Last year, I flew the inaugural flight from Brussels to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific in Business Class. This year, I decided to give Premium Economy a try. As I had already explored Hong Kong before, I added a connecting flight to Hanoi with Cathay Dragon in Business Class.

Brussels to Hong Kong

Pic: Cathay Pacific Premium Economy check-in (May 2019)
The check-in at Brussels Airport had a dedicated lane for Premium Economy passengers, however it also allowed Bag Drop for all classes. This meant I still had to queue for a bit, as Economy Class passengers were dropping off their bags in front of me. Later on, I realised I could have used the Business Class check-in as I’m a OneWorld Sapphire member. The luggage allowance for Premium Economy was 2 pieces with a combined weight of 35KG. Again, as OneWold Sapphire member I could check-in an extra 15KG of luggage. In case you’re wondering, my big suitcase in the picture is the Samsonite Lite-Shock Spinner 81cm Black.

Pic: Cathay Pacific A350-900
The direct flights between Brussels and Hong Kong are operated by an Airbus A350-900XWB. A state of the art aircraft which Cathay Pacific started operating in 2016.

Pic: Cathay Pacific A350 Premium Economy seat 31K
Thanks to the priority boarding perk included in our Premium Economy ticket, myself and a friend were the first passengers to board. We were seated in row 31 of the Premium Economy class cabin which featured 28 seats in a 2-4-2 layout. Tip: Make sure to select your seats at the time of booking. The twin seats are great for couples, the middle row seats for families. You might want to avoid row 33, as the C and H seats are exposed to the economy class cabin.

Pic: View from Cathay Pacific Premium Economy seats 31H and 31K

Pic: Cathay Pacific A350-900 Premium Economy welcome drink
After boarding, menus (cover, lunch, drinks) were distributed and welcome drinks served.
An amenity kit was also provided featuring socks, an eyeshade, earplugs, toothbrush and toothpaste. The welcome drinks, Champagne in our case, were the only drinks served in glass. All other drinks later in the flight were served in plastic cups, which I found rather cheap and didn’t reflect the ‘Premium’ you would expect from Premium Economy.

Pic: Cathay Pacific A350-900 Premium Economy lunch
For lunch, I had the beef tenderloin with black pepper sauce, broccoli and steamed jasmine rice which tasted good. The little Neuhaus chocolate and Movenpick Icecream for dessert were a nice extra. However, I did notice the meals served in economy class were almost the same as in Premium Economy, which made me wonder why Cathay Pacific doesn’t focus more on providing a premium food & beverage experience in the Premium Economy cabin.

Pic: Sunrise before arrival in Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific A350 Premium Economy verdict: I found the hard product to be excellent, with large inflight entertainment touch screen and wide reclining seat. I also loved the big windows of the A350 which were perfect to gaze at the scenery while cruising 40000 feet up in the air. The food & service were a bit lacking compared to what I experienced at other airlines in Premium Economy. Overall, I would recommend Cathay Pacific Premium Economy for those who are looking for a superior seating experience with excellent inflight entertainment on a modern new plane. Extra: watch my Instagram Stories of my Cathay Pacific Premium Economy flight.

Hong Kong to Hanoi

Pic: Cathay Dragon A320 Business Class Hong Kong to Hanoi
After a refreshing shower at Cathay Pacific’s The Wing lounge in Hong Kong, we continued our journey to Hanoi with Cathay Dragon in Business Class.

Pic: Cathay Dragon Regional Business Class Breakfast
Both the service and food & beverage offered on this regional 2 hour flight were excellent. Here’s the breakfast menu:

Weekend in Hanoi

Pic: Morning shave at street barber in Hanoi
Weekends are the best time to visit Hanoi as many streets are closed for traffic and the city becomes a family oriented hotspot. We used Hilton Hanoi Opera as our base in the capital of Vietnam. The hotel could use a renovation but its central location right next to the Opera was hard to beat. The outdoor barber at the nearby corner of Hai Bà Trưng and Phan Chu Trinh street took care of my morning shave.

Pic: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
The Grand Hotel Métropole turned out to be a great venue to travel back to the era when Vietnam was ruled by the French as part of their Indochina colonial territories. We had drinks at the Bamboo Pool bar with views on the courtyard and pool. Our predecessors included Charlie Chaplin, Jane Fonda, George H. W. Bush, François Mitterrand, Jacques Chirac. In more recent history, the hotel was used as a venue for the second meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un in February 2019.

Pic: Drinks at Train Street in Hanoi
Probably the most spectacular attraction of Hanoi was train street where several times a day a speeding train passes only inches from the houses. As it became popular with tourist, locals are now running little bars and cafes next to the tracks despite the prominent warning signs.

Pic: Train Street Warning Sign

Pic: Train Street Hanoi Schedule

Ninh Binh

Pic: Lying Dragon Mountain at Mua Caves Ninh Binh
Before heading to Halong Bay, we made a day trip Ninh Binh. A small city in the Red River Delta featuring similar lime stone formations as in Halong Bay but surrounded by rice fields. Enjoy my Hanoi and Ninh Binh Instagram Stories.

Pic: Refreshing tropical rain at Mua Caves, Ninh Binh

Halong Bay

Pic: Bai Tho Mountain at Halong Bay
Guys, this was quite a sketchy hike to get the shot above. First we had to pay off an old lady to enter the trail via her house, then had to climb a 90 degree wall and sneak under a fence. Check the video below to see what it looked like, more details here.

Halong Bay Cruise

Pic: Alisa Premier Cruise Ship Halong Bay
After extensive research by my travel buddy, we decided to book a 2 days 1 night Halong Bay cruise with Alisa Premier Cruise. This turned out to be the right choice for a relaxing 24-hours. Check my Halong Bay Instagram Stories.

Pic: Halong Bay seen from Titop Island

Conclusion: Flights  –  If you’re looking for a more comfortable way to fly to Asia and Business Class doesn’t fit your budget, Premium Economy is nice and affordable alternative. The fact that Cathay Pacific operates a new airplane (A350) from Brussels Airport guarantees you can experience the latest cabin technology.
Destination – Compared to my previous visit to South Vietnam in 2010, I could appreciate North Vietnam a lot more. I look forward to visit Vietnam again, maybe Da Nang is next! Have you been to Vietnam before? Please share your experiences with us in the comment section. Thanks for reading.

Full disclosure: I was a guest of Cathay Pacific on the Premium Economy flight from Brussels to Hong Kong and Cathay Dragon Business Class flight from Hong Kong to Hanoi. I covered all other expenses myself. Roundtrip Premium Economy flights from Brussels to Hong Kong start at 1146 EUR all-in. More info at http://www.cathaypacific.be

Brussels Airlines has launched a new offer for their Miles & More American Express credit cards. You can get up to 16.000 Miles & More award miles when signing up via the links below.

Brussels Airlines Premium American Express card with 16.000 bonus miles
Dutch / French
Brussels Airlines Preferred American Express card with 8.000 bonus miles
Dutch / French

Why should I get a Brussels Airlines credit card?

