Celebrate World Happiness Day by viewing travel as a journey of discovery.
This World Happiness Day, think of travel as a treasure hunt - one that leads you to small, meaningful moments across the world, each offering its own quiet clue to happiness. It isn’t always about the grand experiences, but about being present, connecting with a place, its people, and even yourself. Here are our top picks -destinations and experiences that invite you to slow down, look closer, and discover joy in the little things.
Kenya: Happiness in people, culture, and connection
As part of a global treasure hunt for happiness, Kenya reveals one of its richest clues not just in its iconic wildlife, but in its people. Beyond the thrill of safaris, true joy unfolds in moments of connection -engaging with local communities, understanding age-old traditions, watching the rhythmic grace of the Maasai’s Adumu dance, or simply exchanging stories.
There’s a quiet magic in the warmth of a welcome, the pride woven into vibrant attire, and the deep sense of identity reflected in everyday life. Here, happiness isn’t something you just see, it’s something you feel. In Kenya, where landscapes intertwine with lived experiences, you discover a deeper, more enduring kind of joy that lingers long after the journey ends.
Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Krabi: Quiet luxury, thoughtfully lived
Krabi reveals one of its most refined and soulful clues at Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, where joy lies in the art of thoughtful living. Here, happiness begins with the quiet luxury of a personal Ton Hong (butler), curating each moment from sunrise yoga overlooking the Andaman Sea to twilight rituals that gently slow the day.
It deepens at the resort’s signature Phulay Bay Spa, where therapies draw on ancient Thai healing traditions - think warm herbal compresses (luk pra kob), jasmine-infused oils, and restorative treatments set within serene pavilions and vitality pools that open out to limestone karsts.
The Spa Vitality Pool, Phulay Bay
Culinary experiences are equally rooted in place. At Jampoon Restaurant, farm-to-table dining is shaped by the resort’s chef’s garden and the rhythms of the local market, while Lae Lay Restaurant offers Southern Thai flavours with sweeping sea views-best discovered through curated tasting menus and hands-on Thai cooking classes led by the resort’s chefs. Beyond indulgence, meaning unfolds through mindful excursions, including visits to ethical sanctuaries such as Krabi Elephant Sanctuary, where gentle encounters with rescued elephants foster a deeper sense of connection and compassion.
Tokyo Skytree : Where the city meets the sky.
As we explore the world in pursuit of happiness, Tokyo offers a moment of awe that lifts you quite literally above the everyday at Tokyo Skytree. Rising gracefully to 634 metres, this architectural icon invites you to see the city from a new perspective, where happiness is found in wonder, scale, and stillness. From the sweeping observation decks, the city unfolds in a breathtaking 360-degree panorama - rivers, rooftops, and on clear days, even the distant silhouette of Mount Fuji.
The experience is as much about the journey as the view: gliding up in a high-speed elevator, stepping onto glass floors that seem to float above the city, and wandering through the soaring spiral of the Tembo Galleria, where it feels as though you’re walking in the sky.
Beyond the views, there’s a sense of play and discovery from cafés and immersive visual theatres to the vibrant energy of Tokyo Solamachi below, filled with local flavours and cultural finds. In spring, the experience feels softer and more beautiful. A great way to enjoy the season is by taking a walk from Asakusa to Tokyo Skytree, where you’ll find lovely cherry blossom spots along the way, with the tower rising in the background, creating a perfect mix of nature and city life that captures Tokyo’s fleeting beauty.
Ritz-Carlton, Bali : Cliffside calm and soulful renewal.
Bali, fondly known as the “Island of Gods,” feels like a place where happiness comes naturally. In Nusa Dua, where The Ritz-Carlton, Bali is set, dramatic cliffs meet soft white-sand beaches—creating a serene, soul-soothing escape that has everything you could wish for. As we journey across the world in search of happiness, Bali offers a more introspective clue, rooted in spiritual renewal.
Here, guests are invited to experience the authentic soul purification ritual of Melukat, a centuries-old Balinese practice centred on the healing power of holy water. Traditionally performed during life’s pivotal moments - whether entering a new chapter, recovering from illness, or marking rites of passage - this sacred ritual gently cleanses the body, mind, and spirit. In Bali, happiness reveals itself not in grand gestures, but in quiet moments of release, reflection, and inner balance - leaving you feeling lighter, renewed, and deeply connected.
