We consider ourselves lucky. We’ve travelled extensively over the last decade and we value those travel experiences far more than we would ever value single possessions. Memories last a lifetime, possessions come and go.
We’ve reached a point in our travel plans where we often ask ourselves whether we should go back to a place that we know was fantastic when we first visited it. Or do we continue to visit new places in the hope of finding something to add to the list of ‘definites’.
Over the last three or four years we’ve done a mix of both. We’ve ventured to new places (St Lucia in the Caribbean). We’ve returned to specific hotels in locations we like, knowing that they’ve never disappointed. There’s one particular spot in Majorca that we’ve gone back to for three consecutive years and will be visiting again this year. It’s one of those places that’s not what you would class as spectacular, but is almost impossible to fault.
By far our greatest discovery has been a little corner of Thailand that we first discovered back in 2017. You won’t find it on any holiday websites, and you’ll only find it on the hotel engines (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com etc.) just after they release their annual booking calendar. Almost all their business comes from either repeat or word-of-mouth bookings. Doesn’t that say it all! Each time we’ve visited – 3 times now – it’s been perfect.
Still Time For New Travel
This doesn’t mean that we’re now suddenly averse to new places and new experiences. Last year we dipped our toes into a river cruise experience. We were somewhat apprehensive just before, as group travel has never really been our ‘thing’. However, we met some lovely people, saw some amazing sights and spoiled ourselves with some of the nicest food available. It really was a bit of a revelation for us. We also stayed in a yurt in Lanzarote in November. Interesting and thoroughly enjoyable.
However, wanderlust never goes away and we often find ourselves browsing the holiday sites regularly. Nowadays we’ve kind of agreed that we will do an equal number of new experiences and old reliable favourites. That way we can have the best of both worlds. And if the ‘new’ disappoints, well, let’s just put it down to experience.
The Details
Majorca
We keep going back to the Hotel Cala Sant Vicenc. Tucked away in the Tramuntana Mountains a few miles north of Pollensa, it’s a very quiet, adults-only hotel a short walk from the very impressive coves of Cala Sant Vicenc. There are some lovely local restaurants and bars nearby and the hotel’s pool and gardens are beautiful and peaceful.
Thailand
Next year will see our fourth visit to Beyond the Blue Horizon on Koh Phangan island in the Gulf of Thailand. It’s a long-haul flight, a domestic flight plus a ferry away, but boy is the journey worth it. It’s a small, boutique collection of villas nestled into a small valley on the west coast of the island. The sounds of the birds and the geckos, the spectacular sunsets, the clear warm sea. It all adds up to a paradise really hard to attain in closer climes. Each time we go we look at spending just that little bit longer each time. It’s always so hard to say goodbye each time.
River Cruise
From Passau to Budapest along the Danube proved to be both a cultural and scenic delight. Calling at several points along the route including Linz, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, we were treated to local tours, local delicacies and the company of some lovely fellow travellers. We were really looked after the whole time and if we wanted to do our own thing, it was our choice.
St Lucia
This was a real extravagance! An all-inclusive visit to a 5-star luxury resort was always going to be a leap of faith. It was truly fantastic. Hot, mind you. Not only was it hot, but it was an unusually hot Caribbean heatwave when we visited. Needless to say, most of our time was spent cooling off in the pool and the sea.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote Retreats provide self-catering opportunities in various types of accommodation along the coast of Lanzarote. We stayed in the Eco Chico Yurt at their Finca de Arrieta site. It was all mod-cons in a traditional, unspoilt setting. A great experience and highly recommended.
Topping It Off
Every time we travel we try to make convenience paramount. We love the way that companies such APH (Airport, Parking and Hotels) can arrange overnight accommodation, parking solutions and even lounge access and transfers all in one portal. They have options to suit most budgets and we particularly appreciate the great communication, their understanding when it comes to specific requests and the ease with which the holiday can start and finish stress-free.
