2025: The Year of Slow Travel

I’ve stopped counting the countries I’ve visited. I don’t see the point anymore. Some of my fellow travel content creators seem to use the number of countries as a bragging point. If you collect stamps but not memories, how have you truly experienced a destination? Does the number of countries you’ve visited associate with your validity as a traveler? I don’t think so.  

I used to envy fellow travelers with their high country counts. Seeing their Instagram bios filled with numbers made me feel like I wasn’t doing a damn thing with my life. But the truth is, those high counts often come at the expense of deeper, richer experiences. That’s why I’m declaring 2025 as the year of slow travel.

What is Slow Travel? Slow travel is about intentionally experiencing a destination and not just ticking it off your bucket list. It means spending more time in fewer places, embracing local culture, and prioritizing meaningful connections over Instagram-worthy snapshots. Think savoring a home-cooked meal with locals, wandering aimlessly through markets, or sitting on a quiet beach and watching the waves. It’s about living the destination, not just visiting it.

Slow travel matters because you’re not rushing and you have the time to connect with the people who make a destination unique. Whether it’s learning a traditional recipe from a local cook or joining a community celebration, these moments create memories that last far longer than a passport stamp. Travel doesn’t have to feel like a race. Slow travel allows you to enjoy the journey, not just the destination. You’ll have time to breathe, relax, and truly appreciate where you are, instead of constantly planning your next move. In my opinion, slow travel challenges you to let go of FOMO (fear of missing out) and embrace JOMO (joy of missing out). This happens to be my new favorite term! By staying longer in one place, you’ll develop patience, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of the world around you.

Instead of cramming three countries into one trip, pick one destination and immerse yourself in its culture. I remember on a visit to Hong Kong, I was taking recommendations from a fellow travel blogger on things to do and she said, “Hey you know, you can always to Macau and get another stamp. It’s not that hard to get there from Hong Kong.” I thought about it, but honestly, I didn’t want to bother. I was all about Hong Kong.

Diana in Sheung Yeung, Hong Kong.

Slow travel is about the journey, not the checklist. Allow for spontaneity. Stay in a locally-owned Airbnb or guesthouse, shop at local markets, and get to know the area’s rhythms. Leave room in your schedule to explore hidden gems or just take a day off to rest. Eat at family-run restaurants, shop at artisan markets, and hire local guides. Slow travel is as much about uplifting the community as it is about your experience.

In the past, I felt like my low country count was a failure on my part. But I’ve learned that travel is not a competition. It’s about the richness of the experiences, not the number of places you’ve been. But hey, if you’ve got the stamina, go for it. But this Gen Xer ain’t about that life.

So, let’s make 2025 the year of slow travel and ditch the race for stamps. Embrace the art of collecting memories, the kind that can’t be captured in a photo but live on in your soul.

So, where will you slow travel in 2025?