When I returned to Bali recently—my second time on that Indonesian island—it got me thinking about why second-time trips are uniquely rewarding. There’s something very special about coming back to a place with the freedom to see it in a different way than you did the first time around.
Return visits offer an opportunity to relive memories, and, if you’re bringing along someone new, introduce them to the places you already love. You catch things you didn’t have time to see the first time around, and you have the opportunity to get further off the beaten path. When the pressure of seeing all the must-visit attractions is gone, you no longer have to race from sight to sight or spend hours waiting in line at tourist hot spots. The place feels familiar, eliminating the anxiety of deciphering a new environment. When I went back to the same Balinese hotel I’d stayed in a couple of years ago, I even knew some of the staff members.
On this follow-up visit, I felt like a temporary local rather than a foreigner. Most of my days were spent relaxing on the beach with a book, taking afternoon bike rides through small villages, and making weekend excursions to remote spots like the Gili Islands. I had deeper conversations with locals about their culture and traditions. I enjoyed the trip at my own pace instead of a pace dictated by the tourism infrastructure, and that created an even more rewarding travel experience than my first visit.
Florie swimming with a sea turtle off Gili Meno.
Read on to see how your fellow travelers have made the most of their own return trips to beloved destinations, planned the WOW way. When you already have the basics of a destination down, there’s a particular pleasure in having a local expert with insider connections help you design that return visit.
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“We took our grandchildren for their first visit…I have been to Thailand close to 20 times…”
A familiar place—and its animals—is seen anew through grandchildren. Photo: Traveler Richard Rediker
“We took our 9 and 12-year-old grandchildren for their first visit to Asia. Due to their school vacation, we could only spend 6 nights in Thailand followed by 4 in Singapore. I have been to Thailand close to 20 times, but because of limited time in country, I turned to the WOW List to help us make the most of our days.
Our highlights included:
– A private tour of the backwaters of Bangkok and the palace area in a longtail boat that picked us up at our hotel
– A fantastic cooking class that included a trip to the market to buy the ingredients
– A food tour to Chinatown
– A 3-day trip to the Kanchanaburi area, highlighted by bathing elephants in a river at an elephant sanctuary
– A visit to the unreal Erawan National Park to hike and swim in up to 7 spectacular waterfalls and pools
While I have been to all of these places before, Raphael and our great guide Ann made this the easiest trip. They were incredibly flexible as each day unfolded to make sure we didn’t exhaust the grandchildren.” —Richard abd Gayle Rediker
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“We loved it so much that we wanted more, and we worked with Jim to come up with an Egypt 2.0 trip…”
Travelers Stephanie and Craig Smith enjoyed Egypt so much they went back to see more a year later.
“Jim and his team devised a wonderful introductory trip to Egypt for us one year ago. We loved it so much that we wanted more, and we worked with Jim to come up with an Egypt 2.0 trip, which complemented our prior trip. We planned to revisit and dive deeper at some iconic destinations (Giza, Saqqara, Grand Egyptian Museum, Luxor) as well as explore some places which were completely new to us (Abydos, Dendera, Bubastis, and Alexandria).
Alexandria was wonderful. There was so much to do there, but we just didn’t have time to visit it on our first trip. It was the perfect locale in which to spend a few days during Egypt 2.0: exploring the catacombs, a Roman town, Qaitbay Fort, and the fabulous Greco-Roman Museum.
The next day we went to the Valley of the Whales. This place absolutely blew our minds! It felt like we were on another planet with these skeletons just sitting there in the rock and sand. And the whale skeletons have vestigial hands and feet. It is a snapshot of a time when they were evolving from land mammals to sea mammals. Definitely a highlight of the Fayoum area…something that has to be seen to be believed!
We have to thank Jim for recommending Fayoum as a place to relax at the end of the trip. The Lazib Inn was a quirky and beautiful boutique hotel. The grounds were meticulously maintained, and there were so many amenities.