• Earn Miles & More miles for every euro you spend (super market, IKEA, online purchases, fuel stations, restaurants, …)
• Your Miles & More miles never expire as long as you use the card once a month
• Extensive purchase & travel insurances (details NL / FR )
• Additional yearly bonus of 5.000 or 10.000 award miles
• Use your Miles & More miles for free flights & upgrades. e.g. Business Class roundtrip flight to USA for 55.000 miles (Mileage Bargains)

How much does the Amex card cost?

If your request the card before the end of 2019, the first 3 months the card is free. After the first 3 months the card costs:

• Brussels Airlines Premium Amex card: 12.50€ per month
• Brussels Airlines Preferred Amex card: 10€ per month

You can cancel the card at any time. Just keep in mind Miles & More miles expire 3 years after you have earned them if you don’t have the Brussels Airlines American Express card.

Which card should I request, Premium or Preferred?

The Premium card. The sign-up bonus (16.000) is much higher, the miles per euro spend (1.5) are higher, yearly bonus is higher (10.000) and the cost is only 30€ more per year. The only reason to request the Preferred card would be your annual income. The Premium card requires a minimum yearly gross income of 37.500€, the Preferred card requires a yearly gross income of 25.000€ or higher.

What are the pitfalls?

American Express cards have a high conversion fee (2,5%) for non-euro payments. Use your Brussels Airlines American Express cards for euro payments only. For non-euro payments, I recommend Revolut. (0% conversion fee and 200€/month of free ATM withdrawals in non-euro countries)

How do I request the Brussels Airlines American Express card?

Brussels Airlines Premium card with 16.000 bonus miles. Dutch / French
Brussels Airlines Preferred card with 8.000 bonus miles. Dutch / French

I’m not yet a Miles and More member, where do I sign-up?
You can enroll at the Miles and More website.

Questions? Email me at bart@bart.la or leave a comment below.

Time to wrap up 2019 with an overview of my travel highlights of the year. In this post I review my best flight and hotel experiences of the year. In a second post, I’ll talk about my favourite destinations of 2019.

Flights

2019 was another great aviation year for me with:

• 107 flights (152,446 miles) (6.1x around the earth, 370 hours up in the air)
• 3 First Class flights with British Airways and Qatar Airways
• 24 Business Class flights with Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Cathay Dragon, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Oman Air and Turkish Airlines
• 5 Premium Economy flights with Austrian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and Norwegian

Best First Class Flight: Qatar Airways

In June, I redeemed 50,000 British Airways avios + €112 for Qatar Airways First Class from Doha to Frankfurt on the A380. Check my Instagram TV for the full trip report. Consistent service & great value. Still my favourite airline whatever cabin I fly.

Best Error Fare: British Airways First Class

As my focus in travel shifted towards new destinations, I didn’t book as many error fares as in the past. Also the number of published error fares has been on the decline the past years. Still I managed to fly some great error fares in 2019.

• Norwegian B789 Premium Economy from Singapore to London OW (€78)
• LOT Polish Airlines B788 Business Class Copenhagen to Singapore RT (€653)
• British Airways B747 First Class Cape Town to Barcelona RT (€774)

The Norwegian flight from Singapore to London Gatwick was the very last one before Norwegian suspended their service to Singapore. 14 hours in Premium Economy for €78 was a heck of a deal. I also received €100 in Norwegain CashPoints as compensation for my broken seat on the flight. The LOT Polish Airlines Business Class error fare earned me 16,206 status miles with Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles enough to renew my Star Alliance Gold status for another two years. But the title for “Best Error Fare of the Year” goes to the British Airways First Class Cape Town to Barcelona for €774 roundtrip earning me 40,420 avios and 560 tier points renewing my OneWorld Sapphire status.

Best Miles Redemption: Turkish Airlines Regional Business Class

In May, I redeemed 15,000 miles + €157 for a roundtrip Brussels to Izmir via Istanbul in Turkish Airlines Business Class. This deal was part of a promotion to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles loyalty program. Apart from the low number of miles required for this award, I also got to fly the new Turkish Airlines regional business class. Definitely the best Business Class you can get on European flights!

Other great redemption in 2019 worth a mention:

• Turkish Airlines Business: Brussels to Muscat 35K Miles & More miles + €195
• Oman Air Business: Muscat to Doha 6K Etihad Guest miles + €85
• Ethiopian Airlines Business: Brussels to Mekelle RT 70K M&M miles + €134
• Turkish Airlines Business: Brussels to Bahrain 29K KrisFlyer miles + €130

Hotels

Pic: El Patio Courtyard House Tunis (Apr 2019)

In 2019, I stayed 107 nights at hotels:

• Hilton: 46 nights
  • Hilton: 26
  • DoubleTree by Hilton: 12
  • Hilton Garden Inn: 7
  • Hampton by Hilton: 1
• IHG: 13 nights
  • Holiday Inn: 8
  • Holiday Inn Express: 3
  • InterContinental: 2
• Park Inn: 5 nights
• Hyatt: 5 nights
• Marriott: 2 nights
• Airbnb: 3 nights
• Other: 33 nights
• TOTAL: 107 nights

Despite having Spire Elite Ambassador status at IHG Rewards Club, my business shifted to Hilton due to a lack of top tier elite recognition at IHG. I still don’t get it why no complimentary breakfast is offered to the highest elite members at IHG while it is a standard perk at Hilton Honors as soon as you hit Gold status. I status matched my IHG Spire Elite to Hilton Honors Diamond and stayed 30 times at Hilton this year to renew my Diamond status for 2020.

Best Error Rate: Hilton Phuket Arcadia

In February, I stayed 3 nights at a Superior Deluxe Suite at Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa. The 138 sq. m. suite featured panoramic ocean views, balcony with jacuzzi and more… Thanks to an error, it was possible to book this suite for €135 per night during Chinese New Year, the same price as a regular room. Check my Instagram Stories for a full tour of the suite & hotel grounds.

Best Hotel Redemption: Hyatt Regency Bali

In January, I stayed 5 nights in a Regency Suite at the new Hyatt Regency Bali. I bought the required 40K World of Hyatt points for ˜€600 instead of paying €2693 cash for the stay. An excellent deal which included complimentary breakfast and club lounge access. Full trip report on my Instagram Stories.

Best City Hotel: Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort

After having stayed at a few dozen hotels in Bangkok in the past 10 years, Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort is one of my absolute favourites. It offers a true sanctuary along the riverside of this bustling city with it huge pool, sundecks and outdoor jacuzzi. Using HotelsCombined you can usually book the hotel between €120 and €140 per night.

Best Elite Recognition: DoubleTree Resort Zanzibar – Nungwi

I november I stayed as Hilton Honors Diamond member at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Zanzibar – Nungwi. I was upgraded to an Ocean view room with direct beach access, complimentary minibar, complimentary breakfast & dinner (!), 6PM late-checkout and 15-min free foot massage at the SPA. The staff was super friendly and service minded. The rooms weren’t fancy or newly renovated, but the service compensated for it. Full Zanzibar trip report on my Instagram Stories.

Conclusion

Despite not being my main focus anymore, loyalty programs and their points & miles combined with error fares and error rates uplifted my travel experiences once again in 2019. What were your flight and hotel highlights of 2019? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. Have an awesome travel year 2020!

