2016 has been my biggest travel year to date and now I’m ready to retire. Ok, just kidding. But, seriously, I put in some serious miles this year and had some incredible & breathtaking adventures along the way!
Here’s a breakdown of my 2016 travels:
Countries Traveled: Brazil, the Bahamas, Indonesia, Austria, England, South Africa, Mexico, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, China, United Arab Emirates, Canada, Belize, Japan, Iceland, Colombia, Ecuador, French Polynesia
I can’t believe that I can now say I’ve traveled 54 countries since starting this blog just 4 years ago — which is incredible to think about!
Here are the highlights from my 2016 travels!
– – Brazil – –
I took my mom on her first ever international trip last year for Christmas aboard a cruise where we sailed from Puerto Rico to Rio! We explored the Brazilian cities of Fortaleza, Salvado De Bahia, Recife, Olinda and Buzios, and rang in the New Year in Rio!
It was one of the most luxurious travel experiences I’ve been on– and my first cruise!
More on Brazil Travel:
– – The Bahamas – –
I got to travel to The Bahamas for the first this year! I spent some time exploring the islands of Bimini and and later fulfilled a childhood dream of staying at the famous Atlantis Resort.
The Bahamas are a haven for beachgoers, fishermen, and water sports enthusiasts, and only a short flight from Miami!
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– – Miami – –
How it took me 28 years to visit Miami is beyond explanation. And, just my luck, a massive cold front hit when I visited. So, aside from sporadic windows of sunshine, I mostly spent my time exploring Miami by bike and cozied up at my hotel.
However, I will admit the Edition Hotel takes the cake for coolest setup with a full club, bowling alley and ice skating rink in their basement!
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Bali
I returned to Bali for the first time in 5 years — it’s always held a special place in my heart, so I was excited to return. I then returned TWO MORE TIMES later in the year! Yes. Three trips to Bali this year.
You could say that I’m mildly obsessed 
On my first trip this year, I went to Bali to participate in a 10-day coding course from the Institute of Code. Taught poolside in a villa, I can say it is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my blog and my business.
I returned to Bali later in the summer to hide away for a week between trips in Asia and then I returned again later in the year to spend a few days relaxing before setting off to explore more of Indonesia.
As I’ve said, time and time again, Bali is a heaven on earth! It is one of the best (and cheapest) places to unwind, relax and focus on wellness.
Austria
I visited Austria this spring for The Ski Week in Obertauern, Austria! Organized by the same awesome people who organize The Yacht Week, this is the ultimate winter getaway– lots of fun, fresh snow and people from around the world!
More on Austria Travel:
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WATCH: The Ski Week Austria
London
After The Ski Week, I made a quick stop in London for some business meetings, afternoon tea and a visit to the Natural History Museum!
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California Coast Road Trip
With a goal to explore more of my home state this year, I thought, “What better way to do so than by road trip?!” The iconic Pacific Coast Highway continues along most of the California coast up to Oregon and Washington.
The drive up California can be enjoyed at any pace — whether it’s over the course of a day or a couple weeks!
From San Diego to San Francisco, we had so much fun going up the coast and stopping in Santa Barbara, Big Sur and Monterey! We also celebrated “The Blonde Abroad” blog’s 4th birthday at the famous Madonna Inn!
More on California Travel:
South Africa
My first visit to the continent Africa was to explore South Africa — specifically Cape Town and the amazing wine region of Stellenbosch. I fell in love with the food, wine and culture of the region and can’t wait to explore more of Africa.
In case you missed it, I’m moving to Cape Town in just a few weeks, so stay tuned!
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Mexico
The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico has always been one of my favorite getaways for relaxation and beaches. So, I returned this year to spend more time in Playa Del Carmen.
Its world-class diving and beautiful beaches have made it one of Mexico’s hot spots for people from around the globe.
I did my Advanced PADI Scuba certification while I was there, and also took the ferry over to Isla Holbox to relax for a few days (check out my daily vlogs here!). It was absolutely amazing, and somewhere you NEED to visit!
Wyoming, USA
Being from the US, it can be easy to overlook my own country when I’m planning my next trip. There are so many beautiful destinations in North America and I’m glad I was able to spend a few days off-the-grid in Wyoming for a girlfriend’s wedding this year!
Sri Lanka
Wonder why they call Sri Lanka “The Pearl of the Indian Ocean?” Well, I found out. Going into my first trip to the island destination, I didn’t know what to expect. But, I was blown away!
There’s definitely no shortage of natural beauty between the tropical, green mountains, overgrown forests, sparkling coastlines and lush rivers.
I also attended the TBCAsia Conference while there and The Blonde Abroad was awarded Travel Blog of the Year, which was such a huge honor!
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Maldives
After visiting Sri Lanka, I hopped over to the Maldives for a few days. The Maldives is super close to Sri Lanka and has been on my bucket list for a long time!
I spent two days scuba diving, experienced my first seaplane flight, swam with whale sharks, and stayed in my first overwater bungalow!
More on The Maldives Travel:
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WATCH: Scuba Diving in The Maldives
China
This was my second trip to China and I was lucky enough to visit the Qinghai region of China, which is highly regulated and not very accessible to Westerners.
It was an amazing cultural experience and I learned so much more about local culture, cuisine and customs than I ever expected.
