Are you looking forward to planning your vacation this year? If you're a frequent traveler, you may already have some favorite destinations. But you might also be looking for something new and exciting, maybe in a part of the world you haven't been to before. As small as the world can seem these days, objectively it's huge — and ripe with adventure for anyone looking to escape from the day-to-day familiarity of home.

Here are three fantastic vacation ideas for 2018, some of which are in places you may not have considered before.

South African Cape-to-Cape Road Trip

If you're fond of driving long distances with frequent stops along the way, each of which presents new sights and experiences to take in, a Cape-to-Cape road trip across South Africa could be a gold mine for you. This trip involves a 460-mile drive from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (the Western and Eastern Capes respectively) with multiple stops along the way. One of the best places to get out and explore is the Garden Route, which alone has enough to fascinate any traveler for days, with everything from forests and mountains to lagoons and beaches. There are other attractions along the way that have something for pretty much everyone, including hiking in Garden Route National Park, surfing at Jeffrey's Bay, and even bungee jumping from Bloukran's Bridge, a 709-foot-high arch that will set anyone's adrenaline pumping.

Pokhara, Nepal

Nepal's number one vacation destination offers a huge variety of activities, whether you're inclined more to relaxation or adventure. Absorb nature at one of the lakes near the city in the majestic shadow of the Annapurna mountains, spend time watching butterflies and birds, take in the local culture, or go mountaineering for a closer look at this local corner of the Himalayas. Or get a completely different view of the city and surrounding countryside by skydiving! You can also go whitewater rafting, mountain biking, ziplining, and much more — in fact, you might be able to check several items off your bucket list in Pokhara alone.

Olympic National Park, Washington, USA

Olympic National Park is another place that offers tons of different sights, but in this case it's all in the form of unspoiled wilderness. At almost a million acres in size, Olympic National Park encompasses several distinct ecosystems including ancient temperate rainforests, icecapped mountains, and over 70 miles of wild coastline just waiting for you to soak them up. You can go backpacking, fishing, mountaineering and more, and if you want to lend a helping hand, you can participate in a coastal cleanup to help this incredible piece of the natural world remain free of pollution.

Safety While Traveling

Whenever you're going to be far from home, you need to make sure you have a means of getting in touch with civilization if you need help, especially if you're out of cellular service range. The best way to do this is to carry a satellite phone with you. The Iridium network is best for mountainous regions and also offers total global coverage, so we can recommend it without a second thought for any of these destinations. You can buy an Iridium satellite phone from Outfitter Satellite, or rent one for the duration of your trip.

Stay safe, and have fun!