Travel planning 2025: Five special destinations for your next trip

Von LISA KLEIN

One of the best parts about the year coming to a close is thinking about all of the exciting things coming in the next – particularly travel plans.

The holiday future looks bright in 2025, with vacationers seeking out relaxation, personal experiences and “soft adventures.”

Here, Wendy Burk, founder and CEO of Cadence, a California-based luxury travel agency, shares her top five picks for a visit in the coming year.

Punta Mita, Mexico

Just north up the Pacific coast from the bustling tourist city of Puerto Vallarta is the much quieter, upscale resort town of Punta Mita.

This small hamlet is the perfect place to simply relax, with private and peaceful luxury hotels that specialize in service – from plush accommodations to transporting spa offerings. Plus, there are white-sand, swimmable beaches and pools for cool dips in between sips of fresh juices or cocktails.

And, if a bit of light adventure is on the docket, there are plenty of surfing spots along the coast, sport fishing and boat trips to whale watch or snorkel at the famed Islas Marietas National Park.

Stay: Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort

“There is no place like Naviva – period,” Ms. Burk said. “With only 15 ultra-high-end bungalow accommodations, each with a private plunge pool, you get the feeling that you’ve discovered paradise.

“This is the ultimate; set on 48 acres of private jungle overlooking the Pacific Ocean,” she said. “It’s also all-inclusive – a rarity even for the topmost luxury resorts. This includes not only food and drink, accommodations, and activities, but even a spa experience. It’s a place you will never forget.”

Bhutan

A magical nation on the eastern edge of the Himalayas, a trip to Bhutan is a life-changing experience. Filled with Buddhist culture and traditions, lush and forested valleys and high peaks ripe for trekking.

Especially known for its ancient temples and fortresses, called dzongs, Bhutan also boasts numerous national parks that truly shine. In the capital, Thimphu, is the famed Weekend Market, where vendors from all over the countryside flock to sell local produce, spices and handicrafts.

“Visiting Bhutan is nothing short of a spiritual experience,” Ms. Burk said. “It’s a trip that stays in your heart – the people, the festivals, the landscape and the smiles. “For me, it was a complete reset and recharge of my mind, body and soul.”

Stay: Six Senses Bhutan

“Six Senses accommodations, a mix of villas and suites, are spread out across five different lodge sites – each a completely unique setting and mix of experiences,” Ms. Burk said. “Stay in one, or venture to all to round out your Bhutan experiences.

“And the activities available, from hiking in primitive wilderness to foraging with the chef to lighting butter lamps with monks in ancient monasteries, are truly unforgettable.”

Lanai, Hawaii

The smallest populated Hawaiian island, Lanai was purchased in the 1920s by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company to become the world’s largest pineapple plantation. Now owned by Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle Corporation, the island is now dedicated to conservation of its landscape and culture.

From backcountry hiking to the striking, rocky scenery of the Garden of the Gods to fabulous Pacific Ocean views, Lanai embraces all of the beauty and nature Hawaii is known for.

Visitors shouldn’t miss the small community of Lanai City, where a warm Hawaiian welcome awaits among the local shops and eateries.

Stay: Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort

“Sensei Lanai is the most remarkable resort,” Ms. Burk said. “It’s a wellness oasis where all your senses are awakened via curated and customized wellness journeys designed for every guest.

“From the gardens to the hale (house) where you receive treatments to the onsens located throughout the property – this is truly a magical place,” she said. “Adventure and excitement are here, too, but most will journey here to find (or re-find) themselves.”

Mallorca, Spain

One of the tiny Balearic Islands floating in the Mediterranean off the coast of Spain, Mallorca is a certainly a jewel, known for its serene white-sand beaches and secluded coves hidden among the limestone cliffs.

Add to that Roman and Moorish ruins, including beautiful palaces and cathedrals, timeworn stone villages and a buzzing nightlife scene, and you have quite the vacation spot.

Scenic views abound, none more picturesque than Cap de Formentor at the island’s northernmost point, where the rolling mountains meet the sea, pine trees line the paths and birds swoop overhead.

Stay: Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor

“For all its natural beauty and drama, Cap de Formentor is unspoiled and unmatched in the Mediterranean,” Ms. Burk said.

“The [Four Seasons] property was originally designed in the 1920s as a retreat for artists, writers and creatives – Winston Churchill, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn to name a few notable ones,” she said. “Today, the property has been reimagined as an elegant new Mediterranean retreat.”

South Carolina Lowcountry

Steeped in history and culture, Lowcountry encompasses the southern portion of South Carolina and its sea islands, such as Hilton Head.

Known for its natural beauty, the area is brimming with wildlife in its salt marshes, palmetto trees, live oak trees and dangling Spanish moss, along with its coastal beaches, of course.

The region is also brimming with culture, particularly that of the African American Gullah-Geechee people, who continue to create traditional baskets from local sweetgrass and tasty rice-and-seafood dishes. Southern hospitality and historic sites are aplenty in cities such as Charleston, Beaufort and Bluffton.

Stay: Montage Palmetto Bluff

“There is so much richness to this idyllic part of the U.S.,” Ms. Burk said. “This is a place where ‘porching’ is an activity, which pretty much sums up the pace of Palmetto Bluff.

“Montage Palmetto Bluffs is a place for slow conversation, afternoon tea and endless Lowcountry activities,” she said. “It’s ideal for multi-generational get togethers and the accommodations are lovely in every way.”

For more advice from Ms. Burk on how an agency can help you to plan the perfect trip, read her column, The travel advisor advantage, in the latest issue of Luxury Portfolio magazine.