If you are going to consider disappearing and starting a new life you may want to start somewhere new. While most people want to stay close to where they grew up or just want a chance to start again., there are others who want to completely get away from their life and start somewhere new where no one will recognize them. Then there are those who only want to disappear for a little while to "find" themselves and have a change of pace for awhile. No matter what your reasons for disappearing, if you want to know the best places to stay under the radar, then consider some of the following destinations.
Sequoia and King's Canyon National Park in California
This is good for those who don't want to leave the country. Most people associate California with sun and beaches, but California is also well known for their tree. Not only does California have the tallest coast redwoods and the oldest bristlecone pines, but it is also home to the largest tree by volume along the Sierra Nevada mountains. Many of these can be enjoyed at the famous Yosemite National Park, but if you want a quieter change of pace, then you can head south to Sequoia National Park or King's Canyon National Park.
In addition to the giant redwood trees, these parks also feature a cleft that is deeper than the grand canyon, numerous trails, and caves. It also features the highest peak in the United States outside of Alaska. So there are plenty of places where you can go to either get away from it all and disappear for awhile or if you truly want to rough it in the outdoors you can easily disappear off the grid and live off the land in the areas around here.
Providence, Rhode Island, United States
This is another option for those hoping to stay in the United States, but on the eastern coast. Rhode Island is the smallest US state and is more like an English county. Providence is the capital of the state and has many of the same qualities as Boston, which is only an hour's drive away. However, Providence is about a quarter of the size of Boston. The city has a strong student influence thanks to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. Downtown Providence is also the only area in the US to be entirely listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhoods here range from the stately 18th century homes to colorful Italian and Portuguese communities. An excellent place to hide under the radar while still feeling a part of a larger community and being able to watch out for those around you.
Yukon, Canada
If you want to get out of the country, but not any place too far, then consider Yukon, Canada. This is where the Canadians travel when they are feeling too crowded. This wilderness area is near the border with Alaska. It is twice the size of the UK, but far fewer residents. While this region surged in population during the gold rush days of the 1800s, there are only a few reminders of this era in small towns. It features some of the largest polar fields outside of the polar regions. Whether you want a scenic adventure to get away for a little while or you want to really disappear and rough it in the wilderness, this is the destination for you.
Richmond, North Yorkshire, England
There are many places called Richmond throughout the world, from a London borough to the state capital of Virginia. However, we are talking about the original Richmond just outside of Yorkshire Dales National Park along the River Swale. It is home to the Richmond Castle, one of the oldest stone fortresses in the country. However, the true heart of the town is Market Place.
This place has an outdoor market every Saturday with a permanent indoor market. The quaint little town features cobbled streets lined with beautiful little cottages. A nice place to hide out like Rhode Island where it is small enough to know the local population and yet large enough to successfully hide yourself.
Fermanagh Lakelands, Northern Ireland
This is the best destination for someone who wants something blissfully unhurried, although it did gain some fame for the G8 summit. This area is about one-fifth water, and most of it belongs to a lake that is broken into two parts. The upper part of the lake is a maze of over 150 islands while the lower part of the lake is a more traditional open lake. Many of the islands in this area have a long legacy. For example, on Devenish Island, there is an Augustinian monastery, and on White Island, there are six enigmatic Celtic stone figures. More modern history is seen in stately homes on Castle Coole and Florence Court. The waterways are full of trout and salmon. With so many little places it is easy to find a place off the grid to hide and live off the land.
Inchcolm Island, Firth of Forth, Scotland
While this island is a pretty small sliver of land, the ruined abbey on it feels like your typical remote Scottish island. This island is located about a half-hour boat ride from Edinburgh. The ruined abbey on the island houses the best-preserved monastic complex in all of Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1123 by Augustine monks, and it offers beautiful views. In addition to the abbey, there is a Macbeth Festival held here and the island is dotted with tunnels, lookouts, and bunkers from use as a garrison in both World War I and World War II. Today, the only permanent inhabitants of this island are animals. Making it the perfect spot for a short-term disappearing getaway.
