2018 Archives - Wander-Lust

28 Dec 2018

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Off the Beaten Track With No Comments Permalink

Our best travel moments of 2018

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On December 28, 2018 With No Comments

As the year comes to an end, it’s time for one of those lists that reminds us, that we are blessed to do this thing we call our job. We travelled far and wide, met new people along the way, and left with a suitcase full of new memories. Here are our best travel moments of 2018.

ISAN, Thailand
International press trip, February 2018
This is by far Elke’s most memorable press trip of 2018. Because we were the first ever international media that had been sent to this region, it was even more special. Elke travelled side-by-side with people from Vienna, UK, Dubai, Romania, Germany and more. The trip took us across the North East region of Thailand, a less explored area, which means less to none tourists, a lot of culture, local food, and stunning nature. We visited several national parks, which included a canyon (San Phan Bok) that consist of thousands of holes, some filled with rainwater. To read the whole story check https://www.wander-lust.nl/off-the-beaten-track-isan-northeast-thailand/.

Our first trip as Wander-Lust Agency, Zarautz
Wander-Lust Agency, September 2018
This summer, we launched our Wander-Lust Agency. Here we connect influencers to brands at a beautiful location. For our first trip, we took influencers @bentheliem and @elisebak. 2 lovely girls with a great style, which we connected to Loreal Biolage, Protest Women, Eastpak and Havaianas. We stayed at Zarautz Surfing Village and slept in deluxe tipi tents. During the day we surfed, explored the area and practised yoga. San Sebastian was only a short train ride away, so great for pincho’s, good coffee and shopping! Are you a brand or influencer that wants to collaborate? Send us an email: info@wander-Lust.nl.

Cruising across the French rivers, without a permit
Testing Nicols Boats on the Saône river, July 2018
It was something we had never heard of before, but when Elke got the chance to cruise over the French rivers, and there was no sailing permit needed, she said yes immediately. “Nicols invite me to try it for one week. Cruising from Dole, all the way up to Port Sur Saône by boat. Or may I say yacht. It was huge! The boat they provided for us, was the Estivale Sixto. It had 3 bedrooms, 2 toilets, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and a living area. Oh, and I forgot to mention the large sundeck big enough for 8 people. Instead of 8 people, me, my hubby and our child Caiden opted for the challenge”. Good news if you want to try this in Holland, Nicols is offering a Dutch route this year! More on that soon..Read the full experience here: https://www.wander-lust.nl/cruising-the-rivers-of-france-with-nicols-without-a-license/

A must try!

Coachella Festival
Palm Springs, CA, April 2018
The festival of festivals. Coachella is everything you would expect it to be and more. It was Sarah’s 2nd time at Coachella, and it didn’t disappoint. With performances from Beyoncé (including Destiny’s Child!!), Dr Dré, Eminem, and many more, it was a week to remember. Will you go next year?

Greece
Perdika, August 2018
As you guys know, we are big fans of Greece. It’s so stunning, the weather is perfect, the food is yummie and the people are warm and welcoming. Therefore we visit Greece at least every two years to recharge our batteries. Last summer, Elke visited Perdika for the 32nd time (yes, not a lie) to be at her best friend’s Big Fat Greek wedding. Do you want to know more about this part of Greece? Check https://www.wander-lust.nl/greece-explore-the-ionian-islands/

Perdika, Greece

Wine Tasting with Campo Viejo
North Spain, San Sebastian, September 2018
Campo Viejo is a Spanish wine brand that specializes in red wine that comes from the La Rioja region. If you live in The Netherlands, you may have seen their bottles in the Albert Heijn supermarket. Sarah and I are both winelovers, so you we said yes immediately. La Rioja is region located in North Spain and is renowned for it’s local wine industry. The climate is very different than that from Southern Spain, so therefore the wines also taste different. You can fly to Bilbao with KLM and it’s only a 2 hour flight. From there you’ll need to continue by car or bus, as it’s in the middle of the mountains. It was a great trip with lovely people and so much fun!

