The summer wanderlust is real. As temperatures rise, I want to just get on a plane and discover new places. For the past year I had been planning a trip to Asia for my graduation (more on that later), but in the interest of time, I had to leave out some countries I wanted to visit. While I decided which countries would be cut from the itinerary, I began to think of some of the other countries I wanted to visit. I thought of many place, but here are my top 5 countries I want to visit next.
Colombia
I have heard wonderful things of Colombia. Series like Narcos have given Colombia a bad reputation in modern times. After the crackdown on drug cartels and the peace agreement with the FARC group, the country is much more stable and tourist friendly. One of my university mentors was from Colombia, and the stories of her adventures there truly inspired me to want to visit the country.
Getting there from the US is pretty straightforward, many US airlines fly to multiple destinations in Colombia. There are other non stop options, such as LATAM Colombia and Avianca, which operate hubs in the country. To make it more exciting the Central American games will be held in Barranquilla this year.
India
India is the world’s most populous democracy. It is a country rich in culture, history and diversity. I know I kid myself when I say I want to visit India, because there is so much to see, that I would have to make a dozen trips (or spend a few months there) in order to hit all the major cities. That being said, I would love to visit India even if it’s seeing only the largest cities. What I anticipate most of going to India is exploring all the different types of curry that can be found throughout the country. Each region has its own way of making it, and being to identify the differences would be truly immersing myself in the food.
Getting to India is a bit difficult. There aren’t that many direct flights from the US, only Air Canada, United and Air India (and soon Delta). However, there are tons of convenient one stop options. I am looking to fly to India on Qatar Airways, stopping in Doha, and then continuing on to India. If you’re a Star Alliance fan, you can take Lufthansa or Singapore Airlines. Finally, the other Gulf Carriers offer flights to multiple parts of India.
South Africa
For me, going to Africa has always been a dream. I want to be able to experience a safari, where I can appreciate nature and animals, while keeping them in their own habitat and not disturbing their ecosystem. Since Africa is such a diverse continent, and if I were to pick one country to visit, it would be South Africa. The main driving force for South Africa is the accessibility provided by multiple airlines. I have been to Johannesburg on a connection, and I was very sad I couldn’t stay longer. From a historian’s perspective (I was a history major in undergrad), studying the way the country has progressed on racial issues since Apartheid, and learning of the current challenges of today would be enough of a reason to visit.
Getting to South Africa, as I mentioned, is pretty easy. South African Airways flies to multiple US gateways. Delta flies to Johannesburg from Atlanta. One stop connections are available on most European airlines and all three Gulf Carriers.
Iceland
There’s something mesmerizing about an island in the middle of the Atlantic that is so far up north, yet is fueled by geothermal activity. Many of my friends have already visited Iceland, and they all rave about it. The natural splendor of the country seems to be something out of this world, and a chance to bathe in hot springs while there is snow on the ground sounds blissful.
Getting to Iceland is pretty easy, and reasonable cheap. WOW Air, the famed low cost carrier, has a hub there. Icelandair, the country’s flag carrier, flies to many destinations in the US. Starting this summer, all three legacy US carriers fly to Reykjavik.
UAE
The last country on the list is the UAE. The reason why it is last isn’t because it’s the one I’m least interested in, but because I have already been there. The problem was, I went during Ramadan, on a layover. This meant that there was no food for sale or water for sale during the three hours I was exploring Abu Dhabi. The visit only whet my appetite to visit more of the country. My first stop would be Dubai, then Abu Dhabi again, and finally explore the desert dunes.
Getting to the UAE is easy. So many carriers fly there, and it’s the hub for Etihad (if it is able to survive) and Emirates (their thriving neighbor). All major European carriers fly there, and some low cost carriers have flights to Dubai as well.
Landing Thoughts:
The world is both huge and tiny. Air travel has made all the world more accessible, and the freedom of information has made us more aware of our world. I am a firm believer that a life untraveled, is a life wasted. I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to travel around the world, but traveling can also be in your own state/country. Living in Texas for 5 years, I hardly saw 10% of what the state has to offer. To anyone who read the whole thing, feed your wanderlust, get on a plane or a car and travel. Life is full of priceless experiences, and money can come and go, but the time we spend making memories last forever.
What do you think? What are your top 5 countries you want to visit next? Do we share any of them? Let us know!
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I admire your enthusiasm, but having been to nearly one hundred countries, selection of new countries becomes difficult. Getting away from tourists have become a priority and it is becoming difficult. Thanks to QR, long distance flights to the East has become enjoyable (it is either QR or SQ). , Would like to visit countries in the central part of Africa or eastern part of Europe. I agree with the other poster, Dubai was dreadful and to quote Shakespeare: full of sound and fury, designed by idiots, signifying nothing.
Good Luck in your travels
I dont have favourite countries, except from my own country of residence, Cuba. I agree with Colombia, France for food, South Africa can be exciting, India is too tedious for me, Japan for its polite people with whom it is difficult to communicate.
If you need a robust to-do list in India, South Africa or UAE, shoot me an email. Insider tips await 🙂
Of those you listed, I have been to Iceland [2007], Dubai [2018] and South Africa [2018]. I would highly recommend Iceland and South Africa….though Iceland is probably not quite the same as it has been too popular in recent years.
But Dubai….I didn’t get at all. I am not afraid to admit that I got scammed. I thought that it might be fun to stopover in Dubai for 3 days on my way over to South Africa. The people who do the advertising for UAE tourism fooled me into thinking that there was something to do there. I should have had a clue when cheap hotel prices during the high season were $200/day+25% for tax and service fees….but most were $300+/day. And after the first day of walking and touring, I knew they got me because there was nothing to see or do unless you like looking at buildings. It is like a more spread out Las Vegas…but without the gambling or shows. I am glad that I was able to fly Emirates though….it is a great airline definitely better than the US airlines but not as good as the best Asian airlines. Next time I fly Emirates though….I will just connect or overnight in Dubai rather than do a stopover.
Zero interest in India….or Egypt.
When I was younger and invincible, I went to South America 3 times…to Peru [1982] , Chile [1993] and Argentina/Brazil [2007]. I was lucky that in Buenos Aires I was scammed by a taxi driver for about $20. Because in South America you always wonder whether you will get pickpocketed during the tour…except in Rio when you expect to be robbed with a gun or a knife.
But now that I am older and know that I can get sick or hurt and will not live forever, safety is a consideration in where I travel. I think part of it is if I go to places where people are extremely poor….there is a chance that I might get robbed so I need to avoid these places. Rich people will try and take your money too but they don’t take your money from you with a violence. They make you want to give them your money.
A few places that I consider safe….
1) Japan
2) Taiwan
3) Singapore
4) Iceland
5) New Zealand
6) Canada
But my travel area is normally Asia and islands in the South Pacific. I think Malaysia and Indonesia are places that I want to go a few more times. Fortunately, it takes a lot of time to get there from the US so not really crowded on some of the islands there.
Cambodia, Slovakia, Ecuador, Portugal, Denmark
The ONLY place I might consider visiting in South America is Ecuador because that’s where my ex-daughter-in-law if from and therefore my Grand Daughter has a connection to it.