Here’s a topic that I thought would make for a fun discussion — what are your favorite places that you’ve traveled to? It’s a question that I’m often asked, but struggle to answer. That’s not because I never leave the airport (contrary to what some people may believe), but rather because I have a hard time picking some destinations over others. Let me explain.
In this post:
My challenge with picking “best” travel destinations
Before I share some of my favorite places I’ve traveled to, let me talk a bit about why I struggle with the concept of making recommendations in this area, and why I’m cautious when taking recommendations from some people (just as you shouldn’t put too much weight in my recommendations). This comes down to several factors, so let me share them in no particular order.
What determines our enjoyment from a trip
Simply put, our perception of a trip comes down to the experience we actually had, compared to the experience we thought we were going to have. Let me give a non-travel example involving ice cream:
- Say your friend says that X place has the world’s best ice cream, and no other ice cream can compare
- Then you go to that place and have ice cream, and it’s really good, but perhaps not memorable; you’d probably feel disappointed, since you were expecting a life changing experience
- Now compare that to what your perception would be if your friend hadn’t given that recommendation; you’d probably be thrilled, and would think “that was so much better than I was expecting”
The same principle applies to travel. If you ask me, the best trips are those where we don’t have many expectations, or where our expectations of the experience are exceeded. For example, there are some objectively great travel destinations, but if they don’t quite live up the hype of what you were expecting, it’s natural to feel disappointed (Paris syndrome comes to mind).
For example, Santorini couldn’t be more picturesque, and it’s perhaps one of the travel destinations you see the most photos of. Everyone posts a picture that makes it look like they have all of Oia to themselves, given the beautiful backdrops. If you go in late July and then discover the crowding levels, the whole thing might feel a bit less charming than you pictured it to be. It’s natural to feel like it maybe didn’t quite live up to your expectations, assuming you were expecting that the real experience would be like the carefully curated photos that others shared.
Meanwhile if you go to a place no one really recommended where you don’t have many expectations, and you end up having a great experience, your expectations may be exceeded, and you’ll probably be quite happy.
Admittedly this is probably just a reality we have to live with, as the world is increasingly online. If you traveled somewhere 20 years ago, you weren’t as influenced by everyone on the internet. That’s no longer the case.
Social media & recommendation culture change travel
This ties in to the above, but I think it’s worth expanding on a bit more. I think social media, and our general “recommendation culture,” has kind of fundamentally changed travel, and the ability of people to objectively share their thoughts on a place. This can come in many different forms, so let me give a few examples.
For example, take the Maldives. It’s an absolutely picturesque destination, but I’d almost argue that it’s nicer in pictures than in real life. In pictures, you just see the beautiful sunshine and crystal clear waters. What you don’t see is how outrageously hot it can be, that the UV is an 11 for much of the day, the number of bugs you’re going to be dealing with, the reality of jet lag and exhaustion for having traveled so far to get there, etc.
That’s not at all to say that the Maldives isn’t worth visiting. It’s just that I think that pictures make it look like heaven on earth, while there are some realities to deal with when traveling there.
We live in an era where social media is such a large part of peoples’ lives. For many people, travel isn’t just about having a good time, but it’s about presenting to their friends and family like they had a good time. After all, people want to share the highlights of their life with friends and family. You don’t see people captioning pictures with “I had a pretty nice time in the Maldives, but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.”
Instead there’s almost a bias going into a trip of wanting it to be amazing — and I guess that’s a good attitude to have. But then this is also how we create a cycle of sort of fake feedback (or at least feedback that omits important details). Your friend says “oh my gosh, your trip to Santorini looked amazing,” and then you say “yeah, it was totally amazing.”
I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with that, but I also think that collectively we’re not necessarily honest or thorough with sharing our impressions of places. Like, you’ll sound like a total Debbie Downer if you go to Rome and say “it was great, but it was really damn hot, and the crowds were wild.”
So many factors impact our travel perceptions
I also think it’s important to reflect on how so many factors can impact our perception of a travel experience. This includes things like crowding levels and weather.
