DECEMBER 2024
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and are gearing up for the new year! It’s that time of year where everyone posts their highlights list, so here are my travel highlights of 2024. Even though the year started off slowly, I was able to do several long trips in the second half of the year. I am currently off work and still have so much catching up to do regarding the blog, so you will see some trips in the highlights list which I haven’t blogged about yet.
10 ) Engadin/Madulain, Switzerland
In February we visited the Engadin region in Switzerland for a snow trip with Hugo. I mainly wanted to visit this region to do some ice skating, as there are several nature tracks here. The Bernina Express also runs in this area, which was a true highlight as well. It truly was a winter fairytale and I would especially recommend visiting with kids as there are so many kid-friendly activities. You can find my blogpost here.
9) South Coast of Ireland
I loved our Ireland roadtrip, but especially the South Coast, where I wished we had more time. Specific highlights in this area were Bantry House (lovely gardens), the Ring of Kerry with the spectacular Kerry Cliffs and gorgeous Dingle peninsula. You can find my blogpost about our Irish roadtrip here.
8) Busan, South Korea
One of the reasons I wanted to visit South Korea was to see Busan. Luckily, it didn’t disappoint and we had such a good few days in Busan. Busan is a very modern city, that seems to be designed to entertain people. It is directly located at sea, so you can end your day with a refreshing dip. We also loved Gamcheon Culture Village, the Sky Capsule and the Haedong Yonggung Temple. You can find my blogpost about Busan here.
7) Paros, Greece
I was incredibly lucky to visit Paros just before the high season kicked off and was able to enjoy it without crowds. Paros is growing in popularity and will increase in price, so best to go as soon as possible. In the low season we were able to find an incredible deal on a luxury boutique hotel which perfected our trip. If you love charming Greek towns, deep blue sea and boutique shopping, Paros deserves to be on your wishlist! You can find my blogpost here.
6) Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
One of the main reasons for visiting Northern Ireland was that I wanted to see the black basalt columns of Giant’s Causeway. These special columns were the only time we decided to get up early for an activity and I was really happy that we did. If you make sure to arrive early in the morning you will have them to yourself for a bit, so you can really take in this natural phenomenon. Moments like these make me realize it is so special that we get to live on this beautiful earth! You can find my blogpost here.
5) Koh Chang, Thailand
We had such an amazing time on Koh Chang in Thailand. I did quite a lot of research on which Thai island was best to visit in November and settled upon Koh Chang. It is less famous than the Western islands, such as Koh Phi Phi and Kho Phangan, because it has less interesting snorkeling, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t absolutely beautiful! Koh Chang is a particularly good location to visit with kids, as the water on the Northern part of the island is very shallow and you get a beautiful sunset each day.
4) Dolomites, Italy
The trip that almost didn’t happen and that seemed doomed from the beginning. We even had to endure a breakdown of our campervan, but as we had shiny weather were still able to do every hike we wanted. If you love hiking the Dolomites are a must visit: Seceda, Cadini di Misurina, Tre Cime di Lavadero, Val di Funes, Lago di Braies, just stunning hikes everywhere…
3) Bangkok, Thailand
I know Bangkok is not for everyone, but I loved this bustling city filled with historic landmarks. I had visited Bangkok over 15 years ago and I always knew I would return. Last time we didn’t have enough time to enjoy all the beautiful temples of Bangkok and I made sure we were able to this time! Blogpost will follow in 2025.
2) Seoul, South Korea
Seoul really took me by surprise. I had seen some pictures making me really interested to visit, but I didn’t know what to expect. Seoul had that perfect combination of modern city and South East Asia vibes. You can have streetfood on every corner and as the hygiene in South Korea is good, you do not get sick. Seoul had a specific cozy vibe that appealed to me, with lots of al fresco food options, beautiful palaces and vintage stores. You can find my blogpost here.
1) Singapore
The undisputed no 1 on this list: Singapore! This was another revisit for me, but since I had visited so much has changed in this metropole. Singapore was great without Gardens by the Bay, but it has gotten even better with it! Singapore is very kid friendly, you don’t have to get any stress when you are visiting with a stroller, it is all taken care of. Singapore is a cultural melting pot, which you can see in the architecture and which you can taste in the food. Blogpost will come in 2025!
