37 best travel tips and experiences of 2022

My Doc Holiday inbox reveals that many of you went to Fiji, Bali and Japan, and travelled to reunite with family around the globe, but also that travel insurance policies had you rattled or confused.

I certainly had my share of questions from Escape staffers and contributors as they once again took to the skies, seas and everything in between. Happily, this week I get to turn the tables and ask them the big (travel) questions. Here’s what we got up to in 2022.

Favourite place you travelled to this year?

1. “Albania was kind of incredible because it’s probably Europe’s most misunderstood country so the people there are really, really intent on showing you a great time.” – Kendall Hill, Contributor

2. “Angourie, NSW. Yamba’s a favourite getaway, but staying 10 minutes out with its sleepy vibe and deserted beaches was the perfect first break for us as a new family of four.” – Celeste Mitchell, Contributor

3. “Utah in winter – it was the first couples trip my husband and I had since our son was born.” – Jennifer Ennion, Contributor

4. “The pure energy of Barcelona in summer is hard to beat.” – Alex McClintock, Contributor

5. “Hoi An was bliss. Both gentle, serene and otherworldly. Its ancient city wraps around you like a hug and the food and weather makes it the perfect place for a young family.” – Jeremy Drake, Contributor

Your favourite first-time travel experience?

6. “Bogotá. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Colombia, but I was delighted by its friendly people, great food and wonderful sites to explore – including an underground cathedral in a former salt mine. Just wow!” – Kelli Armstrong, Escape Managing Editor

7. “My first trip to the Greek Islands – a special holiday with girlfriends postponed from 2020 – and we chose Antiparos, a smaller island in the Cyclades. The hardest part was deciding which taverna to frequent each evening.” – Susan Bugg, Escape Editor

8. “I was a Bali virgin and my reluctant first-time visit to the island offered a great lesson about going and exploring rather than listening to what others say.” –John Burfitt, Contributor

9. “Travelling with two kids! Oh, and probably the first time I have stayed – and eaten – at a resort for the entire stay for convenience sake.” – Celeste Mitchell, Contributor

10. “At Lake Argyle I was convinced to swim off the back of the boat with a glass of bubbles in my hand in a body of water with around 35,000 freshwater crocodiles.” – Amanda Woods, Contributor

Best new dish?

11. “Cereal prawns in Singapore. I’d book a flight back just to eat them again.” – John Hannan, Digital Director

12. “The lamb hot dog at the Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur stand in Reykjavik. At 600 kroner ($6) it’s the cheapest item in Iceland.” – Flip Byrnes, Contributor

13. “Crocodile dumplings with chilli coriander, served on The Ghan.” – Baz Goodwin, Escape Creative Director

14. “Not a dish, but the fruit of a sprouting coconut that locals call Fijian fairy floss because it’s light and sweet.” – Jennifer Ennion, Contributor

15. “I ate some funky cheese aged in a goatskin in Albania, and a local dish of snails in Krabi, Thailand, that left me speechless (my mouth was on fire).” – Kendall Hill, Contributor

See also: Kendall Hill’s best and worst travel experiences of 2022

See also: This is the world’s best meal of 2022

Strangest travel moment of the year?

16. “Being hit on by swingers on a cruise ship.” – Alex McClintock, Contributor

17. “I accidentally flew to Japan without my wallet because my whole life is on my phone these days. Ten out of 10 do not recommend.” – Alexandra Carlton, Contributor

18. “I was lunching at the super-sophisticated Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills and at the table next to me were eight dogs all glammed-up in sequins and satin jackets, celebrating Izzy the schichon’s birthday with their owners.” – Jana Frawley, Escape Content Director

19. “I finally got Bali belly and figured out what the phone by the toilet is for in fancy hotels. It’s to say goodbye to your loved ones.” – David Smiedt, Escape Writer

Nights spent at sea?

20. “Four nights cruising, not at sea but on the Danube on the new Avalon View. River cruising is the most relaxing way to see Europe.” – Susan Bugg, Escape Editor

21. “I’m on my first cruise right now, crossing Drake Passage on my way to Antarctica.” – Kirk Owers, Contributor

22. “Four nights at sea (and 11 on rivers), but, wow, were they worth it. I went to the naming ceremony for Celebrity Beyond in Miami and give the ship 10/10 for style, innovation, and all-round coolness.” – Jana Frawley, Escape Content Director

23. “I was meant to spend 15 nights on the Greg Mortimer but failed my RAT. It was a shock – I was asymptomatic.” – Kirrily Schwarz, Contributor

Flights taken?

24. “I’m estimating 15 international, plus a stack of domestic flights. My most memorable? Flying into Rome on the inaugural direct Qantas route from Perth – it signified travel was back.” – Kerrie McCallum, Editor-in-Chief 

25. “I made up for lost time in the air this year, taking 36 flights in total. Nothing compares, though, to the excitement of taking a seaplane in the Maldives.” – John Hannan, Digital Director 

26. “Eleven. The most memorable was Air New Zealand’s Economy SkyCouch. The best full flat bed I’ve had on a flight in a long time and, yes, in economy.” – John Burfitt, Contributor 

27. “31, but that’s confronting. I’m trying to do fewer trips and stay longer, and in Europe take inter-country trains over planes.” – Flip Byrnes, Contributor

Lessons learnt about international travel?

28. “It’s not as challenging as you might think, but more costly than you’d like.” – Susan Bugg, Escape Editor

29. “Embrace it, but please get travel insurance from the moment you book your first holiday element.” – Mercedes Maguire, Contributor

30. “Shop around for travel insurance. I dug deep to look at all the deals and found policies that differed by up to $500 for the exact same coverage.” – John Burfitt, Contributor

31.“Be brave and go alone.” – Kelli Armstrong, Escape Managing Editor

32. “I learnt how hard shutdowns have been for people working in tourism in developing countries. In Thailand recently I was with a guide who told me I was only his second customer since March 2020. It put my own ‘suffering’ into perspective.” – Kendall Hill, Contributor

What’s your travel prediction for 2023?

33. “Accessible tourism is here to stay and deservedly so because travel should be accessible to all people regardless of disability or physical limitations.” – Kelli Armstrong, Escape Managing Editor

34. “Niche experiences rather than mass tourism destinations.” – Kirk Owers, Contributor

35. “With inflation, the low Aussie dollar and airlines price gouging, I think package holidays will be huge for 2023.” – Jenny Hewett, Contributor

36. “The exploration of less-travelled destinations. My advice to travellers in 2023 would be to think of the big-name place you’ve always dreamed of visiting, then run your fingers a few centimetres along the map to somewhere smaller nearby instead.” – Alexandra Carlton, Contributor

37. “While a lot of people will go overseas, we’ll continue to appreciate the magic of our own backyard.” – Melissa Leong, Contributor

See also: 

Kendall Hill’s best and worst travel experiences of 2022

Kendall Hill’s best air travel tips of 2022

8 new rules of flying for 2023

Top travel destinations for 2023

Hottest travel predictions for 2023