But it also includes who you’re traveling with, and the kind of experiences that you’re having. Travel experiences are almost always better if you’re with a local friend, or someone very familiar with an area. For example, last summer we went to San Sebastian with some friends who were very familiar with the area, and we absolutely loved it.
I know one thing for sure, though — I definitely wouldn’t have had the same perception if we had traveled there alone, and had to come up with our own plan. There’s something so nice about someone just guiding you to their favorite places, and not having to do all the work. And there’s also a difference when you have friends showing you, vs. when you hire a guide, since it’s less transactional.
The places that I’ve enjoyed traveling to
With the above out of the way, I don’t have a top X list of my favorite places I’ve been to, though I’ll share some of the places that I’ve very much enjoyed visiting. Let me start by saying that I’m not a huge fan of visiting cities, and prefer places that either have a totally different culture, or are more outdoor-focused.
With that in mind, here are several of my favorites:
- Hong Kong is one of my favorite cities in the world; it’s the first city in Asia that I visited, it’s so indescribably electric, and and it holds a special place in my heart
- I absolutely love everything about visiting Japan, and it’s probably the place I most enjoy traveling to; I’m not meaning to fetishize it, and Japan has its problems, but culturally Japan couldn’t be more different than my home city of Miami, and that’s why I enjoy it so much
- Bhutan is a unique country, unlike anywhere else I’ve ever seen, and I can’t recommend it enough, especially given the lack of crowding (due to how visitor permits in the country work)
- New Zealand has so much to offer, and is also a great outdoors destination
- Mexico is an easy getaway from the United States, so I generally prefer that to the Caribbean, especially thanks to the friendly people and great food; personally I’m not a huge fan of the Cancun area, but that’s just because it’s so similar to what I’m used to in Miami in terms of climate
- I’ve absolutely loved the nature focused destinations I’ve been to, from Svalbard to Iceland; I’m hoping to visit Greenland next summer
- I’ve very much enjoyed traveling to the “stans” (like Kazakhstan, for example), simply because they’re a part of the world that isn’t discussed much in the United States; so it’s fascinating to come in with no expectations, and see these places firsthand
- Parts of Africa are amazing for their safari opportunities, because it’s truly a vacation unlike any other, and it gives you a new appreciation for nature and the cycle of life
Next, let me say that nowadays France, Greece, and Italy, are among the most popular summer travel destinations for Americans, and I largely think that’s for good reason. I love visiting all three of the countries, but try to be strategic about when I go:
- France has so much to offer, from amazing food, to incredible hotels, to diversity in destinations — Paris is a dynamic city, the South of France is gorgeous in summer, Courchevel and the surrounding area is lovely in winter, Provence is awesome in spring and fall, French Basque Country is beautiful year-round, etc.
- Greece has endless places to travel to, and even as so many tourists flock to Mykonos and Santorini (with a stopover in Athens), there are so many places that are less busy that can still be visited; I love the weather, the food, and the scenery
- Italy also has so much to offer, from the best food, to a variety of experiences; Italy has some of my favorite cities (even though I’m not a city person), and also has beautiful countryside, beaches, and mountains
Bottom line
I think just about every place has its charms as a visitor, and it all comes down to what expectations you come in with, and through what lens you see things. A lot of the most visited tourist destinations are popular for good reason, though I can’t help but feel like they may sometimes lead to disappointment, given the high expectations that people have going in.
There’s no denying that social media and the internet at large have shaped our travel patterns, and that’s both a blessing and a curse.
What are your favorite places you’ve traveled to?
I recently got back from Japan - wanted to go a long time, but honestly never been so underwhelmed. There was nothing wrong with the place, and I enjoyed the everyday stuff which I genuinely appreciated, but it's just not wow anymore and is clearly a country past its best. It was once the future, but that is definitely no longer the case...
The US national parks are not brought up enough on travel blogs. It's not a points destination, or much of luxury accommodations (although they can be found). But my time in Whitefish, MT and Glacier National Park was amazing!
I also find a lot of charm in European smaller cities and towns.
And it gets a lot of crap, but NYC, there really is nothing else like it.
