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COLUMN #89, 14 January, 2004
Hot Spots: LP Staffers' Top Destinations for 2004

It has become a tradition that my first column of the year is devoted to the results of Lonely Planet's annual 'Top Destinations for the Coming Year' survey, polled from LP's global staff.

This year we asked LP staffers to choose their top three destinations, enabling them to extol a wider range of places. The resulting list was longer and more tantalizing than ever, but five places emerged as clear winners.

1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. Peru
4. Croatia
5. Thailand

Only one of this year's winners appeared in last year's Top 5, but what a winner! Remarkably enough, for the second year running, the top destination is New Zealand.

Yes, the perfect storm of spectacular pristine scenery, hospitable citizenry, compelling culture, perceived geopolitical safety and free global big-screen advertising courtesy of Lord of the Rings has catapulted New Zealand into the coveted top spot for the second year in a row.

One LP staffer summarized many responses when he wrote, "I'm going to say New Zealand for number one. I think it's a great country. It's a long way from the political hot spots of the world, which makes it fairly safe. The scenery is spectacular, and there's a huge variety of it in such a small country: beautiful secluded beaches, geysers, mud pools, volcanoes, mountains, lakes, fjords (they filmed LOTR there for a good reason, you know). There's a strong sense of culture as well as a relaxed attitude. And as an added incentive, it's nuclear-free – no nuclear warships, submarines or power stations are allowed."

For some, the equation was much simpler. "LOTRippers will continue to overrun Middle Earth," one said. "LOTR3 will ensure that New Zealand continues to be a 'must-see' destination," wrote another.

One respondent invoked an entirely different cinematic inspiration: "Hopefully Whale Rider – a great NZ flick that came out recently and has a lot of people around the world talking – will encourage people to discover the East Coast region; it's an amazing place! Local highlights include watching an East Coast rugby match at Ruatoria, catching your own crayfish for dinner and staying on a marae."

But for most, Hollywood's homage was just icing on an already alluring cake. "You just can't beat NZ for having everything you could possibly want in a holiday, apart from guaranteed great weather," emailed one staffer. "It's politically neutral in the current war environment and cheap as chips while maintaining high Western standards in quality of goods and services."

Australia also placed among the Top 5 destinations and had numerous passionate promoters. As one staffer wrote, "Australia is like New Zealand – only bigger, more diverse and with better weather. Who could say no?"

Many praised particular areas of Australia, in particular the Kimberley, a place of "amazing scenery, amazing natural and Aboriginal history, amazing land of contrasts (color, texture, vegetation, topography), amazing night skies – a place which seems not to have changed in 400 million years and probably won't in the next 400 million years."

Tasmania's devotees were equally impassioned. One exemplar of total Tasmania cast all three votes for the island, first for "the best bushwalking in the southern hemisphere," second for "the best wilderness in the world," and third for "the best World Heritage areas in the universe."

South America was the hottest region in this year's poll, and the hottest country in the region was Peru. One LP'er succinctly summarized the country's allure this way: "Peru is the jewel in South America's crown, mostly for Inca remains but also for history, architecture and sense of adventure."

Another exclaimed, "Peru is number one! Peru's travel infrastructure is really growing and I think its appeals – Machu Picchu, the Andes, indigenous markets, studying Spanish, seeing wildlife – are increasingly accessible to people from all over the world."

Among European destinations, Croatia was the top vote-getter. As one staffer wrote: "Croatia is an absolute gem: Mediterranean meets Eastern European – a great combination of food and style, natural beauty and architectural delight. One of Europe's best-kept secrets!" Another chose it for its "beautiful coasts, great food, interesting history, and easy accessibility compared to many Eastern European places."

