Where can you go on an alcohol-free and alcohol-free trip?

Years ago, a hotel manager in Koh Samui, Thailand, told me about an unusual booking he once received in the middle of the night.

A traveller flew his entire family on a private jet from Brunei to a Thai island after learning upon landing in Brunei that it was a “dry country” – meaning the sale of alcohol was banned.

This guy makes it a priority to have a drink or two while on vacation.

Of course, he’s not the only one drinking. Many people consume alcohol to relax and relieve stress, which is also a major reason people travel. Additionally, alcohol seems to be everywhere at many resorts, from the pool bar to the breakfast buffet that offers unlimited champagne.

But drinking alcohol on vacation isn't just about sipping ice-cold cocktails on the beach; it can help people deal with travel-related issues, from flight fears to social anxiety, according to Texas-based New Dimension Day Treatment Centers.

Airports can also act as a catalyst, as people celebrate the start of the holiday — or mourn its end — and mingle with those killing time in bars and lounges that serve drinks around the clock.

While many people have no interest in trying, a growing number of people are exploring a “sober curious” lifestyle for reasons related to physical health, mental wellness, and work and life productivity.

One former alcoholic living in Asia, who asked to remain anonymous to protect his identity at work, told CNBC Travel that a sober lifestyle is like having a “superpower,” citing business trips where colleagues struggled to get out of bed, long after he had been exercising and answering client emails.

This trend has also led to the proliferation of non-alcoholic spirits, beers and cocktails on bar and restaurant menus around the world. Some bars have even gone completely alcohol-free.

Social media conversations around topics like “dry trips,” “sober travel” and “alcohol-free vacations” are also on the rise, up 205% on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit and Tumblr in the past six months, compared to the previous six-month period, according to social media listening firm Sprout Social.

The number of unique authors posting about the sober travel trend increased by 186%, with interactions — or the number of times posts are publicly interacted with, via likes, comments or shares — nearly doubling during the period, according to the company.

The data also shows that conversations peaked in June 2024, at the start of the summer travel season, primarily from social media users in the US, UK, Canada, South Africa and Australia.

But sober travel has its fair share of detractors, too. Sentiment last year shows that 32% of interactions on social media were positive, 38% were neutral, and 30% were negative.

For those looking to cut back on alcohol — or cut it out altogether — while on vacation, some destinations may make the effort easier than others, according to a new ranking by insurance agency InsureMyTrip.

However, the ranking does not include a list of countries where alcohol sales are banned, such as Brunei, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Instead, the US-based company evaluated countries on nine metrics – from the cost of local beer to average alcohol consumption by the population. The research also looked at other activities that travelers could use to build their itinerary, particularly those related to relaxation, such as national parks and high-quality wellness resorts.

Destinations were rated on a 10-point scale, with the company naming the following as “Best Destinations for Sober Travel”:

Nepal: 7.02Morocco: 7.00Costa Rica: 6.73Turkey: 6.57Greece: 6.41Indonesia: 6.31Jordan: 6.00Italy: 5.93Singapore: 5.92India: 5.67

Six of the 10 countries are in Asia, and Nepal takes the top spot because hiking is plentiful and wellness resorts are cheap, with an average resort price of $584, the cheapest in the study, according to InsureMyTrip.

Morocco came in second, thanks to a low drinking culture among its Sunni Muslim population. The report said that “Morocco also received high ratings for its national parks (4.42/5), with many wildlife areas and great excursions to enjoy.”

Costa Rica came in third place – the only North American country to make the top 10. Costa Rica’s focus on outdoor tourism, from its beaches and rainforests to its environmental wellness, is a draw for people looking for vacations that improve their physical and mental health.

Greece came in fifth, topping the list for “best things to do” and “best places to relax.” Travelers can enjoy 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the world-famous Acropolis, while spending their free time at highly rated, yet affordable, spas, according to the ranking.

On average, Greeks drink more than seven litres of alcohol a year, much more than people in Jordan – No. 7 on the list – who drink less than the equivalent of one bottle of beer a year, according to the data.

The remaining countries are on the list for different reasons: for some, alcohol is rare due to religious beliefs (Indonesia, parts of India), for others it is widely available but expensive (Singapore) or is overwhelmed by so many other great things to do while visiting (Italy – except for its wine regions).

For those who want to abstain from alcohol, careful planning and a proactive mindset are key, according to the New Day Treatment Centers website.

Travelers are advised to:

Plan a variety of physical and relaxation activities to relieve stress. Tell everyone in your group that you plan not to drink, to promote accountability. Keep a travel diary to stay present and mindful.

American Jessica Watson said that after she quit drinking four years ago, her feelings about some travel destinations changed, including a popular tourist city in central Texas.

“I went to Fredericksburg early on when I stopped drinking, and I realized that all people did there was walk around with wine and shop, so it wasn’t that interesting to me,” she said. “Once you take drinking out of the equation, you realize how much people care about it.”

Watson said she went skiing in Colorado after she stopped skiing and found she had more fun.

“Removing alcohol from vacations makes you focus more on the actual destination, makes you more energetic during the trip, and makes you wake up earlier and feel great.”