Croatia, Venice, Bhutan, New Zealand, Iceland, Scotland, Argentina, Italy, France, Hurtigruten cruise on a mailboat up the coast of Norway ( in December!), Costa Rica.
Croatia tops my list. I've never seen a city blend its history with 21st century life as well as Split has done. And driving around the country was very enjoyable.
Our best trip(an actual top ten on our bucket list) was a round trip 12 day cruise on the Richard With with Hurtigruten cruises) from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. 34 stops from the south of Norway to the absolute top of Norway.
Beautiful. Did you make it to Reine on the way? One of my favorites.
Don't know that one.
"I’ve absolutely loved the nature focused destination" - you should definitely go to the Galapagos.
Look, on top of THE Nature you'll get:
– An IHG hotel you can book with points
– A new “airline” to review :) (ESAV Airlines)
– Penguins swimming alongside you in warm equatorial water
Just please don’t take cruises (which is the mainstream way to explore the islands).
My top 3: 1.) Kamchatka, Russia (broadly speaking, Russia is fascinating, as the country is so diverse, both culturally and geographically); 2.) Istanbul and Cappadocia; 3.) Guatemala
If there can ever be peace and justice in this world (likely, only after you-know-who is gone), I would like to actually visit Russia, specifically the far-east, because the images I’ve seen of the volcanoes (Klyuchevsky group) are stunning. And, I hear there’s excellent salmon. Kind of like Alaska, actually.
Serious travellers, as opposed to toe-dippers, spend some sensible prior preparation and planning time before booking flights, hotels and ground tours, etc. Research is not wasted time and can make the difference between a good holiday and an exceptional, never forgotten holiday experience.
Foreign lands, languages, cultures and customs, etc, are meaningless if one fails to plan. Toe-dippers might be able to convince themselves that they have full knowledge of a distant destination just because...
Serious travellers, as opposed to toe-dippers, spend some sensible prior preparation and planning time before booking flights, hotels and ground tours, etc. Research is not wasted time and can make the difference between a good holiday and an exceptional, never forgotten holiday experience.
Foreign lands, languages, cultures and customs, etc, are meaningless if one fails to plan. Toe-dippers might be able to convince themselves that they have full knowledge of a distant destination just because they set foot on foreign soil and have taken a few iPhone selfies. However, many toe-dippers have no appetite for destination investigations, etc, preferring to pretend that someone or something else, is to blame when the holiday experience turns to ‘rats’. Reinventing the wheel each time rarely works to ensure a smooth, safe and thoroughly enjoyable travel experience.
No need to gate-keep. Travel however you want. Plan-it-all or go on a whim. Fun, work, couples, family, whatever. It’s all good. Gotta start somewhere.
Prior preparation and planning, prevents p*** poor performance.
Any plan can fail, however, there can be no reasonable excuse for failing to plan, yes?
Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Redwood National Park in northern California. There is peace to be found among those ancient giants, and driving along the Avenue of the Giants is other-worldly.
Western Cape province in South Africa. Spectacular scenery, friendly people, and fantastic wine & food.
Helsinki, one of my favourite cities in earth; and it’s only a quick ferry ride from the equally wonderful Tallinn (which is significantly cheaper).
The wine country around Melbourne. Travel north,...
Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Redwood National Park in northern California. There is peace to be found among those ancient giants, and driving along the Avenue of the Giants is other-worldly.
Western Cape province in South Africa. Spectacular scenery, friendly people, and fantastic wine & food.
Helsinki, one of my favourite cities in earth; and it’s only a quick ferry ride from the equally wonderful Tallinn (which is significantly cheaper).
The wine country around Melbourne. Travel north, south, east, or west from Melbourne and you’ll find fantastic cool-climate wineries galore. Forget the mass produced swill that Australia flogs overseas, a lot of it is complete rubbish. The good stuff; and the REALLY good stuff; is rarely exported.
