Travel and Leisure – Blog Scoop

The world has many fascinating things to offer, and putting together top ten travel destinations is pretty difficult give the geographical and cultural diversity. This article refers to the most popular locations based on the statistics made with international travel agencies, and according to travelers’ reviews posted on various web pages.

To many tourists, Latin America is the perfect place to go on holiday: there is the beauty of cities like Rio de Janeiro and the mystical attraction of Peru and the ancient Maya and Inca cultural remnants. The cultural impact, the the entertainment diversity combined with some great weather conditions, make this part of the world a focal attraction point for millions of tourists during the peak holiday season.

Europe deserves its good name for the great sights it offers to travelers: Paris, Rome, Venice, Spain’s Arab treasures and the misty lands of Ireland and Scotland, and these are just a few of the things that make the old continent one in the top ten travel destinations. Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza require a special mention here, as they are some of the most exotic resorts in the European part of the world.

The Egyptian Pyramids and Morocco are absolutely magnificent, and travel agencies sell thousands of touristic packages for holidays on the dark continent. One of the features of African resorts consists in the constant touristic push and an unforgettable adventure in the multitude of cultures that contrast so much in the crowded North-African cities. No matter if you visit retreats in oases or famous resorts, this part of Africa will always remain in the top ten travel destinations.

Moving further on to the distant countries of the Far East it is impossible not to notice the fascination with Nepal and the ancient Buddhist temples on the roof of the world. It is the Nepalese capital city, Kathmandu, with millennia of history that swallows most of the tourist crowds. As for the climbing of the Everest, very few courageous people dare to challenge their limits on the crests of Himalaya.

Last but not least, an impressive number of sunny islands can enter a top ten travel destinations list: Bali, Jamaica, Crete, Hawaii and many others, which is why the list proves virtually limitless, as so are the beauties man and God created. It goes without saying that the places closest to a person’s heart remain the ones to attract him/her for further exploration, and therefore, anyone can put up a list of top ten travel destinations.

Lots of travel information sources, books like Backpacking For Dummies, travel agencies such as Tripguy Travel and online reviews give ratings and provide classifications with top ten travel destinations, yet, such information is purely statistical. There are big differences between people’s preferences and their actual choices for vacation packages. For instance, somebody prefers a Napa wine tasting tour while others look for guided hunts. What about you? You may dream of going to Hawaii, but as it may be out of your reach, you’ll just choose a resort that suits your budget. Top ten travel destinations often combine a rich and exotic natural setting with a heavy historic and cultural charge.

Top ten travel destinations are created based on the impressions of people who have actually visited certain places. Egypt, Tasmania in Australia, Bangkok in Cambodia, Sardinia in the South of Italy, Monaco, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Paris or Damascus are just a few examples of favorite travel destinations. The criteria of appreciation differ from case to case, but tourists would rather want to see something memorable rather than just sit on a beach and relax. The criteria used to define top ten travel destinations is to identify the greatest local attractions that come to fascinate visitors.

You can find plenty of travel related web sites and very many top ten travel destinations. The preponderance goes for the parts of the world that can provide cheap prices, great food and accommodation, lots of entertainment options and rich cultural traditions. This is why South Asia fascinates and delights tourists, as it also happens with the Pyramids in Egypt or the great Ummayad Mosque of Damascus. In fact, every country has its local attractions, traditions and places worth visiting.

Actually, travel agents design packages that the average consumer can afford. Consider for instance the way an average American will choose a winter travel destination. If you live in the US, you’d rather go to Aspen to enjoy skiing rather than fly all the way to Europe for a week in the Austrian Alps. Top ten travel destinations thus remain limited by the budget, because not everybody can afford to travel to exotic, far-away places.

If you get the chance of going to some very special destination, enjoy every minute you spend there. There are couples and families who spend lifetime savings on exotic vacations or fancy cruises. In their case, such a huge investment equals the best travel destination ever.

Germany is famous because of its capacity to reinvent itself. It has done it several times during the history, and after the reunification in 1990, Germany has born again. An entire quarter is built in Hamburg on the ruins of a harbor, in Dresden the dome of Frauenkirche is as astounding as ever, and Berlin is more open minded and creative than ever.

Greece is a country everybody will find charming. Those who are looking for cultural relaxation can visit museums and ruins, while hedonists who only care about their tan can sunbathe at the beach. Light and air are clear, floral aromas are carried by the wind, and the best thing about all is the combination of ouzo and octopus.

El Salvador is an overlooked country: those who travel in that area of South America usually choose Guatemala and Costa Rica, because of the persisting stories about the civil war and gang violence in El Salvador. In fact the civil war ended long ago, while the stories about gang violence are true. The thing is, gangs target only each other, and never involve tourists. While it has many beautiful landscapes, El Salvador doesn’t have as many natural reservations as Guatemala and Costa Rica. But the good thing is, if you visit El Salvador, you can have all the forests, alpine lakes and volcanoes, because it is not very likely you will meet another traveler.

Malaysia is an island of peace and prosperity in Southeast Asia. There are no floods or political turmoil, roads are excellent, transportation is good and hotels are of international standard. The best thing in Malaysia that it lets you explore problem free the exciting culture of Southeast Asia. And it is not a very expensive country, either.

Morocco is an unforgettable mix of Berber and Arab, Muslim and secular, Mediterranean and African world. The country is in touch with the latest technology, and can see how the Middle East is portrayed by western news channels and internet. Morocco is just as concerned with violent threats as westerners do. Most Moroccans are occupied with their daily lives, and see the tourism industry as the future of their country, therefore every visitor will be treated with hospitality.

Nepal had a lot of troubles in the last decade, but in 2008 it seems everything came to a resting point: the rebels started to govern, the kingdom became a republic and the king became a civilian. The fall of monarchy means peace for Nepal. This is really good news for tourists.

New Zealand has a rented place in every tourism top list because it has everything a traveler could want: spectacular landscapes from rainforests to glaciers, geothermal springs and volcanic plains. There is lots of wildlife, the maori culture is as attractive as ever, and the food and drink is also fine.

Portugal today consists of two different worlds. This is a land with great tradition with saints-day festivals, ancient vineyards and medieval villages. On the other hand, modern lifestyle is spreading rapidly, old city centers are filled once again with life by a new wave of boutiques, cafes and art galleries.

Suriname is undoubtedly the smallest, most diverse and most interesting country in South America. Inhabitants are descendants of Chinese, Javanese and Indian workers, West African slaves, indigenous Amerindians and Lebanese, Jewish and Dutch settlers. This may sound as the perfect recipe of civil war: wrong, all these people live together peacefully.

Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including many European countries by car. Tolearn more about car hire worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com