12 spiritual places you have to visit

Mindful travel is a journey of self-knowledge, self-discovery and self-renewal.

Escaping our busy and hectic schedules is often a struggle. Getting away from our impossible goals and never-ending to-do lists seems tough. Now more than ever, we have a need to find our place, to enjoy some solitude and look within.

We need to find that moment of tranquillity, that one spot in which there is no race, no rush. Only peace and serenity. Fortunately, our spectacular world offers numerous places in which we can replenish, look-in and make that deeper connection with ourselves we so urgently need.

Mindful travel is a journey of self-knowledge, self-discovery and self-renewal. Here are 12 of the most spiritual and awe-inspiring places across the globe, you need to visit during your lifetime.

"Travelling tends to magnify all human emotions.” – Peter Hoeg

Mount Kailash, Tibet (China)

Mount Kailash – also known as Kang Rinpoche in Tibetan – is sacred to four different religions. Hindus considered it the abode of Shiva and Parvati, the gods of transformation. To Buddhists it is the dwelling of the mighty God Chakrasamvara. To Jains it is the place where their founder Rishabhanatha was enlightened and in Bönism, it is considered the holy mountain where the founder of their religion landed, when he descended from heaven.

Soaring at an altitude of 6,714m, Mt Kailash is a sight to behold. It is the source of the greatest rivers of Asia – The Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Indus and Ganges – and home to the Mesmerising Lake Mansarovar, one of the highest freshwater lakes in the world.  

Mt Kailash attracts thousands of pilgrims each year during the summer months. It is said that circumventing the mountain leads to spiritual liberation. Mt Kailash is more than just a mountain, it’s the ultimate pilgrimage, which infuses all those who dare, with power, purity and bliss.    

Prayag, India

Prayag is one of the most popular pilgrimage spots in India. It is the confluence of India’s three holy rivers: The Ganges, Yamuna and the subterranean Saraswati. Thousands of pilgrims travel to Prayag each year to bathe in its holy waters. It is said the waters of Prayag, have the cleansing power to rid one of all past sins.  

Borobudur, Indonesia

The ancient city of Borobudur is located in the Island of Java, Indonesia. Borobudur, which is built in the shape of the Buddhist universe – is considered to be the largest Buddhist temple in the world, decorated with 504 statues of Buddha. The different levels of this Mahayana Temple represent the stages of the journey towards self-discovery.

Borobudur was enlisted in UNESCO’s world heritage sites in 1991 and is Indonesia´s single most visited tourist attraction.

Shikoku Pilgrimage, Japan

The Shikoku Pilgrimage is an ancient Buddhist pilgrimage across 88 temples located in the Japanese island of Shikoku. It is also known as temple circuit, and is broken into four sections – awakening, ascetic training, enlightenment and Nirvana – representing different stages of one’s spiritual journey.

Pilgrims embarking upon this 1200km long journey, set aside their duties and social matters, to walk the path of self-discovery and personal growth.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Towering over the Andes lies the Inca Citadel of Macchu Pichu. The Incas thought Machu Pichu was the ideal location for studying the stars and the cycles of the equinoxes. The great Intihuatana stone literally translates to “To tie the sun” representing time as the movement of the sun.

Machu Picchu is said to possess a unique electromagnetic field, which gives this place a special spiritual importance. It is Peru’s most visited tourist attraction and a UNESCO world heritage site.

Rishikesh, India

Rishikesh has attracted yogis, saints, students and pilgrims for centuries. This city, which dwells on the foothills of the majestic Himalayas, is considered the Yoga capital of the world.

The Beatles visited Rishikesh in the 1960s where they learned transcendental meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Enchanted with the city’s unique spiritual energy, they wrote the song “Happy Rishikesh.”

Rishikesh was also the city where Swami Sivananda Saraswati, one of India’s most beloved masters founded the Divine Life Society.

Camino de Santiago, Spain

Camino de Santiago – also known in English as the Way of Saint James – is a network of paths leading to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in North Western Spain. Tradition has it, that the remains of St James were moved from Jerusalem to the church of Santiago de Compostela, where they remain today.

The route, which is over 500 miles long is usually completed entirely by foot – though some prefer to cycle the great distance. Camino de Santiago attracts thousands of Pilgrims each year, on account of its mesmerising beauty.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Spread over 400 square miles in the province of Siem Reap, Angkor Wat remains the largest spiritual complex in the world containing numerous temples, monuments, and canals.

Though it was originally constructed as a Hindu shrine, it was later transformed into a Buddhist complex of temples. Angkor Wat was the at the very centre of the Khmer kingdom and its architecture is an exhibition of the sophisticated culture of the Khmer empire.  At present, it remains one of the most recognisable monuments in the world. It was inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1991.

Bodh Gaya, India

Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Nirvana under the famous Bodhi tree, in Bodh Gaya, India. It has since remained a popular pilgrimage site amongst Hindus and Buddhists alike. For Buddhists however, it remains the single, most important pilgrimage site of all.

Here we can find the Mahabodhi Temple, shrine of both the Vajrasana – the diamond throne of enlightenment – and the sacred Bodhi tree. People from around the world travel to visit the ancient Bodhi tree, in hopes of capturing a glimpse of Buddha’s energy, which is said to remain present to this day. The Maha Bodhi temple acquired UNESCO world heritage status in 2002.

Lourdes, France

Lourdes is a small market town located at the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is said in 1958, the Virgin Mary appeared eighteen times to a fourteen-year old schoolgirl in the form of “The Immaculate conception”. It has since become one of the world’s most important pilgrimage sites, becoming France’s most visited centre of tourism after Paris.

It is believed the water of Lourdes’ springs can cure diseases. Though repeated testing has been unable to find curative properties, countless miracle cures have been documented including healing nervous disorders, cancer and even blindness.

Mount Arunachala, India

Mt Arunachala is a holy mountain located in Tiruvannamalai, South India. According to myth, lord shiva, the god of transformation manifested at Arunachala as column of light.

Thousands of India’s ascetics spend their winters at Arunachala, before retreating to the Himalayas during the summer. It is well known for its mystical caves, which are said to have a highly meditative environment.

"Arunachala is truly the holy place. Of all holy places it is the most sacred! Know that it is the heart of the world. It is truly Siva himself! It is his heart-abode, a secret place. In that place the Lord ever abides the hill of light named Arunachala." – Sri Ramana Maharishi

Mount Sinai, Egypt

It is said Moses received the Ten Commandments at the very peak of Mount Sinai, making it a holy site in all Abrahamic religions. It is a popular pilgrimage site for the religious whilst its awe-inspiring landscape make it a popular meditation spot for spiritual tourists.

These locations are not just tourist spots, they are centres – or have been at least at some point in time – of great spiritual magnitude, which remind us there is much more to live for than what we can hope to acquire in the material world. They are places which can inspire and change our lives to a point of no return, to a level of higher consciousness and an expanded heart.