, and fireworks every night. San Sebastian itself and the surrounding towns are amazing. The pintxos alone are worth traveling for."
21. "The monarch butterfly migration in Michoacán, Mexico. If I could recommend one trip to anyone, it would be this. It was absolutely the most spectacular place I’ve visited."
22. "As a wine lover, I was ecstatic when I realized I would be in Slovenia during The Old Vine Festival. It celebrates the world's oldest, still-producing grapevine. It may be a bit esoteric, but it's a lot of fun regardless."
Have you traveled somewhere for a specific cultural event, festival, or tradition? Or do you have one on your bucket list? Tell us in the comments or drop it into this anonymous form.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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