My Travel Bucket List for 2020

In 2019, we have crossed an impressive amount of desired travel destinations off from our bucket list. And since we moved to Singapore at the end of 2019, we have various new travel options. Particularly those considered far away from a European perspective are now easy to reach for us. Hence, we have a great outlook on our travels in 2020 and lots on the cards. We kicked off the year already with a great New Year’s Eve in Vietnam. Coming up is Chinese New Year, a public holiday that brings 2.5 holidays for Daniel and screams for some relaxing or exciting days abroad… As for travel destinations, there is a few on my bucket list for 2020:

Seoul, South-Korea – Ever since a popular German blogger has been raving about Seoul (she lived there for a semester during her studies), Seoul has been on my extended wish list. From Berlin, I probably wouldn’t have flown the whole way to South-Korea. However, things have changed and this puts Seoul at the very top of my list. Frankly, Seoul is still a 6-hour flight from Singapore, which is considerably long for inter-Asian travels, but it offers modern infrastructure, skyscrapers, delicious food, exciting culture, and of course, a fantastic K-Beauty scene that interests me a lot. See you soon, Seoul!

Hokkaido, Tokyo & Kyoto, Japan – Fun fact: Daniel promised me he would eat sushi for the first time when we go to Japan. Could there be a better reason to go to Japan? Well, all kidding aside. Apart from the food (Sushi!!!!, Ramen!!!), of course, the Japanese culture, design, order, the colorful Tokyo, and the cherry blossoms in Kyoto are also tempting. Besides the very well known attributes, what attracts me even more than the cities Japan is famous for, is an island in the northeast of Japan called Hokkaido. There, it is supposed to snow until May, and the snow is said to be the fluffiest and best in the world. And instead of Germknödel (a traditional German/Austrian ski-food, similar to “ filled yeast dumplings”) and Jägermeister, they serce typical Japanese dishes such as ramen and green tea in the huts. Sounds exciting, I can’t wait to go to Japan for a winter vacation!

Australia – There is currently rather sad news and reports from Australia due to the actual events. We spent our honeymoon in Australia last year, and we’re thrilled right away. The country has so much more to discover that we decided to go there at least once a year while we’re living in Asia. Ranking very high for this year is Western Australia, which attracts with breathtaking landscapes and vineyards. We would also like to visit Melbourne a second time, as we made some lovely friends that we would like to see again as soon as possible. And then there is Tasmania, which attracts me for some reason I can’t describe really. There is only so much you can realize in one year, but Australia is undoubtedly a must-visit for us, probably in late 2020 during their Spring/Summer season.

Tahiti & Bora Bora, South-Pacific – Tahiti to many (German) people means a faraway dreamland in the South Pacific. It is undoubtedly challenging to reach, not only because it is so far away, but also as it is on the pricier side. Even from Singapore, Tahiti is still 11,800 kilometers (!!) away, which means spending about 18 hours in a few planes (there is no direct connection either). Nevertheless, I find living in Asia a perfect opportunity to visit this place on earth.

Cambodia – If someone had told me a year ago that I would put Cambodia on my 2020 bucket list, I probably would have just puzzling looked at him. In fact, I couldn’t picture Cambodia until recently. The only things I associated it with were elephants and colorful rickshaws. I had no idea that in Cambodia, you will find the most turquoise sea and the whitest beaches you can imagine. We want to start with Koh Rang, which attracts with its lonely beaches and offers a relatively good infrastructure for Cambodia- beginners.

Philippines – Similar to Tahiti, the Philippines has always been a place that fascinated me, but before, they were simply too far away. Nowadays, you can easily reach the Phillippines in three hours by plane, which makes the island chain a perfect getaway for a long weekend.

What’s on your bucket list for this year? I hope Singapore is on your list – at least for a stopover 😉