The Transformative Power of Travel on Relationships

The Transformative Power of Travel on Relationships: A Collaborative Insight

Travel has long been celebrated as a powerful way for couples to deepen their connection and rediscover each other. From experiencing new cultures to facing challenges together, travel can provide a fresh perspective and strengthen the bond between partners. In this collaborative article, we'll explore various aspects of how travel can impact relationships, featuring insights from Krisha Chachra and Coach Varsha.

1. Favorite Destinations for Couples' Travel

Krisha Chachra:?You must be intentional about picking a destination that will lend itself to bonding with the person you want to make a connection with or re-light a spark with. If your goal is to bond with your partner, then pick a place that affords opportunities to connect. Plan something that you both like doing, like hiking on the Appalachian trail or tasting wine in Napa. Or do something that you’ve never tried together, like rafting on the New River Gorge or sailing in the British Virgin Islands. Carve out time for your own goals—but follow through with your plan.

Coach Varsha: When the relationship is new, it can be very useful to start with something easy that won't require a lot of planning or guessing. However, as you get more comfortable with one another, go for the adventures! Lay out plans in advance and communicate what your needs may be alone the way. To avoid discomfort with one another, before the trip, chat about how you get when you're stressed and what your partner can do to support you. Similarly, talk about how you may handle challenges along the way.?

2. How Travel Deepens Connection

Coach Varsha:?When you see new sides of your partner, it can help you gauge your comfort level with them and you will begin to unwrap what communication styles you both have. Travel removes couples from their everyday environment, allowing them to experience new places and cultures together. This shared adventure often brings up new topics for conversation and opportunities to learn about each other's preferences, fears, and dreams. Without the distractions of daily life, couples can focus more on each other, deepening their emotional connection. Consider sharing your thoughts on the day every evening and complimenting your partner on something wonderful you experienced about them that day. It can be as simple as "I loved watching you smile as the performers came on stage." This type of acknowledgment will set a lovely foundation for the next day.

Krisha Chachra:?We all have an unknown window—information we don’t know about ourselves that is only unmasked in new situations. Trying new activities together during travel stretches us and allows us to not only make new memories together but also uncover new desires. Maybe we never knew our partner had a “wild” side until we saw them dancing in the streets of Barcelona or that they actually love to paint when you both take the time to sign up for an art class in Italy. Travel can reveal dormant parts of ourselves and make us more of who we are meant to be; it coaxes out our capabilities, likes, and dislikes, and uncovers our unknown areas.

3. Unique Travel Activities to Strengthen Bonds

Krisha Chachra:?Anything that the two of you haven’t tried before but that involves each other’s participation to complete the activity. Complete a task together, like solving an escape room or running through a corn maze and figuring out how to get out. Take a cooking class together and then taste the final product together—maybe even feed each other. Do something thrilling that releases endorphins, like parasailing over the coast in Mexico or skydiving in Brazil!

Coach Varsha: The best way to strengthen your bond with one another is to be tuned into the way that your partner is experiencing the activity. Check in with them and share your thoughts and emotions too. Sometimes it may not be their cup of tea to do what you want, and vice versa, but be willing to meet them where they are at, take pics or ask them to take pics while you do something and remember that having different interests, even on vacation, does not mean you are not compatible. In fact, my husband and I often try separate things on trips and then meet later to discuss how it went. This can be a great bonding experience too.?

4. Planning a Romantic Getaway

Krisha Chachra:?Make sure you turn your cell phones off and tune into each other. Choose a place that doesn’t lend itself to a lot of distractions or crowds—like an amusement park or a concert venue. Even if you like being in the mix, go to a bar or festival with live music and dancing. But then make sure you pair it with accommodations that are quiet and allow for solitude with your partner, such as glamping or a cabin in the woods. Also, create time on your trip to have an “honest hour” where you can build a campfire together, for instance, and really listen to what is on each other’s minds.

Coach Varsha: Creating a balance between time together and time doing activities is key. Pillow talk at the start or end of the day will be really effective and can lead to intimacy.?

