20 Best Photos Of 2025

20 Best Photos Of 2025. I am back again with my annual wrap-up of my best travels from the year. I went through 9,205 photos and chose these photos to share with you. Over the years, I have taken hundreds of thousands of photos, but this year was a substantial drop off. For most of my trips, I declined to bring my “real” camera, my Sony a7riii mirrorless camera, and took most of these photos with my iPhone. I got tired of lugging my Sony around in my carryon and having is strapped over my shoulder when strolling around. The one big exception was in the Omo Valley where I knew I would put the Sony to use. And consider this camera strap to keep your camera accessible and ready for your next great shot.

Remember to come to the Extraordinary Travel Festival in October of 2026. Meet up with the world’s top travelers, incredible speakers, parties & dinners, and optional trips. Buy your ticket today.

Trinidad and Tobago

I headed over to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary for a boat ride to check out the largest mangrove in Trinidad with over 100 bord species.

Barbados

On one of my evenings I headed to the Barbados’ historic Garrison Savannah hosts lively horse races that blend British colonial tradition with Caribbean flair. Crowds pack the track for big race days, cheering local jockeys and Thoroughbreds. The atmosphere is festive—rum drinks, music, and family vibes—making it one of the island’s most fun, uniquely Bajan sporting experiences.

Grenada

I had seen these photos on IG for years … this time it was me. Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park features hauntingly beautiful art installations resting beneath the sea, merging creativity with marine conservation. Snorkelers and divers explore statues, rings of children, and life-sized figures slowly transformed by coral and sea life. This pioneering, ever-evolving underwater gallery offers a unique cultural and ecological experience.

St Lucia

I left the capital and drove south through winding roads. St. Lucia’s iconic Gros Piton and Petit Piton rise dramatically from the sea, creating one of the Caribbean’s most famous landscapes. Gros Piton is hikeable, offering panoramic views, while Petit Piton is steeper and less accessible. Their volcanic peaks symbolize the island’s natural beauty and are a UNESCO World Heritage highlight.

UAE

This was part of my 6 Emirate road trip. It was a hot and long day, but a fun project. Al Bidya Mosque is the oldest known mosque in the UAE, dating back to the 15th century. Built from stone and mud with four domes, it offers a rare glimpse into early Islamic architecture. Its quiet hilltop setting and ancient watchtowers add to its historic charm. Emirate of Fujairah was my last stop until I headed back to Dubai.

Slovakia

This visit was hosted and organized by AJ Peregrino on her last country party. Spiš Castle, one of Europe’s largest castle complexes, dominates eastern Slovakia from a hilltop above Spišské Podhradie. Dating to the 12th century, it blends Romanesque and Gothic elements. Its vast ruins, courtyards, and towers offer sweeping countryside views and embody the region’s medieval power and architectural heritage.

Austria

How can you not love walking around the cobbled streets of Vienna. Vienna’s historic districts blend imperial grandeur with refined artistry. Baroque palaces, Gothic churches, and neoclassical façades line elegant streets and squares. Landmarks like St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Hofburg reveal centuries of craftsmanship, while cohesive preservation efforts make the city center an open-air museum of European architectural heritage.

San Marino

I had fun staying three days in this micro-state, especially in the evening when the tours buses left for the afternoon. San Marino’s iconic Three Towers—Guaita, Cesta, and Montale—stand proudly on Mount Titano, overlooking the world’s oldest republic. These medieval fortresses once protected the tiny nation and today symbolize its independence. Walking between the towers offers sweeping views, dramatic scenery, and a deep sense of history.

Macedonia

This is a great capital to explore on foot. Skopje is famous for its striking collection of monuments, statues, and oversized sculptures scattered throughout the city. The redevelopment project transformed the center with neoclassical facades, giant fountains, and bold public art. Love it or not, the eclectic display gives Skopje a uniquely theatrical urban identity.

Albania

All Albania road trips should include Berat. Berat is Albania’s “City of a Thousand Windows,” famed for its cascading white Ottoman houses built into the hillside. This UNESCO World Heritage site is defined by the historic Mangalem and Gorica quarters, overlooked by the ancient Berat Castle. Its unique architecture and religious harmony make it a treasure of Balkan history

Montenegro

Make sure you sleep over in Kotor. A day trip will not suffice. Kotor, nestled in a dramatic, fjord-like bay on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, is a stunning walled medieval town. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it boasts Venetian architecture and winding, narrow streets. The city is dramatically overlooked by fortifications scaling the steep mountainside, offering breathtaking views.

Thailand

I spent a full day with notable travel expert Richard Barrow taking a day train trip. We spent a full day, a too early morning start, and headed to the beaches and then doubled back to Bangkok during the evening.

Uzbekistan

I had seen this somewhere on the internet, and mentally filed it away for the next time I returned to Uzbekistan. It just looked so cool! I met up with a couple of other fellow travelers and we roadtripped from Tashkent in a Yandex and had a very personalized tour of this facility. The Solar Furnace of Uzbekistan, located near Parkent, is a colossal Soviet-era scientific facility. It utilizes a vast array of mirrors (heliostats) to focus sunlight onto a concentrator, generating clean heat up to 3,000°C. It’s one of only two such high-capacity solar furnaces globally, used primarily for high-temperature materials testing and research.

Vietnam

My Son reminded me of the temples of Angkor Wat or other temples I had seen in Isan, Thailand. My Son is Vietnam’s paramount UNESCO World Heritage site, showcasing the spiritual heart of the ancient Champa Kingdom (4th–14th centuries). Hidden within a jungle valley, it features dozens of ruined, intricately carved Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva. My Son offers a powerful, evocative look at the history and architectural genius of a long-lost Southeast Asian civilization.

Serbia

After visiting the southern city of Nis, I was charmed when I arrived at Novi Sad. Novi Sad, Serbia’s “Serbian Athens,” is the capital of Vojvodina, resting on the Danube River. The city’s charm comes from its relaxed atmosphere and stunning Austro-Hungarian Baroque architecture. It is dominated by the colossal Petrovaradin Fortress, the iconic site of the renowned annual EXIT music festival.

Ethiopia

I spent a fantastic 5 days exploring the Omo Valley and meeting many different tribes. The Omo Valley in Ethiopia is a globally unique cultural region, home to over a dozen diverse indigenous tribes, including the Mursi, Hamer, and Karo. These tribes maintain ancient, distinct traditions, reflected in their unique body adornment, lip plates, scarification, and ceremonies like the Hamer bull-jumping ritual. The valley is also a UNESCO World Heritage site for its palaeo-anthropological findings.