EXCLUSIVE I hold the Guinness World Record for visiting every country in the fastest time - there's a 'paradise' island you MUST visit at least once
There aren't many people who can boast they've visited every single country in the world.
But one person who can is Michael Zervos.
In fact, he can even brag about holding the Guinness World Record for visiting all 195 in the quickest time.
Michael, a 36-year-old film director, sold his home in Detroit, Michigan, and set out on his epic journey around the globe on 18th January, 2024.
His journey took him from USA to Russia, before heading to Turkey, and then tackling the entirety of Africa.
Michael then moved into the Middle East, hopped over to Asia, then Oceania, and into Central Asia, went to Europe, then South America, followed by the Caribbean.
And he didn't just pop into each country along the way.
'I stayed the night in every country, sometimes multiple nights – apart from the Vatican as that has no hotels,' he tells us in an exclusive interview. 'That was kind of the rule of mine, because I wasn't just going to break the record. I wanted to tell stories and meet people along the way.
'You could gamify it, step in and out of airports - I know some people who have tried to do the same thing - but that seemed really lame.'
Finally, after 499 days on the go, and the help of iVisa, Michael's journey came to an end on 30th May 2025, as he touched down on home soil, beating the previous record of 554 days.
Now, with 195 countries under his belt, he reveals the must-see destinations intrepid travellers should visit.
Samoa, a country in Oceania with just 160,000 annual visitors a year, is one of the hidden gems that stood out to Michael.
He says: 'The word 'paradise' gets thrown around a lot when describing the Pacific, but Samoa truly matches my idea of paradise on Earth.
'The To Sua Ocean Trench is jaw-dropping. This natural sinkhole is filled with crystal-clear water and one of the most unique swimming spots I've ever encountered.
'And many travellers simply don't realise how accessible and budget-friendly Samoa actually is.'
Another standout destination for Michael was Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom on the edge of the Himalayas, known for its monasteries, fortresses and dramatic landscapes.
He says: 'The word 'paradise' gets thrown around a lot when describing the Pacific, but Samoa truly matches my idea of paradise on Earth. The To Sua Ocean Trench is jaw-dropping. This natural sinkhole is filled with crystal-clear water and is one of the most unique swimming spots I've ever encountered'
'It has so much of what I want in tourism, and it challenges your worldview,' he says. 'It feels like you're looking into a mirror or your soul when you go into Bhutan, and like you travel back a hundred years.
'Things are made traditionally, art is created traditionally, you're eating traditional foods, and people are wearing outfits that aren't just for tourism, but because it's important to their lifestyle, their thought process, and their religion.
'It's just extraordinary, and not a lot of planes fly into it!'
Lesotho is another place that Michael fell in love with.
The tiny, landlocked country is surrounded by South Africa, and is the only independent state entirely above 1,000 metres (3,281 ft).
'It's called the Kingdom in the Sky for a reason,' Michael says. 'There's nowhere else like it.
'And when you drive up the mountain up to the top of this city, that is, literally, the highest elevation on average, in any country, you know where you are in the world.
'The air is rarefied and awesome, and the people are so friendly.'
On North Korea, Michael says: 'People there were extremely willing to discuss a whole variety of things, including politics...There was incredible hospitality and conversations that I had, and I would absolutely go back'
Although Michael singles these three lesser-known countries out, he insists 'there isn't a country he wouldn't go back to'.
He says: 'I had fantastic times in a lot of countries, I had great times in most countries, and there were only a couple here and there where the experience was not great.
'However, I chalk that up to the fact that I was only in each country for a short amount of time, and I might not have had a good first impression or might not have met the right people.'
Michael says he would even return to North Korea – having been one of the first people to visit the country after it reopened its borders in late February, following a five-year hiatus.
He explains: 'People there were extremely willing to discuss a whole variety of things, including politics, religious views and lifestyle, and in a very transparent way, with a lot less fear than I was imagining, with a lot less disdain for guests.
'There was incredible hospitality and conversations that I had, and I would absolutely go back.
'I mean, look, I'm not going to tell you that it's paradise on earth, and there is not much that I could defend in terms of the top-down governance of that country.
'But often it's that the problem is with governments, and it's not with the people, and the people will treat you incredibly.'
Now back 'living a pretty normal life' in Detroit, Michael looks back on his mega trip with a lot of appreciation.
He finishes: 'It has been wonderful, and I don't take it for granted.'
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