5. Trends in Couples' Travel

Krisha Chachra:?It is trendy to pick locations that are popular among your friends. Sometimes that works, but mostly that doesn’t. Every couple is different, so pick a location that serves you and your partner and honors the place you are in at the time. Just because everyone is going to Greece this summer doesn’t mean Greece will re-spark your interest in each other. Think about what you really need and what you can afford. You don’t want the cost of traveling to occupy your mind while on vacation.

6. Overcoming Travel Challenges Together

Coach Varsha:?Handling unexpected challenges on the road can strengthen a couple’s bond and demonstrate their ability to work together. However, remember that fights, disruptions, and awkwardness do not mean the relationship is over. Some trips can be taken to heal and grow together but that doesn't have to be the only focus. In fact, too much conversation around "the relationship" can be exhausting and leave missed opportunities for organic connection. If the togetherness gets too intense or uncomfortable, leave some things on the table for when you get home. Enjoy the atmosphere and celebrate the things that you do have together.?

Krisha Chachra:?I believe showing interest in each other is the sincerest form of respect couples can give each other when overcoming challenges. The simplest way to show respect is to ask each other questions—and then listen to the answers without interruption or judgment. Use the time away to look at each other, maybe by enjoying coffee on a terrace or sitting on a bench in a park, and really ask each other why things have been challenging and where certain feelings are coming from. Create space to talk one-on-one—this doesn’t require a lavish trip. We need to reframe the way we think about travel. It is not a luxury but a mental health necessity and an opportunity to clear the toxicity in your relationship. Just changing your scenery can give you the courage to ask the questions you need to ask each other to improve the relationship.

7. Travel for Better Understanding

Krisha Chachra:?Travel is a mental health necessity. When we have clearer heads, we have stronger relationships. We need to reframe the way we think about traveling. It is not about checking off boxes on a bucket list. It is about inserting yourself in new spaces so you can allow your mind to soak in fresh ideas and see things in a different way. It is a reset for our brains. We all need a change of scenery. The body doesn’t know the difference between an overwater bungalow in the Maldives or a waterfall in the Highlands of North Carolina. The mind might know, but the body doesn’t care where you go on vacation. What the body craves is the vicarious experience that happens when you’re in a new place. Your brain begins to form new pathways for navigating and thinking. Therefore, you are more likely to approach solving challenges with your partner in a new and thoughtful way.

8. Personal Anecdotes Highlighting Travel's Impact

Krisha Chachra:?When my now-husband and I were dating, we traveled to Turkey and needed to do laundry at one point. I am the outspoken one between us, so I arranged something with the hotel to get the laundry sent out. When it was returned, they changed the price for us and demanded that we pay more than I agreed. Out of the blue, my husband stepped up, stood his ground, and got them to reverse their position. I’d never seen that side of him before. I think at home he’s comfortable with me negotiating things, taking the lead, and handling situations. But when we were traveling and we were both out of our element, he had the opportunity to show me that, if necessary, he could take care of business and stand up for me when we were in trouble. It was a very comforting and attractive quality—and I later married him.

Coach Varsha: We were so scared when my husband's cell phone got snatched out of his hand and stolen from him. I was standing next to him and in hindsight saw it happening in slow motion. I was so worried about him, all I did was yank him towards me because the man was looking for a fight. Then, there was no way I was going to let my husband run after the man into some unknown city street. That experience shook us and we felt so vulnerable. However, we had to find our way home and figure out what to do for the next two weeks with one less phone. Caring for one another's emotional well-being while also handling the logistics of losing data, losing contact with the world, and worrying about the financial repercussions was really important. My husband saw this as an opportunity to disconnect from social media for two weeks and we communicated to one another how it affected us and what we both needed from one another. If we had ignored the emotional needs of having been assaulted, we would never have been able to overcome the trauma.?

Krisha Chachra?is a Charlotte-based travel writer for regional and national magazines. She has visited over 50 countries on six continents and loves exploring new destinations with her family. She helps couples and families make the most out of their travel experiences. Contact her at krishachachra.com ?or on social media at @destinationsanddelish and Krisha Chachra .

Varsha Mathur, our dating and relationship coach has visited 40 countries and six continents...only Australia remains. When she is not coaching clients to find love and keep it strong and long-lasting, you can find her feeling most at home while traveling the world with her husband.?Visit coachingbyvarsha.com and @coachingbyvarsha on socials!