Countries
1. Spain (all of it, although Barcelona has way too many tourists)
2. Uruguay- love the estancias
3. Portugal
4. Italy
5. Canada
Cities I love to walk
1. Bilbao, Spain
2. Madrid, Spain
3. Rome, Italy
4. Montevideo, Uruguay
5. Evora, Portugal
6. Ljubljana, Slovenia
7. Zadar, Croatia
8. Istanbul, Turkey
9. St. Petersburg, Russia
10. Venice,...
Countries
1. Spain (all of it, although Barcelona has way too many tourists)
2. Uruguay- love the estancias
3. Portugal
4. Italy
5. Canada
Cities I love to walk
1. Bilbao, Spain
2. Madrid, Spain
3. Rome, Italy
4. Montevideo, Uruguay
5. Evora, Portugal
6. Ljubljana, Slovenia
7. Zadar, Croatia
8. Istanbul, Turkey
9. St. Petersburg, Russia
10. Venice, Italy
11. Budapest, Hungary
12. Munich, Germany
US Cities
1. NYC
2. Portland, Maine
3. Detroit, Michigan
4. Cleveland, Ohio
5. Albany, New York
6. Kansas City, Missouri
7. Washington DC
8. Boston, Massachusetts
9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
10. San Francisco, California
As a Croatian, but Zadar not being my hometown, I am happy to see that people are discovering this beautiful city.
If you will have a chance, also check out Trogir, another gem of Adriatic coast.
I hope Fogo Island still occupies a warm place in your heart.
Since it’s where he and Ford were married, I’ll wager it does.
Yup!
That's why I mentioned it.
I wonder what your favorite area of Germany is (since you're German)
Bhutan for the people and unbelievable scenery, Nepal on Women’s Day, Mongolia for the culture, Mumbo Island in Malawi for it’s remoteness, northern Norway for fishing, French Polynesia and the the Cook Islands for snorkling, Tasmania, Galapagos for amazing wildlife, and everywhere my travels take me in the future - for the adventure.
Amanbagh. So peaceful and calming.
2. Xigera in Oakavango Delta during flooding season. Serenity at its best.
3. Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Nicest staff, gorgeous architecture and out of this world view.
4. Singita Kwitonda. Never tire of that volcano view and hanging out
with gorilla was fun too!
5. Amankora in the winter. Dipping in a hot stone bath (after trekking up to Tiger’s Nest) while snow falling is everything.
Amanbagh. So peaceful and calming.
2. Xigera in Oakavango Delta during flooding season. Serenity at its best.
3. Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Nicest staff, gorgeous architecture and out of this world view.
4. Singita Kwitonda. Never tire of that volcano view and hanging out
with gorilla was fun too!
5. Amankora in the winter. Dipping in a hot stone bath (after trekking up to Tiger’s Nest) while snow falling is everything.
6. Explora at Rapa Nui. Nice meeting fellow travelers who have been everywhere and learning extensive history of the island was a treat!
7. Angama Mara at Masai Mara. The Out of Africa view is simply stunning!
You’re absolutely right. Each is 10/10. Great list.
Have been to all of them (except Xigera, stayed at Sandibe and Xarana in Okavanga, instead).
That hot stone bath is magical… the way they drop ‘em in. Bah!
Only disappointment is that it’s really hard to find those tigers at the nearby parks in Rajasthan.
Did you do all 5 Amankora locations
My #1 destination of all time is Kazhakstan. Fabulous culture, people and the food was tremendous.
Now one has to ask …. who is paying me a huge compliment by posting using my login?
Ben, should be able to determine who the perpetrator is but is hardly likely to do anything about it …. sad state of affairs Ben, yes?
Other than for family or business, look at the places you’ve chosen to visit the most (like, literal quantities, frequencies), because that’s probably where your heart is at.
Then, it’s the views, the activities, the food, the people, the accommodations, the flights there, etc., all of it matters.
Personally, I’ve lived NYC and FL, and my shortlist of favorites: California, Canada, Maldives, Japan, Italy, Cape Town.
So 1990 …. Is it true that you use the login name of Russ McArthur too?
Oh, shoot, I forgot France. Ugh, they’ll hate me for leaving them out. Zut alors!
Aero, I only use ‘1990’ on this and the other sites. I take pride in my work.
And, no, the UK, is not on my list of favorites, though I’d like to get back to Scotland. Not Blackpool. Never again.
I am a totally different person.