In 2019, I visited 33 countries of which 19 for the first time: Albania Andorra Bahrain Bosnia and Herzegovina Cyprus Estonia Ethiopia Liechtenstein Moldova Montenegro North Korea North Macedonia Oman San Marino Syria Tanzania Tunisia Turkmenistan Yemen . It was also the year I decided to visit every country in the world by 2025. At the end of 2019, I had visited 98 out of 193 UN countries. Below are some of my favourite travel experiences of the past year. I hope they inspire you for an awesome travel year 2020.

North Bali, Indonesia

Gitgit waterfall (Jan 2019) 
In January, I finally explored ‘the other side of Bali’. On previous visits I had never wandered up more North than Ubud. It turned out to be a stunning destination with an authentic culture and pristine nature with tranquil, rural surroundings. Check my Instagram Stories for the Northern Bali trip report.

Gapura Bali Handara Kosaido (Jan 2019)

Cape Town, South Africa

Bo-Kaap, Cape Town (May 2019)
Thanks to a British Airways First Class error fare, I visited Cape Town both in March and May of 2019. A perfect destination to relax and enjoy good food & wine with friends. Activities to add to your Cape Town checklist:

• • • Visit Bo-Kaap: Formerly known as the Malay Quarter, it’s the historical centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town
    • Hike Lion’s Head which peaks at 669 metres above sea level. The peak forms part of a dramatic backdrop to the city of Cape Town
    • Sunset catamaran cruise with Mirage at V&A Waterfront

Check my Instagram Stories for the March and May Cape Town trip report.

Lion’s Head, Cape Town (Mar 2019)

North Vietnam

Hang Mua Ninh Binh Province (May 2019)
In May, I travelled to North Vietnam with Cathay Pacific. It was a very different (better!) experience compared to the South which I visited several years ago. Highlights were Hanoi, Ninh Binh and cruising Halong Bay. Full trip report on my blog.

Transnistria, Moldova

Chisinau airport (Jul 2019)
In my quest to visit every country in the world, I used the summer to explore the remaining countries on my European continent checklist. A list which included the least visited country in Europe: Moldova. Even more interestingly, I got the opportunity to visit Transnistria, a separatist state which isn’t recognised by any UN member state but gets support from Russia. There are 2000 Russian soldiers based in Transnistria to ‘protect’ the border between Transnistria and Moldova. Check my full trip report on IG Stories.

Tiraspol, Transnistria (Jul 2019)

Famous Transnistrian plastic money (Jul 2019)

My guide Katya in Tiraspol, Transnistria (Jul 2019)

Danakil Depression, Ethiopia

Dallol at Danakil Depression (Aug 2019)
In August, I spent several days at the hottest place on Earth in terms of year-round average temperatures: the Danakil Depression. My tour included a visit to the hydrothermal system of Dallol, Erta Ale volcano and Danakil salt flats. Check my Ethiopia Stories.

Salt water pool in Ethiopian salt desert (Aug 2019)

Highly-active hydrothermal system of Dallol (Aug 2019)

The unearthly scenery of Dallol (Aug 2019)

Crater of the Erta Ale volcano (Aug 2019)

Pyongyang, North Korea

Mansu Hill Grand Monument in Pyongyang (Sep 2019)
In September, I started checking off ESTA banned countries. Just before my departure to North Korea, the United States had decided to add North Korea to the list of nations which, once visited, ban you from entering the USA without applying for a visa in advance. The full list of banned countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Pyongyang Metro (Sep 2019)

Grand Peoples Study House in Pyongyang (Sep 2019)
My visit to North Korea was brief, but allowed me to get a first impression of the country. I flew North Korean airline Air Koryo from Beijing to Pyongyang and returned to Beijing by train via Dandong, a 24-hour journey. Check my Instagram Stories video.
Arch of Reunification Pyongyang (Sep 2019)
The most impressive experience of my 3 days in Pyongyang was definitely the Arirang Mass Games performance. The world’s largest choreography spectacle with more than 100,000 gymnasts. May Day stadium is also the largest stadium in the world.

Turkmenistan

World’s largest indoor ferris wheel (Sep 2019)
End of September, I visited another mysterious country: Turkmenistan. I attended the Turkmenistan Independence Day celebrations at Kopetdag Stadium, watched horse races at Akhalteke Horse Sports Complex in presence of the president and explored Ashgabat, the capital of the country.

Darvaza Gas Crater aka “Gates of Hell” (Sep 2019)
The real highlight of my visit to Turkmenistan however was the Gates of Hell in the Karakum desert. The Darvaza Gas Crater was created in 1971 when a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punched into a massive underground natural gas cavern, causing the ground to collapse and the entire drilling rig to fall in. Having punctured a pocket of gas, poisonous fumes began leaking at an alarming rate. To head off a potential environmental catastrophe, the Soviets set the hole alight, figuring it would stop burning within a few weeks. Decades later, and the fiery pit is still going strong. Make sure to check my video.

Sunrise at Darvaza Gas Crater (Sep 2019)

Nighttime at Gates of Hell (Sep 2019)

Syria

After my exciting experiences in North Korea and Turkmenistan, I was ready for more challenging destinations. Early November, I arranged a trip for myself and two friends via a local travel agency in Syria. We visited Damascus, Maaloula, Homs, Krak Des Chevaliers and Tartous. It offered a great opportunity to get a better understanding of the current conflict, explore the amazing cultural heritage and taste the wonderful food. The trip made clear to me Syria has a lot more to offer than what we got to see on TV in the past 10 years.

Temple of Jupiter, Damascus (Nov 2019)

Destruction in Homs (Nov 2019)

Crusader castle Krak Des Chevaliers (Nov 2019)

Juice seller at Al-Hamidiyah Souq Damascus (Nov 2019)

Hawf, Yemen

Yemeni coastline in Hawf (Dec 2019)
My final trip of the year was another unusual destination: Yemen. Unfortunately, visiting the beautiful capital of Sanaa wasn’t an option due to the brutal conflict going on in the region. As an alternative, I visited the coastal city of Hawf near the border with Oman. More of this trip on my Instagram.

Lunch with locals in Hawf (Dec 2019)

Azam, my fixer and local guide in Yemen (Dec 2019)

Conclusion

Three Towers of San Marino (Aug 2019)
If you would have told me at the beginning of 2019 I would be visiting Syria, North Korea, Ethiopia, Yemen and so many other challenging destination that year, I would not have believed it. Turns out the last minute plans can be really rewarding. I met some awesome people along the way and look forward to share more of my adventurous travels in 2020 with you. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Let’s chase the UN 193!

My best tips & tricks for your travel plans in 2020. How to get the best deals for your flights, hotels, rental cars and travel gear. Also check my best flights & hotels and destinations of 2019.

1. Find the best flight deals

These are my favourite sites to keep track of flight details departing from the Benelux:
Fly4Free
Travel-Dealz
Flynous
For Business & First Class deals, the best site is You Have Been Upgraded. If you’re looking for a particular flight deal, set an email alert via Google Flights to keep track of flight fares. Don’t forget to also check Momondo as they tend to regularly find cheaper or alternative fares.

2. Book hotels at the lowest price

Start your hotel search on a price comparison site, they do the hard work for you! HotelsCombined and Google Hotels Search are my favourites. Tip: Make sure to create an account on HotelsCombined.com and search for hotels when signed in. For some hotels you’ll see secret deals which are only available when you’re logged on.

