Return ticket: These are the 13 places we can’t stop going back to

Nori Jemil: The glaciers and fjords of Chile

What first drew me to Chile 21 years ago were the Andes mountains—the idea that I could live in a big city and ski at weekends seemed almost too good to be true. As time went on, it was trekking in the hills, getting a bird’s eye view of the peaks when flying out of Santiago or crossing the wildlife-rich altiplano [Andean plateau] by road into Bolivia or Argentina to discover volcanoes and salt flats that thrilled me. From the northern Atacama to the southern tip of the continent, the Andes were the start, and very often the star, of every journey.

And I still get excited at the prospect of my next trip, returning annually to lead photo tours in Patagonia, or to write stories about the country I called home for six years. Now it’s the glaciers and fjords that also call to me, adorning and reflecting the majesty of this mountainous land—seeing these landscapes still gives me the same feeling of awe as when I first set foot here. Of course, Chile is very much its people, their languages and culture too. Whenever I return, I immediately feel ‘como en casa’, as though I’m at home.

Nori Jemil is an award-winning writer and photographer and the author of The Travel Photographer’s Way, published by Bradt. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Tayla Gentle: Yangon, Myanmar

Golden stupas, the scent of sandalwood, one of the most underrated street food markets in all of South East Asia… Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, has been pulling me back to its tea shops and trishaws for over a decade.

But Myanmar (formerly Burma) is also a complex place, both politically and culturally. My first visit was in 2009 when the country of international isolation was only just beginning to open its doors to travelers. Today, the country has fallen back into civil unrest. Yangon is at once the beating heart of peaceful Buddhism, and the site of protests.

It’s a place that has reminded me, time and time again, that a people are not their government. It’s led me to a Vipassana meditation practice that, without any trace of hyperbole, changed my life. And it’s got the best fried noodles in the world.

A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck Myanmar, causing widespread damage across the country and parts of Thailand. You can donate to The Intrepid Foundation’s earthquake appeal. They will be matching all donations up to AUD$100,000. 

Tayla Gentle is managing editor at Adventure.com, and an award-winning writer and video producer specializing in responsible adventure travel. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Tarang Mohnot: Himachal Pradesh, India

I first visited Himachal Pradesh, India, at 19. Since then, it’s been a place of many firsts—my first trek, first reported story, first documentary project, first winter of true solitude. I’ve returned nearly every year, drawn back by the kindness of its people, the dense conifers, and the crisp mountain air. “Feels like I’m seeing everything in HD,” I often say. Call me delusional, but being here makes it feel like nothing can go wrong.

One of my standout memories is the winter of 2021–22. I needed a break from work and hoped the biting cold would force me to slow down. It did. Wrapped in layers, focused only on staying warm and still, I finally learned the art of slow living—cradled by the massive Himalayas. This summer, I’m heading back again—partly to escape the sweltering plains, but mostly because I can’t stay away for long. There are more boulders to climb, more peaks to summit.

Tarang Mohnot is a freelance writer and journalist drawn to the outdoors; adventure, hiking, bouldering, and obscure are part of her everyday vocabulary. Read her first story for Adventure.com here.

Emily Barlow: The Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia

The waft of eucalyptus and the sight of the gentle haze hovering over the Blue Mountains’ dwarfing sandstone cliffs is a sensory ‘welcome home’ for me. Although I grew up over an hour’s drive away in Bathurst, New South Wales, I have visited this incredible National Park and its mountaintop towns countless times. From the baby-carrier through to adulthood, this is my go-to for a nervous system reset.

Over the years, I’ve sweated my way up and down the steep but rewarding trails, gaped at the expansive plateaus and extraordinary rock formations like the Three Sisters and Ruined Castle, swam and skinny-dipped in the parks’ refreshing waterfalls and ponds, and listened to the curious song of the elusive Lyrebird in the wild. After two years away, I can’t wait to visit this coming May when crimson fall colors and crisp clear days sweep the valley.

