Embark on a solo adventure in 2025! Explore the top 5 destinations perfect for solo travelers, from vibrant cities to serene landscapes. Get inspired to explore new horizons.

Kyoto, Japan: With its serene temples, beautiful gardens, and rich cultural heritage, Kyoto is a dream destination for solo travelers. The city’s efficient transport system, friendly locals, and numerous solo-friendly accommodations make it easy to explore ancient shrines, tea houses, and scenic bamboo forests.

Lisbon, Portugal: Lisbon offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and modern vibes. Wander through its colorful streets, enjoy delicious pasteis de nata, and soak in the stunning views from Sao Jorge Castle. The city’s welcoming atmosphere and vibrant nightlife make it an excellent choice for solo explorers.

Queenstown, New Zealand: If you’re seeking adventure, Queenstown is the place to be. Known as the adventure capital of the world, it offers thrilling activities like bungee jumping, hiking, and skydiving. The friendly locals and breathtaking landscapes make it a solo traveler’s paradise.

Prague, Czech Republic: Prague’s fairy-tale charm, rich history, and affordable prices make it a top pick for solo travelers. Explore the iconic Charles Bridge, wander through the Old Town, and enjoy the city’s lively café culture. It’s an easy city to navigate and filled with friendly fellow travelers.

Bali, Indonesia: Bali is a haven for solo travelers looking for relaxation and self-discovery. From tranquil beaches to lush rice terraces and wellness retreats, the island offers endless opportunities to unwind and connect with like-minded travelers. Plus, the affordability and hospitality make it ideal for solo adventures.

For many students, entering the new year and simultaneously getting ready to begin the spring 2025 semester not only means gearing up for classes and returning to campus life, but it also means taking initiative and turning their goals into actual plans of action. And of course, lots of New Year’s resolutions include making wellness-oriented goals which can entail everything from self-care, to physical health and exercise, to nutrition, to mental wellness, and beyond.

For those who are serious about implementing these wellness goals into their student lives, it’s important to not only think about how one can achieve these goals while on campus, but also while they are away. The spring semester includes tons of opportunities for travel, from three-day weekend getaways, to spring break, to months abroad. And just because you are traveling, it doesn’t mean that all your goals need to be put on pause. Sure, it may be more challenging to stick to your wellness goals while traveling, and it will probably involve a bit more preparation and planning ahead of time, but it is not impossible. In fact, continuing to pursue your wellness goals while travelling could help you turn your short-term goals into long-term habits — which can even inspire you to continue these goals once the semester is over, or even after you graduate.

But like… how can you incorporate your wellness goals into your travels? Well, here are a few handy tips.

Create A Schedule

The first thing you should do to ensure you’re making time for your wellness goals while traveling is to actually make time for them. When you’re planning your itinerary for your trip, build in blocks of time that you can dedicate to whatever your wellness goals are. Similar to how you may have a morning self-care routine or weekly exercise regimen while at home, you can ensure you have time while traveling to do these things — even if it’s a modified version of them — as well.

Pack With Your Goals In Mind

Certain goals require certain items. For instance, if your goal is to drink more water, you might want to bring your favorite water bottle or tumbler to help you stay hydrated. If you’re aiming to take certain vitamins, be sure you have them with you. Instead of having to go shopping once you’re at your destination — or, more likely, realizing you don’t have what you need and thus letting your goal fall by the wayside — making sure you’re starting off with what you need will help set you up for success. Some other examples of things you might want to bring with you on your trip are running shoes, hair tools, skin care items, and essential oils.

If you have numerous wellness related goals or a lot of items you need to take with you, it can help you while packing to create a list of all the things you want to take so you don’t forget anything while packing your suitcase.

Find Wellness Classes Or Resources Where You’re Staying

Before you go, consider doing some research on where you’re staying — it might offer some ways to help you stick to your goals! This can include looking up whether or not the hotel or resort you are staying at has a gym, or if the city you are in has businesses or activities that might align with your goals. With wellness-focused traveling being a huge trend in 2025, many popular destinations are getting in on the fun, such as Disney Springs in Florida, which is offering a variety of free wellness-driven activities during January, or resorts around the world that offer wellness-focused amenities year-round.

