"Where Should I Holiday Next?" | The Wanderlust Days

Many people often ask me where they should holiday next. It can be a difficult decision if you’re short on time or money, and would like to get the most out of your holidays, or if you’re just looking for an interesting place to explore.

So where are some of the great spots in the world? The places you can go for a couple of weeks, relax with your partner or a couple friends and still satisfy your adventurous spirit?

Vietnam

Vietnam seems to be one of the more popular places people have been visiting in the past few years, and there’s a great reason for this. The country is beautiful, the people are lovely and the food is so unbelievably delicious! Cities like Ho Chi Minh, Hoi An, Hanoi and Sapa are filled with history and are so interesting to explore. If you like visiting markets, or buying knock-off t-shirts and shoes, or you’re a foodie wanting to eat everything from fresh salads to crispy cockroaches, Vietnam is your country.

The other great thing is the very affordable price. The Vietnamese Dong is not a high-value currency, so those from the Western world can make the most of the great exchange and live like royalty for a couple of weeks if you so choose. For a few thousand dollars a couple could buy flights into HCM City and travel by train, plane or car northward for a couple of week, past stunning beaches, through photogenic rice fields and up into the mountains.

If you’re lucky enough to have a little longer to explore, the rest of South East Asia is right on Vietnam’s doorstep. Thailand, Cambodia and Laos are all stunning in their own right and an easy flight or train ride away.

Hong Kong

For those who like hustle and bustle and exploring concrete jungles, I thoroughly recommend Hong Kong. Flying in to the harbour city I didn’t realise how scenic the landscape truly is. A busy city with two distinct sides, Hong Kong is fun to visit.

If you choose to stay on the Kowloon side you can explore the cultural hub of Nathan Road, visit the ladies markets, find great restaurants, and immerse yourself in chinese medicines, gadgets and souvenirs. Or you can instead stay on Hong Kong island, populated with high-rise buildings, high fashion stores and international business people going about their days.

Whichever side of Victoria Harbour you stay, it’s so easy to get around. Buy an Octopus card and hop on the metro system which will get you easily to popular tourists sites. Take the tram up to The Peak, visit the zoo, walk through Kowloon Park and end your day with dinner and the laser show on the harbour.

I loved my time in Hong Kong and though exploring alone, I always felt safe and very happy in the diverse city. Some say Hong Kong is very expensive, but I really didn’t think so. If you’re budget conscious you can enjoy Hong Kong with no problems at all. But if you have money to spend, splash out on a nice hotel, buy yourself new iPad or other tech gadget, and enjoy a cocktail at a rooftop bar. Hong Kong really does have something for everyone.

Paris

If you’re thinking Europe, have a little money to spend and time to adventure, I will always suggest Paris. I completely love this city! It is such an enigmatic place to get lost in.

I’m a cities person, I love walking through urban streets, discovering little shops and cafes, exploring art galleries and museums and finding hidden parks.

Paris is another very easy city to get around if you take the metro and walk. Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triumph and the Eiffel Tower are an easy walk from each other. If you plan your route east from the Eiffel Tower along the Seine you’ll end up at Notre-Dame having passed the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and the famous love lock bridge.

You can take a train out to Versailles and tour the palace, you can wander through Montmartre and experience the artist’s way of life, visit Sacré Cour while you’re there and stop into the Moulin Rouge. Or you can just walk the streets, get a little lost in the Latin Quarter, or picnic in one of the many parks spread throughout the city.

Yes Paris is expensive, especially if the dollar isn’t doing so well against the Euro. But I lived in Paris for a month in 2014 on a backpacker budget without any problem at all. Airbnb makes accommodation affordable, and great food is available pretty much everywhere especially if you’re looking to buy from markets and try your hand at cooking your own french cuisine.