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How do I sum up my travels in 2025? Fun, intense, and carefully planned, with an eye toward increasingly intense adventures in the future.
This year, I’ve been feeling more of an urge to visit new places, and especially new countries. But I’ve also been drawn toward more intense and adventurous trips. Madagascar was exactly what I needed — a rough and wild trip full of surprises. I want more of that!
In 2025, I visited seven new countries — Mauritius, Madagascar, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Dominica. That takes me to 96. My goal of 100 is in striking distance!
(And don’t forget to check out my best travel moments of 2025 and my worst travel moments of 2025! These two are must-reads!)
So what made the list of my favorite new destinations of 2025?
In 2012, I chose places like Iceland, Montenegro, and South Africa.
In 2013, I chose places like Japan, Berlin, and the Scottish Highlands.
In 2014, I chose places like Sri Lanka, New Orleans, and Skellig Michael, Ireland.
In 2015, I chose places like Nicaragua, Albania, and Chicago.
In 2016, I chose places like Puerto Rico, Alsace, and Western Australia.
In 2017, I chose places like Ukraine, the Florida Keys, and St. Petersburg, Russia.
In 2018, I chose places like Antarctica, Hokkaido, and St. Croix.
In 2019, I chose places like Newfoundland, Georgia, and Lake Orta, Italy.
In 2020, I chose places like Mexico City; Viñales, Cuba; and Vis, Croatia.
In 2021, I chose places like the Aeolian Islands, the Berkshires, and Valle d’Aosta, Italy.
In 2022, I chose places like Naples, Martha’s Vineyard, and Guanajuato, Mexico.
In 2023, I chose places like Ischia, Patagonia, and Perast, Montenegro.
In 2024, I chose places like Bhutan, the Basque Country, and the San Blas Islands, Panama.
As usual, I am only including destinations that I visited for the first time in 2025 — so that excludes destinations that I’ve visited before, including Kraków, New Orleans, and everywhere I visited in Mexico this year.
One exception: the Second Time Around award.
Madagascar
Going into 2025, I knew Madagascar would be the most intense, unusual, and visually stunning destination of the year. And it delivered in just about every direction possible.
More beautiful than expected. More hardcore than expected. More frustrating than expected. More surprising than expected.
Madagascar is not for most travelers. It’s rough and complicated and the travel infrastructure is limited. The roads? Wild. The plumbing? Very often nonexistent.
But if you’ve been craving a REAL adventure, and you’ve felt like you’ve been playing it safe too often in your travels lately — Madagascar is the place for you.
Imagine hiking across the roof of a rock forest, clipping yourself in and out. Imagine getting up close to lemurs and swimming with giant turtles. Imagine visiting tiny villages, chatting with locals and kids holding your hands wherever you go. Imagine watching a sunset over baobab trees. Imagine visiting a country nearly immune to overtourism.
Because Madagascar is a rough place to travel, I always knew I would not do it not solo, but as a group trip. I joined the Rock My Adventure Madagascar trip and WHAT A GREAT DECISION THAT WAS! An incredibly fun trip with so much adventure, nice places to stay, and everything organized so I wouldn’t have to deal with all the malarky.
(Well. There was a bit of malarky. We got caught up in unrest in the capital, got teargassed, were stuck waiting for days as the airport was mostly shut down. Shortly after we all left, the protests culminated in a military coup. Yes. Seriously. And the trip was still MASSIVELY worth it.)
Visiting Madagascar felt like I was a young backpacker again. It was so nice to experience this new country, but also connect with my past self at the same time.
The next Rock My Adventure Madagascar trip is in October 2026. You can get $100 off any Rock My Adventure trip with the code KATE100.
How to get to Madagascar: Your only option is to fly in; there are no international ferries. Air France has regular connections to Antananarivo from Paris. You can also fly into Antananarivo from Réunion on Air Austral (which I did) or Mauritius on Air Mauritius, and there are a few other connections within Africa. Ethiopian Airlines seemed to be the only airline operating reliably when everything was getting shut down during the protests.