Rounding out the Top 5 was Thailand, Asia's leading destination, lauded for its compelling combination of culture, countryside and calm. "I just got back from Thailand for the fourth time," went one typical comment, "and it has simply the best food and culture of anywhere I've been. There are still so many off-the-beaten-path places to visit: If you want to have your own amazing white sand beach in the Andaman Sea, that's no problem; or you can see temples, go shopping at the weekend market in Bangkok (one of the largest in the world), go rock-climbing ... Thailand has it all – and it's cheap."

The other prominent contenders for top spot of the year were spread all around the globe. Here's a region-by-region breakdown, with some of the most notable remarks and recommendations.

The Pacific

Among the Pacific islands singled out for praise by LP'ers were Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tahiti, New Caledonia and Tuvalu, but after New Zealand and Australia, the third top vote-getter in the region was the Cook Islands.

One description in particular had me packing my bags: "The number one South Pacific destination is stunningly beautiful Aitutaki. There are numerous inexpensive flights from Rarotonga, it's well set up for travellers, yet it's quiet as a mouse – for some reason the vast majority of travellers who get to Rarotonga never discover Aitutaki. Nursing a couple of Cook Islands Lagers at O'otu Beach and watching the sun go down over Aitutaki Island while the umu is cooking – now that's a fine way to travel."

Asia

After Thailand, the hottest Asian destination was Sri Lanka. One respondent called it "India without the hassle." Another wrote, "With the trouble settling in Sri Lanka, tourists will start flocking back there for adventure and the beaches."

Cambodia, one of last year's Top 5 destinations, continued to have its adherents. "Now is the time to visit the fantastic temples of Angkor Wat," wrote one, "before restrictions are placed on how many people can visit at once and how long you can stay at each temple."

Bali also received numerous votes. "I think there is going to be a big return to Bali in 2004," predicted one LP'er. "The cut-price hotel/airline deals will do their job."

Other voters praised Vietnam's "fascinating cultural/historical mix, great food, and wonderful beaches." Advised one staffer, "This is the hot place to go: laid back, genuine, great value, truly Asian, delicious food, intriguing culture, the works! Vietnam will be in 10 years what the islands of Thailand are now, so get in now before it's overrun."

Africa

Our African aficionados voted Mali and South Africa as the region's top vote-getters. About Mali, one voter wrote, "This is one of those countries that can change people's minds and hearts forever. Mali is an easy place for independent travellers, with a beautiful landscape and strong traditions."

Other respondents selected South Africa because it is "a great destination for wildlife, beachlife, stunning and varied scenery on top of fascinating history and a still troubled, evolving present." Another opined: "It has a great climate, no jet lag when flying from Europe, English is spoken everywhere, it has some unbelievable scenery (Table Mountain is not the only attraction), there is excellent service everywhere and everyone realizes the benefit of tourism. Plus it's very good value."

Other favored African spots included Madagascar ("because of the recent political stability and the ability to see on the same island so many different natural environments and finish the trip on a very nice beach"), Tunisia ("for great food, amazing culture, friendly people, marvelous climate, transport that runs on time, and camels"), and Zanzibar ("an incredible combination of Persian/Arab culture and traditional African influences; the beaches are indescribably beautiful, and the Indian Ocean water is the most luscious jade-green hue you can imagine and bath-warm all year round").

Middle East

No doubt due to ongoing unrest in parts of this region, Middle Eastern destinations did not figure prominently in this year's poll, but two countries did receive attention: Egypt and Jordan. One staffer wrote, "Egypt is experiencing a resurgence in popularity as people make the most of cheap deals. Egypt obviously offers plenty of culture and scenery, especially for divers."

Another said, "Jordan offers world-class archaeological sites and tremendously warm and outgoing people – and heartbreakingly few travellers. For all the right reasons, now is a great time to visit; the traveller's presence will benefit visitor and host alike."