And after a stroll in the bush, grab coffee at Kickaboom in Glenbrook, pick up a country pie from Bakehouse on Wentworth, and peruse vintage stores in Katoomba. Today you also have the excellent Mountain Culture brewery, Frankie and Mo’s natural wine bar, and a slew of modern restaurants putting the once-eccentric string of townships on city folk’s radar.

Emily Barlow is head of partnerships at Adventure.com, and based in the town of Revelstoke in British Columbia, Canada. See our latest campaign with Greenpeace here

Tamara Davison: Dahab, Egypt

It’s the coral and community that pull me back to this place. Framing Egypt’s Red Sea coastline, Dahab is known for brightly colored reefs and world-famous dive sites. Those into water activities have likely heard of this rustic town—otherwise, you probably haven’t.

That’s part of Dahab’s charm: it’s still off the beaten path, yet draws many adventurers to its shores. You’ll find a mix of Egyptian, Bedouin, and international cultures here and a certain bohemian charm; it’s a place where café owners say “welcome back” whenever you return. Days may revolve around diving in the incredible Blue Hole, while evenings are spent tucking into tajines in cozy restaurants and exploring community events like open mic night.

My favorite activities include sipping Turkish coffee in the freediver haunt, Fresh Fish, and catching sunset from the mountainous viewpoint overlooking Saudi Arabia in the distance. Dahab is raw, remote, and unlike anywhere else I’ve visited in the world; that’s why I keep coming back.

Tamara Davison is a freelance journalist from the UK now based in the Middle East where she covers foreign affairs, humanitarian stories, culture, travel, and the environment. Read her stories on Adventure.com here.

Oliver Pelling: Lewes, England

My dad was born in Lewes, I went to college in Lewes, and whenever I visit family in the UK (I’ve lived in Australia since 2011), Lewes is the first place I want to go back to. Mostly down to pure nostalgia and the opportunity to revisit my late-teenagehood—usually via bookshops, beer or a specific bowl of cheesy chips that has no right to be as spectacular as it is.

The town itself is award-winningly pretty. The River Ouse running through it, a castle in the heart of it, a beautiful old-school British high street not yet boarded up and sold off to multinationals (although it hasn’t escaped completely), full to bursting with some of the best bakeries, cafés and pubs anywhere in the UK—The Lewes Arms, Rights of Man, the Black Horse, and one of the best burgers I’ve ever had at the new Abyss Brewery. 

Speaking of breweries, Lewes is the birthplace of Harveys Brewery, here since 1790, and independent to this day. Lewes is also the former home of American Founding Father and revolutionary Thomas Paine (you can visit his house—it’s next to a very good pub). The Sussex motto “We wunt be druv” hints at this fiercely independent, revolutionary history, and Lewes Bonfire Night—the UK’s biggest and oldest bonfire night—is a blazing embodiment of everything that makes Lewes just so. 

The last time I visited, I was walking home from the pub and it crossed my mind that Lewes might just be the center of the universe. I then walked past a shop window and saw a sign that read, ‘LEWES: CENTRE OF THE COSMOS’…

Oliver Pelling is editor-in-chief of Adventure.com and based in Melbourne, Australia. At any given moment, he will do almost anything for a taco and a cold beer. Read his stories on Adventure.com here

Sarah Kingdom: North Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Where Africa’s Great Rift Valley extends south, all the way to northeastern Zambia, the Luangwa River has carved out a truly beautiful landscape where roads are few, and vehicles and people even fewer. Known for its huge herds of buffalo, it’s also home to the country’s only black rhinos, largest elephant population and thriving prides of lions.

For more than a quarter of a century, I’ve been coming to the 4,636 square kilometers of Zambia’s remote North Luangwa National Park. Year after year I return, and it’s always just as special as the first time I visited.

