With “noctourism” ranking among the top travel trends for 2025, interest in the nighttime heavens is explosive. A new Booking.com poll indicates that almost two-thirds of over 27,000 guests have thought about visiting “darker sky destinations” to see events like starbathing—lying down and staring at the night sky—or seeing once-in-a-lifetime cosmic happenings. Travelers now have the opportunity to discover locations from a different angle thanks to their increasing passion with nighttime activities. Rapidly rising as a means of most compelling connection with nature and culture is noctourism.
Stephanie Vermillon, author of 100 Nights of A Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Adventures After Dark, notes “the cool thing about night adventures is you see so many different sides to a destination, by just staying up late or rising early.” “Everything feels exciting and new since our senses are enhanced and there are things you see at night that you do not see any other time.”
What piqued curiosity about evening travel experiences?
Vermillon started her path into nighttime travel in 2010 on a vacation to Morocco. Vermillon had never seen a real night sky until she stayed under the stars in the Sahara Desert, growing up in Dayton, Ohio, which suffers from significant light pollution. “That evening I saw the Milky Way and two dozen shooting stars,” she says. “I started hunting Northern Lights, which got me curious about what else happens worldwide after dark. I went home, took an astronomy class.”
Her experiences have led her to assume that global events like the 2024 total solar eclipse or the peak in aurora activity between 2024 and 2025 have helped to generate growing curiosity for dark sky locations. Over 200 Dark Sky Reserves spread over the globe offer visitors breathtaking celestial views. For those wishing to see these amazing cosmic occurrences, this makes nocturnal travel very appealing.
What Other Experience After Dark, Beyond the Stars Might You Have?
Though auroras and starry sky are usually the main draws, evening hours offer much more to explore whether in cities or far-off natural areas. “You see a city so differently at night,” Vermillon notes. “I consider it as a city releasing its hair – it’s more laid back.” Night safaris, bioluminescent seas, and other events expose a mystical side of the planet felt when the sun sets.
These five after-hours events from Vermillon’s favorites highlight everything from cultural celebrations to the most brilliant sky shows in nature.
Where Might One See the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis?
The aurora borealis, sometimes known as Northern Lights, is among the most amazing sights lucky visitors may see. Above the magnetic poles are amazing displays of brilliant light produced by charged particles from the Sun impacting Earth’s atmosphere. Perfect place to see this celestial event is Iceland, smack in the middle of aurora activity. As long as there is no cloud cover, tourists may see streaks of lights across the sky for more than 100 nights from September to April.
Vermillon admits, “I have never felt goosebumps from nature more than during Northern Lights viewing. You are observing a dance in the surroundings. It is the most wonderful thing. Although catching the aurora usually involves enduring the cold, Iceland presents a warmer choice. Relaxation in naturally heated pools allows visitors to enjoy the amazing light show free from shivering.
” Seeing the Northern Lights in warmth and comfort seems surreal,” Vermillon says. “The water heats you from your core; its often over 100°F (38°C); so you can see your breath and your hair frosting.”
Why Is the Shetland Up Helly Aa Festival So Special?
Celebrated yearly in Lerwick, Shetland’s capital, the Up Helly Aa festival is a wild and noisy celebration of the island’s Viking past. Celebrated on the last Tuesday of January, the celebration consists of over 1,000 “guers,” or local men, walking through the streets bearing a replica Viking longship while wearing Viking clothing. The ship blazing in a magnificent torch-lit parade makes up the grand finale.
Vermillon says, “This one began about 200 years ago, so it’s really recent although many cultural celebrations are ancient. It’s interesting to observe pride in one’s background. Upward Furthermore unique for the sights are night, darkness, and fire from Helly Aa.”
Shetland’s northerly position gives a good possibility of witnessing the Northern Lights, sometimes referred to as the “mirrie dancers,” thus the event is also a great chance to capture the aurora in the winter months. This is among the several reasons nocturnal tourism is becoming popular among visitors looking for unusual experiences following dusk.
Why Is Atacama, Chile, the Perfect Stargazing Spot?
The driest nonpolar desert on Earth, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile has some of the most pure, most continuous night sky from its great elevation. Professional astronomers find great appeal in the Atacama region because of its dry climate and cloud-free evenings. Based here to investigate the secrets of the universe, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), one of the most powerful telescope systems in the world,
Vermillon raves, “Atacama has the clearest night skies I’ve ever seen, and clear skies for as many nights in a row as I’ve ever had.”
Unique experiences abound in the area as well, including stargazing trips, astrophotography classes, and archeoastronomy events examining ancient Indigenous tales about the sky. From private observatories or travel into the desert to feel as though they are standing on the surface of Mars or the Moon, visitors can investigate the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere.
What does a Zambian night safari offer?
Under cover of darkness, Africa’s wildlife gains a whole other dimension. Particularly predators like lions and leopards, many animals are more active at night. Vermillon suggests Zambia for those looking for the excitement of a night safari, especially in Kafue National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park, and South Luangwa National Park.
“A night safari offers an other viewpoint on wildlife,” explains Vermillon. “You typically find leopards prowling under darkness when less people are present. Seeing hyenas circle a lion to pilfers its prey is amazing.
Night safaris give Vermillon the extra dimension of sound. “At night, the pressure is off and it’s more about listening, too,” she notes. “I enjoy that time when you wake up to lion roars or hyena laughter about 02:00. You are among the animals doing their thing out there.
What makes Taiwan's Night Markets so unique and what are they like?
Unique cultural experience, full of mouthwatering street cuisine, energetic booths, and contagious ambiance, Taiwan’s night markets reflect Over 100 night markets all throughout the nation provide native cuisine like xiaochi, a sort of Chinese snack. Usually after local temple events, these marketplaces serve as a meeting ground for residents as well as guests.
Vermillon says, “People hang out and dine together heading to the night markets following temple sessions. They are constructed really for people to gather, hence visitors also find it rather interesting.
Raohe Night Market is well-known for its Fuzhou black pepper bun; Shilin Night Market in Taipei is the biggest and most well-known, noted for its oyster omelete. Commonly found in the after-hours markets, visitors could also dare to sample “stinky tofu,” a fermented bean curd delicacy with a strong scent.