Move aside, routine itineraries. Airbnb brings to the table some of the most unusual experiences for the curious traveller. Check out our list of best 10. By Sushmita Srivastav
Gone are the days when travellers expected their hosts to hand them over a curated itinerary upon their arrivals. An unusual, immersive experience that nobody would have heard of, is the new ‘in’ thing, and the hosts on Airbnb Experiences have plenty of them to offer. From making jewellery from your own DNA to learning to eat fire, there are more than 25,000 such weirdly wonderful activities listed from over 1,000 countries that you can try. Start with the list of 10 that we found the best on Airbnb Experiences:
1. Create A Necklace From Your DNA In Tacoma
Hosted in Washington’s Tacoma, this cutting-edge activity takes you to a biotech lab where local scientists teach you how to extract your own DNA under their expert guidance. But the thrill doesn’t end here as you also get to make a necklace pendant out of it to carry back home! The profits made through his workshop are used to support the growth of biotech entrepreneurs in the city.
2. Try Chainsaw Carving In Salem
Forget about your usual wood shop—this hands-on experience is about using a chainsaw to carve out your own keepsake masterpiece. Learn all the tricks of the trade by a deeply-passionate father-son duo, but only after being stunned looking at their jaw-dropping sculptures that go up to 12-ft long!
3. Make Your Own Marionette In Prague
Thanks to this interesting experience, the fascinating world of puppeteering wouldn’t stay aloof to you anymore. Learn the unique art of marionette-making, create your very own take-home puppet, and bring it to life by practicing the puppeteering skill from the professionals.
4. Learn To Cuddle From Experts In LA
Therapeutic hand-holding, hugging, laughing and connecting in more than one way—a LA-based cuddle laboratory (yup, you heard it right!) is here to help you sharpen your spooning skills through paired and group activities. Reduce your stress and anxiety at this cool cuddle session, thoughtfully designed to promote connection, healing, laughter and fun.
5. Eat A Ball Of Fire In LA
Remember when you saw a performer juggling fire balls and gulping them down at a circus you went to as a child? This takes it many notches higher. Here, you join a burlesque and variety performer at her home studio, and learn to eat some fire yourself! Conducted under expert guidance, this one lets you light up a torch, and gorge those fierce flames, after going through a careful session of theory and safety precautions crucial for the art.
6. Turn Mermaid For A Day In San Diego
Time to live your childhood fantasy to turning into a mermaid. Live the famous La Jolla marine life by getting all glammed up with a mini ‘mermaid’ makeover (think seashell top, mermaid tail, keepsake hair accessories), and hit the beautiful beaches of San Diego for a dreamy sunset photoshoot. An ocean advocate and professional mermaid will accompany you to tell you everything that’s there to know about the mystical marine creature.
7. Visit A Crystal Wonderland In San Francisco
Be lost in a magical land by entering a crystal mirror space featuring cascading glass walls and coloured lights. Or choose to attend your very own private concert—be seated on a shiny sequined sofa, and drift away to a musical odyssey playing in your headphones.
8. Live Your Day In A Witch’s Life In San Antonio
Let a spiritual healer and practicing witch tell you all about the witches’ secrets. Learn the art of sage smudging and how to turn dried flowers and herbs into natural products for your personal use. Later, take them home to burn these smudge sticks right to rid your space of any negative energy and process healing.
9. Go For Neural Enhancement In London
This is your chance to be a part of your personal Sci-Fi! A one-to-one interactive theatre performance with Dr Leon will take you through a brain surgery imitation, applying a sensory stimulation to the head alongside a relaxing audio experience. Fright not, this intensively relaxing neural treatment is absolutely safe and painless.
10. Learn Island Survival Skills In Puerto Rico
Ever thought what would you do to survive on a stranded island? Well, time to try out all your survival skills and learn some more in this fun outdoor workshop. Learn the useful know-hows—climb a palm tree, build an emergency shelter, open a coconut without a knife, and decipher edible plants. Later the day, immerse in the true Puerto Rico culture.
Related:Did You Know Airbnb’s Co-Founder Nathan Blecharczyk Has His Own Home Listed On Airbnb?
