Safe Travels: Places We Can’t Wait to Travel to in 2021 (Hopefully)

"I’ve been dreaming of Hawaii, specifically the Big Island, since the start of the pandemic—getting on a plane, checking into a rented villa near the beach, and eating at a different seafood restaurant every night. The dream has gotten more vivid over time. I can picture the sand, the waves, and the macadamia-crusted mahi mahi I will order. And of course, the experiences I will book: maybe a zipline, maybe a stargazing tour, maybe an air tour by Cessna plane, maybe a guided waterfall hike. I’ve been to Hawaii before, and perhaps it’s unimaginative to go back yet again, but after the year we’ve had, somewhere familiar (that’s not my living room), is just what I'm looking for to ease back into travel."

—Kristin Dorsett, VP of Supply, Colfax, California

Related: Top Hiking Trails on the Big Island of Hawaii

"Lonely Planet chose Central Asia as the best travel region in 2020. I had my trip planned for a few months ago but had to cancel, so I can’t wait to go in 2021. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are the epicentre of the ancient Silk Road. It’s a region that until recently was not easily accessible, but most of its countries are now offering e-visas or visa-free access, as well as better transportation. The region’s home to historical cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand, which contrast with modern capitals like Nur-Sultan and Tashkent. If you want to learn about ancient traditions and explore untouched landscapes, there's lots of outdoor activities (raise your hand if you dream of trekking over rolling pasturelands, going horseback riding, or sleeping in a yurt in the middle of the desert) so it feels like the ideal place for a first international post-COVID trip. Even visiting the Door to Hell in Turkmenistan, a gas crater that has been burning continuously since 1971, sounds exciting and is something you can only see there.”

—Lara Sanchez, Senior UX/UI Designer, Oxford, UK

"My fiancée and I are highly anticipating our eventual honeymoon. We’re planning on starting in Switzerland and working our way down to Italy. The number one place we’re excited for is Tuscany. When we travel there are a few things that are at the top of our wish list: a culture that loves food, stunning natural beauty, and old-world charm. Tuscany checks off all these boxes easily. We’ve already scoped out the best places to stay, what vineyards to visit, the museums to take in, and the numerous activities the region offers, such as truffle hunting and making fresh pasta, something we already enjoy but want to learn more about from the experts. When it’s safe to travel again we’ll be jetting off to Italy to take in some great wine and enjoy a beautiful Tuscan sunset!"

—Matt Ellis, B2B Content Marketing Manager, Boston, Massachusetts

Related: How to Spend a Week in Tuscany

"My wife and I have pushed out this trip too many times. We always thought we could go anytime and now that we can’t we know we should have done it years ago. The first thing we’ll do is head to North Sulawesi for an excessive amount of scuba diving. North Sulawesi is smack in the middle of the Coral Triangle, a marine biodiversity triangle reaching from the western tip of Indonesia to the northern tip of the Philippines and all the way to the Solomon Islands. We’ll be getting up very early for morning dives, diving during the days, and closing off evenings with night dives. In between there'll be nothing but eating, sleeping, and generally being overwhelmed by the beauty of the local marine life. After maybe a week of that we’ll be exhausted and head to a resort for a few days of drinking cocktails by the pool."

—Markus Ebenhöh, Software Engineer, Sydney, Australia

"I’ve been dreaming of going to the Pacific islands since moving to New Zealand two years ago. It’s Sāmoa’s beaches, waterfalls, and easy living in particular that have captured my imagination—and with news of a 2021 quarantine-free travel bubble between NZ and the islands, I’m dusting off my travel planner. My wife and I haven’t had a beach holiday since our honeymoon in 2018 so we’re going all out: beach fale accommodation (arrival by boat, a must), “fofo” massages, and lazy days spent reading by the ocean with fruity libations in hand. We’ll stay on Upolu and divide our time between relaxing and island exploring. The 328-foot-tall (100 meters) Papapapaitai Falls and To-Sua Ocean Trench swimming hole are top of our to-do list. Lufilufi’s Piula Cave Pool, Papase'ea Sliding Rocks, Lalomanu Beach, and Namua Island (sea turtles!) are also pinned."