Jim and team put together two amazing trips to Egypt for us in two consecutive years. We are so grateful. Our lifelong dreams of exploring Egypt have finally been fulfilled, and then some.” —Craig and Stephanie Smith
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“Even though we had been to Rome before, in many ways it felt like were seeing the city for the first time…”
Traveler Adam Amsterdam and his wife Mary visited the Palazzo Colonna in Rome.
“We just returned from another wonderful travel experience planned by Andrea‘s team. We’ve been to Rome many times and have visited all the “must see” sites (Colosseum, Forum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, etc.). We were looking for experiences that are off the beaten path. Andrea’s team certainly delivered!
We stayed at J.K. Place Roma. If you’re looking for a boutique hotel (27 rooms) in a perfect central location (but also on a quiet side street) with world-class service, look no further. I can’t rave enough about this property. The hotel is gorgeous, the rooms super comfortable, and the staff treat everyone like VIPs.
Our week-long visit started with a street art tour in the Ostiense District led by our guide Ilaria. She told us so much about the street artists and their inspirations, as well as some history of the neighborhood. The next day we had a tour of important World War II sites, during which our guide Max made history come alive. Our guide Giulia led us on a private tour of Palazzo Colonna, a 15-acre private estate in the center of Rome filled with impressive history and museum-quality artwork. Our last experience, also with Giulia, was going behind the scenes at Giolitti Gelateria, one of the most famous gelaterias in Rome. We donned aprons and made gelato (banana and chocolate). We were surprised when they brought our creations out to the shop for sale! We handed out free tastes from behind the counter as one of the workers announced to the whole shop that “Mary and Adam made this gelato!” It certainly was one of the more unique travel experiences we’ve ever had.
Even though we had been to Rome before, in many ways it felt like were seeing the city for the first time because of the new neighborhoods we visited and the great experiences planned by Andrea’s team.” —Adam Amsterdam
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“Experiencing Peru again, this time with my children who are now the same age, was incredibly meaningful…”
Travelers Katie, Ann Marie, Jack and Chris Bell stand high above the Inca site, Wiñay Wayna.
“Our recent trip to Peru, planned by Mark on Marisol’s team, was truly extraordinary. I first visited Machu Picchu 30 years ago, and it has always been a place I dreamed of returning to and sharing with my family. Experiencing Peru again, this time with my children who are now the same age I was when I first visited, was incredibly meaningful. With only one week, Mark helped us make the absolute most of every day.
We spent a day in the Sacred Valley learning about local culture, watching a weaving demonstration and hiking with a local family, followed by a memorable lunch together. We explored Cusco and took a wonderful cooking class with a chef couple, and before our flight home we had the chance to spend a few hours discovering Lima, which felt vibrant and completely different from my last visit decades ago.
The most magnificent part of the trip was hiking the Inca Trail: Visiting Wiñay Wayna, Huayna Picchu, and of course Machu Picchu, all of which were simply unforgettable. Our guide, Fernando, was outstanding. He expertly managed the different fitness levels within our family while sharing an incredible amount of knowledge about the various sites we saw. For me personally, it was especially meaningful because he has been a guide since the time of my first visit, and we were able to talk about how much has changed over the years.
The entire trip was carefully curated based on our personal interests. My husband and son love craft beer, and my husband and I enjoy learning how to make cocktails local to the places we travel. Our WOW Moment was a craft brewery tour in the Sacred Valley and a cocktail-making class in Lima, both of which were exceptional and very thoughtfully planned. Thank you for such a seamless, unforgettable journey for our family.” —Ann Marie Bell
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“Visited Copenhagen before, but never like this… A wonderful opportunity to see some of what the average tourist would overlook.”
Traveler Sonja Haggert was captivated by Hamlet’s castle, seeming to rise from the fog.
“Brian and I visited Copenhagen before, but never like this. What this city offers in history and beauty can only be topped by its fantastic museums and commitment to environmental conservation. Our tour with William, at Mads’ suggestion, was a wonderful opportunity to see some of what the average tourist would overlook. And then there were the hot dogs, but I digress.
