Travel Q&A: Favourite Destinations, Dream Bucket List & Best Travel Moments
- Helena
- 7 hours ago
- 7 min read
Today’s post is a little bit different - we’re stepping away from flight reviews and points earning credit cards to bring you something more personal.
I am Helena, one of the co-founders of Points Well Made, other half to Sam, passionate traveller, and all-round adventure seeker. I've always loved travel, but since meeting Sam I consider myself thoroughly infected with the travel bug. We have been on many adventures since meeting, all over the globe.
I thought we'd do a quick Q&A, where I'm sharing my favourite travel memories, bucket list dreams, and a few quirks that make me so in love with travel!
I first caught the travel bug when...
I can’t really pin point a moment if I am being honest. I have always loved a holiday, family ones spent digging sandcastle moats in Devon and Cornwall as well as hiking up mountains in Scotland. But once I caught the leaving-the-country-to-see-another-one bug I realised the world really could be my oyster and anywhere was possible to explore. Saying that, prior to meeting Sam I did a number of holidays with my parents in Italy, as well as two girls trips with my Mum to Paris and Moscow and St Petersburg.
The most memorable travel moment …
Well I probably can’t not say Sam proposing in Mauritius! Sam and I met on a dating app in September 2019, but thanks to my car giving up the ghost shortly after, we didn’t get round to a first date until the November. Lockdown saw us move in together after only a few months of dating and it was the best decision I ever made, I won’t presume to say the say of Sam!
We went on holiday to Mauritius in February of 2022 and he organised a surprise trip to Île aux Cerfs on a speed boat, before we walked to a secluded beach and he got down on one knee. I had no idea it was going to happen, even though he was acting a bit weird that morning but I didn’t suspect a thing. It was the quickest and easiest yes I have ever said! The cheeky sod also managed to film the entire thing without me realising it.
I always travel with …
I’m disregarding essential stuff like passport etc, because that is obvious. First up are Lactose Free Milk sachets, shout out to Arla, because I still want to be able to have a coffee or a tea out and about! I also always take a book (or 6) as I do my best reading on a sun lounger. Over time Sam has managed to convince me to use an iPad mini for travel reading so my suitcase isn't just filled with books! I also always take SPF, both for my face and my body. I wear factor 50 SPF everyday on face, even when it’s cloudy, and I have no doubt that this is the reason why people always think I’m 25 when I am actually 33!
Favourite beach in the world …
It has to be Ao Leuk on Koh Tao. I’m not the best with deep water and this is something that Sam is patiently helping me with. But the sea was so clear and the wildlife so colourful I managed about 2 hours of snorkelling, way out of my depth without ever realising. There is something about a warm calm ocean, crystal clear waters and vibrant fish swimming in and out of your legs and all around you. This was also the first time I had swam with black tip reef sharks, which was quite frankly epic!
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Best place for food has been …
Am I allowed to choose two? I mean I am writing this so I am going to! First up was Koh Tao, we ate in some fab places, Blue Chair gave me the best Pad Thai I have had in my life, where as Chef’s Table by Mama was out of this world. A tasting menu filled to the brim with amazing, delicious traditional Thai dishes unlike anything I had ever had before. The menu changes depending on what Mama can get in that day, so everything is so fresh.
My other highlight was Singapore because the hawkers are just completely different, almost overwhelming due to the cacophony of noises, smells and sights. . I know Sam will be delighted that both places I have said are Asian food related as he very much favours it above all other cuisines. Since accepting the fact that I am lactose intolerant I have embraced the many wonderful Asian cuisines out there as so many of them don’t use dairy.
If I could only travel to one country forever I would choose …
New Zealand. Period. New Zealand really does have everything. Mountains, beaches, volcanoes, epic scenery, Maori culture, fantastic beer and wine, delicious food and some of the best people on this planet. I completely fell in love with this country, and would quite happily move there if I could. But it also has something no other country has … Lord of the Rings filming locations and for me that holds a lot of importance!
My favourite hotel we have stayed at abroad …
Ok, this was a super hard one to answer! We’ve been fortunate enough to stay in some truly brilliant places since we met each other, but if I had to pick, I think the Pullman Maldives would come out on top.
The staff were honestly a highlight in themselves – warm, kind, attentive, and with the kind of sense of humour that made every interaction a joy. I think I spent more time laughing than I did sunbathing. Then there was the food: a dedicated vegan restaurant that completely blew me away, plus so many other dining options that made every meal feel like an experience in its own right. The all-inclusive package was another level too – I mean, over 100 wines to choose from?! It was almost impossible to decide.
Beyond eating and drinking, the resort had an endless list of activities and experiences on offer, from water sports to relaxing spa treatments, so there was never a dull moment (unless you wanted one, of course). And our Beach Pool Villa… honestly, it was divine. Waking up to the sound of the ocean and having our own private pool – it really was the kind of place you dream about.
I know we say this a lot, but we truly don’t take any of it for granted. Getting to travel to such incredible countries and stay in these once-in-a-lifetime locations is something we feel endlessly grateful for. This is what it is all about, and this is what we are trying to help you achieve, because honestly if we can do the points redemptions to fly here, so can anyone!
My favourite hotel we have stayed at in the UK …
South Lodge, hand's down! We haven’t even reviewed this one, but honestly this place had it all. Dairy free restaurant, the most amazing spa facility, a wild outdoor pool. Gorgeous! If you are wanting a spa weekend in the UK or just to stay somewhere with a Michelin starred restaurant we would recommend here. And if you are lactose intolerant too, then the spa restaurant is totally dairy free so knock yourself out on it all!
Where on your bucket list haven’t you been to yet …
Crumbs, if I wrote them all this would end up rivalling War and Peace in length! Australia, Vietnam and Japan are high on the list. Along with Costa Rica and Iceland (two very different countries right there). A little closer to home in Europe I would love to do Norway, Finland, Sweden and Austria. All in good time as they say!
The family holiday location I remember most from childhood is...
Scotland, specifically Dunkeld in Perthshire. A happy accident led to this being a real haunt for us, my dad took a wrong turn off the A9 on his way from Edinburgh to Pitlochry. Two glorious weeks of the summer were spent up there for a few years and it was mine and my sister’s favourite holidays. We had family friend’s close by who let me ride their horses, and we just had the best time romping around the local area. These holidays really made me appreciate the beauty of the UK, which I must thank my parent’s for as they really gave my sister and I a deep love for the natural beauty of the UK. Whilst I will always say yes to a holiday abroad, I will always carry a deep love and appreciation for Scotland as the first holiday location where each summer I left a large piece of my heart.
Favourite Destinations, Dream Bucket List & Best Travel Moments: To Summarise
Looking back over these memories has reminded me just how lucky I feel to have travel woven so tightly into my life. From childhood holidays in Scotland to once-in-a-lifetime moments in the Maldives and Mauritius, every trip has shaped not only how I see the world, but also how I see myself. Travel is more than ticking destinations off a list, it’s the people you meet, the food you taste, the cultures you immerse yourself in, and the stories you collect along the way. I hope sharing a few of my favourites has given you a little glimpse into why I love it so much, and maybe even sparked a bit of wanderlust for your own adventures. After all, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the world is far too big and beautiful not to explore.
Helena
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