—Emma Knock, Executive Editor, Auckland, New Zealand

"For years, Japan's been on my bucket list, and my husband and I thought that 2020 was when we’d finally be able to visit. Although our plans have been put on hold, it hasn’t stopped us from dreaming of all the food we'll eat when we can eventually go—from ramen, tempura, and izakaya-hopping in Tokyo; to okonomiyaki (savory pancakes), takoyaki (octopus balls), and all the street food in Osaka. Needless to say, we love food and we’re looking forward to eating like locals (except, maybe 10 times more). During our travels, we also enjoy hearing about history told from that country's perspective so a day trip to Hiroshima is definitely on our list. If timing works out, we hope to visit Nara Park to see the cherry blossoms and the hundreds of roaming wild deer. And after all the eating and exploring, we plan on relaxing in an onsen and visiting a Shinto shrine to write prayers and wish on an ema."

—Sharlene Young, Senior Account Manager North America, San Francisco, California

Related: Don't-Miss Dishes in Tokyo

"Japan has been #1 on my travel list for years now. We had been holding off because it's quite the trek, and would ideally want to go there for at least two weeks in order to scratch the surface. Japanese food is probably my favorite cuisine, and I've already made my culinary list of places to visit in Tokyo for ramen, yakitori (chicken skewers), omakase sushi, and kaiseki (multi-course fine-dining meal). But for now, delivery to our apartment will have to suffice."

—Alex Maddalena, Copywriter, Providence, Rhode Island

"At the beginning of this year I had the opportunity to go to South Africa, a place I’ve been wanting to go to for so long. After almost a year of planning, we were finally there but COVID was starting to spread so we were always worried and concerned about everything. We made it back home safely but with that feeling of wanting to do more there. Once we have the opportunity to travel again, South Africa will be our destination for sure. Visiting the Cape Winelands, kayaking along the V&A Waterfront, and an extended trip along the Western Cape or visit to Cape Point and Cape Peninsula are some of the many things I cannot wait to do.

—Sandra Castilla, Senior Account Manager LATAM, London, UK

"The top destination my partner and I were planning to visit in 2020 was Colombia. The diversity of Colombia still sounds like the perfect first trip back to travel, with access to the Amazonia, diverse mountain ranges, and the Caribbean coast with stunning beaches, islands, and jungle trekking. We would get our city fix, indulging in culture and food in Medellín, while exploring all the hikes in the Cocora Valley, learning about coffee and its [bean-to-cup] process along the way. The icing on the cake for me would have been to take some cumbia or salsa lessons, and put the dancing to the test in Cartagena or at the Carnival of Barranquilla (if the timing was right) ... but it looks like my virtual dance lessons will have to do for now."

—Rathesh Richards, Product Manager, Sydney, Australia

My family and I always talk about renting an RV and driving cross-country to visit the national parks in Utah. We're an outdoorsy family, and Utah seems to have endless places we could explore. At the top of our list is spending a couple of days at Zion National Park. I've always wanted to visit Angels Landing; the narrow ridge at the end seems scary but the views look amazing. Since we plan to make the trip in an RV, we wouldn’t mind also driving a few hours south to Las Vegas for a few nights of fun ... if we can ditch our kids.

—Tom Loughlin, Director of Product Design & UX, Greater Boston, Massachusetts

Related: Top Hiking Trails in Zion National Park

“Originally from the UK but living in Sydney, I’ve often rationalised setting up home on the other side of the world with “I’m only ever 24-hours away”. I was lucky to have visited London—where I lived for 10 years—just before border closures, but 10 months on I’m craving the familiarity, friends, and family of England. I love playing tourist when I go back, visiting my old favourites (Greenwich Park, Neal’s Yard Dairy in Borough Market, and the South Bank) and walking absolutely everywhere including through the West End, across Waterloo Bridge, and along the river to the Tate Modern. London’s food and drink culture is the perfect vehicle for catch-ups, so I hope the hospitality industry manages to fight back and I can spend much of my next visit eating and drinking with friends. I especially can’t leave without at least one late-night Brick Lane bagel."

—Shalinee Singh, Product Manager, Sydney, Australia

“If anything, this year made me realise that we can’t take anything for granted. I miss the excitement of an airport and being in the air; the feeling of amazement that when I step off the plane I’ll find myself in a new world, where people speak a different language and think differently. I desperately want to go back to the places I’ve been to, and soak in everything I loved so much about them. To feel the carefreeness of backpacking through South America once again, to road-trip through the US, to explore every corner of London by foot, and spend weekends zipping around the UK by train. But maybe the big trip of 2021 will be to take the Trans-Siberian through Russia, making a stop in my hometown Omsk, and from there—after many years of dreaming about it—finally heading to the Altai Mountains. Or maybe it’ll be about exploring our "backyard” more, getting to know the Moselle wine region of Germany better, which has been on my bucket list for a while. It feels good to dream about travelling again.”

—Julia Kasjanenko, Product Marketing Manager Supply, London, UK