There is an airline called Neos that has lots of random connections from Nosy Be to European cities like Milan, Verona, and apparently next year, PRAGUE. (Man, could I have used that this year!!)
Best Thing to Do in Madagascar: The biggest adventure of the trip was the three-day boat trip down the Tsiribihina River, just a rough and wild adventure that was so off the beaten path and got us up close to rural life in Madagascar. But I’ll quickly note that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so my second recommendation is hiking the Grand Tsingy, which is dramatic and beautiful and really leaves you feeling accomplished.
Where to Stay in Madagascar: We stayed at great hotels throughout the trip, and I especially recommend Maison Ylang Dive Center in Nosy Be (perfect end-of-trip splurge with SUPER nice rooms, great staff and food, sweet dogs who live at the hotel, AC), Soleil des Tsingy (incredible infinity pool which is JUST PERFECT after a hike in this super-hot region), and Chez Maggie in Morondava (so welcoming with great food, nice rooms with doors that separate two beds, and AC).
Crete
It took me 40 years to make it to Crete, and wow, was it ever worth the wait. This is one of my favorite new islands on the planet, and this trip kick-started my new love affair with Greece. I already liked Greece, but now I want to go EVERYWHERE in Greece!
A lot of people plan Crete as part of an island-hopping itinerary in Greece, especially if they’re coming from overseas. But trust me — Crete is THE destination, Crete has EVERYTHING, and you can spend your entire trip in Crete and be satisfied.
Because yes, Crete has plentiful beaches, GORGEOUS beaches. And there are forests in the interior. Chania is a wonderful city where you could easily stay a week or longer. You can hike one of the many gorges. And there is SO much fantastic food; many Greeks think Cretan food is the best in Greece!
But what I remember most is how incredibly friendly the people in Crete were — so gregarious and full of life. After every tour or activity, it felt like we and our guides parted as friends. And speaking of tours, I was so impressed with the high quality of every single tour we did. They really have it figured out in Crete.
Honestly, Charlie and I loved Crete so much, we started planning our next trip before we even left.
How to get to Crete: You can easily fly into Crete’s airports of Chania in the west and Heraklion in the east, and both have connections throughout Europe. Crete is also well-connected by ferries (though Athens is a long 8-10 hour ferry journey). If you’re visiting both Santorini and Crete in the same trip, it makes sense to take the ferry between them (2-4 hours).
Best thing to do in Crete: Oh, it’s so hard to narrow it down to one thing because I loved it ALL!! But I really loved our cooking class in the mountains near Chania. A really fun evening with the nicest, most welcoming people; the destination was downright idyllic; and we learned to make so many delicious dishes.
Where to stay in Crete: We stayed in nicer places than we usually do on this trip. Nival Luxury Suites is perfectly located in the heart of Chania town and has super nice rooms with little kitchenettes; ours had a giant terrace, too! Minos Beach Art Hotel in Agios Nikolaos is one of the nicest beach resorts I’ve ever stayed in. It was so luxe, the property was gorgeous, and the breakfast buffet was one of the best I have ever seen anywhere.
The Grenadines
My new favorite Caribbean nation is St. Vincent and the Grenadines — but it’s the Grenadines in particular that stole my heart! I chose our Star Clippers cruise for its extensive itinerary through the Grenadines, and on our journey I was lucky enough to visit Union Island, Tobago Cays (Mayreau and Petit Rameau), and Bequia.
THESE ISLANDS are the Caribbean that you dream of. None of them have any big resorts or tourist crowds. Just quiet beaches with a few little shacks where locals dish out rum punch or freshly grilled fish.
Is there much to do here? No. But that’s the point. Come here on a catamaran for the day (as so many people do), or stay for a few nights and enjoy the peace and quiet.
That’s all you need.
How to get to the Grenadines: There are flights to Kingstown, St. Vincent, and from there you can hop on the ferries between the Grenadines. You can also ferry-hop from Grenada to Carriacou, then onward to the Grenadines. Some of the islands have tiny airports.
