Stay on the International Space Station, rent a Japanese castle or take a two-month sabbatical in the Bahamas – the most exciting getaways ever

Feb 19 , 2020

Ozu Castle in Japan can be privately rented for the right price. Photo: Ozu Castle

A 10-day ‘space holiday’ will cost a staggering US$56 million inclusive of on-the-ground training and a rocket trip to space and back

Whether you’re an avid traveller, a sometime tourist or someone who seeks an adventure holiday outside the norm, we’ve found three unique and exciting destinations for the new decade.

Nasa’s International Space Station

Nasa just announced it’s going to allow Axiom Space, a Houston-based space station manufacturer to permanently dock a “commercial destination module” with the International Space Station (ISS). If this sounds exciting to you, blink and be warned – a 10-day “space holiday” will cost a staggering US$56 million inclusive of on-the-ground training and the rocket trip to the ISS and back.

Japan’s ancient castles

Ozu Castle in Ehime Prefecture and Hirado Castle in Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan, both hilltop castles, will allow a limited number of guests per year to spend the night. Photo: The Luxe Nomad

This spring, two carefully restored castles that date back to Japan’s Edo (1603–1867) and Meiji (1868–1912) periods will open their doors to guests who have a cool 1 million yen (US$9,168) or so, to live like daimyo (feudal lord) for a night. Hilltop hangouts Ozu Castle in Ehime Prefecture and Hirado Castle in Nagasaki Prefecture both allow a limited number of guests per year to spend the night. Get ready to kick back to a traditional gun-salute welcome, dance performance and gourmet Japanese meal.

Airbnb’s Bahamas sabbatical