2017 has been a crazy travel year. With 18 countries visited, I reached a total number of 57 countries already – waaah! But I am not done yet and that’s why I already plan some new adventures with my partner in crime and favourite travel partner, Clemens from Anekdotique.

Travel Bucket List 2018: Endless beauty in Canada

Bow Lake, Canada. Photo: © Chris Fort

Canada has been on my travel list for quite some time now, but it simply did not work out yet. Damn. However, this year I had my ultimate premiere in roadtripping: With a super big camper van, I went through New Zealand and absolutely fell in love with this kind of travelling. I would love to have this feeling again – the feeling of being one with the nature surrounding me and of being free.

What exactly do I want to do?
I would like to spend a couple of weeks in Canada to make the fullest out of this vast country. Thus, I would love to spend at least four weeks and to have a great mix of roadtripping, vanlife and of experiencing beautiful huts in the middle of nowhere, such as some of the stunning cabin rentals in Canada. Having driven through both islands of New Zealand within two weeks showed me that this is simply not enough time to soak in the natural beauty of a country.

Why do I want to go?
Mountain ranges, wide streets, orange-coloured leaves and endless options to get lost: Canada sounds like the perfect travel destination for everyone who is searching for this one big adventure out in the wild. The world’s second biggest country, is home to various national parks, widely stretched beaches with good surf and lost-in-time places, such as Manitoba, that are calling to be explored.

Travel Bucket List 2018: Foggy mountains and gorillas in Ruanda

Gorillas in Ruanda. Photo: © Hjalmar Gislason

I’m infected – Africa, you got me. After having been to several countries in North Africa, to Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa and Senegal, I would love to explore a completely different part of this vast continent: Ruanda.

What exactly do I want to do?
I would love to go on a hike through the foggy mountains of Ruanda – searching for not only gorillas, but also for some calamity.

Why do I want to go?
Nestled between Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda and D.R. Congo, this small country is known for its political unrest. Bloody images might jump into your head once you think about Ruanda – genocide, children soldiers and a history that does not represent the perfect travel destination. But there is more behind this dirty façade: Ruanda and its almost 13 million inhabitants is home to some of the most stunning landscapes and to the most precious mammals in the world: gorillas.

Travel Bucket List 2018: Surfing, sunshine and feeling alive in Hawaii

Maui Sunset, Hawaii. Photo: © Bernard Spragg

I always try to put some surf in my travels. Whether it’s Australia, Senegal, Indonesia or Portugal – surfing is something that is part of my travels and that somehow also decides my choice of travel destinations. No wonder, thus, that Hawaii is high up on my travel bucket list for 2018.

What exactly do I want to do?
After having been to the Cook Islands, where I fell in love with the people, their culture and their vast warmth, I really would like to get a deeper insight into the history of Maoris, their beliefs and also their traces. Thus, going to Hawaii would get me one step closer to understanding this interesting culture. Also: I want to go surfing in Hawaii and get lost on the Road to Hana in Maui. I am dreaming of watching the sun set on Hawaii Island, while listening to the stories of the people living on Molokai.

Why do I want to go?
Hawaii is the place to see what people mean by calling something “lush green”. It’s here where Jurassic Park was filmed and where mountain peaks tickle the fog. Hawaii is also where surfing began, where ukulele were invented and where a proper culture and true traditions can be felt. I imagine it as a place that is, both, dreamy and real at the same time. A place, that is full of wow moments, of places that would make me speechless and of days that I will always look back at thinking that this has been the time of my life.

Travel Bucket List 2018: Island hopping in the Philippines

Rice paddies in Bontoc, Philippines. Photo: © Rick McCharles

I have always been a big fan of Southeast Asia and especially Bali has been my favourite destination for quite some time. However, I must admit, that with endless numbers of tourists coming to Bali, my little paradise has grown up. It’s not that I will never return, but I need some time away from Bali to be able to see its beauty again. Hence, something new in Southeast Asia needs to be explored: the Philippines.

What exactly do I want to do?
Island hopping to the max! With more than 7000 islands, I am pretty sure that everyone can find his or her very own paradise and I would like to find mine. I would like to hop from island to island, listening to the stories of the locals, follow their advice and lose myself in the line-up of Siargao.

Why do I want to go?
I love Southeast Asia, I love the sun and I love the big smiles of the people that can call this part of the world their home. The big island state Philippines is not only a paradise for everyone who is into turquoise water, but also home to vast rice paddies, the beautiful chocolate hills and hidden waterfalls.

Travel Bucket List 2018: Crazy chaotic Bangladesh

Streets in Bangladesh. Photo: © Sudipta Arka Das

At least once crazy destination per year is a must! After having been to Ethiopia and Senegal this year, I would like to put a crazy Asian destination on my travel bucket list 2018: Bangladesh.

What exactly do I want to?
Going to Bangladesh means having no plans at all. I want to make the most of this country and simply get lost in the colourful markets of the million metropolis Dhaka, listen to the stories the locals are willing to tell me and I want to hop on one of the very last fisherboats that use trained otters to herd fish into nets. Also: I simply want to get on a local bus and explore this country to the fullest.

Why do I want to go?
One says, go to a place before everyone else does. I have this feeling with Bangladesh. The country is still misrepresented in the media in a way, that most travellers simply avoid coming here. However, I do think that Bangladesh, just like Lebanon, Ethiopia and maybe even Turkey right now, are great places to travel. Destinations, that need some precautions and some proper preparations, but countries, that will help everyone realise ever-lasting travel memories.

Those are just five of the countries I am planning to visit in 2018. Some flights are already booked and others are planned. Stay tuned for new adventures! But before – let’s have a look at 2017!

2017, you crazy thing! This year has been an absolute travel highlight. We started the year with a round-the-world trip that was realised together with the Star Alliance and the Airport Munich. Within 3,5 months we went around the globe – from sipping coffee in Ethiopia, to chilling in Zanzibar, from cycling through South Africa’s Johannesburg to lots of adventures in Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

Above all, four new countries have made it to my absolute top three – Tanzania, Japan, New Zealand and the Cook Islands – but our travel adventures have definitely not come to an end yet. Currently we are busy writing everything down about Senegal, our latest adventure, but while the Christmas lights are warming our flat, we are already thinking of new places that we want to see next year. Should we go somewhere warm? Somewhere cold? Somewhere adventurous? Or maybe a proper holiday destination? Well, I showed you some of the destinations that would make my heart jump up and down in 2018 – what are yours?

This post about my Travel Bucket List 2018 has been realised together with LUXURY RETREATS.