Best places to travel in 2019 by month ⋆ Fernwehsarah

Update: I am so stunned that this article literally went VIRAL on Pinterest after just one week! And I got so many questions why I only included one spot from Europe that I decided to do a second article only about the best places to travel in EUROPE in 2019 too!

Click to read: Best places to travel in Europe in 2019

There is also the TOP 5 things to do for EACH spot + how to get there + where to stay – I really tried to craft the ultimate guide to Europe for you as a way to say “Thank you” for reading my blog!

Are you already making your plans on where to travel in 2019? Lots of people have to file their vacation soon at work and thus, everyone is crazy about the best places to travel to next year!

And of course I have also made my mind about the top travel destinations for 2019! Some of them are on my personal list for next year (again) and some of them I have visited in the past and want to urge you to do them NOW.

You won’t simply find the “evergreens” of best places to travel in this list – because this would be, frankly, boring to read. I want to show you places you should visit NOW. Mainly, because they are changing. And might not be the same in five years. I hate it when I hear “oh, you should have been here five years ago!” – so let’s not make this mistake again! 🙂

And since many of you are looking for the best place to travel in a specific month, I sorted them by month – there is a perfect destination for each month of the year!

Table of Contents

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Top destinations by month

Best Place to Travel in January 2019: Philippines

Let’s start our dream about the best places to travel in 2019 with the Philippines! In 2018, I spent over a month in the Philippines and madly fell in love with the country!

Why now: The Philippines do have problems with pollution in some parts of the country. This led to the closure of Boracay for many months in 2018. But now, Boracay is cleaned up and open again. Since many people are still hesitant, it is perfect for visiting now!

Best season: December to February. Dry season lasts from November until April, but March and April are already quite hot.

Best places to go: Boracay, Palawan (Port Barton, El Nido), Siquijor Island, Cebu (Kawasan Falls), Bohol

More to get inspired:

Best Place to Travel in Febuary 2019: MExico

Another country that I absolutely loved visiting during our trip around the world was Mexico. We only visited the eastern part called Yucatan and this is also what I want to recommend to you for your top travel destination in February 2019! If you a looking for even more places for February 2019 – Two Tall Travelers wrote an awesome guide just for that month!

Why now: Mexico’s tourism economy has suffered from declining visitor numbers due to security concerns. A main contributor to that was the US Department of State travel warning. And while Mexico City definitely is a troubled place, Yucatan is very safe for tourists! And less visitors means more serenity for you and better prices!

Best season: December – April, dry season.

Best places to see: Tulum (one of the most instagrammable places on earth!), Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Lagunas Las Coloradas, cenotes close to Playa del Carmen (don’t stay in this city though!)

Best Place to Travel in March 2019: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a country that has a vibrant culture and stunning beaches. On top, it has awesome food and incredibly friendly locals. No wonder this country amazes everyone that has visited! Due to its complicated climate, Sri Lanka made it my best place to travel in March 2019 pick!

Why now: Sri Lanka is already popular enough to have a comfortable tourist infrastructure. But still it is not on the mind of most people when they think about amazing destinations to travel in Asia. However, Sri Lanka is putting a lot of efforts into tourism marketing. So go there now before they become the next star on Instagram!

Best season: Sri Lanka’s temperatures are warm around the year but there is two monsoon seasons. Although the island is relatively small, there is different optimal travel times for west and east cost. West coast is best from December to March, while the east coast is best visited from April to September. Most visitors agree that this makes March the perfect month to travel to Sri Lanka!

Best places to go: Colombo (don’t skip the capital!), Kandy, Unawatuna / Galle, Arugam Bay

Best Place to Travel in April 2019: Japan

Okay, I have to admit that Japan is more an “evergreen” than most travel destinations in this list. But traveling to Japan is simply amazing and the cherry blossom season is definitely a stunning reason to go there in spring. Autumn is also super pretty – but in my opinion, the pink blossoms top the orange leaves!

Why now: The sheer popularity of traveling to Japan is the reason I put it on my list for the best places to travel in 2019. Japan is on the verge of sliding into overtourism and thus, this is a place that might become less attractive in the years to come. I have been to Japan in 2013 and in 2018 and loved it both times!

