Top 3 Favourite Countries: Allan and Katharina of Happy Healthy Nomads
October 30, 2023 | Tagged: Top 3 Favourite Countries
Next up in my Top 3 Favourite Countries Series, Allan and Katharina from New Zealand and Austria who met while stuck in a hostel in Mexico when the pandemic hit and have been on the road ever since.
This series has already featured top travellers such as Jonny Blair of Don't Stop Living, Ric Gazarian of Global Gaz and Steve Rohan of Morbid Expeditions, so if you are a traveller and blogger and would like to be featured, drop me a line on nomadicbackpacker [at] protonmail [dot] com
This series has already featured top travellers such as Jonny Blair of Don't Stop Living, Ric Gazarian of Global Gaz and Steve Rohan of Morbid Expeditions, so if you are a traveller and blogger and would like to be featured, drop me a line on nomadicbackpacker [at] protonmail [dot] com
Hi, we are Allan and Katharina from New Zealand and Austria. We met while stuck in a hostel in Mexico when the pandemic hit and have been on the road ever since.
We have also recently started our own blog happyhealthynomads after many years of family and friends telling us we should do so. And we love it!
On our blog, we share guides for locations we visit with a focus on slow and sustainable travel while also staying fit and healthy on the road.
Both of us have traveled extensively around the world. Individually we loved visiting the Philippines, India, Japan, Cuba, Portugal and more. But in this blog post, we will stick to our favourite top 3 countries that we have visited together.
Katharina & Allan from happyhealthynomads
We have also recently started our own blog happyhealthynomads after many years of family and friends telling us we should do so. And we love it!
On our blog, we share guides for locations we visit with a focus on slow and sustainable travel while also staying fit and healthy on the road.
Both of us have traveled extensively around the world. Individually we loved visiting the Philippines, India, Japan, Cuba, Portugal and more. But in this blog post, we will stick to our favourite top 3 countries that we have visited together.
Katharina & Allan from happyhealthynomads
1. Mexico
Mexico will always have a special place in our hearts because it is where we met and spent 2 years traveling around together.
It is a country that we feel we could never get sick of. Even after 2 years in Mexico, we feel like there is still so much more to see.
What we love so much about Mexico is the diversity of locations to visit. There are endless beaches, colorful pueblos, ruins, mountains and huge modern cities. Mexico just has it all!
The Mexican people are also amazing. They are so friendly and proud of their country and love to show you around. The attitude of the people is something that we love all through Latin America and what keeps bringing us back.
Mexico is still a great place to visit in touristy areas such as Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan. But if you want an amazing slightly off-the-beaten-track experience we highly recommend going to see the Monarch Butterfly Migration.
Every year millions of Monarch butterflies migrate to the forests near Mexico City from North America. It is one of the most mind-blowing beautiful things we have ever seen and not well known by international visitors.
Mexico Monarch Butterfly Migration:
It is a country that we feel we could never get sick of. Even after 2 years in Mexico, we feel like there is still so much more to see.
What we love so much about Mexico is the diversity of locations to visit. There are endless beaches, colorful pueblos, ruins, mountains and huge modern cities. Mexico just has it all!
The Mexican people are also amazing. They are so friendly and proud of their country and love to show you around. The attitude of the people is something that we love all through Latin America and what keeps bringing us back.
Mexico is still a great place to visit in touristy areas such as Playa del Carmen in the Yucatan. But if you want an amazing slightly off-the-beaten-track experience we highly recommend going to see the Monarch Butterfly Migration.
Every year millions of Monarch butterflies migrate to the forests near Mexico City from North America. It is one of the most mind-blowing beautiful things we have ever seen and not well known by international visitors.
Mexico Monarch Butterfly Migration:
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Another trip that we loved was visiting Paricutin in Michoacan. Michoacan is a region of the country that suffers from a fair bit of violence. So many people are afraid to visit but it is a beautiful area with a lot to see.
Paricutin is a volcano that appeared in a farmer's field in the 1940s and buried a nearby village. Today you can still see the top of the town's church rising out of the lava field. It is a fascinating area and a trip we highly recommend.
Church buried in lava, Paricutin, Michoacan, Mexico:
Paricutin is a volcano that appeared in a farmer's field in the 1940s and buried a nearby village. Today you can still see the top of the town's church rising out of the lava field. It is a fascinating area and a trip we highly recommend.
Church buried in lava, Paricutin, Michoacan, Mexico:
Playa Balandra, Baja California, Mexico:
2. South Africa
Visiting South Africa had never been high on my travel list (Allan). Growing up in New Zealand I had always heard horror stories of how dangerous it was in South Africa from friends at school.
But Katharina had friends staying there and suggested we should stay in Cape Town for a few months to explore the region. So off we went!
After 3 months of staying in Cape Town, it quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. I’m not going to lie, it is a city with massive social problems to deal with.
The contrast between the rich and the poor is quite shocking. But even with all its problems it is such an amazing place mainly due to its natural beauty.
The amount of amazing hikes right next to the city is unbeatable in my experience. Table Mountain is one of the Natural Wonders for a reason and I never got tired of looking up at it as we moved around the city.