This region is China’s most sparcely populated province – with 1 yak to each person – and is known for its strong Tibetan and Mongol culture.
More on China Travel:
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WATCH: Discovering Qinghai, China
Dubai
This was actually my second trip to Dubai. I visited back in 2012 on my first trip to the Middle East in my early blogging days.
From a traditional Turkish hammam experience, to hanging out with camels in the desert, to climbing to the top of the Burj Khalifa (1,820 feet high!), I quickly remembered that there’s no shortage of adventure and new experiences to be had in Dubai.
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Montreal
One of my bigger trips in North America this year was to Montreal with Refinery29. I fell in love with the city’s European charm and Canadian hospitality (and, of course, the poutine!)
It’s a totally unique city that everyone should experience!
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San Francisco
Music festivals have always been one of my favorite experiences in travel, so I had to check out Outside Lands up in San Francisco this year. I got to see some of my favorites like Radiohead and RÜFÜS — and my girl crush, Lana del Rey!
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Palm Springs
Traveling full time can take a toll on relationships, so when I have the opportunity to plan a girlfriends’ getaway with my besties, I’ll jump at the chance. Me and three of my best friends planned an ultra-luxe weekend poolside at The Ritz-Carlton in Palm Desert!
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Belize
My trip to Belize was an adventurer’s dream! Within the first 24 hours, I got to fly over the iconic Blue Hole and fall sleep in a gorgeous treehouse suite at Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort.
Other highlights were spearfishing lionfish and helping with conservation efforts, waterfall rappelling, and scuba diving to my heart’s content– 7 dives in 3 days!
More on Belize Travel:
Burning Man
Annually, my week at Burning Man is my “offline” time, where I disconnect from the world out in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
I say this every year, but my third Burn was even better than the last. I’m so grateful for the incredible moments I get to share with old friends and new every year. The magic of the Playa is in the wonder of the often uncomfortable and utterly unbelievable.
Which is why I can’t wait to attend AfrikaBurn this year in South Africa!
More on Burning Man:
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WATCH: Burning Man Experience
Tokyo
I’m still SO excited about my trip to Tokyo this year! Japan had been on my travel bucket list for so long and I finally got the opportunity to go with one of my best friends and explore the city.
We spent our first day exploring quirky Harajuku District- eating fairytale cupcakes, spending WAY too much time in photo booths and even trying rainbow spaghetti. Other highlights from the trip were the famous Robot Restaurant, the Shibuya District, and exploring Golden Gai– check out my daily vlogs here!
Indonesia
Because I had really only been to Bali in Indonesia, I was so excited for the opportunity to explore more of the country. Spending time in Komodo National Park and on the beautiful island of Flores was more amazing than I could have imagined!
During our days in Labuan Bajo, we ventured to Padar Island and Pink Beach, Melo Village, Cunca Waterfall, got to scuba dive, and spotted Komodo dragons! We also spent some time on Ende and experienced the Wologai cultural village and a sunrise hike to Kelimutu Volcanic Craters— it was unbelievable!
Iceland
My first trip to Iceland was back in 2014, so I had been daydreaming of a return trip for the last two years! I was able to spend a few days in Reykjavik as well as do an epic camper van road trip around the iconic Ring Road.
We spent 10 days exploring the rugged and stunning landscapes, dipping in geothermal lagoons, chasing waterfalls, trying new kinds of foods and drinks (like fermented shark!) and, I have to say, it was one of my favorite trips of the year!
NYC
Immediately following Iceland, I headed to New York City where I was asked to speak at the PhotoPlus Expo with Fujifilm! It was such an honor, and a great event to both attend and speak at.
More on NYC Travel:
Colombia
Before flying to The Galápagos, I spent a couple days exploring Bogotá, Colombia for the first time. The city is known for “not-so-great” weather, but we got lucky with a couple of sunny days perfect for exploring!
I’ll have a guide to Bogotá in 48 hours up soon, but some of the highlights were staying at Click Clack hotel, taking in the view from the top of Monserrate, walking around La Candelaria and having a night out at the famous Andrés Carne de Res restaurant!
Blog posts coming soon!
The Galápagos
After spending a few days in Bogotá, Colombia, we flew over to San Cristóbal Island in The Galápagos to board the luxurious M/V Origin vessel for an eight day cruise through the islands!
I was especially excited for the diving and learned there are amazing dive locations off of San Cristóbal, namely Kicker Rock, famous for spotting Galápagos and hammerhead sharks. I’m still organizing all of my photos so stay tuned for many more blog posts on the trip!
More on The Galapagos Travel:
— French Polynesia —
My most recent (and last) trip of the year took me to the islands of French Polynesia! We spent a few days exploring each of the islands: Taha’a, Rangiroa, and Tahiti.
Taha’a is known for spectacular vanilla, while Rangiroa has the most diverse marine life and is known around the world for its diving and snorkeling sites. I also discovered the untouched side of Tahiti where you can explore lava tubes and trek to waterfalls.
It was an amazing way to end the year! Stay tuned for blog posts!
No matter where life takes you in 2017, may your destination always be happiness!
Happy New Year!
You can continue to follow along with my 2017 adventures on the blog, Instagram and YouTube!
My Best Travel Experiences of 2016 is a post from: The Blonde Abroad
from The Blonde Abroad http://ift.tt/2ibb8bn
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