where should we go for our last big trip before kids?
My husband and I are both in our 30s, living on the East Coast, and we’re planning one last big adventure before we dive into parenthood. We’ve already checked off a lot of North America, Central America, and some of Europe, so this time we’re thinking about Asia or Africa. We want a mix of city and nature, a little adventure, but also time to just relax and soak it all in. I love hiking, he’s into scuba (though he gets his fill in the Azores, so that’s not a dealbreaker), and we both enjoy cultural experiences and a glass of wine at a cozy bar instead of noisy clubs.
Here’s the dilemma: we only have about 10 days in November or December next year, and our budget is flexible but we’d like to keep it under $6,000. We’re torn between Vietnam (Hanoi and maybe the Ha Giang loop), Thailand (plus a side trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia), Cape Town (maybe paired with Namibia for some 4x4 camping), Egypt (though my husband’s worried about how close it is to Gaza), or Indonesia (possibly Java). Japan is off the table for now—we’re saving that for a future trip with kids.
Honestly, every option has its own appeal, but I’m worried about cramming too much into just 10 days, especially with the long flights and jet lag. Has anyone tried pairing Cape Town with Namibia in such a short window? Or done the Ha Giang loop in Vietnam without feeling rushed? And is Egypt really safe right now, or should we hold off? I’d love to hear about real experiences, especially if you’ve faced the same time crunch or had to make tough choices between adventure and downtime. Sometimes I feel like every trip looks perfect on Instagram, but in reality, it’s a lot of running around and not enough time to actually enjoy the place. Anyone else struggle with this?
#travelplanning #lastbigtrip #beforekids #Travel
