Hola Reader! One motto we live by is that it's never too early to do travel planning. So with the close of 2024, it's time to get your butts thinking about (if not booking) your next trip. We are chock full of ideas so let's get to the dreaming!

Here's what to expect from this month's newsletter.

• 🎁 Dream travel destinations for 2025
• 🏷️ Lots of new content on the site
• 🎄 Where to plan your next snow based trip

If you haven't yet, make sure to check out the latest on our social channels: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

5 DREAM DESTINATIONS

We get it, it's sometimes hard to find time to sit down and do some serious trip planning.

You know when the best time to do it is? It's during the holidays when you're off work, you can sit down with your friends or family to discuss, and some adult drinks in your system could help too 😉.

Here are a few WOW trips that you could build into your year!

French Polynesia

This was one of our all-time favourite trips which combined luxury and being able to go off-the-grid with places like Rangiroa and Fakarava.

Why go: Tropical paradise that is reknowned for inventing the overwater bungalow that's prominent in Bora Bora but is a haven for scuba divers as well. While you're here, you must visit the smaller islands as well.

Egypt

There's no better time than now to go to Egypt. And if you're wondering, yes, it is safe if you go with the right tour company. We cover that in our video.

Why go: The Great Pyramids are spectacular but go deeper and you'll get to see the lesser-known pyramids and temples. The best part though is a cruise on the Nile in a dahabiya.

South Africa

You have a lot of choices when it comes to safari in Africa but if you've never been before, we think South Africa is a great place to go for first-timers. If you can, do a combination of a private game reserve and Kruger National Park in the public camps.

Why go: I can't understate the magic of seeing animals in the wild. In the Kruger area, you'll be able to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo) in one trip, GUARANTEED!

Japan

This is probably too on-the-nose right? This is one of my favourite places in the world but what I want to pitch to you is to go beyond the Golden Route. Sure, I love Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hakone, and Hiroshima, but there's so much more to see. With the insane increase in tourism, trust me when I say that you'll have a much better time going to the lesser-known areas. Not many people make it up to Hokkaido in the non-winter season but we highly recommend it!

Why go: I liken Hokkaido to New Zealand in many ways - you get the volcanic activity, great driving, coastal views, and surprising amount of wildlife, but you also get the bonus of Japanese hospitality, onsen, and food.

Seychelles

We went here as part of our honeymoon, in part, because it made logistical sense to combine this with South Africa. While yes, it's another luxury resort type of vacation, we wish we stayed here longer because there were other islands to visit and awesome hikes. I'm not going to lie though, resort life is pretty sweet.

Why go: The islands offer much to discover whether you're on the main island of Mahé (where Hilton Seychelles Northolme is), La Digue, Grand Anse, or some of the smaller ones like Silhouette (where Hilton Seychelles Labriz is).

This Month's Travel Deals

Deals are probably the last thing you're looking to see in December after the BFCM blitz. We'll keep this section short and sweet.

If you're hunting for travel deals though, remember there's always the Deals page and our FB group.

Remember, we have our deals group on Facebook. It's free to join if you haven't yet!

• Shimoda: 20% Off ALL Backpacks, Bags, Rollers, and Core Units. Available for a limited time. Ends December 31, 2024.
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• Mountain Hardwear: Use code MHWDEC65 to save 65% off 40 select apparel and equipment styles. Ends December 31, 2024.
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• Travelzoo: 2 Nights in 6-Bedroom Chalet Near Blue Mountain.
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• Travelzoo: NYC Suite Near Central Park, Save 50%.

✏️What's New on the Site

We've been really busy this month with new articles to help you plan trips for 2025. Looking for weekend trips? We've got you! Or maybe this is the year to take those ultimate bucket list trips, we have some ideas to help there too!

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☝️ What's Next at Going Awesome Places

January is usually one of the quietest times of the year so we're hoping to make use of the time to work on the never-ending catch-up.

Oh and guess what, we're starting to do more live steams on TikTok and YouTube! It's something new we're trying and I think will be a cool way to connect with you all in a more live format. Can't wait to see you on there!

What's exciting though is that we'll be headed to NYC for a conference and hang out with friends. I haven't been back since pre-pandemic so looking forward to familiar jaunts and of course, lot's of good food!

🍪 Travel Tidbits

Snowy destinations we plan to ski into this winter

Maybe its the Canadian in me but I do love winter, especially when its time to start planning where to hit the slopes. But even if you are not too keen on skiing or snowboarding, there are incredible snowy destinations you can visit to get that crisp winter adventure without flying down a hill at high speeds.

• ​Sapporo, Japan: This charming city in Hokkaido absolutely comes alive in winter, visit for the Sapporo Snow Festival and join in with activities such as onsens, horseback riding, and enjoying the incredible cuisine.
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• ​Banff, Alberta, Canada: We admit the draw for this place is the slopes, with some of the most epic ski locations in Canada. However, you can also visit for the snow sculptures, the bizarre skijoring, and the SnowDays festival.
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• ​Magdalen Islands, Canada: Visit the wind-swept archipelago of islands and Canada's best kept secret for red fox and seal spotting, heartwarming heritage and hospitality, and some of the best light for winter photography we have found.
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• ​Val Thorens, French Alps: As Europe's highest rest point this place is really something special, the quality of the powder and the views from the slopes are unrivalled. If the slopes are your thing, this is the place to go.

For these trips you are going to need to pack some serious winter friendly gear! We have you covered with everything you need to keep cozy, without weighing down your luggage limits! Hit the button below for all our tried and tested winter gear for cold weather.

Travel news

Here's the latest from the industry with a few articles that we think you'll enjoy.

• ​Most Searched Destinations According To Google: This article shows the simple list that could also be another piece of inspiration to help you plan trips for next year
• ​The 10 Countries With the Most Affordable Five-Star Hotels: If a nice hotel is one of your favorite parts of travel, you’re not alone. For more than a few travelers, the hotel is the destination. If that sounds like you, read this.
• ​10 Highly-Rated Family-Friendly Destinations To Consider This Winter: As many a family traveler knows well, hotel accommodations can make or break a family vacation. Here are the best places to travel with your family this year.
• ​5 tips for neurodivergent travelers experiencing flight delays: Neurodivergent travelers and those with non-visible disabilities can find holiday travel especially challenging due to unpredictable situations and environments. Here's how to plan in advance.

What the holidays will hopefully look like...

This time of the year is always stressful up until you actually get time off and even then, not all of the family stuff ends up being rejuvenating.

Hopefully between all of the madness, you'll also get some me-time as well 😁!

For those that celebrate, Merry Christmas, and hope everyone gets much-needed rest and recharge 🔋. Thank you again for sticking with us all of this time ❤️. Till next year y'all!

Cheers,

Will Tang
​Chief of Awesome, Going Awesome Places

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