Hate crowds? These peaceful places feel like they were made just for you

Twelve soul-restoring escapes for travelers craving stillness, nature and a reset from modern life

We live in a world that never shuts up. Screens glow late into the night. News feeds spin endlessly. The noise is constant. So when it comes time to travel, more and more people are choosing to step back from it all.

Not with yoga retreats or detox packages. But by going somewhere real. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere that doesn’t demand anything from them.

These are those places. From the Tasmanian wilderness to untouched islands in Indonesia, these are destinations where the air is cleaner, the people are calmer, and you can finally hear yourself think again.

1. King Island, Tasmania

A remote Southern Ocean escape with windswept cliffs, world-class cheese and not a single crowd in sight.

It feels like the kind of place where time has slowed just for you. Hike along wild coastal tracks, find entire beaches to yourself, and stay in beautifully simple eco-huts like Red Rock Hut where the night is filled with nothing but stars and waves.

The island is also rich in stories. Chat with the locals about shipwrecks and roaring storms. Eat some of the best brie and cheddar in Australia, all produced within a few kilometres. And if you're up for it, book a guided fishing trip with a fourth-generation sea dog who knows the waters better than his own backyard.

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2. Meemure, Sri Lanka

Hidden deep in the Knuckles Mountain Range, Meemure is a self-sufficient village reachable only by narrow jungle tracks.

There’s no Wi-Fi, no pavement and no curated experiences. Just terraced rice fields, jungle paths and people who still live by the rhythm of the land. Stay in a local homestay, trek to secret waterfalls and let time stretch out again.

Mornings here begin with birdsong and mist. You might help cook breakfast over a wood fire, then follow a barefoot guide up a fern-lined path to a natural pool that feels like it was carved out just for you.

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3. Bhimtal and Jilling Estate, India

Tucked above the more popular Nainital in the Kumaon hills, Bhimtal offers still lake waters and pine-scented air.

Climb higher to Jilling Estate, a 100-acre hideaway you can only reach by foot. Once you arrive, it is just you, the mountains and the silence. Read by the fire, walk forest trails, and breathe in views of snow peaks from your veranda.

The estate is family-run and filled with personality. You might be invited to pick vegetables from the garden or join an impromptu stargazing session after dinner.

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4. Coffin Bay, South Australia

Where the land meets the sea in a way that feels almost spiritual.

Here, you can hike through dramatic coastal dunes in complete solitude, then sit knee-deep in ocean water shucking oysters from the very farm that grew them. Stay in off-grid luxury cabins and let the wildness wash through you.

The coastline is raw and vast, and it's not uncommon to spend hours without seeing another soul. At night, with no city lights, the stars become their own kind of ocean overhead.

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5. Kampot, Cambodia

A river town where the most pressing decision is whether to nap in a hammock or paddle out at sunset.

Kampot is slow, tropical and blissfully underbuilt. Ride a bicycle past crumbling colonial buildings, visit the local pepper farms, or take a boat to nowhere in particular. There’s nothing here to impress anyone, which is exactly why it’s perfect.

There are yoga classes by the river, quiet cafes playing old jazz records, and expats who came for a weekend and never left.

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6. Neeleshwar Hermitage, Kerala, India

On a quiet stretch of Kerala’s coastline, Neeleshwar is part spiritual retreat, part barefoot luxury.

Here, you fall into gentle rhythms—sunrise yoga, Ayurvedic massages, hand-cooked thalis, quiet swims. No nightclubs. No scene. Just palms, sand and the kind of stillness that seeps into your bones.

The architecture is traditional, the staff are intuitive and warm, and the vibe is deeply personal.

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7. Khao Yai Art Forest, Thailand

An open-air sanctuary where nature and art live in quiet conversation.

This privately preserved forest is scattered with sculptures, moss-covered walkways and quiet meditation nooks. You can spend hours wandering without seeing anyone.

Whether you’re sketching in a notebook or sitting cross-legged on a rock, something inside you quiets down. It’s a living museum that asks for nothing more than your presence.

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8. Pumphouse Point, Tasmania

A former hydro station turned floating retreat in the middle of a glacial lake.

Each room has wide windows facing nothing but water and mist. There are no televisions. No Wi-Fi. Just books, fireplaces and the occasional platypus swimming by.

You can hike into the rainforest, borrow a rowboat for a quiet paddle, or do nothing at all. At night, the lake becomes ink-black and perfectly still.

9. Koh Yao Noi, Thailand

An island caught in the space between time and tide.

Halfway between Phuket and Krabi, Koh Yao Noi has quietly resisted mass tourism. There are no clubs or chain resorts—just stilted bungalows, longtail boats, and slow, sleepy days.

You can ride a scooter through coconut groves, eat lunch in someone’s backyard restaurant, or join a morning meditation class with ocean views.

10. Sumba Island, Indonesia

A wild, windswept island where traditions still guide daily life and modern development is kept respectfully at bay.

Sumba is home to ancient megalithic cultures, quiet beaches that go on forever, and horses that gallop freely along the shore at sunrise. Stay at a locally run surf lodge or one of the few eco-resorts that blend with the land, not against it.

You might join a village ceremony, explore dry savannah landscapes or just stare at the sea for hours. Sumba invites stillness in a way that feels ancient.

11. Nong Khiaw, Laos

Mountains like dragon spines, river mist, and not much else.

This sleepy town along the Nam Ou River is ringed by limestone cliffs and tiny villages. Hike to hidden lookouts, kayak the river in silence, or sit for hours on a bamboo deck just watching the clouds shift.

Locals smile with their eyes. Life unfolds slowly. Even the dogs seem to nap more deeply here.

12. Lemukutan Island, Indonesia

A no-cars, no-stress island where everything slows to a whisper.

Accessible only by boat from West Kalimantan, Lemukutan is a local secret. With coral reefs just off shore and simple fishing village vibes, it’s a place to snorkel, sleep, and wander barefoot until you forget what day it is.

There are no resorts. Just homestays, beach shacks and the scent of salt drying on wood. Electricity flickers at night and the stars come out like confetti.

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How to choose your place of peace

You don’t need a checklist. You need a feeling.

Ask yourself:

• Where will I feel most at ease?
• What kind of silence do I need—forest, sea, mountain or village?
• Can I be present here?

Start there. The rest will come.

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Let JourneyMaker plan your reset

We design Journeys that match how you want to feel. Whether it’s the hush of a forest, the rhythm of the sea, or the calm of a mountain village, we’ll help you find your happy place.

Want us to build your custom peace-out trip? Just answer a few simple questions and we’ll do the rest. No stress. No clutter. Just the kind of travel that leaves you lighter than you came.

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