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Lonely Planet Top 10 Countries to Travel, 2010 List

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purplebuggy	Nov 2 2009, 02:12 AM Post #1
Globetrotter Group: Local Expert Posts: 318 Joined: 19-June 09 From: Australia Member No.: 282787	Lonely Planet (the guidebook bibles) have announced the Top 10 Counties for their "Best in Travel" for 2010. In no order (because the order wasn't given and I can't find it yet) the countries are: * New Zealand * El Salvador * Germany * Greece * Malaysia * Morocco * Nepal * Portugal * Suriname * USA Any thoughts? I was honestly surprised the US made the Top Ten and I'd have never even thought of Suriname (has anyone travelled there from here?) but there you go... The link is here for a news article relating to the story: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26293127-23109,00.html -------------------- pb Long Way ummm... Up - Overland Trip Across Africa: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/purplebuggy/1/tpod.html

cultureight	Nov 2 2009, 02:23 AM Post #2
Explorer Group: Members Posts: 96 Joined: 17-September 09 From: Manila. Philippines Member No.: 356161 Nominate me as a Local Expert	QUOTE(purplebuggy @ Nov 2 2009, 03:12 PM) Lonely Planet (the guidebook bibles) have announced the Top 10 Counties for their "Best in Travel" for 2010. In no order (because the order wasn't given and I can't find it yet) the countries are: * New Zealand * El Salvador * Germany * Greece * Malaysia * Morocco * Nepal * Portugal * Suriname * USA Any thoughts? I was honestly surprised the US made the Top Ten and I'd have never even thought of Suriname (has anyone travelled there from here?) but there you go... The link is here for a news article relating to the story: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26293127-23109,00.html Thanks for sharing this. Will visit your link and check out the reasons why these countries made it. In the case of Suriname - no idea where it is. I'm surprised with Nepal, and proud of Malaysia because it's very near my country, the Philippines. -------------------- We are truly only as good as the lowest of our kind. ------- Utterly authentic small group walks and expeditions around the Philippines - Cultureight Travel ------ Lake Lanao in Mindanao is home of endemic cryprinids, the species found only in the lake and nowhere else in the world.

introducinlyric	Nov 2 2009, 02:34 AM Post #3
Rolling Stone Group: Local Expert Posts: 4678 Joined: 24-May 07 From: Sydney, Australia Member No.: 56605	interesting.... never heard of * Suriname before -------------------- Do You Want The Truth or Something Beautiful?

aopaq	Nov 2 2009, 05:46 AM Post #4
Vagabond Group: Local Expert Posts: 1635 Joined: 31-May 06 Member No.: 893	I knew that Suriname was in the north of South America but no idea as to why it made the top 10. But I rarely pay much attention to such lists in which the criteria for determination is completely subjective and based solely on the experiences of the Lonely Planet writers and authors. Whether a country makes, or does not make, any top 10 list does not influence where I travel.

purplebuggy	Nov 2 2009, 08:21 PM Post #5
Globetrotter Group: Local Expert Posts: 318 Joined: 19-June 09 From: Australia Member No.: 282787	I found one blog for Suriname but wow, really doesn't seem like a common destination! http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/mary_..._2005/tpod.html I'd love to find out their criteria for the Top Ten too but, like aopaq, these lists never influence the countries I travel to but I think they can sometimes give you good ideas on what to do and see when you get there. -------------------- pb Long Way ummm... Up - Overland Trip Across Africa: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/purplebuggy/1/tpod.html

huckabmm	Nov 2 2009, 09:02 PM Post #6
Pathfinder Group: Local Expert Posts: 381 Joined: 9-December 08 From: Nashville, TN USA Member No.: 264395	QUOTE(aopaq @ Nov 2 2009, 04:46 AM) I rarely pay much attention to such lists in which the criteria for determination is completely subjective and based solely on the experiences of the Lonely Planet writers and authors. Whether a country makes, or does not make, any top 10 list does not influence where I travel. Yeah I tend to agree. Although my newest thoughts about travel are bouncing between Greece and New Zealand, so maybe I have something in common with those Lonely Planet guys after all... -------------------- -Matt "Be a traveler, not a tourist." "Chance favors the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur Give Life My upcoming trips: 1. A week at the Outer Banks, NC; June '10 2. A week with the family in Key West, FL; July '10

skylab	Nov 3 2009, 08:16 PM Post #7
Frequent Flyer Group: Members Posts: 882 Joined: 19-August 08 From: Buenos Aires Member No.: 228012 Nominate me as a Local Expert	Good list though I do think it depends what you're looking for that should determine which countries to go to. Malaysia has some amazing landscape. -------------------- DJSkylab.com: My blog :) ArtOfBackpacking.com: Backpacking Independent International Traveler Facebook "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." -Andy Warhol "My body has certainly wandered a good deal, but I have an uneasy suspicion that my mind has not wandered enough." -Noel Coward