Best thing to do in the Grenadines: Spend an afternoon at Princess Margaret Beach in Bequia. Swim in the water, admire the wooden architecture, rest in the shade beneath the trees, and drink super-strong $5 rum punches.
Best place to stay in the Grenadines: Honestly, I couldn’t tell you, as we came here on our Star Clippers cruise. But after spending time in the archipelago, I would most like to spend a few nights on the island of Bequia. And I would SO love to visit the island of Mustique, too!
Curaçao
There are so many islands in the Caribbean — but a few happen to march to my beat perfectly. Curaçao, a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is one of those islands — and I’m so glad that we chose to start our big four-week Caribbean adventure here.
I feel like Curaçao is the perfect size — the drive from the capital of Willemstad to the beaches of Westpunt is about an hour — and it’s not overdeveloped. A lot of Caribbean islands are covered with resort after resort, but Curaçao feels like people actually live here. You can actually get to beaches easily, and lounge chairs are affordable.
I’m sure a big part of this is that Curaçao has primarily catered to European tourists for decades, while the resort-filled Aruba has primarily catered to American tourists. But locals are saying things are changing, and Curaçao is attracting more Americans lately.
On top of that, Willemstad is a stunning city, filled with brightly colored Dutch-style buildings, and the beaches are home to some of the brightest blue water I’ve ever seen. This island is absolutely beautiful, and it’s impossible not to get good photos here!
If you’re looking for a nice Caribbean island to visit for a week or so, where you can see a lot but won’t feel like you need to rush around to see everything, Curaçao is a great choice.
How to get to Curaçao: Your only option is to fly in, as there are no ferries. You can find direct flights from a handful of North American cities, including Miami, New York, Chicago, and Toronto; from Amsterdam and Brussels in Europe; and from a few other destinations in the Caribbean, South America, and Central America.
Best thing to do in Curaçao: Rent a car and spend a day exploring the beaches around Westpunt, the western area of the island. Playa Lagun and Grote Knip are two good ones. Take in the view from the bar above Playa Laguna, and swim in the bright turquoise waters wherever you go.
Where to stay in Curaçao: I stayed at Atelier Skalo in Willemstad, which was a great fit in every way except for one: there was no hot water. The water maxed out at lukewarm, which is good when you’re hot and sweaty but not good otherwise. But the rooms were nice, the location was perfect (short walk from the center of town), the staff were nice, and and there was free parking.
Réunion Island
The single destination that surprised me the most and delivered so far beyond my expectations was Réunion Island! This small island in the Indian Ocean is technically part of France, and it’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever been.
This island has insane geography — volcanoes, beaches with sparkling sand, sharp cliffs with crashing waves, multi-tier waterfalls, tiny hamlets surrounded by jagged mountains. Everything was so green, so clean, so glorious. And because it’s France, you have boulangeries with fresh croissants, flowers blooming everywhere, and produce cases full of wine in the supermarkets.
Another highlight? The driving. I’m a bit of a nervous driver ordinarily, especially when it comes to driving in completely new parts of the world, but there was nothing to fear. The driving was BUTTERY SMOOTH. The highways were in immaculate condition.
I was just madly in love with everything I was seeing on this island. And I only had two real days to explore!! I really need to go back and do the island properly.
How to get to Réunion Island: You’ll need to fly in, as there are no ferries here. You can fly from CDG or Orly in Paris on Air France or Air Austral, or you can fly direct from Mauritius, Antananarivo, Nosy Be (I flew between Réunion and all three of those, LOL), and some other destinations abroad.
Best thing to do in Réunion: Visit Cilaos. I absolutely loved my visit to this village deep in the mountains, so gorgeous and isolated. You could drive there yourself; I chose to hire a driver because I was nervous about the narrow, switchback-filled mountain roads. I hired a lovely French-speaking driver named Anthony through La Conciergerie de la Réunion, which gave me the best price (300 EUR, a special September rate marked down rate from their usual 350 EUR; most other companies quoted me 500 EUR or more).