After sunrise coffee by the campfire, I head out on foot, with my guide and an armed park ranger. Walking single file and in silence, I’m acutely aware of every rustle in the undergrowth and the crack of every twig underfoot. Shoes off, we cross the wide, shallow river, the distant roar of a lion and the not so distant trumpet of an elephant, making my heart beat faster. Pausing to untangle myself from a ‘wait a bit’ thorn bush, the scent of the native potato bush, hangs heavy in the air, as does the ‘popcorn’ smell of a genet cat’s scent markings. My eyes scan the ground for the tracks of leopards, hyenas and aardvarks.

Sarah Kingdom is a travel writer, mountain guide, yoga teacher, trail runner and mother. She has climbed mountains around the world and now spends most of her time visiting remote places in Africa. Read her stories on Adventure.com here.

Kassondra Cloos, Mexico City

I arrived in late February 2020 and intended to stay three-ish weeks. Of course, 2020 had other plans—I didn’t leave for five months. My adopted neighborhood of Roma Norte had everything I needed, from rooftop sunrises and volcano views. Famous cocktail bars that had catered to tourists, like Licoreía Limantour, a few blocks away, pivoted to deliver at-home cocktail kits. I felt lucky to experience the city in such a quiet moment.

I was last there in 2022. Just like old times, I took laps around Avenida Amsterdam, a former race track for horses that, today, is still one of the prettiest residential streets I’ve ever seen. There’s a raised, tree-lined pedestrian walkway that runs the full circle, and in the center of it all, the iconic Parque Mexico brings new meaning to ‘urban jungle’.

Roma Norte is more touristy than a few years ago, but it still feels like home. There’s Tomas Té, my favorite loose leaf tea café; men selling fresh cherries or dried insects by the bucket; dogwalkers wrangling several leashes; skateboarders practicing tricks on an empty stage; furniture ‘stores’ and houseplant sales operating out of the backs of trucks; the occasional vendor hacking off the tops of coconuts with a machete. Like any big city, there are a million things to do in CDMX, but beyond its galleries and museums, there’s nowhere on Earth I’d rather go back to, watching life unfold around me.

Kassondra Cloos is Adventure.com’s news and gear writer. From Rhode Island and living in London, she focuses on slow travel, urban outdoor spaces and human-powered adventure. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Damien Gabet: Beirut, Lebanon

Beleaguered Beirut. Civil war, invasions and occupation; refugee crises, economic collapse and a devastating port explosion. Safe to say, this city has suffered. So how on earth, I ask, is it the most charming place I’ve ever been? Some call it the ‘Paris of the Middle East’ but it’s much better than grumpy old Paris. Because beyond the usual plus points—weather, history, culture, food, wine—are its preternatural people.

The Lebanese I’ve met are, despite the hardship, a masterclass in intelligence and affability. Spending time with them is at once humbling and didactic. Perhaps most notable, though, is their love of celebrations. I’ve been invited to all-night gatherings, in the hills above the city, that felt close to a spiritual experience. My connection to Beirut is through Future Academy, a charity that offers young Syrian and Palestinian refugees football and English coaching. As a trustee, I’ve been a number of times, and I can’t wait to return

Damien Gabet is a travel writer and presenter. Always seeking to discover weird facts about boring things, he’s also a fan of trespassing, which you can read more about in his first feature for Adventure.com here.

Meera Dattani; The Italian lakes (and anywhere in Italy)

My love affair with Italy began in my pre-teenage years. I’d like to say it was inspired by a character in a book but I was besotted by the handsome teenage son of a local Italian shop owner; he certainly never clocked me, but I became hooked to anything Italian. By fluke, it was a subject option at school, so aged 14, I began learning a language that would shape my life, degree, vacations and palate.

I feel different when I visit Italy, like something inside me wakes up and just ‘does life’ better. I slip into the language, I dress more creatively, I drink coffee at the counter in tiny bars, I’m wowed by the art and architecture at every turn, I do the daily evening stroll or ‘passeggiata’ before propping up at a piazza high table for a glass of something with a plate of antipasti. It’s all so familiar and yet always exciting; I feel both at home and away.

