Last year I fell far short of the goal, but I’m setting what I hope will be an achievable goal in 2024: visit 10 countries I have not previously visited.
10 New Countries For 2024
As I focus on the more important matters of my family, cultivating my career beyond this blog, and working to live rather than living to work, I still hope to whittle away a bit at my country count each year. But long gone are the years when I could visit dozens of new countries.
Last year I visited two new countries: Nepal and Bhutan. I always set out to do more, but the realities of my primary duty as a husband and father do limit my ability to travel…a tradeoff I welcome. I stretch out trip reports to make it seem like I am always away, but for 4/5 of the year I am home and as my children quickly grow and with my wife working as a nurse, my trips will continue to be limited in duration.
Nevertheless, by the end of the year, I hope to visit these 10 new countries:
Venezuela
Stay tuned for this one: I’m working hard to make it happen but securing a visa is not easy for US citizens…
Barbados
I consider many Caribbean nations a “low-hanging fruit” in terms of getting my country count up and hope to visit Barbados this year.
Timor-Leste
This is the last country in SE Asia I have not visited. Timor-Leste is a country I must visit if I am going to visit every country and I will be in Indonesia later this year, so I am going to try to spend a day or two in the capital city of Dili.
Angola
I’m so intrigued by Luanda, the oil-rich capital of Angola, as well as the country’s Cold War history. I plan to review TAAG this year… which should be interesting…and if I do, will spend the night in Luanda.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the only country in Central America I have not visited. I’m intrigued by President Daniel Ortega and happy that United Airlines has resumed flights to Augusto Cesar Sandino International Airport (MGA) in Managua, the capital city.
Uganda
I have friends from Uganda in Los Angeles who have contacts on the ground and would like to review the Airbus A330-800neo on Uganda Airlines.
Senegal
I’ve been meaning to review Air Senegal for a couple years now and if I do, I will certainly spend a day or two in Dakar.
Somalia
Ok, hear me out on this one. I know Somalia is not safe. But I want to see it…and support the brave entrepreneurs who have opened a hip coffee shop in Mogadishu.
Eritrea
I’ll be headed to Ethiopia later this year and while in the region, I hope to visit the colorful capital of Eritrea, Asmara.
Belize
I tried to fit in a Belize trip in 2023 and could not make it work (United flies nonstop once per week from Los Angeles), but hope to do so this year.
CONCLUSION
These are my goals, and perhaps they are a bit ambitious. But I do hope to whittle down this list in 2024 and would welcome any tips you can provide on any of the destinations above.
As far as Somalia, consider hiring your own private security to avoid kidnapping. Author, emergency room physician Calvin Sun of monsoon diaries (online on Instagram) did so. He also videoed and photographed the Ghana Togo border that got you detained in 2020 but avoided detention.
I will 100% hire a security detail.
I would be most interested in reading about Timor Leste. Uganda, Angola, Belize in the next category. Somalia, Nicaragua in the bottom category of interest.
In Belize ….I suggest you go to caye caulker an island off Belize …they have transfer from airport to ferry boat…..no cars on this island …check out Google images
In Nicaragua check out …Big corn and little corn islands
Venezuela? Good luck with that. What was one the jewels of Latin America was tuned into garbage by a corrupt socialist dictator. Search for Isla Margarita, one of the nicest places in the Caribbean with lots of nice hotels. All gone.
ain’t “socialism” grand??
Enjoy Timor. My short list of recommendations for you: Hotel – Timor Plaza, coffee – Letefoho (be sure to get some fresh roasted beans, very affordable), restaurant – Castaway & Agora.
There are lots of Aussie expats in Dili and their currency is USD so it’s not as “foreign” as most people think.
Been to both Venezuela and Nicaragua – many times. Nicaragua is a pretty poor country, but not difficult to visit and get around. I usually rented a car and stayed at the Intercontinental.
As for Venezuela, I cannot recommend going there. For one thing, it’s incredibly dangerous. And the Chavez/Maduro regimes have absolutely gutted the place. The infrastructure is falling apart, you’ll have issues with currency, and you’ll have issues deciding who is worse: the ladrones from the barrio or Nick’s corrupt cops. Domestic aviation is may be worth a look there, but also a bit of a thrill ride. The dive bomber approach seems to be a thing there, which is interesting in a DC-9 or MD-80, That said, you can still get kidnapped right at the international airport in Maiquetia and people have (many times). The trip from there to Caracas is frought with peril, especially at night. I have personal experience with this. And, I’ve been all over Latin America (including sever of the world’s other most dangerous cities). Caracas is the worse.