Europe

After Croatia, the second top vote-getter in Europe was Greece. The Olympics were a prime draw for some staffers. As one wrote, "It would be amazing to see the Olympics in the place that created them." For others, Greece's allure lay in its off-the-beaten-path treasures, such as "Panormos, on the island of Skopelos in the northern Aegean. Here the wine is cheaper than water, the only time the island is busy is when the olive harvest is on, and the water is so clear you can spot ancient Greek urns on the sea bottom 10 meters down."

Continuing the off-the-beaten path theme, another voter praised Sardinia in Italy: "Sardinia is not yet overdeveloped and not overly expensive by European standards; it offers clean unspoiled beaches, low-key villages where travellers are still welcome, beautiful mountains and wilderness areas – and Italian food!"

Other places that attracted significant votes were Portugal, Spain and Istanbul, which one staffer described as "a fascinating city with beautiful people which sits in the crossroads of history and religion: an experience to behold."

Americas

While South America was the hottest of the hot in this year's poll, North America wasn't entirely ignored. Hawaii, Alaska, and New York all received numerous votes.

Of Hawaii, one staffer wrote, "It's got six different islands; it's clean, fun, and safe, has fantastic food and is one of the most gorgeous places on the planet." Another wrote, "For travellers who love a variety of adventurous activities – snorkeling, hiking, biking, sailing, climbing, etc. – I can't think of a better destination to pursue all in one place."

One Big Apple booster lovingly extolled New York City's "fabulous deals, aggressive tourism promotions and soaring new architecture."

Another staffer exulted in the idiosyncratic delights of Homer, Alaska: "Hang out at the bars by the pier 'til the sun goes down (around midnight), rent a sea kayak and tempt fate over a bear encounter on the shores of Katchemak Bay, or hitch a ride on a local fishing boat to go out and see the puffins in the bay."

Still, this was South America's year to grab the spotlight. As one LP'er succinctly summarized it: "I'm just back from a month in Patagonia and talked to a lot of South America veterans and first-time backpackers while I was there. The vibe I encountered was that South America is where it's at right now. The logic goes like this: Europe is too expensive, Asia is too unsafe, Africa is too hard, and the US is too uptight, whereas most of South America is stable, cheap, friendly, disease-free and a long, long way from the War on Terror."

After Peru, Argentina was South America's most popular choice in our poll. As the correspondent above continued, "Argentina (particularly with its devalued currency) is irresistibly cheap and has a wealth of things to see and do. Everyone raved about how good and cheap the food and accommodations were in Buenos Aires." Another LP'er encapsulated many comments when he wrote, "Argentina offers some of the top beauty in the world, along with old world euro-charm, and now at bargain basement prices."

Elsewhere in the region, Panama and Cuba were particularly popular. One Panama-phile said, "I think Panama is a real rising star. It's Costa Rica without the crowds. We're going for the diving, the surfing, the national parks and the beautiful colonial quarter of the capital." Cuba was touted for its "combination of culture and beaches" and for its "salsa, mojitos and indomitable spirit."

Finally, to end this list of dreams, I want to share a note that inspired me:

"At the top of my personal chart are three countries, and I can't really say which one is 1st, 2nd and 3rd – it depends on what type of traveller you are. Let me put it this way: If you are the type of traveller with messy hair or smelly feet: Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina (in that order). If you are the type who travels with your diskman all the time: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia. If you are the type who travels with your stomach and heart: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia."

"Here are some highlights that come to mind when I think of these places: safe, cheap as chips (the shopping you can do here is amazing), amazing culture, great food, amazing connection to the place and the people, colors, smells, shock, rhythm, variety, snow, beaches, glaciers, mountains (real mountains!), trekking, rivers, deserts, untouched nature, touched nature, massive cities, small towns, the shopping, the nightlife, the carnivals, the soccer matches, the outdoor activities, the parties!! – the lot. Everything that I can think of makes those countries amazing destinations ..."

This seems a fitting way to end, with words that embody the unbridled wanderlust at the heart of this poll and of all our collective wanderings. May all your destinations this year amaze you.

Happy New Year and happy travels, everyone!

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