If I had to choose a spot to return to, it’s the Italian lakes. I know Lago di Garda best having lived nearby for almost a year, but my favorite is Maggiore—the cooler climate, mountain views, ferries traveling up and down in between gorgeous little towns, lakeside beaches and refreshing dips. I feel I could live here, but perhaps it’s the joy of returning that makes it so magical.

Meera Dattani is executive editor at Adventure.com and a freelance travel journalist with an interest in food heritage, wildlife, conservation and culture stories. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Pat Boxall: Westport, Ireland

I left my Guinness-soaked heart in Westport and return to search for it as often as I can. I will never tire of this salt-tinged town, tucked away on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. One could spend a lifetime exploring the nearby mountains, the rugged coast, and yes, most certainly its pubs.

Oh, to be battling headwinds through Connemara’s ferocious beauty. To be halfway up Croagh Patrick and struck senseless by the sight of Clew Bay. To walk into one of Westport’s countless pubs and be calmed, come end of day, by the sound of fiddles and flutes, by a satisfying clunk as a well-earned pint greets a well-worn bar.

Patrick is a writer and outdoor guide, who also publishes the People & Places newsletter on Substack. When he’s not writing, he’s walking; either across countries or to his local pub. Read his stories on Adventure.com here.

Nicola Bailey: India

India was the first country I ever visited outside of my homeland, Australia, a stopover for a couple of weeks on my way to Europe. That was 25 years ago.

People had told me India was a ‘feast for the senses’—that may well be a cliché, but they also weren’t wrong. I traveled through Rajasthan, soaking up the history, architecture, food, landscapes. Admittedly, there was something of a, let’s call it an ‘oversupply’ of noise in the cities, and at times, the pollution and the more overt poverty hit hard, but I was hooked.

In its own way, India matched my frenetic, sensory-seeking personality perfectly. I’ve since been back three times, each time different. I’ve been wowed by mountains, relaxed on beaches, hiked through tea plantations, and cruised along palm-fringed backwaters. And never mind ‘barely scratched the surface’—I know I’m not even close to the surface when it comes to experiencing what this vast country has to offer.

Nicola Bailey is Adventure.com’s photo editor. An award-winning photographer living between Sydney and New York City, she has a particular interest in remote and challenging locations. See her photo stories on Adventure.com here

Lebawit Lily Girma: Dominican Republic

I first went to the Dominican Republic on assignment as a guidebook author in 2015—and I haven’t stopped visiting. Most people go for the DR’s beaches and coastlines, from La Romana to Punta Cana or even Puerto Plata, but few know that it’s a microcosm of the Caribbean’s ecosystems in a single location, from big cities to mountain peaks, offshore islands, coffee and cocoa farms and desert dunes.

I love hiking in the cloud forest of Valle Nuevo National Park, over 7,000 feet above sea level, near the center of the country, then cozying up by a chimney fire at an ecolodge as the night temps drop to below freezing. You could bar hop or shop in modern Santo Domingo and in less than three hours’ drive, reach the rolling green hills and freshwater rivers of Jarabacoa, where you can go river rafting. Another favorite is the Samana Peninsula with its rugged cliffs, hidden coves and sparkling aquamarine waters reminiscent of the Mediterranean, minus the crowds and with more stunning beaches. Then there’s the country’s deep African roots—here is where the Spaniards established their first colonial base and city in the Americas, including sugar cane plantations just outside the capital.

But the DR is also where the earliest instances of resistance from enslaved Africans in the region were recorded, such as the first-ever slave rebellion in the Americas in 1522. Last but not least are Dominicans whom I’ve found to be so accepting of foreigners in the Caribbean. They will come to your assistance and invite you to share bread and a cafecito without a second thought—a trait that reminds me of my native Ethiopian heritage.

Lebawit Lily Girma is an award-winning travel journalist, editor and speaker focusing on sustainable tourism. She’s also the founder of TourismLens.com, a platform and podcast focused on centering host communities and nature as primary beneficiaries of travel. Read her first story for Adventure.com here.

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