kilgiraffe	Nov 4 2009, 11:05 AM Post #8
Expeditionist Group: Local Expert Posts: 207 Joined: 7-July 09 From: Barbados Member No.: 285187	Suriname caught me off-guard too - it's not very far away from Barbados but it's not exactly what I'd call a raving tourist destination! I've never been either but from what I understand it's very quiet and safe, lots of rainforests cos it's on the outskirts of the Amazon, and with a good chunk of Dutch heritage. Everything else seems fairly accurate with what I know about tourist destinations etc, although it kinda looks like they stuffed NZ in 1st and then put everything else alphabetically? -------------------- Sarah: Little girl, big dreams. Currently living in Scotland British born, Barbados raised, slowly but surely getting out there. One day.. Next trip: Barbados Dec 27 - Jan 8, Australia Mar-Apr 2010

purplebuggy	Nov 4 2009, 08:54 PM Post #9
Globetrotter Group: Local Expert Posts: 318 Joined: 19-June 09 From: Australia Member No.: 282787	QUOTE(kilgiraffe @ Nov 4 2009, 11:05 AM) although it kinda looks like they stuffed NZ in 1st and then put everything else alphabetically? Wow, didn't even pick that up! Nice work, lol. -------------------- pb Long Way ummm... Up - Overland Trip Across Africa: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/purplebuggy/1/tpod.html

tyga	Nov 4 2009, 09:32 PM Post #10
Drifter Group: Local Expert Posts: 24 Joined: 29-December 07 From: Melbourne, Australia Member No.: 119771	Suriname is probably there for the rainforest and Lonely Planet threw it in because it sounds more obscure than Brazil.

sianeth	Nov 5 2009, 12:44 PM Post #11
Jet Setter Group: Local Expert Posts: 2602 Joined: 9-June 07 From: Stirling, Scotland Member No.: 60100	Can definitely vouch for Morocco and Malaysia

kiwi_surfer	Nov 6 2009, 06:44 AM Post #12
Explorer Group: Members Posts: 129 Joined: 29-March 09 Member No.: 274279 Nominate me as a Local Expert	I'm a little bit skeptical about this list. It seems that lonely planet sadly, has to much power in regards to where people travel. I'm sure these 10 countries will generate more income from tourist now? The most for filling journey I have partaked in, was that of East Timor. -------------------- Brazil to Mexico, a donkey show is what!

tyga	Nov 6 2009, 08:23 AM Post #13
Drifter Group: Local Expert Posts: 24 Joined: 29-December 07 From: Melbourne, Australia Member No.: 119771	I wonder if they get any kick-backs from the governments of some of these countries to steer people their way. I've never taken much notice of these sorts of lists because I travel to places I want to go to regardless of whether Lonely Planet or anyone else recommends them as a "place to go" or not.

angel13	Nov 9 2009, 01:15 AM Post #14
Wanderer Group: Members Posts: 11 Joined: 9-November 09 From: u.k. Member No.: 493271 Nominate me as a Local Expert	Hello Travelers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by marquee destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and unnerved by stories of civil war and gang violence. But the war ended almost 20 years ago, and crime, while serious, is almost exclusively played out between rival gangs; tourists are virtually never involved. And though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbors, you get them practically to yourself. The only place you might find a crowd is on Punta Roca, El Salvador's most famous surfing spot. And when it comes to cities, none in Central America is smarter or cooler than San Salvador, with first-rate universities, museums and galleries. GERMANY Some countries are simply allowed to be, but Germany has had to reinvent itself more times than Madonna. And it has done so again since 1990, when reunification brought an end to nearly three decades of division. In year 20 after its latest rebirth, Germany is still a country where you can witness history in the making. Head to Hamburg, where an entire new quarter is being wrested from the detritus of a 19th-century harbor. Or to Dresden, where the domed Frankincense church is once again the diamond in the city's famous skyline. And to Berlin whose climate of openness spawns more creative experimentation than a Petri dish on Viagra. -------------------- Alternative Investment

starlagurl	Nov 9 2009, 11:31 AM Post #15
Rolling Stone Group: TP Staff Posts: 14117 Joined: 5-November 07 From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Member No.: 103914	Love it, thanks for posting! It's going on the blog.travelpod.com tomorrow hopefully. -------------------- My most recent blog: Weezer in Toronto with Shylo

travelmonster	Nov 9 2009, 11:37 AM Post #16
Trekker Group: Local Expert Posts: 3821 Joined: 28-October 07 From: England Member No.: 101826	Morocco is my favourite - that I've been to out of that list. -------------------- In Search Of ...........

purplebuggy	Nov 10 2009, 05:15 AM Post #17
Globetrotter Group: Local Expert Posts: 318 Joined: 19-June 09 From: Australia Member No.: 282787	Sweet, thanks Louise, I'll make sure I keep an eye out on the blog for it. (Maybe the actual rankings will be out by now too...?) -------------------- pb Long Way ummm... Up - Overland Trip Across Africa: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/purplebuggy/1/tpod.html

richard4890	Nov 10 2009, 01:36 PM Post #18
Wayfarer Group: Members Posts: 40 Joined: 9-September 09 Member No.: 333261 Nominate me as a Local Expert	The US has a ton of great places to visit, we might not think so since we live here and see it all constantly... -------------------- Maine OUI penalties

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