Russ, I donno why, but Aero has been really ‘into’ accusing other commenters of all being the same person. It’s a little odd.
Of course you would say that Russ, 1990, etc, wouldn’t you now? …. :-)
If you plan on visiting the Stans I am surprised you mentioned Kazakhstan. The first Stan you should visit is Uzbekistan which has Samarakhand, Bukhara, Khuva, Nukus, Urgench, Kenya Urgench. I would say of the five Stans you,should spend 80 percent of your time. In Uzbekistan and perhaps a bit in the others. Kyrgyzstan is eminently skibbalbe and of course Trurkmenistan capital of Ashgabat is Disneyland in marble.
Watch it, please. "The Stans" can be considered racist.
Who cares? Only overly-sensitive crybabies who make non-issues into issues think that way.
What?
Tanzania during the Great Migration and the Okavango Delta of Botswana!!
And depending on time of year, Masai Mara (especially the Mara Triangle) in Kenya is basically a continuation of that migration. Love the views of the escarpment on that side. Not cheap, though.
The British taxpayers sent me Kenya many, many times. Probably even before you were a twinkle in your father’s eye Russ …. :-)
Who’s Russ? Re-educate me.
Nevermind. I saw your ‘work’ below. Sheesh.
So many places have so many memories both good and bad;
City - St Petersburg
Island - Malta
Discovery - Holy Island ( Northumbria coast )
Surprised - Montenegro ( the lakes are up and coming)
Tell us you’re a Russian, without literally saying it. Surprised you didn’t include Istanbul, Dubai, Colombo, and Phuket.
Visited St Petersburg in 2010 on business and honestly it was a peak behind the pre verbal iron curtain which is why I liked it, defo not rusky and defo not a Vlady The Baddy fan!
Phew! Your timing was good. Would be more challenging to visit today, business or otherwise. Would not want to be ‘conscripted’ to the ‘meat grinder.’ Yikes!
I have four siblings. We’re all retired. Four out of five of us travel moderately to extensively. I’m always amazed at how little destination overlap there is on the the trips we each take with our significant others. What’s of interest to one sibling often isn’t to another.
Then there’s the list of destinations we’d like to return to versus those where one visit is enough, even if we loved everything about it. We...
I have four siblings. We’re all retired. Four out of five of us travel moderately to extensively. I’m always amazed at how little destination overlap there is on the the trips we each take with our significant others. What’s of interest to one sibling often isn’t to another.
Then there’s the list of destinations we’d like to return to versus those where one visit is enough, even if we loved everything about it. We only have so many trips left in us; need to choose carefully!
+1 to any other island over Santorini.
Probably depends on the timing. We just went there at the end of October. Temperatures in the 70s and no crowds. It was beautiful.
Agreed. I enjoyed Santorini. I think people would enjoy it more if they visited Oia but booked their lodging in a different part of the island.
So far, favorites are France, Italy, Ireland, Vietnam, and Alaska! (Although in the U.S. it is its own world and I spent 2-1/2 years in awe of it).
Totally agree on the difficult time giving balanced feedback when you go some place that is considered amazing or take a more exotic trip. People just expect you to say “It was awesome!” I’ve gotten attacked online because I wasn’t totally glowing about places and accused of being completely ungrateful for the opportunity I have to experience the things I have done. I was not being toxically negative or not picking but just stating the...
Totally agree on the difficult time giving balanced feedback when you go some place that is considered amazing or take a more exotic trip. People just expect you to say “It was awesome!” I’ve gotten attacked online because I wasn’t totally glowing about places and accused of being completely ungrateful for the opportunity I have to experience the things I have done. I was not being toxically negative or not picking but just stating the issues with certain trips I have taken along with the good parts. But if you didn’t just say it’s amazing, you’re considered spoiled and ungrateful for the opportunities you have.
This is really hard. I have a soft spot for so many US cities: Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philly, DC, Boston, San Juan. I think Albuquerque and SLC are very underrated.
Abroad: Berlin, Istanbul, and Malta are just incredible places.
What do you like about Albuquerque? My wife travels there for work a lot and hasn't really seen much.
