South America

South America is possibly one of my favorite places. From carnival season in Rio de Janeiro to hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, it really was three months filled with new experiences, new friends and new flavors.

South America is a fantastic place to travel on a budget, if you know where to go. Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador are the best for backpackers wanting to experience as much as possible on a tight budget. Chile, Brazil and Argentina and more expensive and you can often experience western prices but if you’re in South America, I’d definitely recommend.

Southeast Asia

As the first place I traveled to, Southeast Asia has a special place in my heart. My experience here really drove me to travel more and continue on this amazing journey.

The home of backpackers on a budget, Southeast Asia is a hotspot for adventures seeking a thrilling yet enriching experience. With cheap accommodation, incredible street food and enough cultural landmarks to explore, it’s no surprise why I keep returning to Southeast Asia.

Europe

As a European native, I really should have explored my neighbors a little more whilst I was living in the UK. Europe is a fantastic place to travel short-term, but don’t get me wrong, there is plenty to do and see. If you’re doing a summer, then I’d definitely recommend InterRailing, which offers a comprehensive train ticket around some of the most fascinating places in Europe. Expect to meet lots of young people, eat some delicious foods and see some of the most famous landmarks.

Australia

Further afield, Australia is definitely a place you need time to explore. I spent a year working and travelling in Australia and I must say, you can’t do it without working, so be prepared.

If you want to experience the ultimate road trip, then there is no place quite like Australia. Pair long outback stretches with vibrate cities and incredible coastlines, there really isn’t anything else like it.

The Great Barrier Reef is the place to be, if you want to learn how to dive or already have a knack for it then spending your days exploring the depths of the largest thing on earth is a dream come true.

Canada

From immense stretches of national parks to the hip city of Montreal, Canada does it all. There are tons to do at any given time throughout the year weather its discovering Fogo Island, kayaking around the Hopewell Rocks or enjoying a number of festivals in Montreal; you’ll never be bored.

Canada is full of inspiring landscapes occupied by the friendliest people in the world. As its such a big place, you do need to spend a decent amount of time here but you can do it in a few months. The key with traveling, and Canada is a perfect example of this, is that don’t limit yourself too much. Be flexible, if you fall in love with a place, stay an extra week, if you don’t like it, move on to the next one. The whole point of traveling is that we can be free, and Canada is the perfect place to enjoy that freedom.