Where to stay in Réunion: I stayed at Le Tournesol in St. Gilles and didn’t love it. While it was a simple apartment in a pretty decent location, it was difficult to find, the key kept sticking, and the host sent all the home information via Booking.com messages, which made it a hassle to find any information. If I had the funds, I would have stayed at the LUX* St. Gilles, the nicest resort on the island. But next time I’d like to spend a few nights in Cilaos and a few nights elsewhere.
High Tatras, Slovakia
For my 41st birthday this year, I wanted something different than my big party in Croatia the year before. Something quiet, in nature, accessible by train, with a GREAT hotel. And so I chose the High Tatras of Slovakia — one of the most stunning places in Central Europe!
Just a few days of hiking and spa time — and it was perfect. This region is absolutely lovely. We stayed in the town of Štrbske Pleso, which is named for its lake. The lake is surrounded by mountains and has a lovely walking trail around it that I enjoyed every day.
As far as the hikes went, you should know that hikes in Central Europe tend to be graded a bit easier than they would be in the US. That said, there really are hikes for every level here, and the mountain scenery is just stunning. The mountains here are craggy and covered with pine forests.
This was the perfect place for an escape from the city for a few days, and I hope I get to return here soon!
How to get to the High Tatras: The High Tatras are pretty easy to get to by train or bus from Prague, Kraków, or even Budapest. Poprad is the main “city” on a major train line, and there are smaller trains that criss-cross the region. We took the train from Prague, which took about seven hours.
Best thing to do in the High Tatras: Spend your morning hiking the trail of your choice, grab lunch at a hut, and spend the afternoon relaxing in the spa at the Grand Kempinski High Tatras as you watch all the hikers circle the lake.
Where to stay in the High Tatras: If you have the funds, the Grand Kempinski High Tatras is THE best place to stay in this area! A really beautiful place to splurge, and you get access to the spa every day. If it’s out of your price range, at least do a day visit to the spa.
St. Lucia
St. Lucia has long been the Caribbean island I’ve wanted to visit the most — and I’m happy to say that it paid off! I only visited St. Lucia on a single day on my Star Clippers cruise, but I am so eager to return and see more of the island.
The Pitons, the two conical green mountains in the south of the island, are the symbol of St. Lucia. And they made an incredible backdrop for the Royal Clipper, its sails unfurled at golden hour.
Charlie and I booked an excursion that took us from Marigot Bay to Soufrière, showing off the lush green hillsides and the well-kept homes that make up St. Lucia.
We visited the botanical gardens of St. Lucia and learned about all kinds of natural remedies (which we fully intend on trying out when we get home, including mixing nutmeg and vinegar to sooth sore muscles, and letting cloves dissolve in your mouth to prevent diabetes).
But more than anything, I enjoyed staring at the Pitons. I need to come back to this island and stare at them some more.
How to get to St. Lucia: St. Lucia is better connected by air than I thought! They have direct flights from several North American cities, including New York, Miami, Toronto, Atlanta, and my hometown of Boston, as well as London.
Best thing to do in St. Lucia: Just get yourself somewhere with a view of the Pitons and enjoy the view, whether that’s on the sand, on the water, in a luxury hotel — anywhere! Oh, and I enjoyed the botanical gardens, too!
Where to stay in St. Lucia: The number one hotel where I want to stay someday is Jade Mountain, the most luxurious hotel on St. Lucia, where all suites have three walls and an open view of the Pitons, as well as private plunge pools and jacuzzis. SOMEDAY I will stay there!
Langhe, Italy
Piemonte is a region of Italy that I’ve visited twice and love — but until this year, I had never visited the Langhe. The rich wine-growing region in the south of Piemonte is home to Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera d’Alba. And an autumn weekend was the perfect introduction.
Imaging little hill towns perched on endless hills covered with vineyards. Outstanding restaurants cooking up elevated versions of hyper-local cuisine. Even the cities, like Asti and Alessandria, have a lot to offer. Of course, the wines are superb. And if you visit in October, you can get white truffles shaved on just about anything.
