he Top 20 Destinations You Must See in 2025 (As Reported by Someone Who Has Been There)
Travel is about experiences, not just crossing locations off a list. moments that linger in your memory long after your plane has landed back home. After many bus trips, sunsets, conversations with strangers, and cups of strange but delicious coffee, I've spent the last few years searching for those moments across continents. The result is my hand-picked list of the top 20 destinations you must see in 2025.
I've been there, so believe me.
1. Japan’s KyotoJapan’s Kyoto
It’s like entering an unwelcome dream when you’re wandering around Kyoto. As golden light reflected off the lake, I can still picture the quiet stillness of Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion). I briefly saw a geisha in Gion hurrying by; she was elegant, almost spectral. Here, spring is poetic; every street seems to be a watercolor painting, and cherry blossoms fall like confetti.2. Iceland’s Highlands
Iceland is fantastic. It’s kind of unreal, like Mars meets Narnia. It seemed like I had entered a different dimension as I drove into the highlands, where I could see moss-covered lava fields, deserts with black sand, and glaciers that creak as they move. I watched the Northern Lights dance at night under a chilly sky. I didn’t care that I couldn’t feel my toes; I just stood there, barefoot in the snow, my mouth hanging open.3. Jordan and Petra
After hours of walking in the intense heat, the sandstone cliffs parted, and I saw the Treasury. The sensation of being in front of Petra is
unmatched by any image or video. The quiet is deafening. Every rock here has been etched with history. In a nearby cave, I had tea with a Bedouin family. Despite not speaking the same language, we were able to understand one another.4. Georgia’s Tbilisi
Tbilisi caught us completely off guard. It is
simultaneously chaotic and serene, elegant and gritty. The old city is a tangle of wine cellars, sulfur bathhouses, and balconies. At a rooftop bar, I met a local artist who showed me secret passageways beneath the city. Georgian cuisine, too? criminally underappreciated. Wine produced by monks in clay pots and khingli (dumplings) are both unforgettable.5. Chile, Argentina, and Patagonia
In the best way possible, Patagonia will make you feel insignificant. You are alone with the sky, the wind, and the mountains. In Torres del Paine, I went on a solitary hike. At night, I would sit by the fire with people I had met who had become friends and gaze at the stars. No cell phones. No WiFi. Just tranquility. Earth-shaking, unadulterated beauty.6. Slovenia’s Ljubljana
Ljubljana is similar to that quiet friend who is more cool than they appear. Cafés and jazz musicians line the river, which flows through the heart of the city like a languid ribbon. Everything is tidy, serene, and
endearing. I purposefully got lost while renting a bike, and I ended up eating cream cake with locals at Lake Bled. Time seemed to slow down there, but in a positive way.7. South Africa’s Cape Town
Sunrise on Table Mountain? Worth every step of the ascent. Cape Town is a cosmopolitan melting pot of cultures,
colors, and cuisines. I kayaked past seals at Hout Bay, watched penguins waddle on Boulders Beach, and attended a cooking class in a township. Despite everything they have been through, the people here exude warmth like no other.8. Turkey’s Istanbul
Before you even see Istanbul, you can taste its coffee, spices, and grilled fish by the Bosphorus. I bartered for rugs I couldn’t carry and lost myself in the Grand Bazaar for days while drinking apple tea. I was watching the sunset from Galata Tower when the call to prayer reverberated over rooftops. Istanbul is more
than just a city; it’s where East and West collide, the past and the future collide. It’s an emotion.9. Canada’s Banff National Park
Banff is a display of nature. Clouds kissed the mountain peaks as I paddled my kayak across Lake Louise. It doesn’t look real because the water is so incredibly blue, but I promise it is. Under the stars, I soaked in hot springs, hiked the trails, and saw a bear—from a safe distance. It is simultaneously serene, untamed, and motionless.10. Singapore
Singapore is like the early arrival of the future. efficient, eco-friendly, and sleek. There are food stalls with uncles serving the best laksa you’ve ever had, though, so it’s not all neon and polished steel. At night, I strolled through Gardens by the Bay, where enormous illuminated trees glowed against the sky. This would be a paradise if Blade Runner had one.11. New Zealand’s Queenstown
Be warned, thrill-seekers: Queenstown is serious business. I took a wine tour in Gibbston Valley to decompress after jumping off a bridge and speeding through canyons on a jet boat. You can be skydiving one day and stargazing over a quiet lake the next. Living there is similar to being in a National Geographic special.12. Italy’s Amalfi Coast
On one side of the road I drove was lined with lemon groves, and on the other was the glittering Mediterranean. Like vibrant confetti, the villages of Positano, Ravello, and Amalfi tumble down cliffs. I napped by the sea, drank espresso in sunny cafés, and got wasted on limoncello with a 70-year-old nonna who insisted I stay for dinner.13. South Korea’s Seoul