Our first day was serious walking and tasting. I mentioned those hot dogs—so many varieties and so little time. But we also tasted real Danish pastry, which William had bought before the tour so that we wouldn’t have to wait in line. Our stop at Torvehallerne, the farmers’ market and food hall, included cheese, some wonderful chocolate, and fish meatballs. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried fish meatballs!
The next day can only be described as out of this world. William took us along the beautiful coastline to Elsinore and the castle that Shakespeare used for Hamlet. The castle sits on a cliff surrounded by a moat. It was foggy, and the castle seemed to rise out of the fog. The Baltic Sea and the North Sea surround the property.
On our way home, we stopped at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, which is as dramatic outside as inside. We could have spent most of the day there. If I said the previous day was out of this world, our last day was about to overshadow that: We began at the Copenhagen Contemporary, where we were greeted by our personal guide before the museum officially opened. The museum is located in an area called Reffen, which was formerly a shipbuilding facility. Due to the high ceilings, the museum can accommodate large pieces, and it doesn’t disappoint.
William, who has degrees in history and electrical engineering, had a few surprises that day. First, Copenhill, a recycling facility that stands out as a beautiful skyscraper in the skyline. It is composed of numerous receptacles that collect rainwater, which is used to douse burning waste so the steam can be used to drive turbines and create electricity. You can take an elevator to the top, and the view of the city is magnificent! His final surprise was Christiania, a ‘town’ in the midst of the city dedicated to peace, love, and the hippie way of life.” —Sonja Haggert
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“We sought activities that would allow us to more fully experience Malta’s unique culture…”
Travelers Jan Heininger and Jamie Reuter beside a vintage truck once serviced by Queen Elizabeth.
“Jason planned a nine-day trip for my husband and me that was filled with superb experiences we could never have planned on our own. As we had spent five days in Malta in 2011 and had seen most of the usual sights, for this trip we sought activities that would allow us to more fully experience Malta’s unique culture. Boy, did Jason deliver.
We visited with a pipe-organ restorer who was working on an organ high in a historic church’s nave, an artisan gold gilder (and builder of exquisite Maltese clocks), and a builder of traditional Maltese boats. We met with a knight of the Knights of St. John, founded in the 12th century to care for pilgrims, who gave us a wonderful tour of Fort St. Angelo, the Knights’ headquarters until ejected in 1798 by Napoleon.
We visited the Hypogeum, an outstanding burial complex in use between 4000 and 1500 BC. We played bocce with local Maltese, rode ATVs on Gozo Island, had a lovely private Gozitan picnic, created our own Maltese tiles, learned to make Malta’s renowned street food pastizzi in a local couple’s home, visited a WWII military collector in his private museum and even got a ride in his beloved ‘Bessie,’ the WWII military truck Queen Elizabeth II learned to service during the War. We visited a private 900-year-old Mdina palazzo whose owner showed us the family’s prized possessions, had a marvelous lesson by an art restoration specialist, and an enjoyable rustic farm lunch with a delightful Maltese couple.
Finally—as if all this wasn’t enough—we had a falconry experience that enthralled us. We are birders and enjoy watching birds of prey. To have a Harris’s hawk, a barn owl and a Pharaoh eagle-owl fly from my husband’s leather-gloved wrist to mine for two glorious hours was an unbelievable treat.
All of these experiences were made possible because of Jason’s extensive network of Maltese friends. Most visitors to Malta now have little interaction with the Maltese. Since our 2011 visit, Malta has been flooded with immigrants, and they now largely populate the hospitality industry. Your chances of meeting and conversing with Maltese locals are far less likely now—unless Jason arranges your trip.” —Jan Heininger
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“We love Mexico, and traveling with Zach and José has made us love it more…”
A savvy Mexico specialist can turn you on to unexpected pleasures, like seeing pink flamingos in the wild. Photo: Shutterstock
“This was our third trip with these planners and another WOW travel experience. We love Mexico, and traveling with Zach and José has made us love it more.