Best season: March-May for cherry blossom, September – November for autumn colors

Best places to go: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Himeji, Sapporo

More inspiration:

Best Place to Travel in May 2019: Cuba

Cuba is a place like no other. Visiting Cuba is a bit like stepping into a living history museum. It is a bit of an anachronism with the decaying but yet beautiful colonial buildings, the oldtimer cars and the unique economical situation. While Cuba is on par with first world countries in certain disciplines (medicine, education), it is a third world country when it comes to other topics. Traveling to Cuba is NOT easy and it certainly is more for the advanced traveler.

Why now: With Cuba now opening up to the world and mass tourism starting to come in, the country is changing at a rapid pace. Like, super rapid. I was in Cuba the first time in 2011 and came back in 2018 and the changes have been stunning. Frankly, not in a positive way mainly. So this might be a place “where you should have been five years ago” – but if you want to see this unique place before its claimed by McDonalds and Starbucks, go NOW. (And do under no circumstances try their local version “El Rapido” – the cockroaches are HUGE there! And they won’t die. Ever.)

Best season: December to March, dry season

Where to go: Havana, Valle de Vinales, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, Guardalavaca, Holguin

Best Place to Travel in June 2019: Greece

Greece is a country with an ancient culture that will amaze you. But it also comes with various stunning beaches and the islands of Santorini and Mykonos quickly made it to become Instagram’s darlings.

Why now: Greece has suffered from a mayor economical crisis from 2009 on that has also affected the tourism sector. However, the situation has improved over the last years and Greece is on the rise again. Instagram made some destinations so popular that it might even face the risk of overtourism in the future. But for now, you are in a sweet spot to make Greece one of your travel destinations in 2019!

Best season: May to June or September to October. July to August are too hot for most visitors.

Best places to go: Athens (don’t skip the history of the capital!), Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodos, Crete, Naxos, IOS

Best Place to Travel in July 2019: Tanzania

Tanzania is one of those exotic destinations many don’t know a lot about. One of the most awesome (but expensive) things to do there is going on a safari in the Serengeti National Park. But in Tanzania you can have it all – climb one of the seven summits (Kilimanjaro) or chill at the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar. Tanzania is for sure one of the hottest travel destinations 2019!

Why now: Somehow the stunning beaches of Zanzibar managed to not get into Instagram’s attention yet. For sure, this is going to change as they are scorchingly beautiful! And then imagine when they realize they can have mountain, beach and wildlife shots in one trip – better go before and then inspire them! 🙂

Best season: June – October, dry season. Perfect for wildlife spotting.

Best places to go: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar,

Best Place to Travel in August 2019: Bolivia

And also for August we aim for high altitudes – in this case the altiplano in the Bolivia! Bolivia is one of the cheapest places to travel on this list (aside from the Philippines) – but that doesn’t make it less attractive! Going on a jeep safari in the Bolivian altiplano is an incredible experience. You will see volcanic landscapes, incredibly colored lakes (red, green, and all shades of turquoise-blue) and the most famous one: the Salt Flats of Uyuni!

Why now: So far, Bolivia has been one of the least visited countries in South America. But La Paz is on the rise as a foodie capital and the new airport in Uyuni makes the Salt Flats much more accessible to visitors of all kinds. Bolivians are eager to make their country more attractive to visitors and thus go great lengths to help you. If you come back and you loved it, you are an ambassador for their country. But for now, it is still relatively calm in terms of tourism numbers and prices are low – making Bolivia one of the best countries to visit on a budget in 2019!

Best season: May to October, dry season. Especially for the Salt Flats this can be really cold though – so come prepared! However, rain can destroy travel plans here – so dry (winter) season is still the best time.

