Rating My Travels on a Scale 1-10 (Part 2)

This week, we'll be continuing my travel ratings on a scale of 1-10. If you haven't read part 1, click here. And as a reminder, a lower rating does not mean I think negatively of the country itself. I'm more so judging my overall experience and maybe how quickly I'm wanting to go back to the destination.

Indonesia

Bali quickly moved up my bucket list in 2019 after seeing so many beautiful pictures online. We finally made plans to go for Thanksgiving 2019 and I loved it! I really like more nature scenic vacations because I live in the city so the rice terraces, waterfalls, etc. were beautiful to me. The U.S. dollar also stretches far in Bali so I loved feeling like a rich person for a while. The villas are super inexpensive and gorgeous! We paid $10 for a 1-hour massage. And we were able to order room service for our meals without being concerned about price. I even considered moving there temporarily but I'm too family-oriented. Only thing I would change is staying in Ubud, Canggu, or Seminyak instead of Lovina which was unnecessarily far from the airport.

Final Rating: 10 out of 10

South Korea

We had a long layover in South Korea so I only got to experience it for a few hours. While I enjoyed my time there, we didn't do or see anything that was overly enticing for me. I'd definitely be open to going back if someone else asked me to because I want to spend more time there. But I'm not rushing back right now.

Final Rating: 5 out of 10

Mexico

Mexico had to redeem itself for me after my first trip. If you read this blog post, you know my first trip to Cancun did not go well so I was kind of avoiding Mexico. But towards the end of 2020, the pandemic had taken a hard hit on my travel bug so I was itching to go. And if your IG feed was anything like mine, you know Tulum was the place to be. So we followed the crowd. I really enjoyed this trip and it was especially good to get out after months of living in a pandemic. But I honestly didn't feel the hype of the area matched our experience. But then again, it also seems to be great for those looking to drink/party/socialize in a way that I don't so it may not be the city for me. It was nice and relaxing though. If I go back to Mexico, I'd probably plan for Mexico City or somewhere else that feels more cultural-based rather than a beach town.

Final Rating: 6 out of 10

St. Lucia

I honestly feel like traveling with my family was what made this trip great! My mom, two aunts, and I visited for my aunt's birthday and it was a great mix of adventure and relaxation. We stayed at a really nice resort and got to relax in the hammock by our private pool with a beautiful view. We also did activities such as ziplining, snorkeling, and ATVs throughout the trip. Everybody we encountered was also so friendly! I really enjoyed this trip but St. Lucia feels kinda like a one-and-done. I feel like I experienced everything I desired. And I'm really not running back to those mosquitos, I'm traumatized!

Final Rating: 7 out of 10

Colombia

I got to visit Colombia with Luxe Tribes (previously Chidi Ashley Travels) and it was a great introduction to group trips. Being able to meet a bunch of new people while exploring a new country was amazing. My favorite activities were the Palenque tour and the cooking class which showed me a glimpse of Colombian culture. I would 100% go on another group trip with Luxe Tribes but the only turn-off in Cartagena for me was literally everybody trying to sell us something. Colombian people seemed to be all about the hustle whether you liked it or not. Everyone tried to sell us basically the same 6 things and would not take no for an answer. They would follow us down the street, stare into our cars, and even row up to us on our boat. It was very frustrating.

Final Rating: 5 out of 10

Puerto Rico

I have mixed feelings about Puerto Rico. I really liked San Juan, especially Old San Juan, and would recommend it to anybody looking to travel nearby. But we stayed in the Santurce area and I think that really tainted my experience. We saw a beautiful Airbnb in "the art district" of San Juan and booked it thinking all is well. But it ended up being an area that was pretty dirty (trash everywhere and some sewage smells as you walked along the sidewalk) with homeless people and some people who seemed to potentially be on drugs. As young women, we did not really feel comfortable or safe in the area by ourselves so we didn't spend much time there. I think if we had stayed in Old San Juan instead, I would've loved it.

Final Rating: ? out of 10

Panama

We took a quick trip to Panama City for my birthday this year and it was great! It was my first successful budget trip so that gave it an automatic boost in ranking. Not only is the country fairly affordable to fly to on its own (I booked using airline points), the country itself is really affordable. My favorite part was 15-20 minute Uber rides were like $5 (except to and from the airport) whereas here in the U.S, those rides would be $20+. We didn't do many excursions but I had a really great time simply exploring. In fact, if I didn't have immediate responsibilities back home, I would have extended my time there.