Picking grapes

Club Med Cefalu
Sicily, October 2018
We experienced the newly opened Club Med Cefalu in Sicily for 6 whole days! The all-inclusive members club is giving their guests the opportunity to relax in this 4 star coastal resort. Several pools, a gym, tennis court and three different restaurants. This place was heaven. Yes, it’s for the traveler that has a little more money to spend, but every dime is worth it. Sometimes you need to treat yourself a little bit, and Club Med is making sure you are treated just fine! (ok, maybe a lot more than fine). Elke also had the chance to explore Sicily which was awesome.

How about that for some of our best travel moments of 2018! And we are not finished yet.. Elke is flying to Malaysia and Koh Lipe this month, so stay tuned on Instagram.

Happy 2019!

Elke & Sarah

18 Dec 2017

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Amsterdam Guide Permalink

8 x New Years Eve parties in Amsterdam

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On December 18, 2017

The end of the year is nearby and the stress about where to go or what to do on New Year’s Eve is also closing in. We love a house party with friends and family but if you feel like going all out and dance until the early hours, then these are our recommendations for the best New Years Eve parties in Amsterdam.

King of the Gypsies, Rozentheater
If you’re looking for something a bit weird but wonderful, you need to go to this party on New Years Eve. It’s held in a theater with four different rooms right in the heart of Amsterdam where you can wonder, take on a game of armwrestling, listen to violin battles, drink absinth and dance to Balkan bands and magnificent dj’s. Yes, we said weird. Tickets are available here.

Theater and dancing

2000 & Chin – New Year’s Eve, Chin Chin Club
The recently opened Chin Chin Club is a combination between food, drinks, games and dance. It will be crazy, loud and festive. There will be a mega countdown, Chinese confetti and you can dance to house and disco hits. Located at the Rozengracht, it’s perfect for a night out that could last forever. For all the info check out Facebook

Kriss Kross New Year’s Eve, Elementenstraat
The boys from Amsterdam certainly know how to party and it’s no surprise that they are hosting a new years eve party this year. The dresscode is the Big Gatsby so you can go all out! The boys are hosting three stages; Mainstage, Old School and purple reload. Rumor has it that their famous Dutch uncle (Hennie Huisman), will take the stage for a mini playback show. Be prepare to jump, join moshpits and be covered in sweat. This one is going to be wild. Check Facebook for info and tickets while they are still available!

One of the craziest New Years Eve parties in Amsterdam

NYE Around The World 2018, Westerunie
Vunzige Deuntjes, Rewind Amsterdam, Het Partyfeest, Friendzone Amsterdam en Klerenbende are joining forces for this event. What makes this event so special? They will celebrate NYE is 7 different countries which means there will be a countdown every hour (in a different language), every hour confetti, champagne, kisses and hugs. It seems like they are trying to copy an exclusive December party Oud & Opnieuw, but ey, who cares, it sounds like a lot of fun! The final release tickets are almost sold out so hurry! Website

Edel’s Oud & Nieuw Spektakel, Het Sieraad
This party is being held at a schoolbuilding in Amsterdam West so there are different rooms and hallways to dance through. Everything will be golden this year. Gold glitter, gold confetti and golden oldies. The only downside is, that we personally think that the sounds isn’t too good at Edel. This has something to do with the shape of the venue. A positive thing is, that the tickets are not crazy expensive. For 37,50 you have yourself a great night out. Website

Loveland New Year, Mediahaven
This one is for the techno lovers amongst us. Loveland is always hosting a great party until the early hours. Line up includes Alan Fitzpatrick, Oliver Koletzki B2B Reinier Zonneveld, Mathias Kaden, Egbert and Lövestad Facebook

