5 Places in The World That Deserve to be Seen With Binoculars.

We do our best to streamline our packing. Beth and I have always been in the camp that the less baggage you have the better. But between her photo equipment–which is actually pretty minimal—our electronics, bathroom stuff, and clothes, we still always seem to be lugging at least three pieces of luggage—a suitcase, a backpack for our gear, and a camera bag—on our trips. That’s about as minimal as we can go. Since we don’t have a lot of extra space, non-necessary blogging items are weighed heavily before a trip, and often don’t make the cut. Sadly, binoculars are usually on this list.

Related: CL Pocket Review: Putting The Binoculars to Test in New England

When it comes to packing extra gear, if we can make a case for it, then the item will usually make the cut. With that in my mind, I decided to write a story about the different places we’ve traveled, where binoculars would have added to the experience. Then, next time we’re packing and I’d like to bring a pair, I can use this piece as my evidence—pretty clever right? So, on that note, here are the five destinations where I wish I had a pair of binoculars.

Maldives

I’m convinced that the Maldives is my generations South Pacific. It’s a country of over a thousand islands, many of which are ringed by soft white sand. The clear, turquois water is as refreshing as it is clear, and overwater bungalows are the norm. We spent a week in one at the luxurious Gili Lankanfushi. It would have been great to have a pair of binoculars by my side when I was relaxing on the balcony, which was often. From our place we had a view of the island, other bungalows, and then the open sea. When the tide was low we could spot rays and sharks, but we were never able to see more than a fin or shadow—binoculars would have remedied that issue nicely.

Galapagos

Getting up close and persona with animals is an every day occurrence in the Galapagos. From sea lions zipping by you forehead to marine iguanas spitting at you, the opportunity to interact with so much natural wildlife is astonishing. Sometimes, though, we couldn’t get as close as we would have liked to see the details of an animal or bird, or even a passing island. In those situations, binoculars would have come in handy.

Cappadocia

A few years back we took a balloon ride over the ancient rock formations of Cappadocia, Turkey. It was our first time up in a hot air balloon and I learned something important that day—a great hot air balloon pilot is truly a master of their domain. We rode with Royal Balloon (a fantastic outfit) and our veteran guide, Suat, was amazing. He maneuvered around the towering stone cylinders with such finesse and control. Having binoculars with me would have been sweet since the panorama from inside the basket stretched out for miles.

Danube River (Austria/Germany)

We spent a week on the Danube River, cruising from Austria to Germany with Gate 1 Travel. Along the way we stopped in small cobbled stone towns and passed many more. Going up the river is a mellow affair with good views on each side. Perched on steep hills were medieval castles that kept watch over the river and surrounding woodlands. The river itself is as wide as a California freeway, so everything can be seen from the boat. But like the other places I mentioned, having binoculars would have given me a more detailed view of the sights.

Oia, Greece

Oia is like the Mila Kunis of travel porn. It’s stylish, pretty to look at it, and plastered all over the Internet. Located on Santorini, the whitewashed village is cut into a cliff nearly 500 feet above sea level and looks out over a dark blue caldera. Inside the village are winding pathways cut between homes, restaurants, and luxurious boutique hotels with infinity pools with billion dollar panoramas. Many of the most exclusive places are tucked away into the hillside, but with a pair of binoculars you’d be able to uncover these snow-white lilly pads of the rich and famous.

We’re going to Key West in February, and I’m going to be testing out Swarovski Optik’s CL Companion binocular on the trip. We will be be flying into Ft. Lauderdale and then road tripping through the Keys. So, it will be a good opportunity to see how well the CL Companion’s perform on the road.

O.K., that’s my list and I’m sticking to it. Any place in the world where you wish you had a pair of binoculars? Tell me about it in the comments below!