On top of Table Mountain, Cape Town:
But Katharina had friends staying there and suggested we should stay in Cape Town for a few months to explore the region. So off we went!
After 3 months of staying in Cape Town, it quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. I’m not going to lie, it is a city with massive social problems to deal with.
The contrast between the rich and the poor is quite shocking. But even with all its problems it is such an amazing place mainly due to its natural beauty.
The amount of amazing hikes right next to the city is unbeatable in my experience. Table Mountain is one of the Natural Wonders for a reason and I never got tired of looking up at it as we moved around the city.
On top of Table Mountain, Cape Town:
If you are an adventurous hiker I highly recommend the India Venster hike. It takes you straight up the front of Table Mountain where you have to use metal staples drilled into the rock to climb up sections. There are some terrifying drops but the views cannot be beat.
But if you have a fear of heights then there are so many other hikes such as Lions Head, Kasteelspoort, and Skeleton Gorge that are super amazing.
Plus in the city, there are amazing white sand beaches which are awesome despite the freezing water. I thought the water in New Zealand was cold but it is like ice in Cape Town!
Clifton Beach, Cape Town:
But if you have a fear of heights then there are so many other hikes such as Lions Head, Kasteelspoort, and Skeleton Gorge that are super amazing.
Plus in the city, there are amazing white sand beaches which are awesome despite the freezing water. I thought the water in New Zealand was cold but it is like ice in Cape Town!
Clifton Beach, Cape Town:
The landscapes outside of Cape Town are also spectacular. We were never really into wine but if you are in Cape Town you have to visit the wine farms around Stellenbosch. Wine is cheap and super good and you will have the most views while you enjoy a glass.
We also like to eat good and healthy food while we are traveling and found the food in South Africa to be very good. The produce was excellent and South Africa produces a lot of its products so it was great to be able to buy products that hadn't been shipped from halfway around the world.
In our 3 months in South Africa, we were only able to visit Cape Town and the surrounding areas like Cape Point. But we hope to be back in the not-too-distant future to explore more!
Alpaca farm and farmers market near Cape Town:
We also like to eat good and healthy food while we are traveling and found the food in South Africa to be very good. The produce was excellent and South Africa produces a lot of its products so it was great to be able to buy products that hadn't been shipped from halfway around the world.
In our 3 months in South Africa, we were only able to visit Cape Town and the surrounding areas like Cape Point. But we hope to be back in the not-too-distant future to explore more!
Alpaca farm and farmers market near Cape Town:
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3. Colombia
Colombia is where we are located for 3 months while writing this and it has quickly risen to the top of our list of favorite countries.
It is a similar country to Mexico in the sense that there is such a diverse selection of landscapes and biodiversity in one country. But they are also very different from each other.
Colombia’s Amazon and Coffee region are amazing unique places that you have to visit especially if you love wildlife and coffee.
The Amazon is another world and it is one of our favorite travel experiences so far. We are already planning another trip to the Amazon in the wet season as the landscape completely changes due to the high water rise of the Amazon River.
Colombian’s Amazon is also unique in that way that you can visit 3 countries in 1 day: Colombia, Peru and Brazil! Because the main tourist hub is located at all borders.
3 border town Leticia, Amazon, Colombia:
It is a similar country to Mexico in the sense that there is such a diverse selection of landscapes and biodiversity in one country. But they are also very different from each other.
Colombia’s Amazon and Coffee region are amazing unique places that you have to visit especially if you love wildlife and coffee.
The Amazon is another world and it is one of our favorite travel experiences so far. We are already planning another trip to the Amazon in the wet season as the landscape completely changes due to the high water rise of the Amazon River.
Colombian’s Amazon is also unique in that way that you can visit 3 countries in 1 day: Colombia, Peru and Brazil! Because the main tourist hub is located at all borders.
3 border town Leticia, Amazon, Colombia:
We loved staying in Puerto Narino in the Amazon because it felt like we were living in the middle of a wild zoo with monkeys and parrots everywhere.
Native parrots, Puerto Narino, Amazon, Colombia:
Native parrots, Puerto Narino, Amazon, Colombia:
Jardin in Colombia’s coffee region feels like a different planet to the Amazon. In Jardin, coffee covers every inch of the hills around town. Old coffee farmers in cowboy hats ride their horses or relax at the colorful town square sipping on a coffee. It feels like time-traveling there.
Jardin, Coffee region, Colombia:
Jardin, Coffee region, Colombia:
Cueva del Esplendor, Jardin, Coffee Region, Colombia:
But what really stands out for us in Colombia is how friendly the people are. Most Latin countries are very friendly but the hospitality of Colombians has been amazing for us.
We have had multiple Airbnb hosts who have welcomed us into their homes like family. We have learned how to cook authentic Colombian empanadas and it has helped us to improve our Spanish for our upcoming trip to Guatemala.
Learning how to cook empanadas, Homestay Colombia:
We have had multiple Airbnb hosts who have welcomed us into their homes like family. We have learned how to cook authentic Colombian empanadas and it has helped us to improve our Spanish for our upcoming trip to Guatemala.
Learning how to cook empanadas, Homestay Colombia:
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Let’s see if Guatemala will make it into the top 3 of our favourite countries! To find out, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or read our blog. We love to inspire