Where to take a trip without alcohol, with sober curiosity

Years ago, the manager of a hotel in Koh Samui, Thailand told me about an unusual reservation he once received in the middle of the night.

A traveler had flown his entire family by private jet from Brunei to the island of Thailand after learning on landing in Brunei that it is a “dry country” — meaning alcohol sales are prohibited.

This is a man who prioritizes having a drink or two on vacation.

He’s not alone, of course. Many people consume alcohol to relax and relieve stress, which are some of the main reasons they travel as well. Plus, they’re seemingly everywhere at many resorts, from the pool bar to the champagne brunch that serves unlimited bubbly for breakfast.

But drinking on vacation isn’t just about sipping frozen cocktails on the beach. can help people cope problems encountered during the journeyto calm fears of social anxiety, according to Texas-based New Dimensions Day Treatment Centers.

Airports, too, can be a trigger, with people celebrating the start of a holiday – or mourning the end of one – mingling with those killing time in bars and lounges pouring drinks at all hours of the day.

While many people aren’t interested in trying, a growing number of people are exploring a “sober queer” lifestyle for reasons related to physical healthmental well-being and work/life productivity.

A former heavy drinker based in Asia, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his identity at work, told CNBC Travel that a sober lifestyle is like having a “superpower,” citing business trips where colleagues would struggle to get out of bed, long after. she had practiced and was returning emails to clients.

The ‘sober weird’ trend has also led to the proliferation of non-alcoholic spirits, beer and cocktails appearing on bar and restaurant menus around the world. Some bars have even gone completely alcohol free.

Social media conversations about topics such as “dry tripping”, “sober travel” and “alcohol-free holidays” are also on the rise, up 205% on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit and Tumblr in the last six months. compared to the previous half, according to social media listening company Sprout Social.

The number of unique authors posting about the sober travel trend increases by 186% with engagements — or the number of posts that are publicly interacted with through likes, comments or shares — nearly doubling during that time, according to the company.

The data also shows that conversations peaked in June 2024, the start of the summer travel season, mostly from social media users in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and Australia.

However, sober travel also has its share of critics. Sentiment over the past year shows that among social media interactions, 32% are positive, 38% are neutral, and 30% are negative.

For those looking to cut down on — or cut out — alcohol on vacation, some destinations may make that effort easier than others, according to a new ranking by insurance agency InsureMyTrip.

The ranking, however, is not a list of countries where alcohol sales are banned – places like Brunei, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Instead, the US-based company rated countries on nine metrics – from the cost of domestic beer to the average alcohol consumption of residents. The survey also looked at what other activities travelers can use to build their itinerary, especially those related to relaxation, such as national parks and quality wellness retreats.

Destinations were rated on a 10-point scale, with the company calling “best destinations to travel sober” as:

1. Nepal: 7.02
2. Morocco: 7.00
3. Costa Rica: 6.73
4. Turkey: 6:57
5. Greece: 6.41
6. Indonesia: 6.31
7. Jordan: 6.00
8. Italy: 5.93
9. Singapore: 5.92
10. India: 5.67

Six of the 10 countries are in Asia, with Nepal taking the top spot because hiking is plentiful and wellness retreats are cheap, averaging $584 per retreat, the cheapest in the study, according to InsureMyTrip.

Morocco ranked No. 2, boosted by the low-drinking culture of its Sunni Muslim population. “It also scores highly for its national parks (4.42/5), with plenty of wildlife areas and beautiful routes to enjoy,” the report said.

Costa Rica came in third — the only country in North America to make the top 10 list. Its focus on outdoor tourism, from beaches and rainforests to eco-wellness, is a magnet for people looking for holidays that improve their physical and mental health.

Greece, ranked No. 5, topped the list of “best things to do” and “best to relax.” Travelers can keep busy visiting the 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the world-famous Acropolis, while spending downtime at the highly rated but affordable spas, according to the ranking.

Residents of Greece drink, on average, more than seven liters of alcohol a year, far more than those from Jordan – No. 7 on the list – who drink less than one bottle of beer a year, according to data.

The rest of the countries made the list for different reasons: in some, alcohol is rare due to religious or social beliefs (Indonesia, parts of India), in others it’s widely available but expensive (Singapore), or it’s drowned out by so many other fantastic things to do during your visit (Italy — except its wine regions).

For those seeking abstinence, careful planning and a proactive mindset are key, according to the New Dimensions Day Treatment Centers website.

Advises travelers to:

• Plan a combination of physical and relaxation activities to relieve stress.
• Tell everyone in your group that you plan not to drink, to promote accountability.
• Keep a travel journal to stay present and aware.

American Jessica Watson said that after giving up drinking four years ago, it changed how she felt about some travel destinations, including a popular tourist town in central Texas.

“I went to Fredricksburg early on when I stopped drinking and realized that all people there do is wine walk and shop, so it wasn’t an interesting place for me anymore,” he said. “Once you take booze out of the equation, you realize how many people revolve around it.”

Watson said she went skiing in Colorado after quitting and found she was having more fun.

“Removing alcohol from a holiday makes the focus much more on the actual destination, being much more active on the trip, waking up early and feeling great.”