My 2023 Wish List: 10 Places I Hope to Visit

Every other year, I make a list of places to visit in the coming year. I write these lists for fun, with the hopes of actually ticking off some of these places over the next two years. Because I never say never when travel opportunities arise, I often end up visiting places that don’t make it on the list.

The last time I worked on a list like this, I ended up visiting all the places I listed in Kenya and four out of the ten countries I mentioned. Not bad, right?

Also, in January last year, Mark had gone through my 2021 list and scheduled some trips for us based on that. So, am I writing this edition solely to mind-control him to do the same this year? Well, we shall see!

In the last two years, I feel like we both got to explore a lot of places in Kenya. I have a post coming up about my all-time favourite destinations, so be sure to look out for it. This year, there are only three new places that make this list and they are as follows:

Places to Visit in Kenya

1. Tsavo National Park
2. Meru National Park
3. Any Tea Farm in Kenya – probably somewhere in Limuru

I am also hoping to revisit some of my favourite Kenyan destinations like Watamu and Naivasha this year.

As for international travel, I have made a list of ten countries I would love to visit in 2023. Some of these countries, like Japan, Uganda, Namibia and Jordan have appeared in previous editions of this list, so I hope that over the next two years, I will get to visit them!

There are a few places that I dropped off simply because of the logistics involved in getting a visa as a Nigerian citizen. I hope that conditions improve from next year and beyond, so we can begin to enjoy travelling with fewer restrictions.

10 Places to Visit Internationally

Here are the countries I hope to visit next year:

1. Japan – after visiting South Korea this year, I am looking forward to exploring Japan!
2. Uganda – it’s about time, right?
3. Singapore – if I can figure out how to obtain a visa independently, this will be a sure destination for the year
4. Malaysia – I plan to visit Malaysia as a combined trip with Singapore
5. Germany – to visit family and squeeze in another Europe Tour
6. Jordan – to see Petra and float in the Dead Sea
7. Namibia: because my first visit doesn’t count!
8. Botswana: for incredible wildlife and landscapes
9. Tied: Zimbabwe or Zambia: for the beautiful Mosi-oa-Tunya (aka Victoria Falls)
10. Tied: Mauritius or Maldives: because there’s nothing quite like a good beach holiday!

Trip Planning Resources

Book your accommodation: Find accommodation options for any budget on Booking.com

Purchase Travel Insurance: I use SafetyWing for both my travel and visa application needs

Activities: Find fun activities and tours in your destination via Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook Travel

There you have it! My list of places to visit in 2023 (or 2024!)

And as usual, I would love to hear from you. Please share with me your list of destinations you hope to visit in the coming year(s). Perhaps we have a few in common! 🙂

If you have destinations you’re looking to visit but aren’t quite sure about the visa application processes (for Nigerians), do let me know and I would look into it and probably write out more detailed articles about the processes and requirements next year.