Seoul is quick, but it also knows when to slow down. I would find myself drinking tea in a peaceful Hanok village after a day of neon-lit shopping and K-pop music. The midnight tteokbokki, fried chicken, and kimchi pancakes are among the dangerous (in the best way) street foods. Seoul has big dreams but doesn’t sleep.14. Portugal’s Azores
I had no idea what to anticipate from the Azores, but magic was what I discovered. Misty green hills, crater lakes, and volcanoes — as if Hawaii and Iceland had a secret child. I hiked along trails lined with hydrangeas and took a rain-soaked bath in a hot spring. Just cows, clouds, and the occasional whale sighting—no crowds.15. Mexico’s Oaxaca
The flavor and color of oaxaca are vibrant. Music, murals, and mezcal fill the streets. I had the good fortune to visit during Día de los Muertos, and it profoundly affected me. I witnessed strangers offering me stories and tamales, altars constructed with love, and candles flickering in cemeteries. Your soul is fed by this city.16. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The future is being built in real time in Dubai. I took a spaceship-like elevator ride at the Museum of the Future. I then watched the sun melt into the dunes while riding a camel in the desert forty minutes later. It is a playground for the daring, it is extravagant, and it is elegant.17. Bhutan
Bhutan transformed me. It’s a pilgrimage, not a vacation. Gross National Happiness is real, the smiles are broader, and the air is thinner. With my heart full and my legs trembling, I hiked up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It seemed as though the universe was whispering to us through each prayer flag that fluttered in the wind.18. Scotland’s Edinburgh
As I strolled through Edinburgh’s Old Town, fog rolled across the cobblestones. This city seems to be designed with storytellers in mind. I spent rainy evenings in pubs listening to live folk music, climbed Arthur’s Seat for sweeping views, and sat in the café where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. ethereal, enchanting, and unforgettable.19. Kenya’s Maasai Mara
Seeing the Great Migration is a life-altering experience, not just something to cross off your bucket list. I witnessed elephants passing by our jeep as if we didn’t exist, lions relaxing in the shade, and thousands of wildebeest crossing rivers. I lay under the African sky at night, feeling incredibly small and counting stars.20. Indonesia’s Bali
Bali is spiritual, chaotic, and restorative; it’s not just Instagram yoga poses. I hiked Mount Batur for sunrise, danced all night in Canggu, and meditated in Ubud. “To travel is to return to yourself,” a Balinese healer I met once told me. That had a profound effect.
Concluding remarksIt was more than just seeing things when visiting these locations; it was also about feeling them. Losing my way. getting to know new people. eating unpronounceable foods. observing the world unfold, one tale at a time.
Therefore, if you’re unsure about where to go in 2025, go where you’ll feel alive. I hope this list helps you get going.
Iceland is fantastic. It’s kind of unreal, like Mars meets Narnia. It seemed like I had entered a different dimension as I drove into the highlands, where I could see moss-covered lava fields, deserts with black sand, and glaciers that creak as they move. I watched the Northern Lights dance at night under a chilly sky. I didn’t care that I couldn’t feel my toes; I just stood there, barefoot in the snow, my mouth hanging open.
3. Jordan and Petra
After hours of walking in the intense heat, the sandstone cliffs parted, and I saw the Treasury. The sensation of being in front of Petra is
unmatched by any image or video. The quiet is deafening. Every rock here has been etched with history. In a nearby cave, I had tea with a Bedouin family. Despite not speaking the same language, we were able to understand one another.
4. Georgia’s Tbilisi
Tbilisi caught us completely off guard. It is
simultaneously chaotic and serene, elegant and gritty. The old city is a tangle of wine cellars, sulfur bathhouses, and balconies. At a rooftop bar, I met a local artist who showed me secret passageways beneath the city. Georgian cuisine, too? criminally underappreciated. Wine produced by monks in clay pots and khingli (dumplings) are both unforgettable.
5. Chile, Argentina, and Patagonia
In the best way possible, Patagonia will make you feel insignificant. You are alone with the sky, the wind, and the mountains. In Torres del Paine, I went on a solitary hike. At night, I would sit by the fire with people I had met who had become friends and gaze at the stars. No cell phones. No WiFi. Just tranquility. Earth-shaking, unadulterated beauty.
6. Slovenia’s Ljubljana
Ljubljana is similar to that quiet friend who is more cool than they appear. Cafés and jazz musicians line the river, which flows through the heart of the city like a languid ribbon. Everything is tidy, serene, and
endearing. I purposefully got lost while renting a bike, and I ended up eating cream cake with locals at Lake Bled. Time seemed to slow down there, but in a positive way.
