The 'hot rodent holiday': why you should embrace this quirky kind of vacation
From the beaches of Greece to the countryside of Australia, 'hot rodent holidays' are scurrying all over the world.
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Did you hear? Gen Z has replaced Millennials as the "it" generation, and is relishing in upending every convention: from ankle socks and punctuality to conventional good looks.
As part of this, we've now seen the rise of the "hot rodent boyfriend" - the latest trend reframing male hotness - where once a year, the Internet creates a new genre of unconventionally hot man to thirst over.
What does this mean? In 2024, sex icons are vermin. The hottest heartthrobs of today - from Timothée Chalamet to Josh O’Connor to Jeremy Allen White - are being compared to rats – and it's a compliment.
See also: Gen Z travel trend makes entire world jealous
What's this got to do with travel? It's not just boyfriends where people want "rat vibes." People are opting for hot rodent holidays too. Rather than the classic "resort, pool, cocktail" combo or a Photo Chasing Contiki tour, this year we're seeing more people sniffing out rough-around-the-edges hidey-holes that offer a different kind of charm.
Rather than a cliche clifftop Mykonos villa, for instance, in 2024 the height of cool is a low-key Milos or Mallorca fisherman's shack. Likewise, rather than an Ibiza party pad, more and more people are realising the pleasures of a bed and breakfast on an island where goats outnumber humans.
Closer to home, here in Australia, rather than a holiday house in a crowded beach town, a lot of people are now opting for an off-grid cabin in the hinterland. The common thread? Ditching the phone (and smart TV) and getting back to basics.
See also: 15 European Airbnbs so pretty ‘they should be illegal’
My term for this trend? Hot rodent holidays (trademark pending). A holiday where you escape to a lightly-trafficked location, get off the treadmill of modern life, and escape the rat race - without posting about it on social media (until you get home).
Neuroscientist Mark Williams says hot rodent holidays are becoming more popular as people are starting to realise what is really important in life. He tells Escape, "We all need to slow down and spend more time with each other in the real world and I think more people are starting to realise this."
Dr Williams adds that there are huge benefits to hot rodent holiday-ing, telling Escape: "We all need a digital detox, so having a break somewhere in which there is no internet and where we are forced to slow down and read books, play board games, talk to each other or just relax and meditate would be fantastic for our brains, our stress levels and our mental health."
"Being in nature or close to nature has been shown to be very beneficial to our mental health and our brain development. It also has health benefits as it decreases stress and improves cardiovascular function. So going somewhere where we're walking in nature and getting off the devices would be very valuable."
Another plus is that hot rodent holidays are typically cheaper, with Dr Williams adding: "You wouldn't have buyers regret after the [hot rodent] holiday is over."
"Many people regret spending big on holidays if it puts them in debt. They may have enjoyed the experience but then arriving home to the realisation that you now have to work long hours to pay it off is going to result in increased stress and anxiety. Going somewhere cheap where you get to relax and recharge and also not regret the decision afterwards would be an ideal holiday."
Escape Editor-in-chief Kerrie McCallum is also a fan of a hot rodent holiday, explaining: "I love the idea of ‘scurrying’ into a corner to get away from the world (bonus points if there’s a wedge of cheese on arrival)."
"With the rise of overcrowding in some of the world’s most popular areas (Santorini, Venice, Rome), and the popularity of digital/news detoxes, it’s also logical that people are looking for comfortable little bolt holes off the beaten track where they won’t be disturbed or seen (or feel the pressure to post)."
She adds that this has come alongside growth in the market for small homes or sustainable businesses like Cabn ("perfect for a hot rodent holiday in the heart of nature where nobody will ever find you!") and says "My fave hot rodent holidays would be Lord Howe Island - there is no reception and they limit tourists and residents - and the beach house on Killercrankie on Flinders Island in Tasmania. You are literally at the end of a dirt road on a windswept beach known for crayfish at the end of the earth and unlikely to see a soul."
Chris Grant, co-founder of Unyoked, an Aussie off-grid wilderness cabin company which is in the process of expanding its operations to Europe, told Escape it's not just Gen Z who are booking hot rodent style holidays. An increasing number of people, of all ages, have been opting for off-grid escapes in recent years.
"We built Unyoked to solve a problem that we were experiencing ourselves; we were working too much, burning out, and craving a circuit breaker that got us out to nature and away from the corporate world."
He also pointed to a Global Nature Study which Unyoked recently conducted in partnership with AllTrails to investigate the benefits of spending time in nature.
As part of the study, one participant said: "It made me reflect on how busy my life is and how much of it is unnecessary noise. This has been key to improving my mental health - reducing stress and creating room for myself."
Another responded: "I felt clearer, more creative and connected to the world around me. It was the first time in years I wasn't keeping tabs on the time or my to-do list and could just enjoy the moment in front of me."
Having tried an Unyoked stay inland from Kiama, on the south coast of NSW, myself, I can attest to this feeling of a full mental reset.
See also: The secret to having an 'authentic' experience every time you travel
Simone Mitchell, Escape's Associate Digital Editor, has also experienced the benefits of a hot rodent holiday, telling me: "I recently went on a three day sailing trip in the Philippines where there was zero phone coverage, and while feeling cut off was a little destabilising at first, at the end of those three days I felt so much calmer."
"I think being in a beautiful natural environment is the perfect place for this kind of holiday," Simone said, explaining one of her favourite holidays is to "just read books, cook, and play cards with my partner. And definitely go full rodent, and not wash my hair or put makeup on."
See also: How TikTok ruined travel
Escape Digital Editor Rowena Ryan is also intrigued by hot rodent holidays, revealing: "I'm about to undertake my own version of a hot rodent holiday next month when my husband and I tackle the mighty Gibb River Road through the Kimberley."
"Think no phone reception, no TV and no luxury hotels. We'll be cooking and sleeping under the stars at simple campgrounds as we drive one of the last true wild roads in the country. If that doesn't decimate my screen time I'm in trouble because who wants to be looking down when you could be looking up at waterfalls from pristine waterholes."
There you have it. Ready, set, scurry. Let a new kind of rat race begin.
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Originally published as The 'hot rodent holiday': why you should embrace this quirky kind of vacation
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