3. Use hotel discount codes

Compare the lowest hotel rates you found via HotelsCombined.com with the rates using discount codes at FlyerTalk.

If you (or your partner) haven’t used Airbnb before, now is the time to sign-up. Airbnb has temporarily increased the sign-up bonus for new users to €41 ($45) travel credit which can be used for a first time booking of €65 ($75) or more. Even if you don’t intent to make a booking right now, sign-up to secure your travel credit.

4. Earn money booking hotels

In the past two years, I earned more than €2000 (!) with one simple trick: cashback sites. Every time I book a hotel, I check my favourite cashback sites to earn up to 20% back of the money spend on hotel bookings. Here’s how it works:

1. Create a cashback account Quidco (£10 bonus!) / Mr Rebates 
2. Use cashback search function to find booking site (e.g. Hotels.com)
3. Click on the link and book your hotel
4. After your stay, you’ll receive the money in your cashback account
5. Wire the cashback money to your PayPal account

There’s no difference with booking directly on the hotel booking site or going via a cashback site, except you earn a nice cashback!
The cashback sites I use:
Quidco (cashback in GBP via PayPal) booking sites
Mr Rebates (cashback in USD via PayPal) booking sites

5. Maximize the value of your hotel points

Hopefully you’ve already collected some valuable hotels points with your travels. If not, sign-up for your favourite hotel loyalty programs now and track your accounts via AwardWallet. Once you’ve collected some points, you probably wonder where you can use them and how to get maximum value out of them. You could login to each hotel loyalty program and search for free hotel night awards. But what if you could search all loyalty programs at once? You can! AwardMapper lets you search for hotel awards. Looking for handy maps of all chain hotels? Check Travel is Free for Google Maps of all Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hyatt and Radisson hotels.

6. Always use the right credit card

Some reminders to avoid common mistakes when booking travel and paying abroad.

1. Always book your travel using a credit card. If the hotel, airline or booking site goes bust you can get your money back. Last year I booked a hotel in Cape Town using Galahotels.com. I had booked months in advance as they offered a really good deal. A few weeks before my stay I learned Galahotels had filed for bankruptcy. I contacted the credit card company and within days the money was back in my bank account.
2. Always pay in the local currency. Hotels, restaurants, shops and even ATM’s will ask you if you wish to pay in your home country currency. This is a SCAM. If you agree, the terminal will convert the foreign currency to your home country currency and apply a nice markup fee for the business owner. Don’t fall for it and ALWAYS insist to pay in the local currency.
3. Get a credit card with no conversion & ATM fees. Most debit cards and credit cards charge fees when you make payments in a foreign currencies (conversion fee) or when you withdraw money from an ATM. There are a few exceptions. One of them is Revolut, a free debit card which allows you to withdraw up to €200 currency equivalent per calendar month without any fees.
4. Find an ATM with no or low fees. On top of the fees charged by your credit card issuer, many ATM’s charge an additional fee to withdraw money. e.g. in Bangkok all ATM’s now charge a 220 THB fee. For other destinations it might help to google in advance to figure our which banks provide ATM’s with no fee or at least the lowest fee.
5. For euro payments, consider the Brussels Airlines American Express card. You’ll collect valuable Miles & More miles and the card includes travel insurance. Sign-up and get 16.000 Miles & More miles.

7. Plan your trip

I’m a big fan of Wikivoyage, the Wikipedia of travel. For each country, region, city you’ll find a page loaded with practical information ordered in recurring sections (Get-in, Get Around, See, Do, Buy, Eat, Drink, Sleep, …) an excellent resource to start planning your trip. Once I’m at my destination, I use the app Foursquare to get local tips on things to see & do, find good bars & restaurants, etc…

8. Use local transportation apps

Rome2Rio provides you with all transportation options between two points including how much they would cost. For example, it would tell you how to get from the airport to your hotel (train, bus, boat, taxi, uber, …) include the estimated price and even link to the bus, train or boat schedules…. it works like magic! Also don’t forget to install the Uber app and its most popular clones. I frequently use Uber (Worldwide – €5 off first ride) Grab (Southeast Asia) and Careem (Arabic countries).

9. Save on your rental car

Here are 3 ways to save on your rental car:

1. Use Monondo and Kayak to compare car rental prices.
2. Get separate insurance. This is where the real saving are. Insurance offered by rental companies is insanely overpriced. Settle with the minimum insurance from the rental company and cover your risk using iCarhireinsurance.com I’ve used them for several years now, and it costs me less than €100 per year to get all my rentals fully insured with no excess. Several of my blog readers and social media followers have reported their positive claim experiences with them. They also have a 4.5 out of 5 score on Trustpilot. Make sure to use Quidco cashback to sign-up for iCarhireinsurance as they offer 21% cashback!
3. Check alternatives: If you’re looking to rent a car in the USA, Canada or the UK make sure to check the ‘Airbnb of car rentals’: Turo. I used them in Los Angeles when regular car rentals were super expensive. You can find Turo promo codes here.

10. Get the right travel gear

Travel gear should be functional, comfortable and affordable. Here’s my selection of the best travel gear I own.

Samsonite Neopulse Spinner

With most airlines now charging additional fees for checked luggage, it’s essential to select the right carry-on luggage. The Samsonite Neopulse Spinner 55cm is still my preferred travel companion after several years on the road, here’s my review video.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II wireless headphones

If there’s one piece of travel gear I can’t recommend enough to make your flights more enjoyable: noice cancelling headphones! I’ve been using my Bose QuietComfort 35 II for several years now and I would never fly without them.

Travel Pillow Plus

Back in October 2018, I funded the Travel Pillow Plus KickStarter project and it turned out to be an excellent investment for my long-haul economy class flights. The pillow looks ridiculous at first sight, but once you’ve experienced how comfortable you can sleep thanks to the pillow, you won’t care about the looks! Combine the Travel Pillow Plus with Quies ear plugs and a sleeping mask and you’ll sleep as never before in economy class.

Fjallraven High Coast Hike Trousers

Another thing I discovered in the past year are the Fjallraven High Coast Hike Trousers. Not only are they great trousers for my more adventurous trips, they also are super comfortable to wear on a plane. I’m even considering to buy a second pair to make sure I have a replacement when my first pair is worn out!

Despite a global pandemic raging around the world, I managed to visit 20 countries in 2020 of which 11 for the first time: Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Burundi Democratic Republic of the Congo Dominica Grenada Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent & The Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago . It was also the year I hit the milestone of visiting 100 UN countries. I have now been to 109 UN countries!

Flights

With just 46 flights, the past year has been a low point in my aviation hobby. 39 economy flights, 7 business class flights (limited to Lufthansa and Ethiopian Airlines) good for a total of 44,555 miles flown, 1.8x around the Earth, 115 hours up in the air. My Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Elite status (Star Alliance Gold) was extended till February 2023 and British Airways Executive Club Silver status (Oneworld Sapphire) till December 2021 as a courtesy by the airlines due to the pandemic.

