The wonder of the travel isn’t just about where you are now; it’s about learning of your next destination from fellow travellers. We’ve asked some of our favourite travel blogger friends – the people with their fingers tight on the travel pulse – to tell us where their favourite places have been to visit this year.

For us, our favourite destination of 2016 has to be Borneo. Exploring this fascinating island with its incredible diversity of human culture, and rare and endangered wildlife is a traveller’s delight. We loved exploring Kota Kinabalu – the capital of the Malaysian state of Sabah in northernmost Borneo. Even its name sounds far away and exotic.

But the beating heart of this equatorial island on the western fringe of Indonesia is definitely its jungles. From the moment we first walked amongst the trees of Danum Valley we were entranced, enchanted and in love. The magic of the Borneo rainforest will stay with us forever.

Read more about our travels through Borneo here.

Top travel destinations from travel bloggers

Havana, Cuba

Vic & Elaina from The Freedom Travellers:

“Our fave destination of 2016 would have to be Havana, Cuba! We loved everything about this place, the colours, the history, the mojitos. Havana is like stepping back in time. From the moment you step off the plane, things feel different there. The first time you see one of the old classic cars driving along the road is special. Taking a ride in one is even better!”

Read more about Vic & Elaina’s travels here.

Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Paula & Gordon from Contented Traveller:

“Our favourite destination in 2016 has to be Raja Ampat, in West Papua, Indonesia. Raja Ampat is an archipelago of islands, and is off the beaten tourist track. It is located in a pristine marine park. It is remote, and one of the most stunningly beautiful places that we have seen, both above and below water. Seeing some of the villages and experiencing the culture of this area, made us realise that there is a lot more to Indonesia than just Bali – which I still love.:

Read more about Paula & Gordon’s travels here.

Mirissa, Sri Lanka

Tara from Vegetaraian:

“I loved visiting Sri Lanka. What a bright and beautiful country! Really interesting cities, fantastic food (loads of veg options) and the friendliest people. I’ve written a whole heap of posts (one for each place I went to) but this one on the stunning and relaxing Mirissa is a favourite.”

Read more about Tara’s travels here.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Christine from Adventure, Baby!:

“This historic town is surrounded by jungles and mountains; a stunning mixture of old temples, exotic cuisine and friendly locals. Chiang Mai unexpectedly stole our hearts.”

Read more about Christine’s travels here.

“Visiting rescued and rehabilitated elephants at the Elephant Nature Park in Northern Thailand is a must for any traveller who wants to be educated in the plight of the Asian elephant. Prepare to be heart broken and uplifted during every moment of your stay, and plan your return visit the moment you leave the gates.”

Read more about Christine’s time at the Elephant Nature Park here.

Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Lyn from The Travelling Lindfields:

“South Africa was without a doubt my favourite destination. It has all the exotic flavour of Africa without the hassle or safety issues of other African countries. Our three week road trip from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth was so much fun we are doing the same trip again next year.”

Read more about Lyn’s travels here.

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Silke from Happiness and Things:

“I really loved visiting the Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye. It was rainy but that was not the issue. I think the fairy dust confused me enough to make me wander off alone into the Scottish Highlands. It’s a long story but worth the read.”

Read more about Silke’s travels here.

Wollongong, Australia

Gordon from Travel Bloguer:

“We have travelled to many amazing places this year. We have been to the US, through many unexpected areas of Indonesia like Manado, Palu, Saparua Island, Ambon and throughout Raja Ampat in West Papua. We have been to Bali a few times, and spent time in the Philippines. But .. the best place in 2016, was when we were at home in Wollongong, Australia. This is where we have the beaches, the food and the multicultural diversity.”

Read more about Gordon’s travels here.

Central Vietnam

Georgie from The Window Seat:

“Central Vietnam rocked so much for us LAST year, that we returned again this year! What really makes it extra special for our family of foodies is naturally, the food!”

Read more about Georgie’s travels here.

A white Christmas in Europe

Lyn from A Hole in my Shoe:

“We left behind a hot Australian summer to head to Europe for what we hoped would be a white Christmas.”

Read more about Lyn’s travels here.

The Twelve Apostles, Victoria, Australia

Amanda from Adventures All Around:

“Oh so hard to pick one! But I’m going with an Aussie adventure… The Twelve Apostles are one of Australia’s most famous natural sights and while its wonderful to drive the Great Ocean Road to see them it’s even better to get there on foot. Especially when you’re staying in an eco lodge where a chef prepares your gourmet hiking meals…”

Read more about Amanda’s travels here.

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Kirralee from Escape with Kids:

“Our favourite destination this year was our mid-year Gold Coast theme park holiday. When you find yourselves bonding over thrill rides and truly enjoying each other’s company, then that’s a trip that fills up my heart and leaves me feeling relaxed and happy.”

Read more about Kirralee’s travels here.

With so many places to choose from, it’s so hard to know where to visit next, isn’t it? Hopefully these amazing people have stirred up the travel bug in you and given you ideas of where you want to go next.

What was your favourite destination that you visited in 2016? Tell us in the comments!