When I think back on it, I’ve always enjoyed spending nights in unusual places. When we were children, my siblings and I would often sneak into each others rooms at night, dragging our mattresses in so that all three of us could sleep together. When we grew older, we would sometimes set up the tent in the garden just for fun, or sleep on the verandah. Once, we even tried sleeping on the trampoline, though it turned out to be really uncomfortable!
This got me thinking about the most unusual places I’ve spent the night on my travels. And there have been some cosy, some strange and some magical places to add to the list:
In a treehouse, waking up to the sound of gibbons making their call around the Laotian jungle.
On a sleeper bus, with or without a stranger next to you. Be prepared with a good book and some snacks to keep you going. You’ll be in for a long, bumpy ride, probably with very little leg room!
In a 12 bed dorm in the remote town of Broome in North-Western Australia, where friends become family and you have to insert a dollar into the air conditioner every few hours to get a good night’s sleep, or you will end up in a pool of your own sweat!
On a Greyhound bus from Darwin to Alice Springs – not a sleeper bus. Just a bus. The only stops are some isolated petrol stations, where you can buy a dried out sausage roll and an over-priced chocolate milk for ten dollars.
In a swag under the stars in the Kimberley. Just you and the night sky. The stars are so much brighter in these isolated places. Be prepared for it to get quite cold during the night and check your swag for snakes before you get in!
In a boat cabin on the Great Barrier Reef. Find your bunk bed and let the waves rock you to sleep. Remember, it is a tropical area so it is going to be hot and sticky. If in doubt, take some sea sickness pills.
In a bed and breakfast in the Lakes District. Wake up to the flickering wood fire and a full English breakfast, before taking a walk along one of the many public footpaths. Then, come home to a hot bath and a warm bed.
On the couch of a friend of a friend, in Copenhagen. My first experience of couch surfing. Local guide, though he was high on weed most of the time. He gave me a tour of Christiania and taught me skills that would come in handy in Amsterdam. Couch surfing can be hit or miss, but why not give it a try?!
In a campervan in the national parks of NSW. Keep it cosy, draw the curtains and try to find somewhere legal to park the van, or at least keep the party music down for the neighbours.
At a homestay in Sapa, where I downed shots of rice wine out of respect for their traditions and awoke to a magical sunrise and a freshly-cooked crispy chunk of black sticky rice. Just rock up in Sapa and you will find plenty of hill tribe ladies ready to take you trekking into the mountains.
Where is the most interesting place you have spent the night on your travels?
Travel Adventure Discover 
Great post! You have certainly slept in some interesting places! I didn’t know about the trampoline! But knowing you, you could sleep anywhere!!! Xxx
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Haha well, we were living with you at the time, but perhaps we sneaked out late at night 😀
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Indeed! Little wonder that you are so adventurous now! Despite all your nocturnal activities, I thought I’d nominate you for a Blue Sky Tag! You’re IT!!! xxx
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Haha Thank you and look forward to doing the Blue Sky nomination :))) xxx
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Forgot to give you the link! It’s : https://candeloblooms.com/2017/06/15/blue-sky-tag/! Enjoy! xxx
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Thank you 😊
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Really fun article Jen. X
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Thanks Annie! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 x
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that’s making the best of your travels…any tips on how to sleep on an overnight flight?
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Good question! Luckily I am a very heavy sleeper. Generally, I find listening to music helps, plus taking a comfy pillow 🙂
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Wow, you have had some sleepy adventures! Great post.
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Thank you 😊
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Oh wow, I didn’t even know there were such things as sleeper buses. I’ve been on sleeper trains before, but never buses. And a sausage roll and chocolate milk for ten dollars? That’s insane!
You have slept in so many interesting places!! Right now I can’t remember the most interesting place I’ve spent the night while travelling, but you’ve got me thinking about it so I’ll be ruminating on it for a while 🙂
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Ooh, please let me know when you’ve had a think about it! I’m keen to hear other people’s unique sleep overs too!
Yes, I was quite excited by the idea of sleeper buses at first! After 10 hours they aren’t quite as fun, but a still a good memory 😊
And the sausage roll and milk for $10 I will put down to remote outback Australia and the cost it probably took to drive it there in the first place 😂 Thanks for reading! Xxx
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Haha yeah those outback prices make sense if you factor in the cost of transport. Still feels crazy to pay them though!
I actually recently stayed at a friend’s place, and she had a loft bed in a high narrow room – you climbed a ladder to get to the bed and there was even a little window that looked out into the living room. That was pretty awesome, and very cosy!! Other than that, when I was a kid I stayed in a hut in a re-created medieval village (part of a festival) with almost no modern facilities and no electricity, which was pretty rough living but a great experience 🙂
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Both of those experiences sound wonderful, particularly sleeping in a medieval village!! Rough living always makes you appreciate the simple things 🙂 Thanks for sharing! Xxx
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