The Next Somewhere Travel Blog - The Next Somewhere

Millette Stambaugh, Founder of The Next Somewhere

A DIGITAL JOURNAL FOR THE DESTINATION PREOCCUPIED

The Next Somewhere is the travel, food, and lifestyle blog of Millette Stambaugh. Browse through my wanderlists for the top five things to do in cities around the world, cool digs for a good night’s sleep, and the best food finds for those who travel to eat.

Select a country on the interactive map to get inspired!

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Destinations and Places

DIFFERENT STORIES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

A journey through all the places I’ve lived and loved.
Hold and drag the interactive path left to reveal the full timeline.

1992

Immigrated from the Philippines

2008

Went on Exchange in Thailand

2011

Studied abroad in Italy

2014

Taught in South Korea

2015

Backpacked Around Asia

2016

Moved to Vietnam

2017

Moved Back to the USA

2019

Got Married in Mexico

〘ON THE BLOG〙

Venetian Hotels

TOWNS ON HIGHWAY 1

9 CALIFORNIA COASTAL

MyPlayaPhotographer-Tulum7

IN TULUM

BACHELORETTE PARTY

Mexico-Oaxaca

TO OAXACA

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

Vietnam-SaigonStreetFood

STREET FOOD IN SAIGON

TW-HappyJumper

TO TAIPEI

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

YOUR WHERETONEXT AWAITS

Use these destination guides to inspire your upcoming travels. Slurp steaming bowls of pho from tiny stools in Vietnam, discover underwater paradises in The Philippines, and take a shot (or two) of soju as you party the night away in Korea.

Destination Guide Vietnam on The Next Somewhere

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Vietnam

Budget-Friendly Food History Nature

Explore

Destination Post The Philippines

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The Philippines

Budget-Friendly History Nature Party

Explore

Destination Guide South Korea on The Next Somewhere

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South Korea

Food History Nature Party

Explore

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【SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO】 The road to be motherhoo

【SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO】 The road to be motherhood (t-minus one month!!!) has been paved with celebrations and ones that I am soo thankful we got to experience as a family of two for one last time. 🎉 This week, Tim and I celebrated his 37th birthday AND our second anniversary on August 10th! Yes, in true Leo fashion, I got married on my husband’s birthday. Put the SOUND ON 🔉to relive our wedding “calenda,” a traditional Oaxacan parade marking a happy occasion. If you see a giant crowd of colorful dancers with flowers on their head, a brass band, and massive paper puppets roaming the streets, feel free to join in the fun! Here are my favorite memories of Oaxaca through the lens of our wedding. Wedding video shot by the talented @byfordfilms. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
◉ Like a local 🐛 Calendas are the only time when public drinking is allowed. The bride and groom are both given a shot with the mezcal worm, known as “el gusano.”
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◉ Secret gem 🍻 Los Amantes Mezcaleria (@mezcalamantes) is filled with live music, with a hole-in-the-wall ambiance as friends reunite for some evening fun.
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◉ On my plate 🍽 Braised chichilo short rib with chayote gratin and tempura green beans from @restaurante.catedral. We served this dish as the main course of our wedding and I’ll never forget it, mostly because the chocolate mole sauce stained my white dress right before our first dance.
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◉ Somewhere nice ⛪️ El Templo Santo Domingo is beautiful on the outside but prepare to be amazed at its interiors, with gilded relief carvings adorning every inch of wall space.
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◉ In my suitcase 🧳 Wooden alebrije earrings from the artisanal city of Arrazola, bars from @mama_pacha_chocolate, and Otami textiles from El Zocalo.
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◉ Sweet dreams 🛏 The Tepeztate Master Suite at @losamanteshotel in Oaxaca. I spent my last sleep as a single woman in this hotel. Book it especially if you’re looking for a bridal suite!

