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We are officially in the pits of winter. The festive season has passed, the sun has developed an unpleasant habit of setting at 4 p.m., and we’re looking ahead to warmer weather longingly. If you’ve caught the travel bug and are itching to escape, you’re not alone. Which is why a new report from Lonely Planet has us ready to pack our bags: The travel site released a list of trending destinations for 2019, and quite a few of them are unexpected.
Referencing data from flight-booking app Hopper, the list is made up of mostly foreign locales (though four U.S. cities made the cut) that have seen an increase in search traffic from millennials. Somewhat surprisingly, the most-searched travel destination isn’t somewhere uber-trendy like Austin or the ever-popular (and frequently Instagrammed) Amalfi Coast. Instead, it’s a good old-fashioned beach escape: Bora Bora.
According to Hopper, the island saw a 24 percent increase in popularity compared to 2018. Which makes total sense given the crystal-blue waters and the steady source of vitamin D.
Here’s the full list of millennial-approved travel destinations for the year:
- Bora Bora
- Sint Maarten
- Aspen, Colorado
- Denpasar, Indonesia
- Kahului, Hawaii
- Dublin, Ireland
- St. Lucia
- Tokyo, Japan
- Palm Springs, California
- Anchorage, Alaska
If a tropical escape to Bora Bora sounds right up your alley, blogger and photographer Madeline Lu shared a few smart tips with us for navigating it on a budget.
Plan
This goes without saying, but researching as much as possible before booking helps avoid last-minute fees and unexpected expenses down the road.
Book ASAP
Apparently, we’re in the middle of the off-season—December through March sees the island in a quieter, less touristy state. It’s also cheaper.
Pick your activities wisely
One can’t-miss experience? According to Lu, snorkeling is definitely worth the hype. “We swam around hundreds of fish, sharks, stingrays, and manta rays,” says Lu. “It was an incredible experience to see these sea creatures up close and personal.”
See more travel getaway ideas: The Design Lover’s Guide to 24 Hours in Madrid Should You Book a Hotel or an Airbnb in Paris? We Did the Math