You forgot the the best destination is mar-a-lago .
Only if you’re a corrupt politician, bankrupt corporate shill, or your face is melting off.
Turkiye, Brazil, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Cook Islands, Colombia, South Africa, Seychelles, Philippines
PS I am Australian, not sure if we were supposed to include our homelands. otherwise I would have added it.
Wanna, there are some mighty fine ‘tinies’ brewed in Oz, not forgetting the sensational places to enjoy a scenic bubble too. However, there are some very suspect chaps hanging around the watering holes just north of Perth, don’t you know.
They're just mining billionaires, and their pet toads from the Minerals Council.
You mean Turkey?
Russ, is it true that you also login as 1990?
No sir!
Honestly, cross your heart and hope to die?
Thank you, Russ, for not putting up with Erdogan’s propaganda. We’re speaking English on here, and it is indeed Turkey.
Aero, now I see. Yes, Russ and I agree on this. That doesn’t mean we are the same person.
During my youth Sydney, Rio, Sitges and Mykonos were up there. I recently went back to Sydney during their winter, very nice to get away from the Miami/Northern Hemisphere heat. Today I look for places with good hiking, almost all US.
Which places do you recommend for good hiking?
Not OP but for hiking most National Parks (except wilderness parks like Denali) have outstanding options. The best of these, at least among those that are relatively accessible, for day hiking are Yosemite, Zion and Glacier. Acadia and Great Smoky Mountains are also very good and not far from non-camping lodging. Internationally, and not easily accessible, Queenstown and the surrounding areas on the South Island of New Zealand are tough to beat while Banff is...
Not OP but for hiking most National Parks (except wilderness parks like Denali) have outstanding options. The best of these, at least among those that are relatively accessible, for day hiking are Yosemite, Zion and Glacier. Acadia and Great Smoky Mountains are also very good and not far from non-camping lodging. Internationally, and not easily accessible, Queenstown and the surrounding areas on the South Island of New Zealand are tough to beat while Banff is also scenic!
Looks like we were in Oz around the same tome George. Sydney is a beautiful city.
Melbourne is also a beautiful place. The South Island of New Zealand is magical, and it’s well worth investing a couple of weeks driving down the west coast, across the mountains, and then up the east coast. Don’t miss Milford Sound, either - it’s spectacular.
It's interesting article describing how some people choose their destinations based on internet opinions. I just go, where I want to go, not where some so called influencer recommends.
I'm from London and my favourites are :
- Switzerland, Bernese Oberland and some other areas. Italy alpine areas lovely too.
- Alaska, Sweden, Norway for Northern Lights
- Northern Pacific Islands, Marianas, Micronesia and Hawaii. Sometimes there are articles about Palau, but...
It's interesting article describing how some people choose their destinations based on internet opinions. I just go, where I want to go, not where some so called influencer recommends.
I'm from London and my favourites are :
- Switzerland, Bernese Oberland and some other areas. Italy alpine areas lovely too.
- Alaska, Sweden, Norway for Northern Lights
- Northern Pacific Islands, Marianas, Micronesia and Hawaii. Sometimes there are articles about Palau, but luckily not many flights, so limited amount of tourists. Same goes for Micronesia, most people never even heard about it.
-South Korea and Japan for Sakura and people watching.
-Hong Kong is always fun, been many times, love the food and skyline of the city.
My favourite place to visit is London. Was travelling from LHR to downtown on the tube. Teenagers saw luggage and asked where I was travelling to. I said London. They could not believe anyone would ever want to visit their city. ´Can’t wait to move out.´ one said. Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have.
Dan, if the teenagers were Caucasian then one can certainly understand why they wish to escape from Kahn’s Kingdom …. :-)
London is very different to live in than visit
As a visitor you get to avoid much of the unpleasant parts.
No chance I’m sharing my favourites with 100s of regulars and a couple of billion others who’ll maybe find this thread thru Google.
Happy trails everyone.
Ah, yes, UncleRonnie’s secrets… guard them, sir. The world wants to ruin your special place.
La Reunion, France, so many different landscapes all packed in one small island.
Patagonia, Argentina.
