You might think this was a hard list to come up with but it really wasn’t. The truth is some countries this past year just leapt off the travel page. And they did so for different reasons. There is the overall feeling that a country elicited in us while we were there—from the people, to the nature, to the food. But there is also the experience at each stop along the way (all the countries below included at least 3 stops). All the below countries were consistently enjoyable and impressed us throughout the trip.
Every time we leave a country it finds it’s way into our collective memory and develops a legacy. These countries have continued to hold this esteemed position and have aged particularly well. This is why you’ll also see many of the below countries on our Top 5 Places We Want To Visit Again list. And if you haven’t been, we’d recommend you move them up your list!
1. Japan
The order: You need a PhD to understand the recycling system, wearing shoes in the house is a grave offense, and the subway is literally silent during the morning commute. The charm: Sitting in your own cubicle for ramen while they pass it through the window, the eight million buttons on the toilet where you can play music while wearing special slippers. The shrines, the temples, the food, the people. I said I’d only write two sentences per country but I could go on and on for Japan.
2. Vietnam
Heading from South to North, we passed through quintessential tropical beaches, large metropolises that blended the hipster with the traditional, charming old towns strung with lanterns, the most magnificent ginormous caves, and a bay full of hundreds of limestone islands. With kind people, outstanding food, and the most affordable country of the year, Vietnam blew our socks off.
3. Colombia
We saved one of the best for last. We lived in Medellín for a week and could have stayed for a year, we traveled through the jungle to small towns centered around the local plaza, relaxed along the Caribbean, and hiked to coffee farms. Colombia also wins the award for the most friendly people, most likely to buy you a shot of liquor, offer you a donut, walk you to your next bus stop, and literally welcome you into their country, city and home.
4. Indonesia (Bali)
Bali was the place we didn’t expect to love and the vacation within our trip we didn’t expect to have. We went on a whim. Once on the island we quickly began to relax into the slow pace of life, scootering around and doing yoga and eating smoothie bowls to our hearts content. We loved the daily offerings of flowers they set out and lived into each peaceful day on the island.
5. Mexico
Slowly and stealthily, over time Mexico has won over our hearts. It’s evolved from a place to just lay on the beach in Puerto Vallarta (which is totally lovely to do and where we honeymooned more than 8 years ago), to being home to our favorite big city in the world (Mexico City), a fabulous wine country in Baja, charming San Miguel de Allende in the middle, and the Yucatan Peninsula where crystal blue waters meet tamarind margaritas and amazing tacos. It is incredibly affordable to travel in Mexico, the Spanish is easy to understand, and the people are warm and open. All so close to home.
Honorable Mentions
- Guatemala: We loved our time living in Xela studying Spanish and also loved the hiking (and hot springs) we visited in the region. It was perfect for what it was but we think we are lacking the full picture of Guatemala, as there is so much more to explore, so are reserving judgement.
- Argentina: Patagonia in the South, wine country in the middle, and the gorgeous Buenos Aires in the East. We traveled diverse landscapes and people, indulged in wine that was far too good and far too cheap, and ate an unreasonable amount of pizza and empanadas.