#oaxaca #calenda #destinationwedding #thenextsomewhere #wheretonext #mexicoesmagico #mexicoesconoscido #visitmexico #postcardsfromhome #vive_oaxaca #oaxacalotienetodo

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 Another year has pas

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 Another year has passed and I am feeling all the more thankful/abundant/wiser. This “Postcard From Home” is just a simple tribute to the miraculous thing we call living as I celebrate thirty-one years around the sun. The photos around Capitola capture what I want for the next year of my life :
1. A world filled with color 🌈
2. Being in the presence of good company 🤝
3. More adventures in the sun, near or far 🌞

↠ As a birthday request, I hope you spread a random act of kindness this week—be it buying someone a cup of coffee, paying a compliment to a stranger, or calling a loved one, just because.
📸 : @alongwithari
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#birthdaygirl #californiahwy1 #roadtrip #capitola #santacruz #californiaadventure #girlswhotravel #wanderingwomen #postcardsfromhome #thenextsomewhere #pregnancyjourney #happybirthday #birthday #reflections

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 keep swiping left fo

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 keep swiping left for a bunch of floating Fili-PIÑAS (get it??!)🍍🍍🍍 I don’t know about y’all, but I know about us, and that pool life is the only way we know how to rock! This Postcard from Home is a bird’s eye view of our girls trip floatie fun time in Palm Springs captured by my @djimavicmini Linda. I was lucky to steal away into the desert with my sisters @yung_murzz @wallah_wallah and @imeeanne as a last hurrah with my ladies before the baby comes. What we found in the Mojave: trippy landscapes, sunfaded motels, and palm trees as far as the eye can see. If you’re planning a weekend getaway, get ready for some straight up chillin’ in the most relaxed vacation spot Southern California has to offer. Just don’t forget strong sunscreen and a good hat!
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◉ Secret gem 🌈 About 1.5 hr drive from Palm Springs is Salvation Mountain, a colorful art project created by Leonard Knight. This spiritual project took 25 years to finish and over 100,000 buckets of paint were used!
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◉ On my plate 🍽 Photoworthy plates like the Milk Bread French Toast and Chorizo Shakshuka are just one of the many reasons to check out the bubble gum fantastical “Pink Cabana” located in the @sandshotelspa. If you’re looking to brunch, make reservations well in advance and expect a wait.
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◉ Somewhere nice 🚗 Hop on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tram car, to get the best view of the cliffs of Chino Canyon. Buy tickets online.

◉ Sweet Dreams 🧳 You won’t run out of places to snooze in Coachella Valley: from desert-chic house rentals to rainbow-themed hotels like @saguarohotels, there’s something for everyone. We stayed a little further out in La Quinta at the Legacy Villas Luxury Rentals with one main pool and 12 satellite pools. Or better yet: camp out under the stars in Joshua Tree National Park!

#womenwhodrone #girlswhodrone #palmsprings #california #californiatravel #socal #desertlife #joshuatreenationalpark #girlstrip #girlswhotravel #wanderingwomen #postcardsfromhome #thenextsomewhere #wheretonext #forthecurious #fathomaway #ustravel #coachellavalley #indio #laquinta #visitpalmsprings

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 🌞Happy official f

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 It’s been a busy m

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 It’s been a busy month since the pregnancy reveal but I’ve been dying to share photos from my Pacific Coast Highway road trip to Palm Springs I took early May before heading to Boston for a month to see my family after two years apart. One of the highlights of the girls’ trip was catching the last rays of sunlight at Joshua Tree National Park, a one hour drive from Palm Springs. Did you know: Joshua Trees are actually the world’s largest Yucca plant in the world. Keep reading for more travel tips… 🏜️
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◉ Sleep under the stars 🏕️ Camping is allowed in Joshua Tree with over 500 campsites. The fee is typically $20-25 per night. But there’s no water, electricity, food, and very little cellular reception in the park so make sure you bring plenty of water, lamps, sunblock, food, and download all your maps and trail guides prior to entering and especially if you are planning to sleep over.

◉ Not a camper? 😴 Yucca Valley has some unique accommodations from airstreamers to yurts, but check out the @airbnb Area 55 Futuro house, restored for the ultimate glamping experience! There are only 85 in the world, 19 in the USA, and one of them is near Joshua Tree.  ⠀
◉ On my plate 🍽 Fuel up before a long hike at Natural Sisters Cafe, a vegetarian order-at-the-counter cafe and indulge in their carrot cake. You won’t regret it!
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◉ Sunrise or sunset? 🚗 If you love colorful photos, visit Cholla Cactus Garden during sunrise. If you’re more interested in capturing light, check out Keys View for sunset but plan to get there at least 1.5 before sunset and bring a sweater since temperatures drop even in the summer.