Hotels

In 2020, I stayed 79 nights at hotels:

• Marriott: 19 nights
  • Sheraton: 7
  • Marriott: 4
  • Courtyard by Marriott: 2
  • Renaissance: 2
  • Westin: 2
  • Moxy: 1
  • Four Points by Sheraton: 1
• IHG: 6 nights
  • Holiday Inn: 3
  • Holiday Inn Express: 2
  • Hotel Indigo: 1
• Hilton: 5 nights
  • DoubleTree by Hilton: 3
  • Hilton: 1
  • Hilton Garden Inn: 1
• Airbnb: 7 nights
• Cruise: 14 nights
• Other: 28 nights
• Total: 79 nights

My Hilton Diamond status was extended till March 2022 and my IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite Status till December 2021 as a courtesy by the hotel chains due to the pandemic. I also completed the Marriott Bonvoy status challenge granting me Platinum Elite status till February 2022.

Caribbean Cruise

End of January, I joined a group of fellow country chasers for a 14-day Caribbean cruise with MSC Preziosa. It turned out to be the most efficient and cost effective way to visit a dozen Caribbean islands. Air Belgium had just launched their direct flights from Brussels-South Charleroi airport to Fort-de-France (Martinique) which I booked for just €332 roundtrip on the day Air Belgium announced their service to the French Caribbean Island. The cruise itself was €1055 for an interior cabin which I shared with two travel buddies. Overall, excellent value for a 14-day cruise with a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

The cruise sailed to 12 islands of which 8 (*) independent UN countries: Martinique, Guadeloupe, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Dominica*, Saint Kitts and Nevis*, Antigua and Barbuda*, Saint Lucia*, Barbados*, Grenada*, Trinidad and Tobago*, Saint Vincent & The Grenadines*.

Mornings started with a run at the cruise ship gym followed by a la carte breakfast. Once the ship was docked in the harbour, we headed out to explore the island. By using public transportation and hitchhiking we got in touch with friendly locals, managed to avoid the crowds and saved a lot of money.

Highlights of my Caribbean trip were visiting Les Chutes du Carbet in Guadeloupe, Trafalgar Falls in Dominica, Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park at my 100th UN country St. Kitts and Nevis, Shirley Heights in Antigua & Barbuda, sneaking in the most expensive Caribbean hotel Jade Mountain St Lucia, the morning run to Crystal Cove Beach in Barbados, swimming at the 7 Sisters Waterfalls in Grenada and witnessing carnival preparations in Trinidad and Tobago. Check my Instagram Stories for more Caribbean impressions.

Virunga National Park

A trip originally scheduled for 2019 but delayed due to another pandemic, Ebola, finally materialised in February 2020. Virunga National Park located in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) famous for its mountain gorillas and Nyiragongo volcano featuring the world’s largest lava lake. Unfortunately the park’s diverse habitats and wildlife are under constant threat of poachers and rebels active in the park.

My Virunga trip started in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, only a few hours drive from the border with the DRC. In April 1994, ten Belgian UNAMIR soldiers protecting the Rwandan prime minister were massacred at a military base in Kigali. It was the start of the Rwandan genocide. Today the site is preserved as a memorial for the soldiers.

At la Grande Barrière, the border crossing into DRC, we were escorted to Kibumba Tented Camp by the Virunga Park Rangers. Virunga has 700 male and female rangers actively serving to protect the park and the local communities from poachers and rebel groups. A dangerous job, as every year several rangers lose their live protecting the park. This year was particularly deadly, with 12 rangers killed in a militia ambush two months after my visit. I highly recommend the Virunga documentary on Netflix to learn more about the preservation efforts in the park.

Walking distance from Kibumba Tented Camp we encountered the mighty mountain gorillas. A critically endangered species of which only ˜1000 individuals are left in the mountain rainforest of eastern DRC, southwestern Uganda and Rwanda. The gorilla trekking permit was $400 compared to $700 in Uganda and a whopping $1500 in Rwanda. Tourism is an important source of income for the Virunga National Park to finance its protection efforts. Unfortunately, the park had to close for tourism due to the pandemic and now relies on donations.

Another unique experience at Virunga was climbing Mount Nyiragongo (3470m) and staying overnight at the rim of the volcano to witness the lava lake in all its glory. Check my Congo IG Stories for videos of the gorillas and volcano.

Burundi

To finish my Central African trip, I visited Burundi. One of the poorest countries in the world with the lowest GDP per capita. Our base was Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika in the capital Bujumbura from where we did a number of day trips exploring the country. Highlight was a private performance for myself and my travel buddy of the Royal Drummers of Burundi. Check my Burundi IG Stories to see them in action.

European Summer

Mid March international travel came to a complete standstill with the Belgian government banning non-essential travel for three months. As a result 9 trips I had booked for 2020 got cancelled. As soon as the travel ban was lifted I was flying again. Flight schedules were only a fraction of what they used to be with Rome one of the few options for my first weekend trip in June.

I got filled with excitement seeing how quiet the city was during a morning run with Fabrizio of Wake up Rome. I basically had the entire historic center to myself. World famous places like the Colosseum, Trevi fountain, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Saint Peter’s Square were all empty on a sunny Saturday morning.

It became immediately clear to me the summer of 2020 was going to offer some unique opportunities to visit places which were normally flocked with tourists but now were going to very quiet. As my experience in Rome was so great, I returned for a second weekend in July. Check my Rome IG Stories.

Amalfi Coast

Same story for Naples and surroundings. Visited Pompei, which receives 2.5 million tourists in a normal year, with almost nobody around. Highlights of my Amalfi Coast trip were the Sentiero degli Dei (Path of Gods) hike, Terrazza dell’Infinito at Villa Cimbrone Gardens in Ravello and taking the ferry from Positano to Amalfi. Check my Amalfi Coast IG Stories.

Santorini

Santorini, the Greek island you want to avoid during any normal tourist season, turned out to be a gem this summer. With only a fraction of the tourist population present (no cruise ships!) it offered the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful island in a tranquil setting. No shoulder to shoulder navigating the narrow streets and back alleys, no showing up two hours in advance to see the sunset and great discounts on hotels and airbnb.

Dolomites

In Northern Italy, I discovered an exciting activity called ‘Via Ferrata’. Climbing the majestic rock formations of the Dolomites secured to steel cables, rungs and ladders using a harness with two leashes. Check my climbing adventures.

Lanzarote

In Augustus, I did my first post lockdown trip leaving mainland Europe to Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands.

Hvar & Split

Another highlight of my magical summer was boating in Croatia. Normally you need to queue up to two hours to visit the Blue Cave and Green Cave near Hvar, not this summer. I also visited the historic centre of Split built around the remains of the Roman Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site. My Croatian Riviera Stories.

Tenerife

For my final trip of the year I returned to the Canary Islands. Tenerife offered fabulous weather in November allowing me to get nice tan before going into winter travel hibernation (a.k.a. lockdown 2.0) My Tenerife Stories.

Conclusion

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for the travel industry. I consider myself lucky to have travelled intensively during the months of January and February otherwise this blog post would have been a lot shorter. With Churchill’s “Never waste a good crisis” in mind, I still managed to get the most out of the rest of the year. I expect 2021 to be a transition year with the roll-out of the vaccin. My plans to travel to every country in the world are still on (84 countries to go) it will just take a little longer. Stay strong my friends!