For Techno lovers, this is the place to be

New Years Eve at The Winterparade, Rai
Remember when we told you about the largest Christmas parade in Amsterdam? Well, they are also hosting a New Years Eve celebration. Experience this special night at an ice-skating ring, a mega ferris wheel, fireworks show and an overflow of champagne. Tickets are only €13,85 and includes a glass champagne and a tasty oliebol! The party will last until 2am so it’s perfect for those who want to take it easy. Website

One of the most chill New Years Eve parties in Amsterdam

NYE At The Bierfabriek, Bierfabriek
Dinner, dance and cheers. That’s what you can do here. Expect all the biggest hits and best tunes of 2017 feel free to dance on the table! The Bierfabriek is known for it’s great atmosphere and comfort food. For €50,- p.p you can have yourself a 3-course meal and limitless drinks until 12am. Plus everyone get’s a free glas of champagne at 12! It’s also possible to come and join the party after 12am. In this case, entree will be €12,50 at the door. More info here.

So where will you celebrate this year?

Have a great one!

Wander-Lust

30 Oct 2017

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Travel Tips With 5 Comments Permalink

These are the Travel Trends for 2018

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On October 30, 2017 With 5 Comments

Trends. You either love them or you couldn’t care less about them. One thing is for sure, you are going to hear about these “trends” sooner or later. The same applies to the travel industry. Every year, we see a shift and it has a lot to do with our changing behaviour. The way we travel is important for travel agencies and brands, so that they can play into this and give the “consumer” want he or she wants. Booking.com recently researched 19.000 people on their platform to find out what the travel needs and trends are for the coming year. We had a look and picked the travel trends for 2018, that stood out in the report.

1. Experiences are more important
Booking.com found out that 4of their travelers are planning to travel to a destination that is written on their bucket list. The majority of these, want to cross one or more destinations from their list in the coming year. People attach more value to experiences rather than material matters, giving them more opportunity to make unforgettable trips in 2018.

2. Going back to the past
In addition to new experiences, 2018 also marks the past. People want to experience their most precious childhood memories and return to destinations that have always remained in the heart. A third of all travelers 34% are considering returning to a place where they went as a kid in order to see the destination from a new perspective. The popularity of these nostalgic vacations comes from the sense of happiness that calls on these places. Travelers enjoy beautiful and precious memories of these family vacations. Funny enough, the millennials are the most sentimental. For example, 44 procent of 18- to 34-year-olds want to return to a favorite family destination from their childhood.

3. Travel with friends
2018 will become THE year of traveling with friends. To the question; of what kind of traveler would you like to travel in 2018, answered “with a group of friends”. In 2018, it’s no longer just about the destination, but also about the people we create beautiful memories with. A vacation with friends is the ultimate opportunity to spend more time with them! A holiday with friends also has financial benefits: four out of ten participants indicate that they can stay in a lodging with friends, something they could not afford alone during a holiday.

4. Wellness & healthy travel
This is not a new trend but it’s a trend that will continue thoughout 2018. Compared to 2017, almost twice as many people plan to travel for health and wellness (one in ten in 2017 vs. almost one in five in 2018!).

5. Travel like a local
We have been traveling like this since we can remember but more people are now loving this way of traveling. If you learn from a local, you see a destination in the purest form. Instead of staying in a large hotel, people also try to stay at a guesthouse where they are in close contact with their host. A quarter of travelers say it’s important to find a host that has local knowledge and can share tips about nice restaurants and spots. At the same time, a host should be available, but not in a way that feels too invading.

What do we think?
If we look at our own opinion when it comes to the travel trends for 2018, we think that 2 others should be added to the list. Sustainable Travel and Traveling for a Cause. Over the the last couple of years we’ve seen many travel brands evolving and growing because they focus on sustainability, local produce or good causes. Travelers love collection good karma points and want to come back home with a satisfactory feeling. The same applies to us. It’s not just about those Instagram photo’s by the pool. Traveling is also about learning gaining a greater understanding of what is going on in the world and making it a better place.

Do you think something else deserves a mention in the travel trends list of 2018? Comment below!

Love,

Elke

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