Katie is an Idaho native and the creator of the blog, The Traveling Spud. After working in marketing in San Francisco for 6 years, Katie quit her job, packed her bags, and went on a trip around the world. Katie has now been traveling for over a year and has been to 38 countries on 5 continents. She is addicted to outdoor adventures, photography and inspiring others to get out of their comfort zones and cross experiences off of their bucket lists. She’s currently in Portugal and is heading to Iran and Singapore next! If you weren’t already feeling wanderlust kicking in, wait until you read her travel recommendations.

What is your favourite region?

This is a tough call, but my favourite region has got to be Asia. I love how different the cultures are in each country and the kindness of most people I’ve met in that part of the world. Not to mention the outdoor adventures! I could have spent a year just traveling on this continent.

Top resort recommendation?

I’d pick the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa.  Maui is by far my favourite island in Hawaii and even after traveling all over the world and the USA, I still think Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The special part of the Sheraton Maui Resort is that the location is nearby Ka’anapali Beach, which happens to be my favourite beach in Maui.

The resort is near a lot of great water activities and located right on the beach close to the famous Black Rock. It’s also connected to the walking path that goes along the beach to the different resorts and restaurants. The rooms aren’t as fancy as somewhere like the Ritz Carlton, but the price is right for a VERY memorable and beautiful experience in Maui.

Suggestions for great honeymoon activities

I think the best honeymoon activities are outdoors! One activity I recommend is going to the vineyards in Bordeaux, France for wine tasting! Bordeaux is an extremely beautiful and romantic city and a great place to laze around and enjoy France. For wine tasting, I recommend going to taste right outside of the city of Bordeaux in Saint-Emilion or Medoc.

Secondly, I’d recommend going scuba diving or getting diving certified in the Gili Islands of Indonesia. Located only a boat ride away from Bali, these islands are a snorkeler, diver and paddler paradise. Gili Air and Gili Meno were my favourite islands for chilling out and enjoying the plethora of water and beach activities!

The ideal location for a proposal

I’m a mountain girl, so atop mountains are my favourite types of proposals! The most ideal would have to be atop the cliffs of Meteora in Greece. The hike up isn’t very hard, so you’ll still look good for any photos you take after or during the proposal! 😃The views are stunning and sunset and sunrise from the top are both incredible. You’ll find plenty of spots at the top where you can be alone and enjoy a romantic moment for your proposal.

Best kept secret honeymoon location

I’ve lived in California for 6 years and always wonder why more people don’t take their honeymoons there! It’s often overlooked for honeymoons, but it’s a state with more romantic spots than just about any other one! I recommend renting a fun convertible and drive down the coast from San Francisco to San Diego. Take your time visiting the beautiful lookouts of the Pacific Coast Highway, go wine tasting in Napa Valley, stay at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay or enjoy cozy bed and breakfasts along the way! By the time you get to San Diego, book into a nice resort hotel to end your trip at the sunny beach!

All images via Katie from The Traveling Spud

Ms Zigzag says: Wow! It takes someone with a true commitment for discovery and adventure to travel continuously for over a year! I’m glad we were able to track Katie down for her first-hand travel wisdom.

About Katie from The Traveling Spud: I’m Katie, a native Idahoan, who quit her corporate job in San Francisco for a year of solo travel.  I just hit my 1-year of travel and finally feel like a solo travel expert! Now, I’m here to share that it’s easy to travel solo as a female, easy to make friends and easy to plan and budget in order to travel more!