#joshuatree #palmsprings #yuccavalley #californiaadventure #californiadreaming #nationalparks #usnationalparks #california #yuccavalley #joshuatreenationalpark #palmsprings #desert #travel #nature #desertlife #desertvibes #postcardsfromhome #thenextsomewhere #20weekspregnant #pregnancyjourney

【SOUND ON】 I’ve always had the world in fron

【SOUND ON】 I’ve always had the world in front of me, the world behind me, and now I have the world inside me. ✨✨✨✨✨ Our greatest adventure is set to touchdown in September.

🌈 Happy twenty weeks to our rainbow baby! To every parent on this wild, crazy journey, especially those who have suffered loss, my heart is with you. And to this baby, thank you for bringing color to every waking moment, with every move you make and every beat of your little, big heart. I can’t wait to experience life through fresh, new eyes! And my number one @timothylee84 is finally being promoted to baby daddy. Get that third passport ready! To all the places we’ve been, and all the places we’ll continue to go, you’ve made this journey highly enjoyable at every turn and every bump 🤰🏻

#pregnancy #pregnancyannouncement #ourgreatestadventure #baby #momtobe #babybump #babymoon #firstpregnancy#familyof3 #celebrateeverymoment #expectingmom

【SOMEWHERE IN HAWAII】 Aloha to all these new f

【SOMEWHERE IN HAWAII】 Aloha to all these new faces on the feed from sunny Maui 🌞Tim and I stole away to the Hawaiian island of Maui during his spring break to get a much needed dose of vitamin sea, daytrip through a rainforest (spoiler alert: it was really rainy! ☔️), and check out all the beaches we could cram into our tiny vacay. Oh, and we got some pretty spectacular drone flights in — swipe to see where we stayed. Special thanks to @sognatore.sf for outfitting me in the swimwear of my dreams! Here are some quick tips on how to enjoy this slice of paradise 🏝
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◉ Like a local 💬 “Mahalo” goes deeper than the simple ‘thank you.’ It’s a sign of gratitude, admiration, and praise. Use it with the locals to show respect 🤙
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◉ Secret gem 🐢 Early birds catch the turtles. See a pod of sleeping sea turtles on a quiet patch of beach in Kihei best before 6:30 AM. Take the dirty path to the right of Punahoa Beach condos on Iliili Road and you’ll see a small break in the bushes to the left with a stone stairwell to the beach. Keep your distance. Turtle not sighting guaranteed but if you get lucky, I’m jealous for you! S/o to my cuz @micaelasercion for this recc!
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◉ On my plate 🍽 Ulalani’s Shave Ice ain’t your ordinary shave ice. Dip into powdery snow-like ice soaked in fresh fruit purees, and top it off with ice cap (condensed milk) and fresh mochi.
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◉ Somewhere nice 🚗 The Road To Hana is one of the most raved about journeys on Maui but don’t stop when you get to Hana. Drive past the sleepy town to Haleakala Nat’l Park and hike the invigorating Pipiwai Trail, a 3.5-mile trail through bamboo forests to see Waimoku Falls, the most gorgeous falls on the island. It was our favorite activity on this whole island.
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◉ In my suitcase 🧳 Li Hing Sour Pineapple Gummies and Blueberry Acai Pancake Mix from Foodland and White Chocolate Macadamian Nut Kwoo Kees from ABC Mart.

#maui #kihei #postcardsfromhome #thenextsomewhere #wheretonext #forthecurious #fathomaway #hawaii #aloha #islandlife #sognatorewoman

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 🔈SOUND ON • Hel

【SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA】 🔈SOUND ON • Hello to all my new friends on this feed! Instead of having to make a postcard this time, I walked straight into a postcard at @umbrellaalleysf! It’s been a while since I last introduced myself so here are some random things about me. 👋🏽

1️⃣ I’m an East Coast gal by way of the Philippines. I grew up bicontinentally 🇺🇸↔️🇵🇭 and eventually found home in the little Massachusetts coastal town called Beverly ⚓. But now I’m based in the Bay Area with my husband, Tim.