Brussels Airlines launched a new offer for their American Express credit card. You can get 20.000 Miles & More award miles when you sign up via the link below and spend a total of 500€ with the card within the first 3 months.

Brussels Airlines Premium American Express card with 20.000 bonus miles
Dutch / French

Why should I get a Brussels Airlines credit card?

• Earn Miles & More miles for every euro you spend (super markets, online purchases, fuel stations, restaurants, … 1.5 mile per euro spend)
• Your Miles & More miles never expire as long as you use the card at least once a month
• Extensive purchase & travel insurances (details NL / FR )
  (e.g. I got 200€ of purchases refunded in June 2021 when my luggage was delayed)
• Additional yearly bonus of 10.000 award miles when you spend 20K euro with the card
• Use your Miles & More miles for free flights & upgrades. e.g. Business Class roundtrip flight to USA for 55.000 miles (Mileage Bargains)

How much does the Amex card cost?

The first 3 months the card is free. After the free period the card costs:

• Brussels Airlines Premium Amex card: 12.50€ per month

You can cancel the card at any time. Just keep in mind Miles & More miles expire 3 years after you have earned them if you don’t have the Brussels Airlines American Express card.

What are the pitfalls?

American Express cards have a high conversion fee (2,5%) for non-euro payments. Use your Brussels Airlines American Express cards for euro payments only. For non-euro payments, I recommend Revolut. (0% conversion fee and 200€/month of free ATM withdrawals in non-euro countries)

How do I request the Brussels Airlines American Express card?

Brussels Airlines Premium card with 20.000 bonus miles. Dutch / French

I’m not yet a Miles and More member, where do I sign-up?
You can enroll at the Miles and More website.

Questions? Email me at bart@bart.la or leave a comment below.

2021 started with my longest travel interruption in two decades. I boarded my first flight of the year in June 2021, 207 days after my last flight in 2020. A travel ban issued by the Belgian government due to the pandemic was the culprit. Despite a late start, I went on 13 trips this year visiting 12 countries of which 5 for the first time:  Iraq Nigeria Pakistan Colombia and Peru . With 114 out of 193 UN countries done, I have 79 left to explore.

Flights

I reduced my exposure to future loyalty program devaluations by burning a significant part of my miles balances this year. I spent a total of 437.000 miles in 3 frequent flyer programs: Lufthansa Miles & More (338K) Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles (41.5K) and Iberia Plus Avios (57.5K) The use of miles greatly reduced the cost of my 14 business class and 30 economy class flights in 2021. Good for a total of 54.452 miles flown or 2.2 times around the earth and 135 hours up in the air.

Hotels

In 2021, I stayed 67 nights at hotels:

• Hilton: 20 nights
  • Hilton: 6
  • Hilton Garden Inn: 5
  • DoubleTree by Hilton: 3
  • Embassy Suites by Hilton: 2
  • Hampton by Hilton: 2
  • LXR: 1
  • Curio Collection by Hilton: 1
• Marriott: 3 nights
  • Sheraton: 1
  • Renaissance: 1
  • EDITION: 1
• IHG: 3 nights
  • Holiday Inn: 3
• Radisson: 1 night
  • Radisson Collection: 1
• Airbnb: 3 nights
• Hostel: 6 nights
• Other: 31 nights
• Total: 67 nights

My Hilton Diamond status was extended till March 2023, my IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite and Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status till February 2023.

Iraq

In September I visited my first country outside Europe since the pandemic started, Iraq, the cradle of civilization. I joined a group of fellow country chasers for a week long trip from the capital Baghdad all the way to Basra in the south of the country.

Highlights included the iconic Malwiya (Arabic for “twisted”) Minaret in Samarra, the world’s biggest cemetery in Najaf, Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palace in Babylon, the Ziggurat of Ur and the Arba’een Pilgrimage (world’s largest annual gathering) in Karbala.

Check my Iraq Instagram Stories.

Nigeria

While in Iraq, I got invited by a friend to make a last-minute trip to Nigeria end of September. I had to do the visa paperwork while on the road in Iraq, but it all worked out fine. I got to visit the busteling capital of Nigeria, Lagos, and made a day trip to Abeokuta to see Olumo Rock and the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. The most fascinating part of the trip was exploring Makoka, the ‘Venice of Africa’, a euphemism for the largest floating slum in the world.

Pakistan

Early October, I spent 10 days in Northern Pakistan. I flew to Islamabad from where I continued my journey to Gilgit to visit both the Hunza and Skardu region. Highlights included the Khunjerab Pass (highest border crossing in the world), the spectacular ride to Fairy Meadows, the vast plains of Deosai National Park and the incredible Marsur Rock (see picture above).

Colombia

In November, I headed to Latin America with Bogota, the capital of Colombia, as my first stop. Highlight was the Bogota Bike Tour with guide Mike. From Pablo Escobar’s home town Medellin, I made a day tour to Guatape to climb the famous La Piedra del Peñol (see picture above). Check my Colombia Instagram Stories.

Peru

The final trip of 2021 ticked off my 6th Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu in Peru. I climbed both Huayna Picchu (mountain in the background of the picture above) and Machu Picchu mountain.
I can also confirm a day trip from Cusco to Rainbow mountain (5036M) is a must! Check my Peru Instagram Stories.

I travel too much… at least to keep this blog up-to-date! In first 5 months of this year, I visited 20 destinations in 12 countries. Some stats:

• 51 flights, 76350 flown miles, 3.1x around earth, 182 hours up in the air
• First Class with Garuda Indonesia, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Lufthansa
• Business Class with ANA, SWISS, Finnair and British Airways
• 10 free hotel stays thanks to IHG’s Best Price Guarantee
  

Trip Highlights

Pic: Driving the all-new BMW 7 Series
In January, Belgian television magazine ‘Telefacts‘ made a documentary about my luxurious travel lifestyle. BMW provided me the all-new 7 series for our drive from Brussels to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. You don’t get to drive a ~150.000EUR car every day!
Pic: The all-new BMW 7 Series with Executive Lounge

Pic: The new SWISS Boeing B777-300ER
On February 8th, I had the pleasure to fly the new SWISS B777-300ER on the first day of commercial operations. I also spent a few hours in the new SWISS Senator lounge at Zurich Airport Terminal E.

Pic: New SWISS First Class Cabin on Boeing 777-300ER

Pic: First Class Seat 2A on the brand new SWISS B777-300ER

Pic: Awesome runway view before take off in Zurich

Pic: Garuda Indonesia B777-300ER First Class Seat 2A
Mid February, I enjoyed one of the last Garuda Indonesia 5th freedom flights between Amsterdam and London Gatwick. With just 45-minutes up in the air, it was Europe’s shortest First Class flight. The best short haul I have ever flown!

Pic: Duck & fruit salad with Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut Champagne

Pic: Garuda Indonesia B777-300ER First Class lunch

Pic: All Nippon Airways B787 Dreamliner Business Class
In March, I flew non-stop between Brussels Airport and Tokyo Narita Airport with All Nippon Airways (ANA) on the B787 Dreamliner in Business Class. I used IHG Rewards Club points to stay at The Strings By InterContinental Tokyo (video) and InterContinental Tokyo Bay (video). I also visited Osaka and Kyoto where I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kyoto using a combination of Hyatt Gold Passport Points + Cash and the Hyatt Best Rate Guarantee.