Utilize “At Home” Workouts… Not At Home

If you aren’t able to find any wellness classes or gyms near where you will be staying while traveling, you can instead opt to work out at home (and by at home, I mean in your hotel room). You can use simple small equipment, take a jog around your resort, meditate, or get a yoga mat and do some indoor yoga. There are plenty of tutorials online for simple workouts you can do in the comfort of your own room.

Put Your Phone Down

While it is important to document fun memories during your trip, it’s also important to be in the moment and actually enjoy it all. If limiting your overall screen time is a wellness goal you have for 2025, you can maintain this goal while traveling by focusing on the activities you are doing or the sights you are seeing. Or, even if that’s not a specific goal of yours, being present and mindful can actually help you achieve your other goals.

Many of us already live quite eco-conscious lifestyles. You might well have switched to a reusable coffee cup or taken public transportation instead of driving. You might well have avoided single-use plastics and switched to a green energy supplier. That’s all excellent, of course, and companies are finally changing their ways too. But one thing we must not neglect – and this is a huge one – is the influence of our travels.

When considering how to minimize our own carbon footprints, one of the simplest methods to reduce emissions is to fly less frequently. However, for individuals who desire to travel the world, there are methods to make travels more sustainable, such as where you go, what you carry, and how you choose to get there.

When possible, travel by land

Flights are the least sustainable mode of transportation since they emit greenhouse gases into the environment. A single return trip can emit more CO2 than certain countries’ populations produce in a whole year. It is unrealistic to expect everyone to stop flying entirely. So, many environmentally conscious travelers strive to minimize the number of flights they take each year. One way to begin is by substituting overland travel for short-haul flights. You may also lessen your effect by flying direct rather than connecting. Because the majority of emissions are emitted during takeoff and landing, a direct flight has a lower carbon footprint.

Get Creative And Eco-Conscious With Destinations

Finding local experiences, such as strolling around uncharted regions of your neighborhood or visiting museums in your city, is one of the most environmentally friendly ways of travel. Consider traveling a few hours to a beach or forest if you want to go a bit farther. Even a minor adventure can transport you to another universe. If you still want to go further, look for sites that are less visited and are not overcrowded. Popular towns might see a 70 percent increase in people during peak season, putting a strain on everything from infrastructure to the environment. Make your next vacation unique. Another alternative is to go to environmentally concerned countries. Many countries and towns are actively lowering their carbon footprints.

Pack Wisely

Reusable and zero-waste items help to minimize the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills. Sustainable items like these are becoming more widely available in our daily lives, so we should also incorporate them into our trip plans. Canvas bags, which allow you to avoid using plastic bags when shopping, and reusable cutlery and food storage containers are two examples of sustainable items that are beneficial while traveling. Zero-waste toiletries are especially ideal for packing when traveling. Bring a package-free shampoo bar, toothpaste pills, and a bamboo toothbrush with you.

Support The Local Businesses

There is no better way to express gratitude than to support local companies. After all, they are the individuals who are most directly affected by tourism. This includes shopping at markets, dining at family-run restaurants, and staying in guesthouses and B&Bs rather than large commercial hotels. Avoid major retail malls, government-run enterprises, and coffee shops prevalent all over the world if at all feasible. When you buy from a local business, your money is going back into the community that is welcoming you.

Avoid Single Use Plastics

Avoiding single-use plastic decreases pollution. Plastic bottles littered over beaches, parks, and rivers have become all too common in many tourist spots. Plastic trash poses a significant health risk to living species, particularly marine life. Following the sustainable trifecta (reduce, reuse, and recycle) may significantly aid in environmental preservation. Miniature shampoo, conditioner, and lotion bottles are a substantial source of plastic trash, particularly in small island nations. Try to refill and carry your own travel-size containers whenever feasible. If you must use the hotel’s little containers, always keep what’s left for your future vacation.