But what I really enjoyed was that the Langhe felt like an adult getaway. Perhaps most wine regions are. But while sometimes it seems like kids are absolutely everywhere in Italy, this is one region that feels more like an adult playground. A REFINED adult playground.
My only criticism — the food got a bit repetitive at times. And still don’t get why the Piemontese insist on serving super-thin tajarin pasta with meat sauce. You need a thick noodle to hold the meat!
How to get to the Langhe: You can fly into Torino or Milan Malpensa, rent a car, and explore the landscape. There are also lots of trains criss-crossing the region, and I think the city of Asti would make a nice base.
Best thing to do in the Langhe: My favorite thing was a wine and chocolate pairing experience that we did at Costa di Bussia winery near Monforte d’Alba. This wasn’t simply, “This wine is good with white, this one is good with dark” — every chocolate was painstakingly selected and paired GORGEOUSLY. Highly recommend it.
Where to stay in the Langhe: We enjoyed our stay in the tiny town of Monforte d’Alba, except for one thing — neither wifi nor phone signal worked, thanks to the thick stone walls! A nice spot, but best if you don’t need to be connected.
The Second Time Around Award: Warsaw
I always like to give my second time around award to a place that I didn’t really vibe with on my first visit, but had a better time on the second visit. This year, that destination is Warsaw!
I only visited Warsaw for an overnight back in 2016 — and since it came right after magical Kraków, it suffered by comparison. This time, I came for the Kendrick Lamar and SZA concert and stayed a few days.
Since I was in the middle of 75 Hard and had to do at least one 45-minute outdoor walk per day, I ended up taking multiple long walks around different areas of the city, giving me views I’ve never seen before.
Warsaw is an emerging city that is changing at the speed of light. (Often not for the better. I’m hearing housing costs are massively growing, while wages are more stagnant. Which is the case in many places.) Parts of the city reminded me of Buenos Aires or Mexico, with the high-rises against the green parks.
And the food was really delicious and well-priced — not only Polish food, but I also ate great Greek and Italian food here. There were so many great cafes, too.
I don’t see myself running to Warsaw on a regular basis, but I’ll probably be there every now and then for a concert or something. And I know I’ll enjoy myself there.
How to get to Warsaw: Warsaw is very well-connected by air, train, and bus.
Best thing to do in Warsaw: I want to be thoughtful and say something cultural — but honestly, I was all about eating pierogis and eating the sour rye soup. I could genuinely eat those both every day and be happy.
Where to stay in Warsaw: I actually stayed in a private room in a hostel, Safestay Warsaw. It was VERY simple and sparsely furnished, but a private ensuite in a great location for a decent price.
My Travel Wishes for 2026
I am hitting my next major travel milestone in 2026 — it looks like I’ll be visiting my 100th country! Here are some of the upcoming trips on my schedule.
My friend Cailin and I are going to Egypt for just over a week in March. We’re doing a tour with Intrepid Travel, and we can’t wait to visit all the monuments and take a felucca down the Nile!
In May, Charlie and I are going to see the cheese-rolling festival in Gloucestershire, England! Ever since we watched a documentary on this crazy event, we’ve wanted to attend!
I’ll be visiting my family in Massachusetts in June. I might add on Nantucket. I STILL haven’t been there, and it’s my biggest Massachusetts oversight.
In July, Charlie and I are attending our friends’ wedding in Provence, and turning it into a road trip around the region. (Yes, we’re aware that it will be hot. We’ll make it work.)
And then August brings a big adventure in Africa! Charlie and I are joining a Rock My Adventure trip to Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe! Before the trip, we’ll be spending a few days in Cape Town, and after the trip, my mom will fly into Victoria Falls and we’re going on safari in Zimbabwe and Botswana!
Around the holidays, Charlie and I are visiting my family together, and like most years, we’re thinking of adding on a side trip somewhere. Maybe somewhere new in the Americas. Maybe somewhere in Asia? Who knows?
What was your favorite new travel destination of 2025?