Beautiful women, though.
Nick’s corrupt cops are far worse. they control the thugs to do their bidding.
I have to say I hugely enjoyed visiting Venezuela in the early Chavez years, but sadly have no interest in returning until the regime falls or is radically transformed. Much like JNB, it may not be the most dangerous place on Earth, but, by the time you’ve taken all sensible precautions in order to stay safe, there’s not much fun to be had.
Seems you want to join Jessica Nabongo in visiting all 193 United Nations member countries and 2 non affiliated states. Do you follow Cory Lee’s quest to visit countries using a wheelchair? South Sudan should be an adventure.
I look forward to reading about Angola, always wanted to go there and I am even more fired up about it after having visited Mozambique a couple of times. Unfortunately, TAAG is cutting the MAD route and removing some much needed competition from the market, I am a bit surprised that they couldn’t make it work even with an IB codeshare, the business class fares charged by AF and TP seem to fluctuate between seriously expensive and astronomical.
I believe Nicaragua and Belize are both in Central America. I look forward to your trip reports!
This is what I came here to say as well. Looks like you’re still missing two countries in Central America.
On the topic of Belize, let me second the vote upthread for Caye Caulker. Take your wife, leave the kids with family, and have a wonderfully relaxing long weekend. You can review Tropic Air from BZE to CUK while you’re at it. If you’re lucky you’ll get to sit in the right seat up front like I did 🙂
I thought you were coming to Malawi this year? 🙂
Josh Cahill visited Timor-Leste several months ago, flying the the national airline to/from Dili- video posted on YT. He would not recommend the food on the plane, tho. As for Venezuela, the US government recently negotiated the release of several Americans (arrested on bogus charges, it seems) in a swap for a Venezuelan national / Maduro money-launderer being held for trial in the US. Do you really want to put yourself in a similar situation? Even the magical powers of Kamala would have no effect there.
I don’t want to be critical here. The only nation on your list that I’ve been to is Barbados (best sand beaches in the Caribbean), but many of the others from Somalia to Venezuela just leave me scratching my head. You’re a young father. And these places can be ridiculously dangerous. I don’t get the point, the appeal. There are too many wonderful nations to visit to knowingly travel to such well … I don’t want to sound like the idiot that was in the White House until three years ago, but …
Uganda is okay and, if you love Indian cuisine as much as I do, it has the best in Africa!
Mathew, you should have no problem in actuality securing a tourist visa to Venezuela – the problem is there are NO Venezuelan consulates or embassies in the United States. your nearest to you would be in Mexico City or up in Ottawa Canada. if you succeed in securing one, drop me a line and hopefully we can meet up. btw only hotels here that you can use points at would be under the Marriott flag – Renaissance or J.W. Marriott (the Renaissance is much better property tho a bit “business sterile” …… the J.W. has been ruined by government types staying there using cheap govt. issued vouchers …… stay away lol.
Isn’t the Maruma in MAR still with IHG? Thanks to the dollar pricing, I had a ridiculously cheap stay there a few years ago, and got a boatload of points to boot!
Visited Timor Leste a few years ago, definitely only need one day there. Dili is a tiny city, with nothing much to do or see.
No Greenland? Or are you not listing sure things?
Technically part of Denmark, right? I do hope to go there, though.
I suppose it isn’t a UN member, but it feels like a country. If you’ve only visited Sint Maarten can you say you’ve been to the Netherlands?
I think so?
I’d love to visit all those British, Dutch, and French holdings in the Caribbean, but am less enthusiastic since I don’t consider them to be separate countries.
However, I don’t go strictly by the UN lists and count countries like Tranistira, Hong Kong, and Macau as separate.
But I will get to Greenland inshallah!
My goal is three new countries every year – like you, I fell one short in 2023; I’ll make it up this year. I’ll be very interested to see your future trip reports on some of the places you’ve listed for this year, which are also on my list (Belize, Nicaragua, Angola) – your blog has been a key resource for me in my trip planning, and I’ve enjoyed many of the hotels and resorts you’ve blogged about (best one is the Four Seasons in Tunis). All the best for a great 2024!
Consider sharing with the audience which countries you have visited. This is a link to a mapmaker. https://www.mapchart.net/detworld.html