10 Countries to Visit Once Your Travel Nurse Assignment Ends

When I think of my travel assignment coming to an end, I immediately think to myself, “Where can I travel to before my next assignment!?” – you see, for me, travel nursing has always been a tool for me to use to see the world.  The pay is great.  The time off is better.  And I’ve been able to travel extensively thanks to my 7-years as a travel nurse.  With that being said, here are my top 10 recommendations for countries to visit once your travel nurse assignment ends!

I chose these countries based on a couple of factors.  First off – is the country is difficult to travel to?  I say this because once your travel nurse assignment ends, you have the ability to take unlimited time off, so it’s the perfect time to visit harder to reach destinations.  And the second factor that I consider is if a country is generally more expensive.  Think about it, you just got done with a travel nurse assignment so you’re (hopefully) in a good (or better) spot financially.  This is a great time to visit a country that might be more expensive or a country that simply offers more luxury experiences that you would want to take advantage of.

 

1.  Cambodia

Cambodia falls under that list of “hard to reach countries” and for that reason, I would recommend visiting when your assignment ends so you can spend adequate time traveling around the country.  From Siem Reap to Kampot, Cambodia is one of a kind country and I highly urge you to visit!

 

Don’t miss…

• Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip to Cambodia
• The Ultimate 10 Day Cambodia Itinerary
• The Ultimate Cambodia Packing List
• The Ultimate 3 Day Siem Reap Itinerary
• A Complete Battambang Itinerary – Everything You Need to Know About Visiting
• 10 of the Best Things to Know About Visiting Kampot, Cambodia
• 1 Day Phnom Penh Itinerary
• Medical Volunteering in Cambodia

 

2.  Finland

Finland falls under that list of “expensive countries” so visiting when you wrap up your assignment is ideal.  Here you’ll want to make sure you have enough money for all of those incredible outdoor activities like chasing the northern lights, swimming under the midnight sun, and riding ATVs through the snow.  It’s the perfect country to travel to while you’re between assignments!

 

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• Visiting Lapland as a Solo Female Traveler
• What NOT to Do When Chasing the Northern Lights

 

3.  France

While it’s easy to get to France and you could certainly visit France on a budget, I recommend saving it for a time where you can splurge on luxury experiences.  After all, France has tons of chateaus to visit, 5-star luxury hotels to stay in, high-end shopping, and tons of great Michelin-star restaurants to dine at.

 

Don’t miss…

• Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip to France
• From Paris:  How to Spend One Day in Dijon
• From Paris:  A Weekend Trip to Mont-Saint Michel
• From Paris:  A Day Trip to Versailles
• How to Spend 4 Days in Paris
• The Ultimate Paris Travel Guide

 

4.  Georgia

After my travel nurse assignment in San Francisco ended in 2021, I took a month off of work and flew to the country of Georgia.  This happened to be one of the best trips of my life as I ate and drank my way through the country.  (Did you know that Georgia is the birthplace of wine?).  After experiencing the ins and outs of Georgia for four weeks, I can confidently tell you that it’s worth it to take a break from the bedside to see what this country is all about.

 

Don’t miss…

• The Ultimate 10 Day Georgia Itinerary
• Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Georgia
• How to Spend 3 Days in Tbilisi
• How to Spend 2 Days in the Khaketi Wine Region
• A Guide to Visiting Akhaltsikhe and Vardzia
• Visiting the Svaneti Region in Northern Georgia
• The Best Things to Do in Kutaisi

 

5.  Greece

One of those quintessential “summer in Europe” trips isn’t complete without spending time island hopping through Greece.  And it’s even better if you have unlimited time to devote to sunbathing under the Greek sun, swimming through those clear blue waters, and staying out all night drinking ouzo with the locals.  For that reason, I’d highly recommend taking a summer off to island hop through Greece.

 

Don’t miss…

• The Ultimate Paros Travel Guide
• A Guide to Visiting Tinos, Greece
• The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Santorini
• A Guide to Visiting Corfu
• How to Spend 2 Days in Athens

 

6.  Indonesia

Similar to Cambodia, Indonesia is also difficult to travel to and if you’re going to travel on a plane for such a long period of time, I recommend staying as long as possible.  The great thing about Indonesia is that it’s affordable and has a huge expat community (specifically in Bali); so if you’ve ever wanted to test out “living” abroad, Indonesia is a good country to do it in!  Save up some money and plan to spend a few months exploring just a few of Indonesia’s thousands of islands.

 

Don’t miss…

• Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Indonesia
• The Best Packing List for Indonesia
• The Ultimate 10 Day Indonesia Itinerary – Island Hopping Edition
• Is Nusa Lembongan Worth Visiting?  A Complete Guide!
• 10 of the Best Things to Do in Gili Air
• The Best Nusa Penida 2 Day Itinerary
• Medical Volunteering in Indonesia

 

7.  Jordan

To my surprise, Jordan was a country that was much more expensive than what I was expecting.  Add on the fact that it’s difficult to travel to (from the US) and I would have to say that this is one of those countries that you should prioritize visiting between your assignments to ensure you have enough time and money to see everything.

 

Don’t miss…

• 32 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Jordan

 

8.  Laos

Laos is one of the most underrated countries I’ve traveled to.  It’s insanely cheap, breathtakingly beautiful, and is largely untouched by tourists.  It’s the kind of country where you’ll arrive and want to stay awhile.  After spending one month in the country, I didn’t want to leave and I’m counting down the days until I return.

 

Don’t miss…

• The Best 1 Week Laos Itinerary
• Everything You Need to Know About Traveling to Laos
• The Best Packing List for Laos
• A Complete Guide to Nong Khiaw, Laos
• The Best Luang Prabang Itinerary (1-3 Days)

 

9.  Thailand

Thailand is a country that deserves to have visitors stay awhile.  The local Thai people are the kindest people in the world, the food in Thailand is out of this world, and there are so many incredible islands and landscapes to explore.  For a more relaxing stay, head north towards Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Pai.  For an exciting, vibrant stay stick to exploring Bangkok.  And for a tropical stay, island hop your way through Thailand’s 1,400+ islands.

 

Don’t miss…

• The Best Packing List for Thailand
• Everything You Need to Know About Traveling to Thailand
• The Ultimate Thailand Bucket List
• Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Koh Lanta, Thailand
• What You Need to Know About Visiting Khao Lak, Thailand
• The Best 3 Day Bangkok Itinerary
• The Ultimate Guide to Phuket, Thailand
• Medical Volunteering in Thailand

 

10.  Vietnam

If you’re looking for a wild adventure during your break between assignments, Vietnam is the country for you.  From epic motorbike rides to scenic hikes, Vietnam is a beautiful, affordable, and friendly country.  You could spend years here and not even scratch the surface.

 

Don’t miss…

• The Ultimate Packing List for Vietnam
• Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip to Vietnam
• A Complete Guide to Visiting Hoi An
• A Complete Guide to Vietnam’s Ha Giang Loop
• The Best 2 Day Ninh Binh Itinerary
• Everything You Need to Know About Trekking in Sapa, Vietnam
• How to Spend 2 Days in Hanoi Vietnam
• Medical Volunteering in Vietnam

 

I hope that this post inspired you to take breaks between assignments and prioritize traveling the world.  After all, there is no greater teacher than travel and there is no better way to unwind from a stressful career than spending time in a new country, learning a new culture, and meeting new people.  What are other countries to visit once your travel nurse assignment ends?

 

For more travel inspiration, don’t miss…

• The Ultimate Travel Nurse Bucket List
• 3 Reasons to Actually Travel if You’re a Travel Nurse

 

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