The Quest for Quiet - Full-Time Travel

The Quest for Quiet

The Quest for Quiet

Silence Tourism Makes Noise

"There’s a growing desire for silence,” says Lucas Keizer, director at Knowledge Center Sound Insulation, which grants Quiet Hotel Room awards to hotels like Paris’ Regina Hotel. “Many travellers are looking for silent locations, but also for silent spots in busy environments like big cities.” So where does Keizer go for peace and quiet? “I love Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre for its great views and silence.” 

Field Notes

Join millions of others in silence on Nyepi Day in Bali. This year, the 24-hour celebration starts at 6am on March 7, when the entire island decrescendos to a hush in observance of New Year’s on the Balinese Hindu calendar. Keep in mind that the celebration means that most businesses are closed, although you can enjoy a visual feast in the form of enormous papier-mâché effigies (called ogoh-ogoh) that (noisily) parade the streets on the eve of Nyepi Day.

Inn Crowd

The quietest hotel in the noisiest place in New York? That’s the concept at the TWA Hotel. Located in the iconic 1962 Eero Saarinen-designed TWA terminal at JFK Airport, the hotel will feature a cocktail bar inside a refurbished TWA Lockheed Constellation, a massive aviation museum in the lobby and a reimagined Paris Café with Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the helm. Yet its most exceptional detail is one that you’ll never see, or hear: External noise. To silence airport sounds, a 78,000-square-foot, sound-proof glass façade made out of 4-inch-thick, low-iron glass keeps the decibels down, while each suite gets its own sound barrier in the form of mass-loaded vinyl and fiberglass insulation. Sleep tight. The hotel opens spring 2019.

Eat, Drink, Repeat

Looking to enjoy your meals in silence? At Italian farmhouse Masseria Antonio Augusto, a striking redesign includes the ultra spare “silent room” dining space where meals are enjoyed without words from a massive oak table by Belgian designer Casimir.
Dinners are silent on Thursdays at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, where inspirational music accompanies organic dishes sourced from the 4,000-acre property. Not exactly a morning person? Breakfasts at Le Monastere des Augustines in Quebec are entirely chat-free, a ritual honoring the monastery’s culture of silence for the past 375 years. Go back even farther in time at Emerito, an Umbrian 14th-century monastery that’s now an eco-luxury hermitage. Every night, “monastic Mediterranean” dinners — homemade pastas and bread; farm-fresh produce — are served in the stone-walled Refectory in total silence.

“Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.”

The Brag

Escape the daily drone and delve below sea level. Luxury yacht cruise line PONANT has created the Blue Eye underwater lounge offering near-total acoustic immersion via hydrophones that transmit the natural symphony of the sea into the lounge. Not out there enough? The lounge is also outfitted with Body Listening Sofas that vibrate in unison with the sounds of the ocean to create an underwater encounter that you can see, hear and feel. Woosh.

Sweat Equity

Getting Crafty Around The Globe

The Olympic National Park in Washington State is one of the quietest places in the lower 48, and with more than 600 miles of trails, it’s yours to explore. But quiet doesn’t always mean silence: The National Heritage park is also known for its acoustic diversity, with waterfalls, rivers and streams, as well as 70 species of mammals and 300 kinds of birds.

INTRO, INNCROWD: @Fogo Island

THE BRAG: @Los Poblanoes

SHORT LIST: @Museo Textil de Oaxaca

"This sculpture is called "Transmission" by artist Daniel Popper. Its a reminder that we are all rooted in love, unity and the divine. She stands a towering 28 feet tall and is located on Mojave Moon Ranch in Joshua Tree. The land is private property, so you can see it from the viewing platform off of Sunfair Road. And take it from me, it's best viewed at sunset."

Reel: @johnofah
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There's more to Greece than the white and blue buildings and the surrounding Mediterranean Sea. If you're planning a visit, check out these places below!

