favorite countries from my most well traveled year
A friend of mine has been to 70+ countries, but whenever he’s asked which of them was his favorite, he never gives a straight answer.
“All of them,” he usually chimes.
Okay, sure.
On one hand, I get not wanting to have countries rank low. They’re people’s homes and places they take pride in. BUT… I have a difficult time buying that you don’t have favorites. The idea of a 193-way tie smells a little too political for me.
So, in the interest of swinging in the opposite direction of my dear friend, I’m ranking the top ten countries I’ve visited this year. It was indeed an unusually travel-heavy year for me, and while I might’ve appreciated a slower pace to the string of adventures that comprised 2024, sometimes you just gotta give thanks for the waves that come to you and then ride them.
Anyways… let’s rank some countries.
10) Guyana
An interesting nation at an interesting point in time. If you haven’t seen my explainer video on Guyana’s Oil Boom, the nation is rapidly evolving thanks to the discovery of oil off its coast in 2015. It’s by far the fastest growing economy in the world.
The thing holding Guyana back from a higher ranking is the simple fact that while it has a lot to offer, it isn’t easy to get around. A lot of ecotourism operators were slow to respond, making it hard to plan outings. Georgetown had few areas that you could easily walk around, and many areas where that wouldn’t be a great choice. The cost of hiring a private car to take you places really led to me being stingy with outings.
But as the country continues to evolve, it’ll be interesting to see if that infrastructure emerges in the next few years. If so, the natural wonders of remote Guyana make it a place to keep tabs on.
9) Suriname
The differences between Guyana and Suriname are so subtle, it would be strange if they weren’t adjacent to each other on a list. Their histories run parallel. Colonized by the Dutch and British in similar fashion. The arrival of enslaved persons from Africa, the intermarrying with native tribes, then the arrival of laborers from India.
Both countries have vast swatches of remote forest, incredible biodiversity, and some cool opportunities to explore.
The item that does give Suriname an edge is the fact that it felt a bit more accessible. Paramaribo was walkable in ways Georgetown couldn’t match. Walking around led me to neat cafes, good Surinamese food spots, and even some eco-adventure operators.
8) Estonia
Now for a very different part of the world… Estonia! I spent a somewhat short amount of time there, but it felt like that’s all I needed to have a good time around the city of Tallinn. I really liked the coziness of walking around the city and hopping into different cafes, churches, museums, and shops. A special shoutout to Olde Hansa, a touristy medieval restaurant that really commits to the bit and actually has some good food.
Estonia itself is one of the most livable countries in the world. A small Baltic state with a really high standard of living. Wide access to education, technology, and all kinds of amenities.
There is very little bad to be said about Estonia, only that it isn’t very big. But I liked what I saw.
7) Singapore
Another country that’s geographically on the small side… but Singapore has a lot going on!
Still, I wasn’t necessarily sure how much those things would appeal to me. Shopping malls, luxury hotels, and the forest/waterfall inside the airport.
There was one element of Singapore I did have a lot of faith in, though, and that was the food. From salted egg chips to kaya toast to curry crab… there were plenty of must-try dishes. I decided to make the focus of my visit Singapore’s street food scene, and I even managed to eat a really affordable Michelin star.
Turns out Singapore is a fun spot to explore, especially if you go neighborhood by neighborhood and really appreciate what each has to offer. Oh, and the airport waterfall was actually worth checking out.
6) Laos
In pretty big contrast to Singapore, Laos has a lot more space and feels a lot more quiet and under-the-radar. Laos is a beloved backpacker favorite, and it didn’t really take long to see why. I enjoyed rice farming, waterfall chasing, and really good coffee during my week in Luang Prabang.
Laos is perhaps the most affordable country I’ve been to, and since I was pushing myself pretty hard around the time of my visit, I decided to accept my own permission to splurge a bit. But by Laotian standards. I ate at one of the most hyped restaurants in Luang Prabang and stayed in a really comfy eco-resort on the Mekong.
I’ve been to neighboring Thailand several times, but I appreciated how Laos felt even more laid back.
5) Spain
This feels low! But that’s why it’s such a tough list to make.
Spain is one of my favorite countries hands down. It has an amazing combo of things to love: an extremely relaxed and slow-paced culture, an incredible culinary offering, and an eclectic mix of cities and destinations each with their own personalities.
I visited Spain as a family trip, and the fact that I brought three kids over who are pre-kindergarten must’ve meant I was really confident in the Spanish penchant for easy living.
We posted up in Valencia, in a spot just blocks from the coast. The beach itself ended up to be an impressively uncrowded expanse that opened to the sea, and the area around it was loaded with good restaurants and playgrounds. Valencia was also as kid friendly as it gets with attractions like the Gulliver’s Travels playground and the City of Arts and Sciences being musts.
4) Thailand
Thailand’s always been a fave for both new and veteran travelers and for good reason. It’s got everything… nature, culture, cuisine, all in one easy-to-navigate, still-affordable destination.
This year brought my fourth visit to the Land of Smiles and it was my second time visiting the Plant With Purpose program there to do some storytelling.
Getting to interact with the hilltribes of ethnic minorities, many of whom are refugee families who moved to escape conflict was the highlight of my time there. The abundant rambutan was simply an added bonus.
3) Kenya
I was straight up impressed with what Kenya had to offer.
I showed up just for a short time in country, but with all it had to offer, I’m amazed by how much I was able to experience. I got a taste for its running tradition, found some hip and upcoming spots to eat, and even spent some time with giraffes at the national park that sits within the city.
One of the more unforgettable parts of my Kenya visit was getting to spend an afternoon with former street kids and hear their stories of growing up without parents or stability in a rowdy part of Nairobi. The city still has its rough patches, but it has come a long way, as have many of the kids who grew up there.
I left thinking that Nairobi truly did have so much more to explore. I would welcome a return trip, and wouldn’t mind stretching it out to include another spot to visit like Lamu on the coast.
2) Portugal
Portugal is one of the easiest, most enjoyable places to simply exist.
But we did more than just that during our weeks in Porto, didn’t we?
Our trip to Portugal was my favorite kind of trip… one where I got to bring my whole family, and also invite a couple friends, and split up a large place to serve as our home base. While staying in Porto with our friends Joy and Daniel, we got in a lot of walking around the blue tiled city, got in a bit of the coast, and ate really well. We also managed a visit to an escape room… playing in a language you don’t speak with half of your team not yet having entered Kindergarten is one way to play on expert mode.
My personal favorite spot turned out to be the Porto Municipal Park, where there were plenty of meadows and great spots beneath the trees to just sit and be.
1) Finland
Finland is a great country, first of all. But it lacks the diversity of people and terrain that is typical of the countries I love. So what made it take my number one spot?
Simply enough, the week I spent there was just that good.
I went to Finland on a father-son trip with my oldest… four at the time of the trip. We found good flights into Helsinki, spent some time there, then took a sleeper train into the Arctic Circle. We visited Santa Claus Village, slept in a glass igloo to catch Northern Lights, but most of all, we really loved our time with each other.
I love being at extreme parts of the map, have a pretty good relationship with cold weather, and find the Arctic fascinating. Most of all, though, it was a time to appreciate my oldest kid, just shortly before he started school and kicked off a whole new chapter of childhood.
Here’s hoping you had some good travels in ‘24, and that you’re looking at some good ones in the year ahead.