I’m a big fan of booking travel as far in advance as possible. There are a few reasons for this, including that booking flights more than six months out makes it easier to find business class seats that you can book with points and you can usually find hotels that will let you book with no deposit required and free cancellation.
With 2025 travel on my mind, I wanted to highlight four off-the-beaten-path travel destinations to consider visiting next year.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
In September 2024, AirAsia launched the first-ever international flight to Komodo International Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL). Depending on the popularity of the KUL to LBJ flight, the island — which is known as the home of the Komodo dragon and also home to a pink-sand beach (aptly named “Pink Beach” and one of only seven pink beaches in the world) — may see an influx of tourists and development soon. So if you’d like to get the chance to see Komodo Island before it becomes a more popular tourist destination, 2025 is the year to visit.
El Nido, Palawan, The Philippines
As a travel writer, I’m often asked my favorite destinations in the world and El Nido, Palawan almost always makes my top five. El Nido is easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited, with plenty of crystal clear blue water beaches, palm trees in every direction, a beautiful mountainous terrain, and with islands off the coast to either just enjoy looking at or to explore.
Anecdotally, from about 2016-2023, I only knew of two other people who had visited El Nido, but in the last year alone I know of at least five other people who either have visited or who are going to visit El Nido. The surge in travel is likely due to the United direct flight between San Francisco and Manilla, The Philippines, which launched in October 2023.
Similar to Komodo Island, it’s worth visiting El Nido as soon as possible, so you can see the island before its popularity increases even more.
Atacama Desert, Chile
Another destination that almost always makes my top five of favorite places I’ve visited is the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. One of the driest places on Earth, the landscape makes you feel like you’re on a different planet. As beautiful as the scenery is, the best part of visiting the Atacama Desert is getting to see the stars at night. Given its dry climate and few other favorable factors, the Atacama Desert is one of the best places on the planet for stargazing (and is home to some of the largest telescopes in the world).
During my trip, I barely slept because during the day I was so engaged exploring the unique landscape and I didn’t want to go to sleep at night since the stars and the Milky Way galaxy were on full display.
Given how remote the Atacama Desert is, I was very surprised when I recently read an article stating that San Pedro de Atacama, Chile is one of the top 10 “trending destinations,” according to Booking.com. So if you’ve ever thought of visiting the Atacama Desert and would like to avoid the crowds, you may want to visit in 2025 before it becomes a more popular tourist destination.
Greenland
Greenland has been a dream destination of many for many years, so I was excited to see that both United and SAS are adding flights to Greenland in 2025.
That said, what has always excited me about visiting Greenland is how remote and less “touristy” the island seemed (especially compared to its neighbor Iceland), and with the additional flights will come additional tourists and attention. With that, if you’ve dreamed of visiting Greenland before, visiting in 2025 may be the perfect time to go as there will be more flight options to get there and it’s likely that tourism to Greenland will become even more popular once friends and family start posting pictures from the island.
Bottom line
If you’re looking for off-the-beaten places to travel to in 2025, consider Komodo Island, Indonesia, El Nido, the Atacama Desert, or Greenland. All of these destinations may soon see a surge of tourism, so visiting in 2025 may be your best chance to visit with less crowds.
3 comments
If you to to el nido go to other places in the Philippines.
Can easily take a ferry between El ido and coron. Coron Is also worth visiting.
Other places in the Philippines worth visiting are Boracay, siargao and tagaytay a day trip from Manila.
Not worth spending time in Manila or other cities in the Philippines. Philippines is all about nature.
Also the Philippines is easy destination since everyone speaks English and is super friendly.
For airlines use cebu Pacific and Philippines airlines. Avoid AirAsia because they are always delaying or cancelling flights.
To get to El Nido need to take air Swift which is only airline that flies to El Nido. Btw they just got baught by cebu paciflc
Visited el nido back in 2018. stayed a couple days before heading out to apulit island. absolutely beautiful area.
Wife and I did a Iceland/Greenland cruise last summer. had 3 stops in greenland. in nuuk, i hired a captain to take us up the fjord. since it was a private tour, we went all the way to the face of the glacier, much further than the other cruise ship passengers were going. it was stunning. just us with those massive icebergs is something I will always remember.
Komodo island can be visited on a one day boat tour. You can’t stay overnight on the island. To make a longer trip you’d have to take a multi day diving tour or travel overland across East Nusa Tenggara to visit waterfalls, volcanoes, and remote villages.