The Best Places To Travel in 2023

Ready to Relocate

Kristin, host    00:00:00    If you are planning to move to another country in the next one to two years, but you're tired of spending endless hours searching online about what to do and how to prepare, I can help. Applications are now open for my private group coaching program Ready to Relocate, which gives you a step-by-step roadmap for exactly how to prepare to move overseas within just 90 days. Apply today at travelingwithKristin.com/apply. That's travelingwithkristin.com/apply.

Introduction: Welcome to Badass Digital Nomads, where we're pushing the boundaries of remote work and travel, all while staying grounded with a little bit of old-school philosophy, self-development, and business advice from our guests. 

Kristin Wilson, Host: 00:00:56 Hey there, Kristin, from Traveling With Kristin here and Happy New Year. Welcome to episode 188 of Badass Digital Nomads and the first podcast episode of 2023. Here it is a new year and I hope that you're spending it in the way that you want to <laugh>. You know, the older and wiser that I get, the more I've come to the conclusion that New Year's Eve festivities can often be overly expensive and overrated. And so this year I spent it at home with my dad eating pizza, watching football and doing laundry. And we did watch a little bit of the Times Square festivities, but we didn't really know who any of the celebrities were. So we kind of called it a night on that. I think I was asleep before midnight and my mom came home from work and we were just kind of all chatting in the kitchen and went to bed early and that was that.  

Kristin:    00:02:09  So if that sounds like what you did, then here, here, but also if you had a big night or went somewhere special and had a lot of fun then that's amazing as well. We had fun too just at home with my slippers on and when I got stranded at the airport in Minneapolis and then went shopping for clothes and the negative 20 degree weather, I definitely made sure to get some slippers. And now those have been traveling around with me. It's actually one of the things that I usually travel with anyway, especially when in hotels because I feel like even if they clean the hotel room really well, the floors are always really dirty. So if they don't have slippers in the room, I usually just bring my own. So tip there for you. One of my New Year's resolutions is to do a video about packing because it's been about four years since I did a packing video and I know you guys always ask me about what I pack when I travel.  

Kristin:    00:03:08  So not to fi that is on the list this year that rhymes. And then on New Year's Day, I got up early, worked out and then packed my dad's truck and drove all the way down to Miami where I had a bit of a bigger night. I had my first DJ gig of the year at a popular club here called Tree House and that was a great way to also kick off the year. So you kind of get the contrast there between staying home in your PJs and then DJing at a club the next night. So I got a hotel right next door in Miami Beach and got to go to the beach and the pool the next day and just hang out and decompress and reflect and journal and all of that great stuff and watch the sunrise and the sunset. So if you want to share your year's resolution and goals with us, I'm gonna make a post in the Badass Digital Nomads Facebook group so everybody can share their goals for the year.  

Kristin:   00:04:13 So feel free to join us over there. And then I also wanted to thank Claude for his review in December on Castbox, which is one of the many platforms where you can find badass digital nomads. And he says, "I've been listening to Kristin for just under a year now from Ottawa, Canada. This podcast has incrementally shifted my perception of living a location independent lifestyle and inspired me to take action towards working remotely and traveling. Keep up the amazing work. Ms. Wilson, your changing lives with a happy face. Two happy faces". Thank you so much Claude Michel from Canada and that is such a sincere and very heartfelt review that really resonated with me and I'm just so happy to read that this podcast has shifted your perception over time. And the more messages and reviews I get from you guys, the more it inspires me to keep going.  

Kristin:    00:05:22 And also shout out to Alan, one of my friends from years ago in New York City who also sent me a message. He said, "Been listening to your podcast the last week or so. Incredibly impressive. Really amazing the content you are creating." So it's always good to hear from personal friends and family members as well. Somehow. I'm always surprised when my friends and family are like, yeah, I listen to the podcast, I watch all of your videos.  Speaking of videos, we have a brand new video on youtube.com/travelingwithkristin. That is a new concept that people are really liking. I got great feedback from my Patreon community and also from people in the comments. They're like, wow, what a cool idea for a video. It's not my idea <laugh>. I actually got it from other people who I saw interviewing people in New York City or California about how they became millionaires and things like that.  