Use Public Transportation

Environmentally friendly than a cab or your own vehicle. This might include hiring a bike or scooter, walking, or utilizing public transportation. Public transportation is more than simply a mode of transportation; it is an experience in and of itself. Taking public transportation in a new place where you don’t know the language might be intimidating, but we can’t encourage it enough. Not only is public transit an ecologically friendly mode of transportation, but it also allows you to connect with and meet locals, as well as see “real life” away from tourist attractions and businesses.

Choose Slow Travel

Slowing down may be beneficial to the environment, as well as allowing you to fully appreciate every sensation and experience rather than speeding through them. The art of slow travel requires train travel. It permits you to visit off-the-beaten-path villages and places that you might otherwise miss if you traveled a straight route. Furthermore, it emits less carbon dioxide than other forms of transportation. Allowing a little extra time for the journey will allow you to discover more charm and character than you may find at more typical transport hubs, all while reducing your environmental effect.

Pick Eco-conscious Accommodations

Staying in eco-friendly lodgings decreases the environmental effect of tourism. From renewable energy generation to bio-architecture, eco-friendly hotels are concerned with environmental preservation and have a good impact on the environment. However, this is not the end of the story. Staying at eco-friendly tourism lodgings benefits the local economy as well. In reality, the majority of ecologically friendly hotels provide zero-kilometer, organic meals.

Respect The Wildlife And Animals

Seeing animals up up and personal is generally a delight for visitors who go overseas. This is why popular activities include visiting an elephant sanctuary, swimming with dolphins, and going on a safari. However, because animal interactions are such a sought-after event, there is plenty of room for animals to be exploited for tourist purposes. It might be difficult to determine which animal encounters are not exploitative. The best method to do due diligence is to conduct preliminary study. Choose observation-only excursions if you wish to encounter animals as safely as possible.

Visit Places That Need Your Help

Traveling to disaster-ravaged areas is another option to spend your hard-earned money. Volunteering in environmental and social programs that help restore shattered areas is another way travelers may assist. It helps the sector in focusing on long-term outcomes for disaster-affected areas.

Before you even get on the plane, here’s how to make the most of your Hong Kong trip.

There’s so much to do and see in Hong Kong that it might be hard to know where to start. But if you’re heading there soon, here are 11 essential things to know so you can have the best trip ever.

1. Travellers with a Canadian or American passport don’t need a visa to enter Hong Kong for stays of up to 90 days. Just make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the date you leave for your trip!

2. There are four seasons in Hong Kong, so pack accordingly. Typically, March to May is warm and humid, June to August is hot and wet, September to November is mildly chilly, while December to February is cool and dry.

3. Make sure to pack your most comfortable walking shoes too. Hong Kong isn’t just skyscrapers! With a ton of hiking trails, there’s a lot to explore outdoors too — like The Peak or Dragon’s Back Trail.

4. For other ways to get around, download the Octopus app for tourists and charge it up so you can easily get around everywhere using their MTR transit system.

5. Another mobile app to download is HKeMobility — a one-stop journey planner covering all modes of public transport that’ll help you get around with ease.

6. There’s art EVERYWHERE, from world class museums like the Hong Kong Museum of Art to street art on corners you’d least expect. Hong Kong’s vibrant arts scene is constantly on display, so be sure to soak it all in.

7. Hong Kong’s malls are works of art unto themselves, and malls like Harbour City or K11 MUSEA will make your jaw drop. They’ll also keep you cool on especially humid days!

8. If you can’t get enough shopping, there are places to shop besides malls, too! Hong Kong is equally known for its bustling street markets that are open day and night — like the Temple Street Market.

9. If you like eating late, you’re in luck! Hong Kong is renowned for its late-night food options, so be sure to check out all the amazing spots that serve local delicacies (like dim sum) after the sun goes down.

10. In Hong Kong, the main language spoken is Cantonese, but because of its history as a British colony, a lot of locals also speak English. Both are official languages.

11. Last but not least, Hong Kong uses UK-style electrical plugs — so if you want to keep your phone fully charged for taking photos, be sure to bring the right adapter.