Arras, France
Most people know of this small town in northeastern France because of its position near the front line action of World War I. However, the town boasts beautiful squares with a vertiginous belfry and colorful arcades.
The exuberant town today defies the somber history of the town. There are two ancient market squares, the Grand Places, and Petite Place, surrounded by Flemish-Spanish houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Beneath this town, there are historical tunnels that were used as British command posts, hospitals and barracks in World War I and now blossom each spring into a beautiful garden. A wonderful place to disappear off the radar.
Avila, Spain
This town is set on the cool, high plains of Castilla y Leon in central Spain and features a historic bastion. The main feature of this town, the bastion features thick walls 12 meters high that surround the town. It is interrupted only by a series of embellishments such as eight gates and dozens of towers and turrets. This bastion was built in the 12th century on top of the remains of Roman and Muslim battlements. Today, they are some of the best preserved medieval walls, and you can even walk along part of them. Further around the town are snow-dusted mountains. Inside, there are quiet medieval streets. A nice place to start your new life.
Sylt, Germany
This town is popular with German tourists and it's easy to see why. It is a large, anchor-shaped island in the North Sea featuring a civilized drinking and dining scene.
However, if the party life isn't your thing, there are still plenty of spots with quiet beauty where you can enjoy flower-thick gardens and lighthouses overlooking green meadows and sand dunes. To the west, you can enjoy miles of secluded fine-sand beaches and wild surf. To the east, there is the Wadden Sea with natural tidal mudflats. In the town itself, there are a number of eateries ranging from bistros to Michelin-starred restaurants, so you have no shortage of fine places to dine. The perfect all around place to disappear and start a new life.
Ikaria, Greece
If you want someplace to disappear where you can eat, drink and just unwind then this little place in Greece is the perfect place. This is a place where the average person lives to 100 easily.
This likely has something to do with the serenity of the place and the opportunities to unwind such as the hot springs. This hilly isle is located in the northeast Aegean Sea and is mostly bypassed by tourists. A good chunk of the island is crumbling ruins, secluded bays and small villages where the residents gather together. Ikaria is a vineyard-rich town with easy-going individuals.
So for an out of the way place that works well for short disappearances to get away from it all, or for a long term place to disappear off the radar, this is a great option.
Trieste, Italy
This city can easily be the best place in all of Europe. This little piece of Italy is mostly surrounded by Slovenian territory and was once the main cosmopolitan port of Austria.
The town is a mix of Latin, Slavic, and Germanic cultures. You can find this through a mix of food choices. The town also features graceful 18th-century districts straddling a Grand Canal, as well as richly decorated neoclassical churches and synagogues. A nice cultural town to disappear to.
Torun, Poland
While many of Poland's fine towns were destroyed during World War II, the walled medieval port of Torun on the Vistula River escaped mostly intact. Today, it continues to be bypassed by the majority of tourists, so most don't get to appreciate the Gothic architecture throughout the town.
The architecture in this town is some of the best-preserved in northern Europe from the ornately decorated houses to the red-brick buildings of the old town. Some standouts are the towering cathedrals, the medieval ruins of the castle and walls, and the 14th-century town hall that offers sweeping views of the city. A nice historical place to disappear from the world and start a new life.
Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey
This region in Turkey is vastly different from the cosmopolitan Istanbul or the laid-back coastal regions. At one time this frequently passed up region of Turkey was the northern frontier of Mesopotamia. Today, it is a region filled with sites that date far back in human history. For example, the stone circles of Gobeki Tepe are thought to contain the world's oldest temple. An equally beautiful area is Mardin when golden stone houses overlook sunbaked plains and colossal ancient statues.
Kiso Valley, Japan
This thickly wooded Kiso Valley was the main route through central Japan about two hundred years ago. Today, it is more out of the way. As a result, it preserves a number of old post stations along the mountain road, Nakasendo, that runs from modern Tokyo to Kyoto. The most beautiful of these stations is Tsumago, which has restricted modern development and still features traditional dark wood, lattice-fronted houses along a car-free main street.
There is plenty to see and do in this small town. If you take the entire five-mile hike along the route, then you will go past farmland, forest, and waterfalls. A nice time capsule to disappear into.