Kristin:    00:06:24  And I was like, what if I asked digital nomads how they make money online or how they can work remotely from different places? In this case, it's an island, the island of Madeira. And so I went to a digital nomad lunch and I asked a lot of the digital nomads there, what they do to make money online that lets them work remotely from an island and got five different responses from five people from five different countries. So that was really cool. In that video is on my channel. I'll link to it in the show notes. And today's podcast is actually another video that I had from a month or so ago on the Top 10 Places to Travel to in 2023, which of course there can never be an exact top 10 of anything cuz it's all subjective. But I picked 10 of my favorite places from a Forbes list of the best places to travel in 2023.  

Kristin:    00:07:28   And people really liked this video as well. Like the majority of the comments were people asking to make a longer video. And I'm always trying to keep videos short, you know, because I wanna value your time. And we live in the TikTok and Instagram and YouTube shorts era. And so sometimes I think I should make the videos as short as possible, but taking your feedback into consideration some videos you want longer than others, and this is one of them. So I wanted to share it with you here on the podcast. And I had fun with this one and added some extra sound design and sound effects. So I hope that you like it. We got some music, it's really fun, fun way to kick off the year and hopefully give you some travel inspiration for places that you can visit in the upcoming year as people continue to plan their revenge travel.  

Kristin:    00:08:27   And then next week we have a different type of interview with someone interviewing me about how to use travel and living abroad to increase your health and wellness. And this is a concept that is so significant and so important and people really don't talk about it. You know, people talk about travel as a leisure activity. We talk about long-term travel as a lifestyle change and also a way to lower your cost of living, a way to increase your quality of life. Like there's so many benefits to the location independent lifestyle, but one that I don't think gets enough attention is using this lifestyle as a way to heal yourself. And when I first moved to Costa Rica back in the early two thousands, I thought being healthy was eating fat-free foods and sugar-free foods and things like that in the United States. But being in Costa Rica in such an international community back when it was really the peak of its status as the Switzerland of Central America, I was exposed to so many different perspectives on healing and healing modalities.

Kristin:    00:09:48  There's so many different healers in Costa Rica to this day. There's people from around the world with their own unique areas of expertise when it comes to healing and holistic healing. Anything that you could want to find is there. And there's also a lot of retreat centers and places to cleanse and detox. And anyway, this totally shifted my perspective on what health and wellness could be. And even as a 20 something year old, like 25 year old, I would be at these different healing centers and retreats with people who were decades older than me who were dealing with terminal illnesses and trying to heal from cancer and aids. And it was just such a wake up call for me to take care of my health at a young age. And so in next week's episode, a nurse is interviewing me about using travel and living abroad to increase your health and wellness.  

Kristin:    00:10:53  And so I thought that would be a good way to kick off the year as well to give you some ideas about how you can do that in your life. So enjoy this top 10 list of places to travel in 2023 and see you again next week. Happy New Year!

Start of episode

10th on our list is Antalya Turkey. Turkey has become one of the most in demand travel destinations in recent years, and for good reason, it's one of the only countries in the world spread across two continents, Europe's and Asia, Antalia. The golfing capital on the Turkish Riviera is a favorite among travelers for its beautiful beaches and picturesque old town. If you come to Antalya, you must experience the Turkish baths and visit the Manavgat waterfall. Also, make sure to buy an evil eye souvenir to take home with you made out of molten glass. It's been used by locals for more than 3000 years to ward off negative energy and bring good fortune. Next up is Provence, France one of my favorite destinations in the world with lavender fields and rolling hills. As far as the eye can see, it looks like a page straight out of a fairytale book. Wine aficionados can rejoice too because Provence is the oldest wine producing region in France. It also gets more sunshine per year than Miami, Florida from Provence. You can take a quick day trip to visit neighboring Monaco Marsai niece or can,  

Kristin:    00:12:42    Although Sydney might be the first place that comes to mind when you think of Australia, consider Perth for a unique vacation off the beaten path. Perth is the sunniest capital city in Australia, giving you plenty of opportunity to enjoy all of the nature and water sports around town, from surfing to sailing to cruising down the Swan River. And when you're ready for some shade, take a trip to the local mint home to the most valuable gold coin in the world. Weighing one ton and did I mention the wine? Western Oz produces some of the best wine in the country with its trademark blend being a white bordeaux with cascading green mountains that unfold into clear blue water. The scenery in the BVIs is second to none. This stunning corner of the world is popular for honeymooners, snorkelers, divers, sailors, and beach bums alike. Once known as a hangout for pirates and allegedly the inspiration behind Treasure Island.  