Ilha Grande, Brasil
Bolivia was amazing. Unlike anything a d relatively untouched. Would recommend for adventure and breathtaking sights. Nothing like it.
Rio
Buenos Aires
Spain is the best in Europe.
For skiing, telluride and aspen (avoid the annoying parts but the skiing is excellent)
Kitzbuhel was grass, would like to see more
Nantucket every year.
Excellent article, I think Ben perfectly described the context.
My choices, as a person who enjoys the outdoors, roadtrips and some city activities:
USA, except for the cities lately and unfortunately. Unmatched landscapes in the Southwest, Alaska, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Florida Keys etc
Japan. I especially enjoyed driving around and exploring areas very few non-Japanese tourists visit.
France, Italy, Spain. In fact, I’m writing this while flying back to US after a week in the...
Excellent article, I think Ben perfectly described the context.
My choices, as a person who enjoys the outdoors, roadtrips and some city activities:
USA, except for the cities lately and unfortunately. Unmatched landscapes in the Southwest, Alaska, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Florida Keys etc
Japan. I especially enjoyed driving around and exploring areas very few non-Japanese tourists visit.
France, Italy, Spain. In fact, I’m writing this while flying back to US after a week in the south of Spain!
Iceland, Greece.
United Arab Emirates. Totally surprising to me.
Romania. Amazing hiking and wildlife.
It is hard to beat northern Thailand. Inexpensive, nice people, great food.
This is going to be very controversial but Jerusalem (sans the politics) is such a remarkable place for Christians, Muslims and Jews. Also ( and I am not Catholic or even religious), Fatima is an amazing experience. Maybe because I lack faith I am awe struck by the devotion of the visitors.
And of course. Who can argue with France and Italy or the South Island of NZ or Hong Kong or anywhere in Japan.
My list is actually similar to yours: Bhutan, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, and I'd add Australia too. All for different reasons, but I find places where nature is the focus to be much more memorable than cities in general.
You copied my list
My top favourite places:
The Seychelles
Rome
The Maldives
Barbados
Anguilla
Paris
Can't help but notice that Cairo and it's wonderful airport are missing... Pls fix
Absolutely Mamad ….
Mina House Hotel, Giza (but only in the old palace away from the Marriott riffraff)
Winter Palace, Luxor.
Old Cataract, Aswan.
Lake Nasser cruise (MS Kasr Ibrim).
Aswan-Luxor cruise (Oberoi Philae)
Alexandria by train for a side trip from Giza.
Best in the summer when the tourists cannot stand the heat.
Absolutely Mamad ….
Mina House Hotel, Giza (but only in the old palace away from the Marriott riffraff)
Winter Palace, Luxor.
Old Cataract, Aswan.
Lake Nasser cruise (MS Kasr Ibrim).
Aswan-Luxor cruise (Oberoi Philae)
Alexandria by train for a side trip from Giza.
Best in the summer when the tourists cannot stand the heat.
I draw my pick of host countries from your blog, the best choice was Bhutan, and Fodors for input but weather is the top consideration when I visit. I hope you will put African destinations on your radar for next year's itineraries, not necessarily the only emphasis on safaris. I focus on the "off the beaten path" destinations where most people have not been to or cannot locate on the map. My favorite countries are:
...I draw my pick of host countries from your blog, the best choice was Bhutan, and Fodors for input but weather is the top consideration when I visit. I hope you will put African destinations on your radar for next year's itineraries, not necessarily the only emphasis on safaris. I focus on the "off the beaten path" destinations where most people have not been to or cannot locate on the map. My favorite countries are:
Cultures/ cuisines: Bhutan, Indonesia (both Bali and Java), Malaysia (Borneo and Penang), Hong Kong, Vietnam and Italy.
Histories: Japan, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Greece and France.
Landscape: Mongolia (so vast and empty), South Africa (wildlife), Chile and Argentina (so green--trees and lakes).
