Portugal
Best conditionsMadeira · Lisbon · Douro Valley
The sea is at its warmest, Madeira's mountain trails run above the clouds and the grape harvest begins in the Douro Valley.
Warm sea · cloud-top hikes · wine harvest
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Where to go in September
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Not ranked, just strong seasonal fits.
Portugal
Best conditionsMadeira · Lisbon · Douro Valley
The sea is at its warmest, Madeira's mountain trails run above the clouds and the grape harvest begins in the Douro Valley.
- Warm sea
- cloud-top hikes
- wine harvest
Destination guideComing soonPlan Your Escape
Croatia
Best conditionsPlitvice Lakes · Dubrovnik · Hvar
Warm Adriatic water and sunny days without the August crowds, from Dubrovnik and Hvar to the waterfalls of Plitvice.
Warm sea · waterfalls · island sailing
France
Best conditionsProvence · Gorges du Verdon · Côte d'Azur
Golden late summer: kayaking the turquoise Gorges du Verdon, Provence's hilltop villages after the crowds and a still-warm Riviera.
Turquoise gorges · hilltop villages · warm coast
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🇹🇭 ThailandExplore Thailand
Temples, Street Food & Islands
Wander through Bangkok’s golden temples, taste your way through buzzing night markets, and slow down on islands surrounded by impossibly blue water. Thailand is the kind of place that makes you forget what day it is.
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🇮🇩 BaliExplore Bali
Rice Terraces & Cliffside Sunsets
Spend the morning in Ubud, chase waterfalls through the jungle, wander through ancient temples, and end the day cliffside with a drink in your hand as the sun disappears into the ocean. It’s hard not to fall in love with Bali, but even harder to leave.
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🇮🇩 Komodo National ParkExplore Komodo National Park
Dragons, Pink Beaches & Mantas
Sail to Padar Island for unbelievable lookout points, visit pink sand beaches, dive and snorkel with manta rays and whale sharks, then come face to face with the last Komodo dragons on earth. For a moment, it feels like stepping into a scene from Jurassic Park.
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🇦🇺 AustraliaExplore Australia
Cities, Coastlines & Coral Reef
Dive into Melbourne’s food, coffee, and creative side, road trip the Great Ocean Road, take in the Sydney Opera House and famous beaches, then head north to the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef. Australia is the kind of place that makes one trip feel nowhere near enough.
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🇳🇿 New ZealandExplore New Zealand
Fjords, Mountains & Alpine Lakes
One of the scenic capitals of the world. Drive through landscapes that barely look real, from Queenstown, Milford Sound, and the Southern Alps to mirror lakes, amazing hikes, and tiny towns tucked between the mountains. New Zealand is the kind of place where the journey becomes just as unforgettable as where you end up.
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🇯🇵 JapanExplore Japan
Neon Cities, Bamboo & Mt Fuji
In Tokyo, get swept up in neon lit streets, hidden bars, incredible food, and a city that somehow makes the chaos feel addictive. Slow things down in Kyoto among temples and bamboo forests, then somewhere along the way, Mt. Fuji appears on the horizon, and Japan starts to feel like nowhere else you have ever been.
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🇿🇦 South AfricaExplore South Africa
Safaris, Cape Town & Wine Country
Go on safari in search of lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and more. Hike Table Mountain above Cape Town and follow the coast past beautiful beaches, then slow things down in the Winelands with a glass of wine in hand. South Africa has a way of making every few days feel like a completely different adventure.
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🇮🇹 ItalyExplore Italy
Rome, Positano & Tuscany
Wander through Rome past the Colosseum and ancient ruins, follow the coast to Positano, drift through Venice by boat, then slow things down among vineyards and hilltop towns in Tuscany. Italy has a way of turning even the simplest parts of the trip into the ones you remember most.
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"I finally quit my job and I'm heading off to backpack Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and then Bali. I've been using Escape the 9 to 5 the whole time, and it's genuinely been so helpful."
🇺🇸 Connor
Southeast Asia Trip
"Thank you so much for all your tips! We're having the best time in Japan. Escape the 9 to 5 made planning so easy, and it's honestly turned into the best trip we've ever had."
🇩🇰 Sophia
Japan Trip
"I'm from France and consider myself a pretty hard critic, but Brandon and Escape the 9 to 5 blew me away with their New Zealand itinerary. It was absolutely fantastic, now I'm heading to The Remarkables and Lake Alta. Thanks again, Brandon. You nailed it."
🇫🇷 Anthony
New Zealand Trip
"Thank you so much for planning our trip to Komodo. From the accommodation to the boat trip and, of course, Komodo Island itself, every part of the experience was incredible. It was genuinely one of the greatest trips of our lives."
🇿🇦 Kit
Komodo National Park Trip
"My Bali trip started rough with a one-day flight delay and lost baggage. Escape the 9 to 5 helped me get compensation and hotel nights reimbursed, then planned my Ubud adventures and some of the best experiences of my life. They completely turned my trip around!"
🇦🇷 Ezequiel
Bali Trip
"Our family trip to Hawaii was unforgettable. We all have different tastes, so having everyone happy felt like a miracle. From cruises, hula dances, turtles and sunsets, everything was organized perfectly and we really bonded as a family."
🇺🇸 Paige
Hawaii Trip
"Brandon helped plan an unforgettable trip for my now-wife and me in Fiji. It really was the trip of a lifetime. Now, years later, we look back on those memories with our child and feel incredibly grateful for every minute of that trip."
🇩🇪 Mortiz & Eileen
Fiji Trip
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Creators Behind Escaped
Brandon Willoughby
One promotion offer from a sales job he hated, one "no," and a one-way ticket to Asia the very next day. Brandon never looked back. Today, he's helped hundreds escape the 9 to 5 and discover what's possible when you choose freedom and build a life on your own terms.
Founder & Creative Director
Elle Silver
Originally from the UK, Elle traded the familiar for a life abroad. Now a Brand Strategist, she helps turn big ideas into brands with purpose, while proving there's more than one way to build a life you love.
Brand Strategist
Nick Tisinger
Turning travel into something bigger than the journey itself. Nick has helped build schools for children in Thailand and strengthen communities around the world, creating a lasting impact in the places we're lucky enough to explore.
Impact & Development
Victoria Heinz
A creative writer and entrepreneur, Victoria wrote some of Escaped's very first guides, starting with Bali. She founded Jaim Marketing, a Bali-based agency, alongside international ventures that have created unforgettable travel experiences for people around the world.
Creative Writing
Tobi Reissinger
A traveler, filmmaker and storyteller with a passion for capturing the moments that make a place unforgettable. Through his own travel company The Spinning Wheel and creative work around the world, Tobias brings destinations to life through film, photography and real experiences helping others to see more of what's out there.
Creative Direction
Adam Momen
From Libyan roots to a life in Bali, Adam has always believed technology should connect people, not complicate things. A problem solver at heart, he uses technology to turn ideas into reality, connecting people, and creating an impact beyond the screen.
Tech Lead