Embrace the Night
Nightlife around the world
Depending on where you are from, “night life” may have different meanings. For me, nightlife at home growing up on three acres outside of the city was characterized by coyotes howling at the moon, bats zig-zaggedly flying across the sky, and the occasional screech of an owl. For many of my friends who lived in the nearby city, nights were full of street lights coming on, the rush of traffic slowing down, and music being played from their neighbor’s yard.
As much as nights can vary even close to home, they vary wildly from country to country. From Parisian streets that are bustling at midnight to Auckland sidewalks that seem to roll up before dusk, each country tells a beautiful story with their nights — and it’s up to you to embrace that new experience.
Quiet island night life
On small islands like Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, nights are meant to be spent at home with your family. There are no businesses open after 5pm and I’m not sure there are any restaurants open very long after dark. Even at home, the single channel television turns the programming off at 9pm (because it is only a single channel, tv shows are rotated between — even the Olympics were shut off just before a race ended!).
That island is not designed for a fast-paced life or vacation; it is designed for it’s inhabitants — and visitors — to take a break and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. After dark you can spend quality time with loved ones, read, tell stories, or go walking on the beach dipping your toes in the crystal-clear water as you gaze at the Milky Way above. With so little light pollution, the stars are very bright and the Milky Way is easily visible with the naked eye.
Bustling nights in Paris
Contrast that slow, island night life with that of the bustling nights in Paris. In Paris, dinner is served typically after 8pm. That means restaurants, bars, cafes, and some stores are routinely open until 11pm or later. So, it’s very normal to see the streets of Paris full of people sitting at sidewalk cafes and walking around — even at midnight.
After a late-night visit to the Louvre, my husband and I decided to take a long stroll. Friends were still out strolling along the Seine; the streets were less crowded, but there were still full of cars and taxis; and fashion-conscious Parisians sat at spindly sidewalk tables smoking their cigarettes while drinking wine. Going to bed early here would have meant missing this beautiful night life and, of course, the magnificence of the lit up Louvre and the twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower.
Romance after dark in Venice
There is something magical about seeing a place a night. Venturing in to St. Mark’s Square in Venice during the day, you are surrounded by throngs of people, hawkers, tour guides shouting over the noise, and cameras pointed everywhere. At night, when the last of the day tourists have gone on the last water bus, a whole new Venice comes out.
Locals come out to enjoy the violinist playing in the almost empty square. The stores are closed, but the local restaurants, cafes, and gelato shops are still open, and they will all greet you in Italian assuming you are local too. Once crowded bridges are empty save for teenagers kissing in the shadows and couples walking home enjoying their gelatos. Night time in Venice oozes quiet romance that is often lost in the crowds of the day.
Animal night life
If bustling cities aren’t for you, then maybe night time animal encounters are more your speed. There are many ways to have completely unique experiences with nocturnal animals that, naturally, can only happen at night. I’ve enjoyed a night time kangaroo experience, walked with kiwis, bumped bellies with giant manta rays, and listened to the bone vibrating roar of a lion- all after dark.
Night time at an animal sanctuary in Australia, I snuggled a young koala, held a really chubby and heavy wombat, and fed dozens of kangaroos. After dark at a kiwi sanctuary in New Zealand, we visited some kiwis up close. The kiwis were sniffing around hunting for grubs; I stayed still long enough that one kiwi even came over to sniff my fingers!
While on safari in South Africa, as I walked back to my hut under the canopy of stars, I heard — well, more like felt — the lion’s roar across the savanna. There is definitely a reason we think of the lion as king.
Manta ray encounter
While visiting friends in Hawaii, we decided to take a night boat excursion. We got on the zodiak with our captain and guide — they equipped us with masks and snorkels then told us to jump off the boat into the pitch black ocean.
So, of course, we all jumped.
Our guide followed with a surfboard that had a bright light attached. We all had to hold on to the surfboard as he turned the light on. The light attracted phytoplankton which attracted the main event: massive manta rays. Each manta ray had a wingspan over 6ft. with one ray significantly larger than that! At first, the rays happily fed on the phytoplankton far below us but as we stayed very still watching them, they become curious about us and swam closer and closer. Eventually, the rays were taking turns swimming directly up at us then “belly rolling” at the last second gently bumping our bellies, chests, and arms before they glided away.
From nights around campfires sharing good stories with great friends to nights spent watching Wicked at the Pantages in Hollywood, there is something special about nights in different places. Nights can illustrate a whole new, beautiful side of a place you would never see if you went home before dark. When you travel locally or far away, embrace the night activities wherever you go.
Who knows what new worlds of experiences await you if you embrace the night?
Leana’s an avid world traveler who has been to over 40 countries and will be venturing to her 7th continent in 2022. She believes in ubuntu and that adventures make life worth living. To follow her journey as a plus-sized woman with unquenchable wanderlust as she continues to seek out all that the world has to offer, you can check out The Overweight Adventurer.
