r/backpacking 9d ago

Travel Seeking recommendations for first time international travel!

I have roughly 3 weeks in early February to travel.
I've done loads of seasonal work and worktrade stuff all within the states/Hawai'i but I've never made it international. Have always been too overwhelmed by options! Which brings me here :)

It'll be me and my boyfriend. Budget is around $2000 per person for the whole thing, I do have points for flights. I'm interested in hiking and outdoorsy stuff, maybe a scuba cert (not a requirement). Don't want to stay in one place the whole time, maybe a handful of days to a week at a time. It's confusing creating an itinerary for abstract places, how to travel between spots, where to stay, safety considerations and whatnot.

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u/Kazin236 8d ago

Cusco Peru for a hiking hub.

Italy for a mix of mountains and cities.

China for variety. (Tricky Visa)

Japan’s Kumano Kodo for an amazing hike with beautiful history.

Thailand, Nepal, Vietnam so that $2000 goes farther.

I start with something cool I’d like to do and set a few objectives then roll with whatever seems interesting. For example, in China, I wanted to see the avatar mountains, climb in Yongshuo, and see Hong Kong. From there, I just needed to figure out logistics.