Pic: Bart at Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine in Kyoto, Japan

Pic: Japanese pancakes at Brothers Café in Osaka

Pic: The Great Sphinx of Giza in Cairo, Egypt
End of March, I visited Cairo for the first time. Highlights were the Pyramids of Giza and Tutankhamun’s mask at the Egyptian Museum. Hotel wise, Cairo offers excellent opportunities to burn Hilton HHonors points. I stayed two nights in a Junior Suite at Hilton Ramses for just 10,000 points per night.

Pic: Qatar Airways A380 First Class from Doha to Bangkok
From Cairo, the trip continued with Qatar Airways First Class to Bangkok. Thanks to a very lucrative GOL Smiles promotion back in May 2015, I managed to fly Qatar Airways First Class six times for less than 250EUR per flight in the past year. The best miles redemptions I’ve ever made!

Pic: Oscietra Caviar, Krug Grand Cuvée Champagne and Belvedere Wodka

Pic: Soaking up the sun at Holiday Inn Mai Khao Beach
The first week of the Easter vacation was spend at Holiday Inn Mai Khao Beach. Another great points redemption at just 15,000 IHG Rewards Club points per night. As IHG Rewards Club Platinum member, I was upgrade to a nice Pool Access Suite.

Pic: Pool at Holiday Inn Mai Khao Beach Phuket, Thailand

Pic: Rubber Duck at Conrad Macao, Cotai Central
Followed by 3 nights at Conrad Macao Cotai Central booked using Hilton HHonors points. A triple upgrade to a Deluxe City View Suite and fantastic club lounge experience thanks to my HHonors Diamond status.

Pic: Rooftop pool at Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
With the Cotai Water Jet, it took me less than an hour to get from Macao to Hong Kong. The sunny rooftop pool at Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island was a real pleasure after 3 days in foggy Macao.

Pic: Cathay Pacific First Class lounge The Wing in Hong Kong
When in Hong Kong, one must visit the legendary Cathay Pacific First Class lounges. I visited both The Wing and The Pier where I relaxed at a cabana and had a blissful foot massage at Gentlemen’s Tonic. 

Pic: Cabana at Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge
I used British Airways Executive Club Avios + Cash to book Cathay Pacific First Class on the B777-300ER from Hong Kong to Bangkok.

Pic: Cathay Pacific ‎First Class ‎Hong Kong to ‎Bangkok B777-300ER

Pic: Cathay Pacific Business & First Class lounge in Bangkok

Pic: Lufthansa A330-300 First Class Cabin

Pic: Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle – ‎Lufthansa First Class
For my return home, I redeemed 62000 Lufthansa Miles & More miles + 217EUR in taxes & fees to book Dubai – Munich in First Class on the A330-300. The required miles were earned with my Brussels Airlines American Express card.

Pic: Magical landscapes of Iran seen from my Lufthansa flight

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Caviar Service

Pic: Lufthansa First Class Breakfast

Pic: Delicious Lufthansa First Class Dessert

Pic: Mercedes-Benz S-Class ride to the plane

Pic: Finnair A330-300 Business Class Helsinki to New York

Pic: Breakfast onboard Finnair A320 Business Class Oslo to Helsinki

Pic: Amazing views of Greenland from my Finnair flight
In May, I flew twice to the West Coast using a Oneworld Business Class error fare from Oslo. The first trip was a long weekend in Seattle where I stayed one night at Crowne Plaza Seattle Airport using 25,000 points and two nights at Holiday Inn Express & Suites Everett for just 5000 points per night! (IHG Rewards Club PointBreaks) With the Boeing Everett Factory only minutes away, a perfect location to visit the largest building in the World by volume! There was also room for nature, a beautiful day at Mountain Rainier National Park.

Pic: Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center in Everett, Seattle.

Pic: Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, USA

Pic: British Airways A380 Business Class seat 53K
One week after my Seattle trip, I visited the US again. This time I was flying to San Francisco with one of my least favorite European airlines, British Airways. Their Club World Business Class is a joke, I still don’t get it how people can pay > 2000EUR for such inferior experience. I’ve now flown Club World on the B777-200, B747-400 and A380-800 and all I can say is, if you really need to fly BA Club World, make sure to fly it on the A380 and go for seat 53K. One of the rare seats with ‘private’ aisle access.

Pic: British Airways Business Class meal service

Pic: Salt ponds on final approach San-Francisco airport

Pic: Blue Hawaiian helicopters on Kauai, Hawaii
From San Francisco, I continued to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. As there are six Hawaiian islands to choose from, I found this infographic helpful to decide which island to visit. Kauai was an excellent choice with the Na Pali Coast as absolute highlight. I booked two helicopter flights over the garden island, a luxurious comfortable ride with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and a more adventurous doors-off flight with Jack Harter Helicopters. Amazing!

Pic: The mind blowing Na Pali Coast on Kauai, Hawaii
Conclusion: I’ve travelled a lot in the past 5 months, in fact, my travel pace has never been higher. If you don’t want to wait until my next blog post, make sure to follow me on Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you for your likes and support!

This post is published in Dutch to highlight a contest where Belgian readers can win 10 Round The World trips of 12500EUR!

1. Vliegen in First Class

De ultieme luxe beleven in het vliegtuig? Boek dan een First Class vlucht. Het hoeft zelfs niet verschrikkelijk duur te zijn. Tijdens je wereldreis kan je bijvoorbeeld Emirates First Class vliegen tussen Bangkok en Hong Kong voor minder dan 600 euro. De Emirates A380 heeft zelfs een douche aan boord!

2. Zet het nieuwe jaar in Down Under

Elk jaar kan je rekenen op een spectaculair nieuwjaarsvuurwerk in Sydney. Mensen staan van ‘s ochtends vroeg aan te schuiven om een mooi plekje te bemachtigen voor het middernacht spektakel. Geen zin om zo lang te wachten? Koop dat een ticket voor het New Year’s Opera Gala concert en de aansluitende midnight party. Vanop het noorderterras van het Sydney Opera House hebt je perfect zicht op de Sydney Harbor Bridge en het vuurwerk! Waardige alternatieven om nieuwjaar te vieren: Times Square in New York, de Theems in London of de Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

3. Vier carnaval in Rio

Geen betere plaats op aarde om carnaval te vieren: het bruisende Rio de Janeiro! De jaarlijkse parades in de Sambadrome zijn een absolute must!

4. Bezoek een onbekend exotisch (ei)land

Ooit al van het land Palau gehoord? Dit prachtige paradijs in Oceanië heeft slechts 21.000 inwoners verspreid over 250 eilanden. Je kan er fantastische boottripjes maken, duiken en, uniek in de wereld, zwemmen tussen honderdduizenden kwallen! Nee, ze bijten niet!

5. Beleef de overweldigende natuurpracht van Canada

Na het bezoeken van Banff en Jasper National Park ga je je afvragen hoe je die natuurervaring ooit nog gaat overtreffen! Moraine Lake, Maligne Lake, Lake Louise, Icefields Parkway, je zal van de ene verbazing in de andere vallen!

