Travel

Why 'Quiet-cations' Are The Latest Travel Trend

True silence is increasingly hard to find, which is leading to an uptick in so-called "quiet-cations."

NUKU HIVA, FRENCH POLYNESIA - JUNE 07 : The high altitude hygrophilous forest of Toovii plateau on June 07, 2024, in Nuku Hiva island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will hold its 46th session from July 21 to 31, 2024 in New Delhi (India). It will examine the nominations of 27 sites for inclusion on the World Heritage List, including Te Henua Enata - Les Iles Marquises presented by France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images) — NUKU HIVA, FRENCH POLYNESIA - JUNE 07 : The high altitude hygrophilous forest of Toovii plateau on June 07, 2024, in Nuku Hiva island, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will hold its 46th session from July 21 to 31, 2024 in New Delhi (India). It will examine the nominations of 27 sites for inclusion on the World Heritage List, including Te Henua Enata - Les Iles Marquises presented by France.
(Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)

The modern world we live in is noisy. Take a minute to listen to the landscape around you, and you’ll see that even if things are “quiet,” there are likely a few background hums of noise, from that of your appliances operating to the ambient noise of traffic on nearby streets. True silence, for many of us, can be a scarce commodity.

Does it matter? Well, it turns out that quiet can be healthy. Studies have shown that experiencing silence, even for just brief intervals, can help lower our blood pressure and improve our focus. This at least partially explains the recent travel trend of “quiet-cations,” in which travelers actively seek out the quietest places.

A nonprofit called Quiet Parks International is attempting to help by drawing attention to parks and trails that are particularly quiet. You can check out their full list here to find quiet places close to your home. In the meantime, here are two of our picks for great quiet travel destinations, one national and the other international.

-Olympic National Park, Washington

Located just a few hours northwest of Seattle, the sprawling Olympic National Park has something for everyone, from imposing mountains to boulder-strewn beaches and an impressively deep lake. In fact, this park, which was designated a national monument in 1909 and named a national park in 1938, is the place that inspired Quiet Parks International’s Gordon Hempton to found the organization.

Inside the Hoh Rain Forest.
(National Park Service)

Where To Find Quiet: Try visiting “One Square Inch of Silence,” a research project created by Quiet Parks International that may be one of the quietest places in the continental United States. Another good bet is the “Hall Of Mosses” trail in the Hoh Rain Forest, a 24-square-mile temperate rainforest so laden with moss and trees that you’ll feel a palpable hush as soon as you enter.

-Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

While the Olympic National Park is easily accessible from Seattle, Nuku Hiva, one of a chain of volcanic islands called the Marquesas in French Polynesia, will take a little more work. First, you’ll need to fly to Tahiti’s Faa'a International Airport, the main international airport for French Polynesia. Next, you’ll need to take a 3 hour and 15 minute flight to Nuku Hiva Airport, a one-runway landing strip on the northern part of the island. But once you’re there, you’ll find yourself in a paradise of quiet, because Nuku Hiva is one of the world’s most remote tourist destinations.

Where To Find Quiet: While much of the interior of Nuku Hiva features the island’s quietest places (as long as you don’t get too close to the impressive waterfalls, which can be pretty loud), the island’s deserted beaches and their bays also can’t be missed. Anaho Bay, located on the island’s north side, is serenely beautiful and calm, its white sand beaches surrounded by dense vegetation that acts as a sound muffler.

Senior writer Chris DeWeese edits Morning Brief, The Weather Channel’s weekday newsletter.