Twenty places I’m dreaming of visiting in this new year.
Stepping into a new year (and decade) I’ve naturally been contemplating which destinations I’d love to keep in the pipeline for upcoming adventures. Travel is near to the top of my happiness list and I’d always rather spend money on flights than anything else. Daydreaming and planning trips I’m not yet going on is something I do often, so I’ve picked out 20 destinations I’d like to keep my eye on in 2020.
Pulling inspiration from my favorite travel writers, influencers, and wherever I’ve been feeling a pull to lately…here are 20 cities, countries, and islands that I’d be keen to book a trip to this year, or sometime in the next ten:
1. Vieques, Puerto Rico
Everyone seems to be talking about San Juan lately (and I’m definitely down for a visit) but I have my eye on Vieques for awhile. Reachable via a quick flight or ferry ride from San Juan, it’s home to the world’s brightest bioluminescence bay, covered with stunning beaches, and not a single traffic light—my kind of island escape and a serious dream for this year.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — La Finca Victoria.
2. Havelock Island
Across the Bay of Bengal, in the Andaman Sea, India’s Andaman & Nicobar islands are yet to have their own international airport so they’re pretty difficult to get to but that just means peace and quiet off the tourist trail which is music to my ears. Havelock Island is reached by catamaran from Port Blair, known for its beaches, reef, and swimming elephants. Sign me up.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Jalakara.
3. Berlin, Germany
I’ve never been to Germany but I’ve always wanted to go and have been especially curious about Berlin. Edgy and creative, it seems like the kind of place I’d love to get lost in. Now that I’ve gotten my DNA results back and have confirmed that I’m mostly German, my desire to visit is stronger than ever. Hopefully soon!
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Soho House Berlin.
4. Barbados
Ever since following Lucy Williams’ chilled out trip to Barbados, this Caribbean island has been on my mind. I love a good do-nothing beach vacation and really don’t enough of them to reset & recharge. Lucy is a muse for me in many ways and I always trust her travel opinions so I’m definitely keeping this one on the visit-soon list.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Cobblers Cove.
5. Himalayas, India
I love India. Love, love, love. And I haven’t nearly seen enough of it. The Himalayan region of the country has always caught my interest. Off the beaten path, it just seems like an ideal place to catch some real solitude.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — The Kumaon.
6. Lapland
After a layover in Helsinki where I saw a few beautiful billboards for Lapland, I decided that I really wanted to visit. LOL, they got me. Stunning scenery and a chance to see the Northern Lights, I’m sold. @hilvees photos from her trip there were also mind-blowing and confirmed that I need to visit sooner rather later.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Arctic Treehouse Hotel.
7. Lamu Island, Kenya
Kenya’s Lamu has been laying low for awhile. With a mix of Arab architecture & Indian and Chinese culture, it’s been a dreamy spot for travelers since hippies began hailing the island as Africa’s Kathmandu in the 60’s. The way Lee Litumbe describes it in this blog post—it sounds (and looks) like absolute magic. No cars, palm-fringed beaches, a bohemian spirit, and pretty remote, I need to get here.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — The Majlis.
8. Bhutan
Bhutan is a country that’s managed to keep itself from being fully overrun by visitors like other picturesque destinations—remaining one of the world’s most mysterious and undiscovered destinations. Alongside the $200-$250 visa, the idyllic mountain kingdom requires visitors to pre-book their trips with a government-accredited travel agency. It’ll be a tough one to plan but worth it for sure.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Gangtey Lodge.
9. Tasmania, Australia
Julia Ashwood, the face behind ‘The Vista’, and her family inspired me to want to visit Tasmania a few years ago. I know next to nothing about it other than its seemingly preserved wild & free nature and that’s exactly why I want to go.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Captain’s Rest.
10. Rwanda
I’ve recently become obsessed with the idea of doing a gorilla trek in Rwanda. The idea of a Big 5 game drive is amazing but knowing how much I love this animal—I think this would be really, really incredible. It’s one of those serious bucket-list trips for me that I’ll be dreaming of until it finally happens.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — One&Only Gorilla’s Nest.
11. Istanbul, Turkey
I’ve always wanted to visit Istanbul. East meets West, no where else has been the capital of three empires and that in itself attracts me to this city. Both ancient and modern, I want to do as the locals do and practice keyif, the art of idle relaxation, to take it all in.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Soho House Istanbul.
12. Colombia
From tropical beaches and bustling cities to dense rainforests and jungles, there’s a colorful allure to Colombia that’s been luring me in. Between Medellín, Cartagena, Bogotá, and the unspoiled coastline, there’s so much to see. I just want to sip on some Colombian coffee and go exploring for awhile.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Hotel Casa San Agustin.
13. Copenhagen, Denmark
Synonymous with effortlessly-cool design, “hygge” spaces, and minimalist everything, I’ve always imagined myself falling in love with Copenhagen. Exploring the colorful streets, Danish cafes, and eating at noma (thank you Ugly, Delicious for inspiring that), it’s at the top of my European travel wishlist.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Nobis Hotel.
14. Thailand
Back when I went on Semester at Sea I was really hopeful that our itinerary would include Thailand since it was the #1 place in the world that I dreamed of visiting alongside Cambodia, but no luck. Five years later and I’m still itching to get to Thailand…Koh Kut and Chiang Mai are top on my list.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Soneva Kiri.
15. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Not exactly what most people think of when they think of a getaway to Mexico, San Miguel de Allende has been popping up on my Instagram feed more and more. Located in the highlands of central Mexico, far away from the coastline, it’s a cobblestone-lined, artist-haven. Spanish Colonial architecture and colorful façades, it looks like something out a storybook. Food-focused and authentically Mexican, it seems pretty damn swoon-worthy.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Hotel Amparo.
16. Egypt
Honestly, who doesn’t want to see the pyramids with their own eyes? For anyone that watches Ancient Aliens (exposing myself here), Egypt is a “pinch me” destination. Knowing that this is the only surviving ancient wonder would be a sort of spiritual experience for me. Aside from that, there’s Cairo, Luxor, the Nile, and Aswan…I’ve dreamed of having an Egyptian adventure for a long time.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Lazib Inn.
17. Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgia has always been a collision of cultures and I keep hearing about it more and more about why it’s worth visiting. Tbilisi in particular is referred to as Europe’s most curious city. Intriguing and experiencing its own hip revolution right now, it’s one of those off-the-beaten path locales that’s high on my list.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Rooms Hotel.
18. Philippines
From El Nido and Palawan Island to Siargao, there are over 7,000 islands in the Philippines that look straight up insane and the more I read about them, the more hooked I become on the idea of visiting…I’ve been hearing lots of buzz from travelers so I’d love to visit before they all become the next hotspot for tourists.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Cauayan Resort.
19. Gokarna, India
This video is really the reason that I want to visit Gokarna. This small town on the coast of Karnataka in the south-west of the country has gained a reputation of being the final frontier for free-spirits and with talk that it’s like Goa in the 70s—I’m dying to experience it.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Kahani Paradise.
20. Sao Tome & Principe
Off the coast of Gabon, Príncipe is a jungled, mountainous speck of land about 20 miles by five. Settled in the 15th century by Portuguese, much of it was turned over to cacao plantations. Ever since its independence in 1975, it’s slowly returned to nature. It’s obvious I love remote adventures so this one is a must.
WOULD LOVE TO STAY AT — Bom Bom.
Where are you heading in 2020? 🌍