Best places to visit: Salt Flats (Uyuni), Altiplano (Jeep Tour from Tupiza! Not from Uyuni!), Potosi (Silver Mines), La Paz, Copacabana (Lake Titicaca), Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Best Place to Travel in September 2019: Mauritius

When the weather in Europe or Norther America starts to get colder and wetter, Mauritius is your perfect beach getaway! But more, Mauritius has a rich and diverse culture, a unique cuisine and some gorgeous rainforesty landscapes as well. You could easily go on a Catamaran cruise on one day and then hop on a tour of waterfalls and tea plants the other. And if you are traveling from Europe – the time difference (and thus the jetlag) is super small to non-existant!

Why now: Same as Tanzania, the world has yet to recognize the beauty of the beaches and the natural treasures of Mauritius. It really is a one-time stop for holidays with something for everyone. Tourism numbers are rising, but surprisingly slow, given the overall growth of tourism worldwide.

Best season: May-December, dry season. The islands weather is warm the whole year, but September is particularly pleasing as it is the beginning of spring and everything starts to bloom.

Best places to go: Chamarel seven-colored earth, Tamarin falls, (Actually I even have a whole article about the top things to do in Mauritius here on my blog!), Port Louis, Ile aux Cerfs

Best Place to Travel in October 2019: Oman

If you have ever been dreaming about the world of One thousand and One Night, you will love Oman. The sultanate of Oman is a bit stuck in time and was completely closed to visitors until the 70’ties. But even over the past (almost) 50 years, Oman has kept its originality and slowly makes its name as the best country to travel in the Middle East. Omanis are incredibly welcoming and the country is safe even for solo female travelers. Oman definitely deserves to be mentioned as one of the hottest travel destinations (pun intended) for 2019!

Why now: When thinking about Travel to the Middle East, only had Dubai and maybe Abu Dhabi on their mind. But thanks to media, the news about the beauty and originality of Oman begin to spread.

Best season: October/November or February/March. Summer months can get scorchingly hot and December/January might even be a bit chilly in the mountainous regions. There is almost no rain year-round.

Best places to go: Muscat, Oasis of Bahla, Wahiba Sands, Masirah Island, Sawadi Island

Best Place to Travel in November 2019: Myanmar

Myanmar is full of incredible ancient temples and one of the richest histories in whole Southeast Asia. You will find plenty of dreamy reports about Bagan and Inle Lake. And also Mandalay has many stunning architectural religous buildings that will leave you stunned. And let’s not forget that if you long for some beach time after the cultural fascinations, that Myanmar has its fine share of the Andaman Sea and beaches like Ngwe Saung don’t have to hide when compared to Thailands most famous beaches!

Why now: Until a few years ago, the main type of visitors to Myanmar were backpackers getting their visa in Bangkok to visit for a few days. But since 2014 you can get an e-Visa online relatively simply and thus, more people start to get interested in traveling to Myanmar. (If you are confused about e-Visa, traditional visa and visa on arrival – read this guide from Adventure in You!). In fact, tourism numbers are rising quickly, so better go soon! 😉

Best season: November – February. Rainy season stops in October and temperatures become more agreeable over the winter months.

Best places to go: Bagan, Inle Lake, Golden Triangle (Kengtung), Mandalay, Ngwe Saung

Best Place to Travel in December 2019: Colombia

So, what’s the best place to end the year of 2019? Well, in my opinion Cartagena in Colombia is one of the hottest travel destinations for December 2019! We spent New Years Eve and most of January in Colombia in 2017/2018 and we absolutely loved it! Colombia is still relatively cheap, making it a great place to travel on a budget in 2019.

Why now: More and more people start to realize that Colombia is much more than its gruesome drug cartel past. Cities like Medellin are now popular with travelers and Cartagena stays to be one of the prettiest colonial towns in whole South America. Crime rates in Colombia has steeply declined and Colombias really want to show the world how beautiful their country is. And they succeed.

Best season: December to March, little to no rain.

Places to see: Cartagena (New Years Eve!), Parque Tayrona, Medellin, Bogota, Zipaquira (Salt Cathedral), Zona Cafetera, Cali

Tell me about your Travel Plans for 2019!

So, how about you? Have you made your travel plans already for 2019? Let me know where you are planning to go and why!

Don’t forget to check my blog post on the best places to travel in EUROPE in 2019 too!

Click to read: Best places to travel in Europe in 2019

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