I don’t know about you when it starts to get to the end of the year my mind goes into overdrive about travel plans for the next year. I’ve been frantically researching and reading into travel destinations and trends for 2019 for a month or so now and think I have a good idea about what Ards and I want to do, based on the variety of offers available.
Reading about what cities, countries and regions are predicted as the top destinations for 2019 has been quite interesting. Some of them I thought make sense as a couple of friends have been visiting recently, but some of them were still quite new to me.
I think what helps is when airlines offer better routes and accessibility to cities or regions that were once hard to get to, as well as the demand for authentic travel experiences. The good news is there’s plenty of them and more to come. It’s never been easier to get to the exotic, faraway places you’ve always dreamed of, and they are starting to overtake the usual Paris, London and New York combos!
Currently I’m exploring a few options for 2019 but for Ards and I countries in Europe are still quite high on the list. Although I do have my sights set on a few other destinations… See below for where exactly we want to travel to, followed by some of the other places that are proving popular.
See below for a list of 9 Top Travel Destinations for 2019
1. Croatia
To my surprise Croatia is still growing in popularity as a top place to travel. A couple of years ago it was quite a new place to visit in Europe, but now thanks to easier accessibility across Europe, all-inclusive packages and authentic cultural experiences, the cities of Hvar, Istria, Zagreb and Dubrovnik are drawing in many visitors yearly. Sail Croatia is on our list for next year (keen!). I’ve spoken to a few people about their travel plans for next year and Croatia is also on theirs.
2. Maldives
I am so excited that this destination has finally made it onto Lonely Planet’s 2019 Top Travel Destinations list. With new properties and great offers there are more competitive prices on hotels + airfares, meaning more people can consider going. Arden and I travelled to the Maldives in 2014 for our honeymoon (see here and here) and it was honestly the best experience we have ever had. Everything trumped our expectations and it was worth every dollar. The hospitality, service, activities, marine care, cuisine & people was all perfection. Despite all the places we’ve been and fantastic experiences we’ve had, nothing tops the Maldives. We are dying to go back. It is the ultimate bucket-list destination. Book, book, book!
3. Sri Lanka
I’m not surprised Sri Lanka has made several top 2019 destination lists. My Instagram is flooded daily with people & bloggers visiting Sri Lanka and the classic Elephant safari pic (see below). From what I’ve read Sri Lanka offers a lot. Waterfalls, tea plantations, national parks, coastal towns and safari drives. Sign me up! Sri Lanka is actually quite close to Maldives and from my husband says the surf there is good, so I’m sure we’ll visit one day.
4. Argentina
Along with the trend and rising popularity of South America, Argentina is proving to be a cost-efficient travel destination. The amount of airfare deals I’ve seen to Buenos Aires is phenomenal. Andes mountains, tango dancing, electric streets, luscious vineyards and classic architecture, Argentina really does appear to have it all. If you’re after soaking up some South American culture and getting out into nature, this country is your go to.
5. Montana and Wyoming, USA
Ever heard of Yellowstone National Park? Well Montana and Wyoming are the states where the park is located (mostly Wyoming). As said above, travellers these days are more and more interested in getting out into nature and enjoying the beautiful national parks of the world (perhaps global warming fears and bushfire epidemics play into this). Visiting these US states gives you the options of cool ranches, skiing, canoeing, snowmobiling… you chose if you prefer a summer or winter holiday.
6. Cambodia
I was recently inspired about this destination after seeing Geneva’s (from A Pair and A Spare) trip to Cambodia. She does the best travel guides, see here. If you feel like you’ve done your share of South-east Asia (this was definitely me) think again! With new hotel openings, new bars and restaurants and improved cities, Cambodia can now rival Thailand and Vietnam. Love some local markets and tomb raider style adventures. Also I’ve seen some awesome travel deals here thanks to Jetstar.
7. Copenhagen, Denmark
There’s been a big trend in design and architecture which has seen the northern cities of Europe gain popularity, like Copenhagen in Denmark. I was hoping to make it there this year but we ran out of time in Europe, so it’s still on the list. Lonely Planet has actually named Copenhagen as the TOP CITY to travel to in 2019! Woah. Cool, unstoppable and groundbreaking are some of the terms surrounding its win, and apparently it relates to the food cuisines, people and architecture. Bring it on.
8. Slovenia
Eastern Europe is making its way as the new must see region and I couldn’t be happier. Being of Polish background and neighbouring to EE, I am Eastern Europe’s biggest fan. There are so many incredible cities there and the value of travelling there is phenomenal. Slovenia is being coined as the new Switzerland, thanks to it’s marvellous cuisines, alpine scenery and crystal clear lakes. Lake Bled is gaining traction now for travellers.
9. Turkey
And last on the list is Turkey. Turkey is an interesting one as there has been a lot of uncertainty and danger recently with travelling there due to the political conditions, although I have some Turkish friends and they rave about the place. You’re guaranteed to have seen the classic blogger Turkey photo of a sunset rooftop with hundreds of hot air balloons in the background. Turkey is up almost 400% for travellers this year and it is definitely a bargain place to go. Although it is risky so be very careful and plan well.
For 2019, we’re currently planning a 2-3 week trip to Europe visiting Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Croatia (Sail Croatia with friends) and the heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia. I’ll do a post on this soon to tell more 🙂
The best thing about travel is you really can’t go wrong because travel is what you make of it. Pick destinations that are relevant and mean something for you and go from there. If something is ticking over in the back of your brain, research it. You might just find your new favourite place in the world.
What’s on your travel list for 2019?
A x
Pictures sourced from Pinterest
Golden Hour Girl 
these places all look fun! Have you been to all of them? Thanks for sharing!