Arunachal Pradesh, India
This is the land known for dawn-lit mountains and is high on the list for Shangri-La candidates. This area sits at the confluence of India, Bhutan, Tibet and Burma. Historically this area has been inaccessible from any country and is so remote that a few of the Himalayan peaks in the area haven't been named or climbed. Today, relaxed travel restrictions and improved infrastructure allow this extraordinary place to be explored.
Here you can enjoy nature reserves teeming with diverse wildlife not seen anywhere else in India. The forests are home to delicately tattooed tribal people. The mountain valleys are filled with majestic Buddhist monasteries including the world's largest, Tawang Gompa. An adventurous place to start your new life.
Byblos, Lebanon
While at first glance this may seem like nothing more than a simple, picturesque fishing harbor; you will also find a lot of history in this town. This serene little town north of Beirut has been around for quite awhile. Some even claim it is the oldest continually inhabited town in the world.
This town has been featured in the Bible, conquered by Crusaders and was the source of the modern alphabet. Today, all these layers of history are well represented in the ruins of ancient temples, tombs, and Neolithic houses. Perhaps the three best sites are the reconstructed Roman amphitheater, the 12th century Crusader Castle and the restored medieval souq that features everything from antiques to fossils.
Meknes, Morocco
Meknes is the fourth in size and also the most modest of Morocco's imperial cities, making it often overlooked. The city is a mix of narrow streets and grand buildings. It is nestled among the fertile plains of the Middle Atlas Mountains. The city includes numerous palaces, 25 miles of historic walls, dozens of mosques and the vast, ornate tiled Bab el-Mansour gate. Most of these sites date back to the 17th and 18th century. It also features the largest Roman ruins in the country.
Jambiani Beach, Tanzania
This is a clear standout in the country. It is located along the island's east coast, and it is protected by offshore reefs. This particular beach is long and palm-fringed with fine coral sand that slopes into a turquoise sea. This beautiful landscape is one of the quietest places on the east coast and is also a good glimpse into the rural Zanzibari life. Along with the vibrant fishing village, there are a number of coral and thatched houses. During the day you can observe age-old daily rituals include the drying of seaweed and fishing from outrigger canoes.
Northwestern Tasmania, Australia
Australia's island state of Tasmania has long been known for its apples and is quickly becoming the best stop for the country's food. The beautiful unspoiled countryside and pristine waters provide a wide range of local produce. A number of restaurants in the area offer delicacies that are hard to beat.
Among the rolling hills, you will find farms full of cherries, raspberries, and even organic salmon. Nearby King Island is home to bries, cheddars and blue cheeses along with crayfish and oysters. Throughout the area, there are over fifty varieties of honey. A wonderful area to spend your new life.
Kosrae, Micronesia
You are going to need a lot of time to reach this island since the nearest international connections are Honolulu and Guam. Kosrae is the easternmost island in a chain of 607 that make up the Federated States of Micronesia.
This isolation is one of the biggest benefits of the island. It is surrounded by coral reefs that make it one of the most undisturbed areas in the Pacific Ocean, sheltering a variety of marine life.
In the summer, the visibility of the water can be 60 meters, enough to see the submerged remains of an American flying boat and a Japanese freighter that sank in World War II. The interior of the island is a rainforest and delightful beaches. A nearby islet of Lelu features jungle-covered ruins that look like a smaller version of the lost city of Nan Madol on the main Micronesian island of Pohnpei.
Sao Tome and Principe
These islands like to live life slow and calm. This one-time Portuguese colony was formed from two islands in the Atlantic. Sao Tome is a tropical island right along the equator. The volcanically formed interior shelters rain forests and a wide range of plant and bird species. The smaller neighbor is Principe. Both of these islands produce some of the best cocoa and coffee in the world. The modest capital features Portuguese era buildings, beaches and hiking trails through rugged landscape.
While there are plenty of other destinations where you can disappear to, these are just a few ideas to get you started on the endless possibilities of destinations where you can start your new life.
Once you are ready to disappear you need to make sure you have everything ready and to do this, you need to get rid of the old you so you can start building up your new identity.