Repeat Destinations or Go Somewhere New? Ask A Travel Blogger!

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For most of us (me included these days) there are very few weeks in the year available to travel. The decision on whether to go somewhere familiar or try somewhere new can be a tough one and it has a huge bearing on how exciting / relaxing / affordable the trip will be.

New Year, Same Destination

A huge number of people who travel regularly go to the same place (or handful of places) every time. The obvious advantage is that you know what you’re going to get. You insulate yourself from the risk of ending up in a place that doesn’t meet your expectations.

If somewhere isn’t as good as you thought it was going to be (or if it was overrated by travel bloggers and influencers) it can really ruin your trip. You’re also less likely to take a risk with your travel destinations in the future.

Familiar Faces

A big reason for returning year after year to a destination (or camping ground in your own country as lots of New Zealanders tend to do) is that you can form a community there over the years. Knowing you’ll bump into some of the same people (other tourists, resort staff, locals, expats etc.) is a comfort for many. It’s a very different experience from going somewhere you’ve never been, surrounded by people you’ve never met.

Big Countries!

One aspect I love about returning to places like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and India is that you can always find something new. If you go to completely different places it’s kind of like going to a new country with a comforting layer of familiarity. You can also add in your favourite spots from previous visits so you get the best of both worlds.

Bali is a great example of this. It’s a popular spot to return to year after year (especially for Australians) but it’s also the gateway to thousands of islands. These islands are so different to Bali (food, religion, architecture) and you’ll never run out of exciting new places to visit.

READ MORE: 10 Awesome Islands Near Bali to Visit

India is the same. Fly into your favourite city and then branch out from there. One year you might explore the Himalayas. The next maybe you’ll travel the deserts of Rajasthan and after that you could venture to the ruins and temples of South/ Central India.

Explore the Neighbourhood

Another option is to check out some of your favourite countries’ neighbours. They can offer up similar experiences while still being somewhere new and exciting.

Laos and Cambodia are good examples of this. Laos in particular is an awesome place to visit for regular travellers to Thailand. You can hop on an overnight train in Bangkok and be in it’s capital, Vientiane, the next morning. Explore some of Asia’s most beautiful riverside villages then head back to Thailand to finish your trip. A side-trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia could also be a great addition to an otherwise typical Thai beach holiday.

Find a Good Beach and Stick to It

Beach holidays are typically all about relaxing, so when you find that perfect beach town it’s tempting to keep going back. Beaches tend to be hit or miss and the vibe can be quite important. Beachside restaurants you actually want to eat at, bars full of people you’d like to drink with (as opposed to people way younger or older) and the quality of the beach / water can be important and it’s not always easy to tell these things from online research.

Hotels and resorts can also make or break a beach holiday so returning to one you know you’ll enjoy makes sense. If you happen to find somewhere that ticks all your boxes and is affordable it makes it less appealing to try and find somewhere new.

A Travel Blogger’s Opinion

I’m firmly in the balance side of things on this subject. I love to return to places I’ve already been but I’m also keen to get out there and see new countries. I’ve been to India, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia multiple times and I reckon I’ll return to all of them again eventually. The more you visit a country the more cool places you hear about!

We visited Muri Beach in Rarotonga a few years ago and we knew straight away it’d be a place we’d return to multiple times. We haven’t been back yet, and we’re about to visit a new beach destination in Tonga, but it’s good to know we have an easy to reach and relatively affordable place to return to. It helps that it’s one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve been to!

Do you repeat destinations or try and visit new places? Let me know in the comments below!

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Jon Algie

A travel blogger from New Zealand who hates talking about himself in the third person and has no imagination when it comes to naming websites.

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