1. Saint. Maarten - Flying in on the KLM 747 and then Island hopping to St. Barts & Saba
2. Kathmandu - Delightfully chaotic City and then Flying out into the mountains, Lukla and the Everest sightseeing flight
3. Cancun - Nice weather, food, beaches and resorts. Great Scuba diving, in the sea and the Senotes
Most naturally beautiful place I’ve visited: South Island, New Zealand
Most underrated city I’ve visited: Trieste, Italy
Most profound place I’ve ever visited: Ponta de Sagres and Cabo São Vicente, Portugal
Ive loved reading this blog for the past 15 years, here are a few of my favourite places:
San Pedro de Atacama - Chile: This has to be the most unique town in the western world.
Buenos Aires/Montreal: I put these in the category of, if you can't have fun here, you're the problem.
Cape Town: The most unique western city on earth
Denmark: Delightfully boring
Tunis and Tunisia in general: It feels...
Ive loved reading this blog for the past 15 years, here are a few of my favourite places:
San Pedro de Atacama - Chile: This has to be the most unique town in the western world.
Buenos Aires/Montreal: I put these in the category of, if you can't have fun here, you're the problem.
Cape Town: The most unique western city on earth
Denmark: Delightfully boring
Tunis and Tunisia in general: It feels like an alternate universe
Lima: For the food
Switzerland: For the trains
Thanks for your hard work Ben!
Adam
I remember your trip report to Yukon years ago! And how about your train ride in Uzbekistan?! heh
CALGARY
I’d be a little more specific, like Moraine Lake or Lake Louise, but, not when it’s too crowded, so, I guess, off-season, super early, clear morning. Yeah, that’s special.
I'm going soon. Calgary and the areas surrounding Banff National Park look wonderful. The exchange rate is so favorable too.
Switzerland and Singapore.
Looking back Kuala Lumpur was the least memorable.
Yes D3S, many have said that the best thing to come out of KL is the train line to JB and then onto the Johor Causeway to Woodlands.
I couldn’t possibly comment …. :-)
My favorite place in the whole world is the FCT in FRA
Iceland didn't make the list? Such a wonderful country.
One is so relieved that none of our ‘goto’ holiday destinations are on your favourites list Ben.
Nuff said.
How does this happen?
Sorry Russ, the post above was never intended to present itself as a response to your own post …. my finger trouble or Ben’s website?
No problemo, we'll blame the website.
Thanks Russ, very generous of you.
I’ve just posted above, in the right place this time but double tapped! It must be me …. :-)
Russ MacArthur = 1990 = Penile, etc , etc.
Really Jack?
Can we add Ben to that list too perhaps? …. :-)
Aero
what is your infatuation with Ben/Lucky using guest profiles?
Are you one of Ben’s guest login names plain Jane?
Jack (MeOff), no, I’m not those others.
Would you recommend Bhutan Six Senes or Aman?
I visited the Six Senses in Bhutan and it couldnt have been a better experience. My guide and driver were both former employees of the Aman there.
I just came back from Bhutan and I could have never afforded Aman or Six Senses (quote was over $30k for those); but I think it was for the best because in the end, if you have a good itinerary, you will spend very little time at your hotel so it's quite literally thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars wasted since you'll barely enjoy the facilities except for dinner and sleeping. Had a...
I just came back from Bhutan and I could have never afforded Aman or Six Senses (quote was over $30k for those); but I think it was for the best because in the end, if you have a good itinerary, you will spend very little time at your hotel so it's quite literally thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars wasted since you'll barely enjoy the facilities except for dinner and sleeping. Had a fantastic experience with independent (but still very nice and on the luxury side) hotels. Guides should be fantastic regardless of where you book, since they all have to go through the same training.
Do you mind saying what you booked? SS/Aman are expensive but all inclusive but still unsure as to your point it is a lot of money for a trip that's not a resort (aka you'll be out and about most days).
Dn10, Aman is the original (5 locations within the country; have been to 3); Six Senses came later; &Beyond opened near Punaka, recently. Otherwise, there are some Marriott affiliates in Paro, Thimbu, that may be more your budget. However, generally, it’s not a ‘cheap’ place for an international visitor. Regardless, I highly recommend Bhutan, at least once.
What hotels did you like there? Don’t mind spending if it’s for a better experience