Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today: My 2025 trips that I am most excited about
I wish you all a happy, safe, healthy and prosperous 2025! In these challenging and divisive times, we all could benefit by reminding ourselves of the powerful words of Martin Luther King Jr: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” At the end of the past year, I reflected on my most memorable travel experiences of 2024. But now that 2025 is finally here, it’s time to look forward and share with you 10 great trips that I am planning for the coming year and that I am looking forward to share with you in my Wednesday blog posts (which always feature a flight trip reports or luxury hotel reviews), on my Instagram account and on my YouTube channel.
If you have some tips and suggestions for my upcoming 2025 trips, please share them in the comments section below!
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10. SKIING IN THE DOLOMITES
Draped across the high Alps, where Italy, Austria and Switzerland collide, the Dolomites is a dramatic mountain range with 18 peaks that rise to above 3,000 m (10,000 ft). It features some of the most beautiful and breathtaking mountain landscapes anywhere in the world, with vertical walls, sheer cliffs and a high density of narrow, deep and long valleys. Characterized by dynamic processes with frequent landslides, floods and avalanches, the vast Dolomoti massifs have been eroded over the last 200 million years into a surreal and wonderful array of needles, towers and pinnacles. A World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2009, the Dolomites are a hiking paradise in summer, with plenty of opportunities for day-walks on well-signposted trails in stunning scenery. But from December to March, the Dolomites is a true winter paradise, offering 12 ski resorts, cutting-edge mountain lifts, 1,200 km (745 mi) of top-quality slopes, long runs and gentle routes, sun, fun, and good memories. The region also boasts some terrific hotels, and during my trip, I’ll stay at the Como Alpina Dolomites Hotel, one of the best ski resorts in the area.
9. A SAFARI TRIP TO ZIMBABWE
Boasting magnificent wilderness and the spectacular Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is a lesser know but fabulous off-the-beaten-path safari destination. The country’s National Parks are wild, remote, untouched, and also home to a string of luxury safari lodges. Bordering Botswana, Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest game park with a hugely varying scenery, ranging from the semi desert scrub on the edge of the Kalahari in the south, to forests, granite hills and valleys of mopane woodlands in the north. The National Park is home to over 100 mammal species, including lion, leopard and rhino, and is known for its large population of elephant. The game park is very accessible and all the safari camps here offer day and night game drives. But during my trip with Yellow Zebra Safaris, I’ll try to combine my stay at Hwange National Park with a visit to Mana Pools National Park. Mana Pools – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984 – is located in the north of Zimbabwe, alongside the beautiful Zambezi River and is one of the finest parks in Africa for a walking safari. Apparently, Zimbabwe’s extraordinarily difficult professional guides licence examinations ensure that guides are able to track and walk here with dangerous game.
8. TRYING OUT NEW BUSINESS CLASS PRODUCTS
Publishing trip reports and YouTube videos about Business Class flights has become a corner stone of my travel stories, and I’ll just keep doing that in 2025. There are several Business Class products and/or airlines – which I haven’t tried before – that are on my radar. One of them is Air Europa – the third-largest Spanish airline after Iberia and Vueling – which I want to use for my flights to Southern America. Air Europa has an all Boeing 787 Dreamliner longhaul fleet and apparently offers a competitive and decent Business Class product. I also want to try out to the new suites installed on Qatar Airways Boeing 787-10 aircraft, which are often referred to as mini-QSuites (since the Dreamliners are not as wide as the A350 or B777, Qatar Airways had to install a narrower seat type on these planes). The Business Class product that I am most eager to try however is “The Room”, which is found on some of All Nippon Airways’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Inspired by modern, multifunctional Japanese living spaces, The Room offers flexible doors for personal privacy that can be adjusted to share the space with fellow travel companions – from dining together with the family to conducting meetings with colleagues. With its bold forward and rearward seat layout, The Room offers one of the largest Business Class seating environments in the world – with a wide sofa which is double the width to previous Business Class seating.
