There are many ways that can help you find inspiration to decide on your next vacation.
Here are my 10 tried and tested ways which I can recommend:
1- Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook pictures
If you use Social Media, you will likely be connected to people who are frequently posting their best travel photos from exotic locations worldwide.
This was how I found out about the existence of Chefchaouen in Morocco (which we visited in December 2015) and now have Ronda in Spain and the beautiful flower fields of Hitachi Seaside Park in Japan on my bucket list of places to visit.
Chefchaouen is a beautiful mountain village in Northern Morocco
2- UNESCO World heritage sites
A place would need to meet one of ten selection criteria to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
I would always check the places inscribed in the UNESCO list when making plans to visit a certain country.
This was how I found out about Plitvice National Park in Croatia which till today is one of my favourite places in the world.
I was so mesmerised by the beauty of the Plitvice Lakes that I went back for a second visit the following year
Other UNESCO World heritage sites I have been to include Petra in Jordan, Mostar in Bosnia, Jungfrau Joch and the Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland, Cartagena in Colombia, Luxor in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru, Iguazu National Park in Argentina/Brazil, Victoria Falls in Zambia / Zimbabwe, Kinabalu Park and Georgetown in Malaysia and countless more.
3- Newspapers / Books
I still remember being given by a friend the Sunday travel section of the Guardian when I was in University. The front page was of a beautiful terrace with lemons in Positano.
Next thing I knew, I had booked a flight to Naples and there I was eating a lemon sorbet in Positano after visiting Capri Island and the ruins of Pompeii. (and we are going again in July 2019!)
“Nearly always when you find a place as beautiful as Positano, your impulse is to conceal it,” wrote John Steinbeck in the May 1953 issue of Harper’s Bazaar. How true his statement was.
4- TV shows / Movies
I was addicted to Japanese and Korean dramas during my University days. A Korean drama entitled Spring Waltz featured a scene on the most beautiful, dreamy town on a lake. A quick search later told me this was Hallstatt in Austria.
It wasn’t long till I planned an epic road trip across Austria, Germany and Czech Republic. My friends told me I was crazy to go all the way to Hallstatt because of a TV show. They ended up loving it as much as I did!
Of course when I finally made it to Japan for the first time in 2008, I went around Tokyo to visit many significant spots from my favourite TV shows (such as Ebisu in Hana Yori Dango).
The Travel Channel is another great place to get your travel inspiration from. Finally being able to swim with nurse sharks in Belize a decade after watching Megan McCormick doing that on TV was just incredible.
It was a dream come true to snorkel with nurse sharks and stingrays in Belize
National Geographic, Discovery Channel and the Travel Channel are vital for many of the things that are on my bucket list.
One of my favourite reality TV shows is Survivor. I was mesmerised seeing the contestants swim in the Jellyfish Lake in Palau on their reward challenge in 2005. I finally swam in that same lake 9 years later.
If you’ve watched Narcos on Netflix, you might want to plan a trip to Medellin in Colombia.
5- Visit friends or family
Globalisation today means you are likely to have friends or family living abroad. Why not go visit them and explore somewhere new?
We have enjoyed our trips abroad to Japan, Spain, Ireland, the US and Canada thanks to them.
Having a local show you a new place can make all the difference. Getting insider knowledge ensures you get the best tips for your holiday plans.
My friend Reiko took me to my first hanabi in a Japanese high school wearing a yukata
6- School
I remember learning about the Alhambra in Granada, Spain and Bukhara in Uzbekistan in my History lessons in school as a teenager in Malaysia.
Once I made it to the UK for my undergraduate studies, I wasted no time in planning a trip to Andalusia and have now visited the Alhambra twice on two separate visits.
A view of Albaicin from Alhambra in Granada, Spain
Bukhara and the beauty of Samarkand in Uzbekistan was astounding to see with my very own eyes when we backpacked across Central Asia in 2013.
To finally set foot on Capri Island after learning about its existence during English Literature classes was quite remarkable.
7- Travel Itineraries by Tour Agencies
Planning a trip can be daunting especially if you know nothing about the place you would like to visit. A good start would be to look at the itineraries offered by tour agencies.
This is a great way to figure out where to go on that dream vacation of yours.
8- Ask a Friend
You know someone who is from or has been to a place you’d like to visit. Why not strike a conversation and ask them to tell you more?
The only reason I managed to plan our trip to Central Asia was thanks to two men I met through work who had been to Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc.
I felt like a time machine had taken me back to the past when we visited Khiva in Uzbekistan
I utilised all the Japanese connections I had from my University days when I traveled to Japan for the first time.
Thanks to a catch up with a work colleague who just returned from Miami, I found myself on a day trip to Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale a year later.
9- Tripadvisor / Google
The world’s largest travel site offering traveler reviews is another great place to get your travel inspiration from.
What I appreciate about Tripadvisor is the many lists of recommendations they have such as top beaches, popular destinations, most romantic destinations, etc.
Similarly, if you would like to do a weekend getaway and explore a Christmas Market, why not ask Google where the best Christmas Markets in Europe are?
You have always dreamed of viewing the northern lights. Why not ask Google where are the best places where you can see them?
You are envisioning a Mediterranean island getaway. Why not let Google tell you the choices you have?
10- Food
I am not ashamed to admit that I travel for food.
If you are as much as a foodie as I am, you’ll probably want to travel to a dream restaurant of yours.
We have been on many holidays where food was the highlight of the trip – Copenhagen, Spain, UK, Japan, Malaysia, etc.
The best satay in the world is definitely in Malaysia!
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Are there other ways you use to decide on your next vacation? Cheapest flight tickets is certainly another one I use!
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