We prefer boutique hotels and off-the-beaten-path experiences. This trip to the Yucatán was exactly that, including a guide who was a former English/Spanish teacher with whom we could practice our Spanish.
We spent the first half of our trip in Mérida at a fabulous boutique hotel with eight rooms. Our room was gorgeous, with a huge bedroom appointed with fresh flowers daily. Breakfast was poolside, with delicious choices and excellent service. We toured historical haciendas and mansions, savoring Mérida’s past. Our most interesting experience was a day with four Mayan ladies who taught us to cook authentic cochinita pibil, sikil p’aak, and fresh tortillas, all prepared the traditional way.
For the second half of our trip, José sent us to a charming boutique hotel in a tiny beach town so small that we rarely saw other people when we walked on the beach. My favorite meal was walking into town to eat fresh lobster in a small café with locals who only spoke Spanish.
The team always provides a virtual concierge who ‘travels’ with us. Thanks to Luis, our virtual concierge, my favorite experience in this area was a boat trip to watch pink flamingos in the wild.” —Elisa Spain
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“100 Princes Street has become our home away from home in Edinburgh…”
The Archibald Suite at 100 Princes Street Hotel looks out to Edinburgh Castle. Photo: 100 Princes Street
“This was our second trip to Scotland planned by Katie, a member of Jonathan’s team. I can’t imagine using anyone else for the U.K. Our son will be getting his master’s degree at the University of Edinburgh, and we wanted him to get acquainted with the University and the city before his program starts in September.
Katie arranged great accommodations at 100 Princes Street. What a fantastic property! We encountered a majority of the hotel staff from our first trip, and most of them remembered us and greeted us by name. 100 Princes Street has become our home away from home in Edinburgh.
Katie was able to arrange a walking tour of the city with Jill, the same guide we had on our first trip. Jill is so knowledgeable about so many things—history, architecture, religion, politics, philosophy, etc. She really gave our son a great overview of the city, past and present. We sampled local fare at a number of places Katie recommended. One particularly memorable experience was sitting in a local pub and getting tutored on the finer points of snooker by one of the pub’s regulars as we watched the U.K. Snooker Championship on TV.
We will be visiting Scotland several times while our son is studying there and will rely on Katie to help us plan those trips.” —Adam Amsterdam
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“On both visits we’ve found so much to love about Belize…”
You could take dozens of trips to Belize and never explore all of its tiny islets. Photo: Shutterstock
“Our family of four (two parents, two college-aged daughters) had a second fantastic trip to Belize, courtesy of Patricia. She crafted a trip that mixed adventure and relaxation. We stayed at the beachside resort of Naïa in a three-bedroom villa. It was beautiful and large, and we especially loved the private and secluded feeling on the beach and the outdoor showers in our villa. Our older daughter had recently gotten SCUBA certified, so we planned two days for her and my husband to dive, while my younger daughter and I snorkeled.
We did a full-day private catamaran sail to Moho Caye that was AMAZING. Due to it being off-season, we had almost the whole caye to ourselves for swimming and snorkeling. Several rays and nurse sharks literally swam up within two to three feet of the shore.
Our WOW Moment was fantastic. The head chef of Naïa came to our villa to prepare a private dinner just for us, and a local cultural drumming group came and did an interactive performance, and let us try our hands at drumming as well. It was a truly memorable evening.
On both visits, we’ve found so much to love about Belize. It’s relatively inexpensive, in terms of food and excursions. The people are amazingly friendly, and we’ve always felt very safe. Outside of Belize City, there is very little crime, and a noticeable absence of the poverty and homelessness you see in many Caribbean nations. And, despite its small size, it has such varied landscapes and experiences, from rainforests and jungles to islands and beaches. We’re already thinking about going back to visit one of the wild cat reserves where we might see jaguars and other large cats. I think Belize is still a bit under the radar, but we’ve enjoyed it every bit as much as Costa Rica, the Virgin Islands, Mexico, etc.” —Jason, Jennifer, Madeleine and Addison Rosenberg
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