Annual Travel Summary: My 18 Favorite Places Visited in 2025
The Norway trip has ended, and so has my 2025 journey. Let's take stock.
Including layovers, I traveled to:
February - Japan
March - Thailand, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait
April - Turkey
May - Singapore, Indonesia, Maldives
June - Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Morocco, France
September-October - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan
November - Vietnam, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Norway
A total of 24 countries. Japan, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Singapore, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, and Norway were revisited countries. I checked in to 14 new countries this year. Among the new countries, my favorites were Iran, Jordan, and Indonesia.
My 18 favorite places:
1. 🏅🇳🇴 Skjervøy, Norway - Whale watching under a pink sky, which also inspired my first post with thousands of likes.
2. 🥈🇹🇷 Cappadocia, Turkey - This was my third visit to Cappadocia and second time taking a hot air balloon ride in Göreme. I still love this place. This time I unlocked a new experience hiking in Rose Valley to watch the sunset, reminiscent of Zelda. The night view of Göreme felt like the movie Coco.
3. 🥉🇰🇿 Aktau, Kazakhstan - Mangystau National Park. I deliberately took a detour to Aktau by car. The Cretaceous-era underwater relics from millions of years ago have an epic feel that no camera can capture.
4. Lofoten Islands, Norway - A self-drive journey through snowy mountains and fjords. In this snow-covered land, colorful small towns are everywhere. Witnessed my first-ever aurora explosion right at my doorstep.
5. Wadi Rum, Jordan - The sand dune filming location. Unforgettable solo trip renting a 4x4 to traverse the red wilderness of the uninhabited desert.
6. Istanbul, Turkey - My third time in Istanbul, still overwhelmed by the city's unparalleled global scenery.
7. Hormuz Island, Iran - The most beautiful blood-red beach and rainbow caves with various Mars-like landscapes.
8. Petra, Jordan - The lost kingdom and the most spectacular group of ruins.
9. Komodo Island, Indonesia - Pink sand beaches, Komodo dragons, crystal-clear seas for snorkeling, manta rays, bats, and sunsets. Almost every spot is unique.
10. Shahi Zinda Mausoleum, Uzbekistan - The most beautiful mausoleum and a masterpiece of Uzbek architectural aesthetics.
11. Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan - Saw drift ice and sunsets resembling the Arctic Circle, previously only seen in Iceland.
12. Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco - The most exquisite mosque I have visited. "The throne of Allah should be built on water."
13. Rabat, Morocco - The most European-like place in Morocco. Clean, tidy, and orderly. Most attractions are free. The seaside cemetery was unforgettable.
14. Lanzarote, Canary Islands - An otherworldly volcanic island.
15. Jashak Salt Glacier, Iran - Immersed in colorful salt crystals.
16. Registan Square, Uzbekistan - The most spectacular square in Asia.
17. Shiraz, Iran - The breathtaking Tomb of the King of Lights and the Pink Mosque. Also the most colorful city in Iran.
18. Mount Nemrut, Turkey - The lost kingdom on a 2,000-meter-high mountain.
Honorable mentions: Other new places I loved this year:
Budapest, Hungary
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Amman & Jerash, Jordan
Fulidhoo Island, Maldives
Luxembourg
Tromsø, Norway