7. A RETURN TRIP TO SOUTH EAST ASIA
In 2025, I’ll return to Cambodia, which was the last destination I visited before the world shut down because of the pandemic early 2020. Of course, the main reason for most travelers to visit Cambodia is Angkor Wat, Southeast Asia’s most magnificent archaeological treasure. But Cambodia is an undiscovered gem of a country, and there’s much more to it than just the Angkor temples. A blend of rice paddies, remote jungles, and white sand beaches, as well as a fascinating history combined with delightful culture and welcoming people make Cambodia a must-visit travel destination. During my trip to the country, I’ll stay at Six Senses Krabey Island – a private island resort located in the Gulf of Thailand in southern Cambodia, close Ream National Park – and the new Rosewood Hotel in the capital city Phnom Penh. I’ll combine my trip to Cambodia with a holiday in Singapore, where I’ll stay at the iconic Raffles Hotel, which reopened in 2019 following extensive renovations. From Singapore, I’ll also travel to Bawah Reserve – a remote cluster of 6 Indonesian islands – which is known as one of the most exclusive private island resorts in the world. A playground of over 300 hectares, 3 crystal blue lagoons, 13 powder white beaches, lush jungle canopy for trekking and more importantly a philosophy of environmental and conservation policies, Bawah Reserve only accepts a maximum of 70 guest at any one time.
6. EXPLORING THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
I’ve been dreaming about taking a trip to the Galápagos archipelago since a long time, and I hope this dream will finally come true in 2025. The Galapagos Islands, situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km (600 mi) from the Ecuadorian coast, remained a closely-guarded natural secret for millions of years. This archipelago and its immense marine reserve is known as the unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Its geographical location at the confluence of three ocean currents makes it one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual plant and animal life – such as marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, giant tortoises, huge cacti, endemic trees and the many different subspecies of mockingbirds and finches – all of which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection following his visit in 1835. I’ll probaby divide my time in the Galapagos between a stay at a luxury hotel (Finch Bay) and a cruise on a private yacht (La Pinta), but I also want to combine my Galapagos holiday with a few nights on Ecuador’s mainland, more precisely in the capital city (where I intend to stay at the historic Casa Gangotena Hotel) and the bearby cloud forest, which is home to Ecuador’s most exclusive hotel, Mashpi Lodge.
5. A CITY TRIP TO MARRAKECH
Early 2025, I’ll visit Morocco for the very first time. Unfortunately, it will be a short trip as I’only have time to explore Marocco’s legendary city of Marrakech, a favored destination with travelers from across the world. With over a thousand years of history behind it, Marrakech is known to captivate all who venture within its ochre-coloured walls. A city of many faces and contrasts, where the sights, smells, colours and sounds unite gloriously to compose an astounding sensorial symphony. I am looking forward to step inside the ancient medina, souks, riads, palaces and perfectly manicured gardens, and to be transported back to the annals of history. Beyond the timeless face of Marrakech, there’s also the modern 21st century city, which emerges with luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants, international shopping, designer boutiques and an exhilarating cultural and nightlife scene. The diversity of its surroundings, rich history and well preserved charm, combined with the warm hospitality of its people, has always made Marrakech on my top bucket list destinations. During my trip to Marrakech, I’ll stay at what is supposed to be the best hotel in Morocco: The Oberoi Marrakech. Set on 28 acres of fragrant citrus trees and centuries-old olive groves, the resort features Moorish architecture and is home to 84 butler-serviced rooms and villas.