2️⃣ I’m a self-taught graphic designer. I was very into building websites as a teen (which is how I got started with blogging) and have used my creative skills to advance my career. I’m obsessed with color 🌈 🎨 🍭 and am currently inspired by creators like @teadayblogs, @thewhimsysoul , and @cyneats.

3️⃣ I work full-time as digital marketer for a healthcare-tech company called @wambicares. We give meaningful recognition to healthcare workers, something near and dear to my heart since my mom and best friends work in healthcare. 
4️⃣ I’ve lived around the world in South Korea teaching English (where I met Tim!), Vietnam doing editorial work, Thailand as an exchange student, Italy on college study abroad, and grew up in The Philippines. Cultural exchange has been a big part of my upbringing and I would love to live abroad again some day, hopefully with my family in tow. 🌏👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

5️⃣ I love reading books and watching tv/movies. I have a yearly goal of watching 50 new movies, which I’ve been setting since I was 15 -I’m 31 in July- and I’m part of a few book clubs. Best book I’ve read is Educated by Tara Westover and my favorite show is HBO’s Big Little Lies because it features my favorite road in the world, Highway 1.

And that’s the scoop about me! Thank you for being here and for all the joy y’all make me feel day in and day out. Also, coming soon is a blog post dedicated to all the street art in San Francisco! Hoping to take you on more adventures around the Golden State this year! 🌞
#iamtraveler #stillatraveler #postcardsfromhome #thenextsomewhere #wheretonext #greetingsfromsanfrancisco #onlyinsf #californiatravel #streetartsf #visitcalifornia

【SOMEWHERE IN MYANMAR】 🇲🇲 This marks the

【SOMEWHERE IN MYANMAR】 🇲🇲 This marks the four year anniversary of one of my favorite trips to date: Myanmar. It’s been very sad to read the news about the current coup in the country and am in no way condoning travel at the moment. I encourage all readers to wait to visit as the political situation is highly volatile. But I am turning to reflection to help me process and support the affected citizens, while hoping to shed even more awareness of what is going in Myanmar at this time. If you need more resources, please see my stories. During lunar new year of 2017, I chased the sun all over Myanmar — waking up at the crack of dawn in Bagan, Yagan, and Inle Lake to greet morning’s early light. Even as memories fade, I will never forget the feeling of the sun’s warmth on my face; of rays of sunshine piercing the sky behind mountains and through clouds, turning lakes into pools of glass. 🌅
⇢ Scroll through the carousel for memories of better days🌞
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◉ Like a local 💬 Mingalaba (မင်္ဂလာပါ), the local greeting, translates into “may you be blessed.” Also, try ’thanaka,’ a natural cosmetic made of bark that acts as sunblock and antiseptic. You’ll see kids and women with this paste smeared across their cheeks.
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◉ Secret gem 🚂 Take the Yangon Circular Railway to see all of greater Yangon from the city to the countryside. The whole circuit takes around 3 hours, stopping at 39 stations! Bring water.
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◉ On my plate 🍽 Tea-leaf salad is made from fermented tea leaves, fish sauce, cabbage, and yellow lentils. It’s sour, full of texture, and unlike other salads in its depth of flavor.
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◉ Somewhere nice 🛵 Rent an e-bike in Bagan! Ask your hotel for the highly detailed $2 temple map and spend the day visiting as many temples on your map from sunrise to sunset.
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◉ In my suitcase 🧳 Cotton painted umbrellas (Pathein Htee), silver fish ornaments from Inle Lake, and acheik longyis, traditional silk skirts worn by men and women.

#iamtraveler #stillatraveler #mymyanmar #postcardsfromhome #thenextsomewhere #wheretonext #myanmar #bagan #inlelake #yangon #burma #forthecurious #educateyourself #savemyanmar