A few years ago, the manager of a hotel in Koh Samui, Thailand, told me that he once received an unusual reservation in the middle of the night.
After landing in Brunei, a tourist learned that Brunei was a “dry country”, that is, the sale of alcohol was prohibited, so he took his family on a private plane from Brunei to the Thai island.
This is a guy who makes it a priority to have a glass of wine or two during the holidays.
Of course, he’s not alone. Many people drink to relax and relieve stress, which are some of the main reasons people travel. Plus, it seems to be everywhere at many resorts, from swim-up bars in pools to champagne brunches with unlimited bubbles for breakfast.
But drinking on vacation isn’t just about sipping ice-cold cocktails on the beach; it can help people cope Problems that arise while travelingTo calm the fear of social anxiety caused by flying, according to New Dimensions Day Treatment Center in Texas.
Airports can also be a trigger, with people celebrating the start of the holiday season, or lamenting its end, while bars and lounges pass the time pouring drinks throughout the day.
Is it okay not to drink alcohol while traveling?
Although many people are not interested in trying it, more and more people are exploring the “sober curious” lifestyle For reasons related to physical healthmental health, and work/life productivity.
An Asian ex-alcoholic who requested anonymity to protect his identity at work told CNBC Travel that living a sober lifestyle is like having “superpowers,” citing the example of a business trip where co-workers were left long after they were on the road. It will be difficult to get up.
The Virgin Mary is Dublin’s first alcohol-free bar, serving a range of non-alcoholic spirits.
Artur Vidak | Noor Photos | Getty Images
The “sober curious” trend has also led to a proliferation of non-alcoholic spirits, beers and cocktails on bar and restaurant menus around the world. Some bars have even disappeared Totally alcohol-free.
Discussions on topics such as “dry travel”, “sober travel” and “alcohol-free holidays” are also on the rise on social media, with over the past six months on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit and Tumblr Discussions increased by 205%.
An 186% increase in the number of unique authors posting about the sober travel trend via engagement (i.e., the number of times a publicly interactive post is liked, commented, or shared) According to the company, it has almost doubled during this period.
How is sober travel discussed on TikTok?
- #alcoholfree – 200.6K posts
- #sobercurious – 88.1K posts
- #sobertravels – 158 posts
The data also shows that conversations peaked in June 2024, at the start of the summer travel season, and came primarily from social media users in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and Australia.
Still, sober curious travel has its fair share of detractors. Sentiment over the past year shows that 32% of social media interactions were positive, 38% were neutral, and 30% were negative.
Where to go for a sober trip
For those looking to cut back on alcohol or give up alcohol altogether on holiday, some destinations may be easier to do than others, according to new rankings from insurance agency InsureMyTrip.
However, the ranking is not a list of countries that have banned the sale of alcohol, such as Brunei, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Instead, the US-based company assessed countries across nine indicators – from the cost of domestic beer to average alcohol consumption by residents. The study also looked at what other activities travelers could use to build their itineraries, particularly those related to relaxation, such as national parks and quality wellness retreats.
Destinations are rated on a 10-point scale, which the company names “The best destinations for sober travel“As:
- Nepal: 7.02
- Morocco: 7.00
- Costa Rica: 6.73
- Türkiye: 6:57
- Greece: 6.41
- Indonesia: 6.31
- Jordan: 6.00
- Italy: 5.93
- Singapore: 5.92
- India: 5.67
According to InsureMyTrip, six out of 10 countries are in Asia, with Nepal topping the list due to abundant hiking resources and affordable wellness retreats, with an average cost of $584 per retreat, making it the cheapest in the study.
Morocco ranks second, benefiting from the lack of a drinking culture among its Sunni Muslim population. “Its national parks are also highly rated (4.42/5), with numerous wildlife sanctuaries and gorgeous hikes,” the report said.
Costa Rica ranks third and is the only North American country to make the top ten. It specializes in outdoor travel, from beaches and rainforests to eco-wellness, appealing to people looking for a holiday that improves physical and mental health.
Costa Rica tops the list of “sober travel” destinations, in part because of its outdoor activities and national parks.
Jordan Siemens | Digital Vision | Getty Images
Greece, ranked fifth, topped the list of “best things to do” and “best to relax”. According to the ranking, visitors can spend their leisure time at highly rated yet affordable spas while busy visiting 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the world-famous Acropolis.
According to statistics, the average Greek resident drinks more than seven liters of beer per year, much higher than the seventh-placed Jordanian resident, who drinks less than one beer per year.
The remaining countries are on the list for different reasons: for some, alcohol is scarce due to religious beliefs (Indonesia, parts of India), while for another, alcohol is widely available but expensive (Singapore), or Be overwhelmed by the many other wonderful things to do to visit (except Italy – its wine regions).
“Woke up early and felt great”
According to the New Dimensions Day Treatment Center’s website, careful planning and a proactive mindset are key for people who are passionate about sobriety.
it recommends travelers arrive:
- Plan a series of physical activities and relaxation activities to relieve stress.
- Tell everyone in the group that you plan to stop drinking to promote accountability.
- Keep a travel journal to stay present and alert.
American Jessica Watson said her views on some travel destinations changed after she gave up drinking four years ago, including a popular tourist town in central Texas.
“When I stopped drinking, I did go to Fredericksburg early and I realized all the people there were drinking and shopping, so it wasn’t a fun place for me anymore,” she explain. “Once you take drinking out of the equation, you realize how much attention is paid to it.”
Watson said she went skiing in Colorado after quitting her job and found she had more fun.
“Abstaining alcohol on vacation allows us to focus more on the actual destination, be more active during the trip, wake up early, and feel great.”
