There are over 200 sovereign states. Wikipedia said so.
(What’s the deal with this number anyway?)
200?!
And if you are like me, too much choice is sometimes too much. At last count, I’ve been to some 35 countries + the Vatican + Bermuda. So I’ve knocked a fair number off the map, so to speak. But still most of the world is out there for me to explore. A staggering amount of food to eat. Shops to shop. Hammans to visit. Sunsets to go ahh at.
So where to go?
The question of where to go really boils down to who you are, or at least who you want to be for this trip. Obviously if you are an adrenalin junkie, days of museums will probably wanna make you base jump off something.
Spa & Pampering
For an affordable luxurious trip, southeast Asia is the best. And as I just found out, for the price of a B&B in Henley or Windsor, you can have an entire 5-star suite in Kuala Lumpur, especially if you are lucky enough to get an upgrade, like we did!
We were at the Ritz Carlton KL in 2006 and got upgraded to a two-bedroom suite, complete with a full kitchen, a study, a living room, and a dining room. It was bigger than our apartment in Singapore!
KL was very affordable, even the spa treatments at the hotel. The couples treatment was JUST fabulous, ending with a beautiful romantic outdoor bath with rose petals. We also mixed it up and tried random foot reflexology nearby (“dirt cheap”!). From Singapore, KL was just a bus ride away (or you can easily fly up in no time).
Here’s Frommer’s list of best luxury hotels in SE Asia. Having just done a cleanse at COMO Shambhala Ubud, I’d agree this understated luxurious boutique hotel belongs on the list!
Here are The Top 15 Spa Destinations from Travel & Lesiure and if you want to stay in Asia, here’s a good list of the Top 10 Spas in Asia by Spa Finder.
And what about a wellness escape Japanese style in Santa Fe at Ten Thousand Waves?
Culture & History
For me, that’s the Old World but that could be because I grew up in the relatively young country of Canada (with a western education, so somewhat biased, mind you).
I LOVE Europe. That’s Canada’s Old World – cobblestones, wonders like Stonehenge, palaces like Versailles. And all the places we studied about in school like Rome and Greece, even if it were the ancient versions. I love it – I’m a huge history buff. All the stories, right? Being at the “scene of the crime” so to speak. Yes, I love mystery and thriller novels. Plus I LOVE architecture.
But now that I’ve had a cursory tour of Europe, gotta head to the Old World in the Southern Hemisphere – South America! 2012 is the year of the Maya, right?
And hopefully the Middle East soon. That’s the cradle of civilization after all.
Check out Nat Geo’s Best of the World 2012 or Condé Nast’s Destinations to Watch in 2012.
Learn to tango in Argentina? Stay in a castle? Check out Montenegro, the 192nd member of the UN? Visit a UNESCO World Heritage site like the Machu Picchu? For £600 you can rent a cottage from the National Trust at Arlington Row in Bilbury, “the most beautiful village in England”, according to the artist William Morris. The possibilities are endless.
Eco- & Volunteer Vacations
Looking to reduce your carbon footprint? Add meaning to your vacations and give back? Green and volunteer vacations is the way to go.
Eco resorts work with the environment, minimizing human impact (aka destruction). Because of why they are built, the resorts usually have a good educational program (for kids and adults alike). Lots of eco-resorts combine with some other environmental cause like saving the lions. It’s AWESOME! And if you want to volunteer, you just need to pick the destination.
Of course, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, look for local volunteer vacation opportunities. Or else you can donate to offset your flight’s carbon footprint.
I thought The Daily Green has a solidly diverse list, from staying with a local family to patrol the Costa Rican coast against turtle poachers, to learning about permaculture and helping the desert bloom in a kibbutz, to studying the sea in Belize.
There’s literally something for everyone, whether it be on land or in the sea, and for various budgets. Some volunteer vacations like repairing trails in Montana (US) through the Bob Marshall Wilderness foundation are free.
USA Today’s 10 Great Places to Check into an Eco Lodge
Want gorgeous AND eco-friendly? Check out these 7 Gorgeous Eco Resorts sussed out by Inhabit.
For our stay in Bora Bora, we chose Le Meridien for their Turtle Sanctuary. To be honest, I didn’t really know too much about turtles, except they are endangered. The experience really opened our eyes and I learned a lot about their migratory paths and their vulnerability to poachers. The hotel is both a sanctuary and a research centre. It really felt good to contribute to something important. Some may say it’s greenwashing but we would definitely choose a hotel with this kind of encounter opportunity and meaning over another.
What’s the deal with the # of countries in this world?
The number of countries in the world is more complex than one may realize.
The UN has 193 members and this number is often quoted as the number of countries in the world. But what about places like Vatican City and territories like Bermuda? Or Antarctica. (OK – they are not “countries” but are definitely choices for holidays.)
Also, there are states that are recognized by some countries and not others, like Taiwan. It’s a political mess or as an Aussie would say, “It’s a dog’s breakfast.”
Did I mention the concept of countries and boundaries is just political?