4. EMBARKING ON MY FIRST EVER SEA CRUISE
In 2025, I intend to book my first ever sea cruise, something I’ve always wanted to do (so I am pretty excited about this). I’ll probably choose a nordic destination for my itinerary (e.g. Alaska, Greenland, or Svaldberg) and Seabourn as a company. Launched in 1986, Seabourn pioneered small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising, and is known to continue to represent the pinnacle of that unique style of travel.The company actually prides itself on offering the crème de la crème of cruise experiences. Travelers can expect multiple dining options (both fine and casual), onboard activities and a variety of excursions available before, during and after the cruise. Their fleet of 6 luxury ships, comprised of all ocean-front suites, carries between 264 and 600 guests each, managed by a team numbering nearly as many as the guests. In 2022, Seabourn redefined expedition travel with the launch of their first ultra-luxury, purpose-built expedition ship Seabourn Venture, joined by her sister ship, Seabourn Pursuit in 2023. Designed and purpose-built specifically for expedition cruising in unprecedented elegance and ease, these ships aim to bring travelers further, deeper, and closer to the most coveted and remote destinations on earth. Since it will be my first cruise, any tips are always welcome.
3. VISITING THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ST BARTHS
The French Caribbean island of St Barts (or St Barthélemy) is a volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs, about 30 km (19 mi) southeast of the island of St Maarten. Whether in quest of exotic scenery or seeking exclusive travel, this prestigious jewel in the French West Indies is internationally renowned for its laid back refinement and its French ‘art de vivre’, especially among celebrities and jetsetter. But the island is far from snobby and also more accessible than you might think as St. Barts’ (or St. Barth’s) 14 beaches are all open to the public. The island is ideal for those seeking a Euro-themed utopia with plenty of shoreline to unwind and enjoy toes-in-the-sand lunches and quiet dinners under the stars – with a bottle of fine French wine. Those looking for an island with exciting nightlife and off-shore activities should check out St Barts’ neighbors Martinique or St Martin. The small island is also home to several ultra-luxe resorts and during my upcoming trip, I’ll stay at several of them, including Le Sereno Hotel (sister hotel of Il Sereno Lake Como, which I reviewed here), the relatively new Rosewood Le Guanahani, and the Cheval Blanc St Barths Hotel.
2. RETURNING TO THE SEYCHELLES
The Seychelles are an archipelago of legendary beauty in the Indian Ocean, just south of the Equator and east of Kenya. Its 115 coral and granite islands, which are the peaks of a massive underwater plateau, star in countless tropical island fantasies and represent one of the world’s very last frontiers. Once your aircraft descends into the Seychelles International Airport, you know that you have arrived at a place of awe-inspiring scenery, with granitic mountain ranges clad in virgin jungle cascading down to hauntingly beautiful, palm fringed, with sand beaches. The beauty of those beaches is beyond words and unmatched anywhere else in the world: exquisite ribbons of powdery-soft white sand are lapped by turquoise waters and backed by palm tree covered hills and big rocky boulders. For my return trip to the Seychelles, I’ll stay at two resorts managed by the Hilton Group: Mango House Seychelles, LXR Hotels & Resorts and the new and ultra-luxurious Waldorf Astoria Seychelles, which is set on its own private island (Platte Island). The new Waldorf Astoria Resort is located at far-flung part of Seychelles, where nesting spots of the endangered hawksbill and green sea turtles sit alongside luxury villas, fine dining venues and a world-class spa.
1. STAYING AT THE MALDIVES’ NEWEST ULTRA-LUXE RESORT: SONEVA SECRET
Glamorous overwater resorts, pristine white-sand beaches, and a spectacular underwater world make the Maldives one of my favorite holiday destinations in the world. The archipelago – positioned in the Indian Ocean southwest of India – consists of 1192 coral islands and sandbanks (200 inhabited islands, plus 100 islands with tourist resorts), which are the visible tips of an oceanic volcanic mountain range whose outer edge at some points plunge to depths of over 3 km (10,000 ft). The tiny islands are encircled by magnificent beaches and incredibly beautiful lagoons, blessed with crystal clear waters and protected by reef structures. Each resort in the Maldives is located on its own private island, and the top resorts offer world-class restaurants and wellness centers. During my 2025 Maldives trip, I’ll stay at the brand new Soneva Secret, which opened its doors last year as the Maldives’ most exclusive resort. Besides Soneva Secret, I’ll also stay at two other resorts in the Maldives, both of them managed by Four Seasons: Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Resorts Maldives at Kuda Huraa.
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