6. Ontdek de verborgen stad van Jordanië

De ultieme ervaring in het Midden-Oosten: Petra in Jordanië. Perfect te combineren met je krant lezen in de Dode Zee en een bezoek aan de Wadi Rum woestijn.

7. Overnacht bij locals in afgelegen dorpjes

De leefwereld ontdekken van locals, de essentie van het reizen. Vanuit Luang Prabang in Laos kan je met White Elephant Adventures meerdaagse trips maken naar afgelegen bergdorpen die niet beschikken over stromend water of elektriciteit. Je overnacht bij locals en slaapt op de grond. Back to basics, maar een ongelooflijke ervaring!

8. Campeer een week in de woestijn

Elk jaar vindt eind augustus het Burning Man festival plaats in de Nevada woestijn te California. Een week lang campeer je er tussen de hipsters, hippies en wereldverbeteraars. Je brengt alles zelf mee om een week lang te overleven. Er is niks te koop, met uitzondering van ijsblokjes! Er zijn geen douches, enkel chemische toiletten. Je fiets er rond in de woestijn (harde ondergrond) van kunstwerk naar kunstwerk en van het ene thema kamp naar het andere. Af en toe steken er zandstormen op die de zichtbaarheid tot nul herleiden. ‘s Avonds zijn er feestjes waar alle drank gratis is. Uniek!

9. Claim de Taj Mahal voor jou alleen

Sta op om 04u30 op en ga aanschuiven bij de ingang van de Taj Mahal. Vraag aan je privé gids om zijn toelichting bij dit prachtig mausoleum uit te stellen tot na je eerste bezichtiging. Wanneer de poorten open gaan om 06u00, loop je in stevige pas tot aan de Taj. Geniet van je exclusieve momenten met dit legendarische bouwwerk.

10. Laat KBC jouw wereldreis betalen!

Geen geld om al deze bovenstaande reizen te maken? Ga dan eens langs bij KBC. Neen, niet om geld te lenen voor je reis. Hen even bellen of een bezoekje brengen is voldoende om 1 van de 10 wereldreizen ter waarde van 12500 euro te winnen! Voorwaarde is wel dat je tussen de 18 en 29 jaar oud bent. Alle info vind je in deze Kom Binnen en Vlieg Buiten facebook groep. Te jong of te oud voor de wedstrijd? Geen nood, met deze tips kan je alvast flink wat geld besparen bij het boeken van je volgende reis: goedkope vluchten en goedkope hotels.

Back in May, I visited the Hawaiian island of Kauai for the first time. Being so overwhelmed by it’s beauty, I couldn’t resist visiting Kauai again this month. Result: a summary of my experiences and advice for your future trip to the Garden Island below!

Which Hawaiian island should I visit?

This blog post will cover Kauai, one of the 6 Hawaiian islands. If you’re not sure which Hawaiian island(s) to visit, check this infographic.

Getting there

Pic: New SWISS B777-300 Business Class from Zurich to Los Angeles
Flying from Europe to Hawaii is quite a trip with 8500 miles to be covered and a 12 hour time difference. Economy class tickets can easily set you back €1000 or more if you don’t hunt for a bargain. If you were lucky, you noticed my tweet or facebook update a few weeks ago when tickets were selling as low as €405 for a round trip from Brussels to Honolulu (HNL, Oahu) Lihue (LIH, Kauai) Kahului (OGG, Maui) or Kona (KOA, Big Island). Missed that amazing deal? No worries, here are some tips to score a good deal:

• Read my flight booking advice.
• Can’t find cheap flights to your Hawaiian destination? Look for tickets to Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO) or Honolulu (HNL). If you find a good deal to LAX or SFO, you can use miles for the connecting flight to your Hawaiian destination. If you find a good deal to HNL, you can book cheap a domestic ticket between the Hawaiian islands.
• British Airways charges just 12500 Avios + €5 each way to book LAX or SFO to your Hawaiian island on American Airlines.
• Lufthansa Miles & More charges 20000 miles + €12 each way to book LAX or SFO to your Hawaiian island on United. Need more Miles & More miles? Sign-up for the Brussels Airlines American Express card and get 12,000 bonus miles + 2000 miles when you pay your cellphone bill with the card.

Where to stay

Pic: Aqua Kauai Beach Resort (May 2016)
Kauai has a limited number of chain hotels which are generally not worth the high rates (and resort fees) they charge. Don’t even think about redeeming your points, keep them for non-US destinations! My advice is to use Airbnb. For my stay in May, I managed to get a room at Aqua Kauai Beach Resort for half the price the hotel charged on their website. A similar deal at Islander on the Beach for my stay in August. The trick is to book privately owned units at the resorts via Airbnb. Hula Now is one of the agencies listing these units on Airbnb. In most cases you can also avoid paying the high resort fee! If you haven’t used Airbnb before, this is the right time to sign-up, even if you don’t intent to make a booking right now. Airbnb currently offers €30 or $30 free credits which can be use as discount on your first Airbnb booking.

What to eat

Fastfood chains have found the way to Kauai, but hipster go for quality food. Here are some of my favorites on the Garden Island:

• Java Kai: Breakfast & Coffee on the terrace
• Hippie Cafe: Acai Bowls & Smoothies
• Kauai Juice Co: Cold Pressed Juice
• Pono Market: Excellent Hawaiian Poke
• Tiki Tacos: For a quick Mexican bite
• Bubba Burgers: Best Burgers on Kauai!

Things to do

Pic: The Na Pali Coast seen from secret Kalalau Lookout trail
Kauai offers great beaches and excellent hiking. What makes Kauai unique are the Waimea Canyon, also know as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and the Na Pali coast.
The Na Pali coast can be enjoyed in several ways:

1. Kalalau Lookout at the end of Kokee road in Waimea Canyon
2. By boat or kayak
3. By helicopter
4. On foot via the famous Kalalau trail

Kalalau Lookout

Pic: Viewpoint at the end of the secret Kalalau lookout trail
At the 18 mile marker on Kokee road you’ll find the Kalalau Lookout, an outstanding opportunity to enjoy Kalalau Valley and the Na Pali Coast. For even better views, you can hike the secret Kalalau lookout trail. Have a closer look at the fence on the left side. Descend on the secret trail and enjoy what might be the most spectacular hike of your life! Note: this is an unofficial unmarked trail which might be dangerous, use at own risk!

Na Pali Coast Boat Trip

Pic: Na Pali Coast seen from boat
Another great option to discover the stunning Na Pali Coast is making a boat or kayak trip. You can spot whales (Dec-Apr) or dolphins and there are plenty of turtles to snorkel with.

Kauai by Helicopter

For the ultimate views, you’ll need to book a helicopter ride. I had a very comfortable ride with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and a more adventurous doors-off flight with Jack Harter Helicopters.

Kalalau Trail

Real adventurers apply for a permit and hike the famous Kalalau Trail. I hiked the 22 miles roundtrip in two days and stayed at Kalalau beach for the night. Don’t worry if you don’t have camping gear, you can get all you need at Lihue Walmart on Kauai!

Have you visited Kauai before? Or any other Hawaiian island? Feel free to share your experiences and tips in the comments! Thanks!