As of 2024 there are nearly 200 resorts in The Maldives, so choosing where to stay can be extremely overwhelming. Especially for the honeymooners who have meticulously planned in advance and saved thousands, to go on the most special trip of their life - they don’t want to be disappointed when they arrive.
I was lucky enough to visit The Maldives for my 30th birthday in 2023 - I still can’t believe I can say that! We stayed at the newly upgraded Villa Nautica on the North Malé Atoll, which has been voted the number 1 resort on TripAdvisor for 2024.
Japan is a country that I never thought I’d ever visit. Especially in my early twenties. During my time working on a cruise ship, I was lucky enough to visit many cities and hidden gems within the country. Including Nagasaki, Osaka, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kagoshima, Kobe and the Okinawan Islands.
Whenever I visit a new country or city, my first port of call is always to see the view from the highest point. Majority of the time that’s from the tallest skyscraper or on top of a mountain. I love to figure out my bearings so I can navigate and plan a successful trip. I’m slightly obsessed with viewing decks and skylines - it’s always my favourite part of any new city that I visit.
Out of all the trips I’ve been on, to everyone I meet, my time working on a cruise ship definitely proves to be the most interesting. 4 years on and I still get asked a lot of questions regarding ship life. Did you like it? Did you miss home? Were you allowed off the ship? I can answer these questions very easily - YES!
Taiwan is one of the highest densely populated countries in the world, which makes you automatically think of stuffy cities and people everywhere. However, I don’t think of Taiwan like that at all. I have been fortunate enough to experience a lot of what the country has to offer, which is wide open spaces, natural untouched scenery and views to die for.
Japan has way more to offer than just bustling cities, culture and incredible food. The country is made up of over 6,000 islands and is surrounded by some of the clearest water in the world. Whilst travelling and working on a cruise ship in 2017, one of our main routes was sailing to three islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and Japan's mainland. Okinawa, Miyakojima and Ishigaki are all in the Okinawa Prefecture.
Shanghai is the largest city in China with a dense population of nearly 25 million people. With a city this size, the list of things to see and do is endless. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a good amount of time in Shanghai, as in 2017 I worked on a cruise ship that sailed in and out of the city on a weekly basis.
I’m 31 & a British expat, currently living the dream in Dubai. I have a huge passion for travel, photography & have over 45 countries ticked off my bucket list. I used the 2020 lockdown to produce runawaysoph.com, which is now home to 50+ posts of my favourite experiences. Stay tuned to see where I travel to next…