7. South Africa’s Cape Town
Sunrise on Table Mountain? Worth every step of the ascent. Cape Town is a cosmopolitan melting pot of cultures,
colors, and cuisines. I kayaked past seals at Hout Bay, watched penguins waddle on Boulders Beach, and attended a cooking class in a township. Despite everything they have been through, the people here exude warmth like no other.
8. Turkey’s Istanbul
Before you even see Istanbul, you can taste its coffee, spices, and grilled fish by the Bosphorus. I bartered for rugs I couldn’t carry and lost myself in the Grand Bazaar for days while drinking apple tea. I was watching the sunset from Galata Tower when the call to prayer reverberated over rooftops. Istanbul is more
than just a city; it’s where East and West collide, the past and the future collide. It’s an emotion.
9. Canada’s Banff National Park
Banff is a display of nature. Clouds kissed the mountain peaks as I paddled my kayak across Lake Louise. It doesn’t look real because the water is so incredibly blue, but I promise it is. Under the stars, I soaked in hot springs, hiked the trails, and saw a bear—from a safe distance. It is simultaneously serene, untamed, and motionless.
10. Singapore
Singapore is like the early arrival of the future. efficient, eco-friendly, and sleek. There are food stalls with uncles serving the best laksa you’ve ever had, though, so it’s not all neon and polished steel. At night, I strolled through Gardens by the Bay, where enormous illuminated trees glowed against the sky. This would be a paradise if Blade Runner had one.
11. New Zealand’s Queenstown
Be warned, thrill-seekers: Queenstown is serious business. I took a wine tour in Gibbston Valley to decompress after jumping off a bridge and speeding through canyons on a jet boat. You can be skydiving one day and stargazing over a quiet lake the next. Living there is similar to being in a National Geographic special.
12. Italy’s Amalfi Coast
On one side of the road I drove was lined with lemon groves, and on the other was the glittering Mediterranean. Like vibrant confetti, the villages of Positano, Ravello, and Amalfi tumble down cliffs. I napped by the sea, drank espresso in sunny cafés, and got wasted on limoncello with a 70-year-old nonna who insisted I stay for dinner.
13. South Korea’s Seoul
Seoul is quick, but it also knows when to slow down. I would find myself drinking tea in a peaceful Hanok village after a day of neon-lit shopping and K-pop music. The midnight tteokbokki, fried chicken, and kimchi pancakes are among the dangerous (in the best way) street foods. Seoul has big dreams but doesn’t sleep.
14. Portugal’s Azores
I had no idea what to anticipate from the Azores, but magic was what I discovered. Misty green hills, crater lakes, and volcanoes — as if Hawaii and Iceland had a secret child. I hiked along trails lined with hydrangeas and took a rain-soaked bath in a hot spring. Just cows, clouds, and the occasional whale sighting—no crowds.
15. Mexico’s Oaxaca
The flavor and color of oaxaca are vibrant. Music, murals, and mezcal fill the streets. I had the good fortune to visit during Día de los Muertos, and it profoundly affected me. I witnessed strangers offering me stories and tamales, altars constructed with love, and candles flickering in cemeteries. Your soul is fed by this city.
16. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The future is being built in real time in Dubai. I took a spaceship-like elevator ride at the Museum of the Future. I then watched the sun melt into the dunes while riding a camel in the desert forty minutes later. It is a playground for the daring, it is extravagant, and it is elegant.
17. Bhutan
Bhutan transformed me. It’s a pilgrimage, not a vacation. Gross National Happiness is real, the smiles are broader, and the air is thinner. With my heart full and my legs trembling, I hiked up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. It seemed as though the universe was whispering to us through each prayer flag that fluttered in the wind.
18. Scotland’s Edinburgh
As I strolled through Edinburgh’s Old Town, fog rolled across the cobblestones. This city seems to be designed with storytellers in mind. I spent rainy evenings in pubs listening to live folk music, climbed Arthur’s Seat for sweeping views, and sat in the café where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter. ethereal, enchanting, and unforgettable.
19. Kenya’s Maasai Mara
Seeing the Great Migration is a life-altering experience, not just something to cross off your bucket list. I witnessed elephants passing by our jeep as if we didn’t exist, lions relaxing in the shade, and thousands of wildebeest crossing rivers. I lay under the African sky at night, feeling incredibly small and counting stars.
20. Indonesia’s Bali
Bali is spiritual, chaotic, and restorative; it’s not just Instagram yoga poses. I hiked Mount Batur for sunrise, danced all night in Canggu, and meditated in Ubud. “To travel is to return to yourself,” a Balinese healer I met once told me. That had a profound effect.