📍Kokkinopilos. Preveza
📍Verliga Dragon lake, Thessaly
📍Ithaca island, lonian Sea
📍Aoos springs lake, Epirus
📍Lake Prespes, Macedonia
📍Balda di Stringa waterfalls, Epirus
📍Meteora, Thessaly
📍Pelion, Thessaly
📍Lake Zorika, Epirus
📍Mt Lakmos
📍Crete island, Aegean Sea
📍Gistova Dragon lake, Macedonia

Reel: @farawayfarers
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Swim or kayak through the limestone cliffs of the Twin Lagoon, a must-visit destination for those traveling to Coron, Palawan, Philippines. It is called "twin" lagoon because it consists of two lagoons separated by a limestone cliff, with one lagoon on top of the other. The water in the inner lagoon is warm and clear, with a stunning turquoise color that makes it popular for swimming and snorkeling.

Reel: @travelifejournal
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Take a dip in a series of seven saltwater lagoons located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The Lagoons of Baltinache are known for their beautiful turquoise waters and unique geological formations. The high concentration of minerals in the water gives it a unique buoyancy that makes swimming in the lagoons a unique experience.

Reel: @everchanginghorizon
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Watching the sun rise above the clouds at Haleakalā National Park is one of the most memorable experiences you could have. Haleakalā is a Hawaiian name that means “House of the Sun” and is an awesome place to watch the clear night sky and stars fade away as the sun lights up the sky and the earth.

Reel: @girlchill_sunset
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Just 1 hour from Shanghai by train, Cherry Blossom Valley is a popular tourist destination, particularly in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The valley is named after the thousands of cherry blossom trees that cover the area and create a stunning display of pink and white flowers. The trees were originally planted in the 1980s by a group of Japanese experts who were invited to China to help with reforestation efforts. The best time to visit is typically in late March or early April. Get there early to beat the crowds!

Reel: @cyncynti
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New Zealand is unbelievable. See it for yourself:

1. Fiordland National Park
2. A classic backcountry hut trip
3. Blue Pools walk
4. Hooker Lake
5. Milford Sound
6. Lake Pukaki

Reel: @kylekotajarvi
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Surrounded by lush greenery, towering karst mountains, and the river flowing through, the Detian Waterfall is a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of the close relationship between China and Vietnam. It is the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest cross-border waterfall in the world.

Reel: @sophoebelous
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Escape to a serene and peaceful oasis away from the bustling city of Marrakech at Le Jardin Secret—a beautiful and historic garden where visitors can escape the noise and chaos and enjoy the beauty of nature. The garden was originally built in the 16th century and is home to many different species of plants, including exotic flowers, citrus trees, and palm trees.

Reel: @hypermiggzz
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For a magical moment and bucket list travel experience, visit the end point of the annual monarch butterfly migration. Starting in August, the monarchs travel 2,800 miles south from Canada, making a temporary home amid the towering trees of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where the two most popular sanctuaries to view them are el Rosario in the state of Michoacan and Piedra Herrada in Estado de México. Standing in silence while thousands of delicate wings beat in unison is something you'll never forget.

Reel: @juliiathompson
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There's just something beautiful about snow covered landscapes like this popular attraction in southwestern Utah. Known for its unique geology, @brycecanyonnps_gov consists of a series of natural amphitheaters, called "hoodoos," formed by erosion of the rock layers.

Photo: @nathanleeallen
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As we experience a couple more weeks of winter, we can't help but dream of tropical destinations like Hawaii. The warm water, sunny skies, and consistent waves make it an ideal destination for surfers. Hawaii has a vibrant surf culture and community and is also a beautiful place to explore outside of the water, with lush green mountains, stunning beaches, and unique cultural experiences.

Reel: @christopherballadarez
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5 PLACES IN THE U.S. THAT FEEL LIKE ANOTHER PLANET:
1. @sequoiakingsnps, California
2. @canyonlandsnps, Utah
3. @olympic_nps, Washington
4. @whitesandsnps, New Mexico
5. Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
6. Knik Glacier, Alaska

Reel: @nathanleeallen
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