A bucket list: Do we need one and more importantly do we need to tick all those boxes?

By Kristof Eyckmans on Dec 04, 2022 

Those who’ve been bitten by the travel bug know what I mean when I tell them my bucket list only gets longer, even though I do my utmost best to tick many of the items on it. However, for those who aren’t into travel that much and their ideal holiday consists of lying on a beach while enjoying the all-inclusive hotel they’re staying at, it isn’t a given to have a list. But is that really necessary? please allow me to give my modest opinion.

Do you really need a bucket list?

Just to be clear, I’m talking about a travel-related bucket list, not the ones where you sum up your personal crushes!

With that out of the way, let’s talk about those who don’t really need (or care) to have a bucket list. It’s those who look at a holiday purely for relaxation, meaning they go to a sunny place and chill the whole day next to the pool or on the beach while enjoying all the benefits of their hotel in the most leisurely way possible. This category of traveler doesn’t need a bucket list cause they are the most happy when their needs of sun and sea are met, and there’s nothing wrong with that, on the contrary.

Though most of who’ll read this article will have a much deeper interest or even passion (I confess) for travel and all the different experiences that come with it. For this group a bucket list is mostly something they always had, even before the term ‘bucket list’ was invented. Everyone who’s been bitten by the travel bug knows what I’m talking about and till today I still have to meet the first person from this category that doesn’t have a personal bucket list, irrelevant of how long or short that list may be.

Still the question remains… do you really need a bucket list? Following my personal opinion it’s good to have one, especially when it comes to traveling. Having a set of goals makes you work harder to achieve them which in return gives an even bigger feeling of satisfaction. It’s also known that ticking one box can lead to adding several more. I personally experienced that when I visited the mountain gorillas in Virunga NP, DRC. Just minutes after meeting these amazing animals I knew I wanted to see them in all the 3 countries where they still roam the forests (DRC, Rwanda and Uganda). Those with a passion for travel know how hard it is not to extend your list all the time. On one hand you can tick a box on a regular basis, but on the other hand you continuously experiencing new adventures that make you look even beyond what you just witnessed. Not to mention all the stuff you discover these days by reading up on travel related literature, social media and yes…also blogs like these.

Which destinations and experiences are most popular?

While we all hade our own personal list, I’ve become very aware that loads of items on there are reoccurring among the people I talked about it, but it’s also often influenced by your interests and where you live. For example, Stonehenge is a favourite among my American friends and family, while it’s hardly ever on any of the European counterparts. Somehow bucket lists tend to be full of stuff that isn’t to be found in a close radius, although there’s always the odd exception of course.

For many the idyllic tropical destinations on this small little thing called earth are among the top of their wish-list, so there’s little surprise when I hear the Maldives, Bora Bora or Hawaii coming up every time we talk about it. And to be fair, I totally get it. These destinations are everything everybody pictures when they think about tropical islands where the palmtrees softly wave to the rhythm of the ocean breeze.

One thing that almost never fails to be included into the bucket list is nature destinations and experiences. For me personally this one is the biggest contributor to my endless list but it always surprises me I’m far from being an exception. The iconic African safari is truly a favourite among so many, accompanied by seeing the mountain gorillas and witnessing the great migration in the Serengeti. Those are just the ones on African soil and every continent seems to have some natural gem which is in high demand like the stunning national parks in the west of the USA, or the Great Barrier Reef down under…

I find most people to be too conservative when it comes to deciding what’s in their bucket list. Let’s be honest, unique destinations like Easter Island, Antarctica, Bhutan and other destinations that are a little tougher to get to or aren’t on the cheap side are often overlooked or ignored. But isn’t the whole purpose of a bucket list to dream about all these places and experiences which you hope to tick off one day without any restrictions be it monetary, physical or location-wise?

Often unique experiences like Burning Man, Tomorrowland, seeing the northern lights or flying intercontinental first class are also part of the list and I’m all for it! Because these are experiences which are often more attainable and can easily be shared with likeminded friends or family who often have the same item on their list.