Kristin:    00:13:54   Virgin Gorda today is considered one of the best kept secrets in the Caribbean. It won't surprise you then to learn that Richard Branson's Necker Island is right next door. If you go to Virgin Gorda, don't miss the baths. A labyrinth of crystal clear blue Pools and Grottos. If Greece is on your bucket list, but you want to avoid the crowds in Mykonos and Santorini, consider Paros. Paros is a collection of islands near Turkey that's been inhabited for thousands of years and was once ruled by Sparta. Paros is known for its pure white marble, beautiful beaches and ancient Byzantine era churches. You can get to Paros by flying directly from Athens or by taking a ferry. There's a daily boat service between Paros and Piraeus ports year round. 

Known as Japan's Art Island. Naoshima is an offthe beaten path island town with a much different vibe than you might expect, especially compared to destinations such as Kyoto or Tokyo.  

Kristin:   00:15:09   Think Sandy Beach's, sunny weather and a laid back relaxed vibe. Naoshim is known for its unique architecture, sculptures and art museums that you can find around the island. You can get there easily from Osaka by car, bus, train, or ferry in about three and a half hours. And if you do go, don't miss the Chichu Museum of Modern Art. 

Safety Wing

Regardless of where you're traveling this year, make sure you have travel insurance, Safety Wing offers, travel medical insurance for people from all over the world that covers you while you're outside your home country. Prices start at just $42 per four weeks, and you can even select coverage for travel within the United States. Safety Wing covers you if you need medical assistance, and it also covers you for unforeseen delays, lost baggage and more. 

Kristin:    00:16:11   What I  love about Safety Wing is that it's flexible and it's super easy to sign up.  You can enroll in  a policy in a matter of seconds, and you can choose between days, weeks, or months of coverage and cancel any time.  Use the link below this video to check rates and learn more!

Kristin:  Just south of Lisbon. And before arriving to the Algarve, you'll find Alentejo Portugal a hidden gem that few people know about. Alentejo is full of vineyards, olive grove's, and local culture, but very few actual people. Although it's rumored to have some of the best beaches and wine in Europe, it's the least populated region of Portugal. So if you are looking for a place to rest and relax or just trying to beat the tourists and crowds, consider adding Alentejo to your itinerary. The Capitol Evora is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

If you are craving outdoor adventure and wide open spaces, look no further than Big Sky Montana in the summer months. You can visit Yellowstone National Park while in the winter months. Montana offers some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the United States, and although the number of animals in Montana outnumber the humans, you'll surely come across some friendly locals during your stay as well. If you go make sure to visit local hero Ted Turner's Montana Grill for some authentic American cuisine.  

Kristin:   00:17:57   If you love history shopping or food, Marrakech is the destination for you. Marrakech is one of Morocco's four Imperial cities known as one of the top destinations on the globe for finding artisanal goods such as handcrafted glass, metal, leather, and ceramics. It's also extremely affordable. You can stay at a luxury hotel in the city for as low as one or $200 per night. If you go to Morocco this year, do not miss a trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Essaouira. A fortified town from the 18th century in first place is Queenstown New Zealand, a perfect destination to balance adventure travel with whining and dining. It's the only place I know of that's considered both like gastronomy and adventure capital of the world. If you decide to visit there, make sure to go for a hike and the Remarkables Mountain range where you can see the blue glaciers. But if hiking isn't your thing, you can try horseback riding or see the sights from above with a scenic helicopter ride. When you're done exploring, unwind with a dip in one of Queens town's famous hot pools, or with a local wine tasting tour.  

Kristin:    00:19:26    Hope you enjoyed the first episode of 2023. Remember, you can find links to all the resources and places mentioned in the show notes, and you have less than one week left to apply for relocation assistance from me in the first quarter of 2023 by going to travelingwithkristin.com/apply where you can apply for Ready To Relocate my private group coaching program for people who want to move abroad and the next one to two years. So don't miss your chance. I don't know when I will open the program up again in 2023. So if you want to get in now, go to travelingwithkristin.com/apply