A new study from MyVoucherCodes has uncovered the South East’s ultimate travel ‘bucket list’, allowing people to compare their number one dream with the region’s favourite.
The discount and deals site asked people from across the UK to select their top 10 adventures from a bucket list compiled by the world’s top travel professionals, before producing a definitive list for each region.
Just under half (48 per cent) of all South Easterners surveyed selected seeing the Northern Lights as their top bucket list activity. Despite 15 per cent more females than men including the spectacle in their top 10, it was still a firm favourite with both genders.
Other popular choices included taking a wildlife safari in Africa (29 per cent), walking a stretch of the Great Wall of China (23 per cent) and visiting New Zealand’s South Island (21 per cent).
According to the research, people in the South East are more likely to want to experience Bali (12.5 per cent), visit the Amazon Rainforest (20.59 per cent) and discover the Australian Outback (13 per cent) than any other region in the UK.
With 29 per cent of the region’s participants hoping to go on a wildlife safari in Africa and 14 per cent wanting to volunteer at an elephant sanctuary, those living in the South East were among the nation’s biggest animal lovers.
The research also highlighted some significant gender splits. More females (32 per cent) than males (22 per cent) favoured taking part in animal experience days such as going on a wildlife safari or gorilla trekking in Africa, and 14 per cent of all women surveyed included volunteering at an elephant sanctuary in their top 10, compared to just 4 per cent of men.
What’s more, men appeared most likely to engage in physically challenging activities, including embarking on an expedition to Antarctica, trekking to Mount Everest base camp and hiking through volcanoes in Hawaii.
It was the 18-34-year olds who opted for typical destinations such as the Great Barrier Reef and Paris. Conversely, those aged 34+ voted for the more culturally rich activities like visiting historic Havana, Petra and the Mayan Ruins.
Perhaps most surprisingly, middle aged participants had more appetite for taking part in a drinking experience than millennials, with those aged between 35-44 most likely to drink a beer at Oktoberfest in Germany or try wine tasting in Bordeaux.
Martyn John, travel spokesperson at MyVoucherCodes, said: “Our research is just a micro study into some of the nation’s worldwide-wish-list destinations, but demonstrates some clear trends as well as throwing up a few surprises.