Seven reasons the size of a continent why you should swap your corner office for travelling to the four corners of the earth.
To reduce the world to a list of top destinations is a near impossible task. But for a variety of reasons some places are favoured over others and become the flavour of the moment. Here are some of the top spots trending this year:
Together, the five Stans — Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan — of Central Asia spell exotic. The historical association with the Silk Road, that passes through these countries, adds to the appeal and aura of the region.
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum in Central Samarkand, Uzbekistan along the old Silk Road.
From cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, that mix the new with the old seamlessly, to the topography of the region that abounds in vast deserts, mountains and rivers, this promises to be the journey of a lifetime.
ADVERTISEMENT
Travel Like A Boss: Here's Where Ananth Narayanan, Sebi Joseph Like To Holiday
1/6
From Swiss towns to the quaint house boats of Kashmir, here’s where some of India’s bosses love to vacation.
In Pic: On the left is Ananth Narayanan, CEO, Myntra and on the right is Sebi Joseph, President, Otis India.
From Swiss towns to the quaint house boats of Kashmir, here’s where some of India’s bosses love to vacation. In Pic: On the left is Ananth Narayanan, CEO, Myntra and on the right is Sebi Joseph, Pres..
Read More
“In India, I love vacationing in Kodaikanal. I grew up going there every summer. Internationally, there is a small village called Obergurgl in Austria. I go skiing there.”
“In India, I love vacationing in Kodaikanal. I grew up going there every summer. Internationally, there is a small village called Obergurgl in Austria. I go skiing there.”
“The beauty of El Nido in the Philippines has left me the most amazed. The white beaches and steep limestone cliffs surrounded by turquoise waters are magnificent. It is truly picture perfect.”
“The beauty of El Nido in the Philippines has left me the most amazed. The white beaches and steep limestone cliffs surrounded by turquoise waters are magnificent. It is truly picture perfect.”
“Arambol in North Goa as it is a surfer’s paradise and is one of the most pristine and unexplored beaches of Goa. It can be visited in any season, be it summer, winter or monsoon.”
“Arambol in North Goa as it is a surfer’s paradise and is one of the most pristine and unexplored beaches of Goa. It can be visited in any season, be it summer, winter or monsoon.”
“Any part of South East Asia. I absolutely love their culture and food. Thailand particularly is a must visit. It’s a refined nation with a lot of warmth.”
“Any part of South East Asia. I absolutely love their culture and food. Thailand particularly is a must visit. It’s a refined nation with a lot of warmth.”
“The sights of the Dartmoor area in Cornwall, England or the mountain waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland or the pristine Perth beaches in Australia are the destinations that I love to visit time and again.
In India, my favourite holiday remains staying at a high quality house boat in Nagin Lake at Kashmir— It’s like nothing I have experienced anywhere in the world.”
“The sights of the Dartmoor area in Cornwall, England or the mountain waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland or the pristine Perth beaches in Australia are the destinations that I love to visit tim..
Europe Iceland When the landscape of Iceland showed up in a Bollywood movie some time back, many were prompted to ask if the sequence was shot on location, or if the backdrop was a result of computer generated graphics. That’s how unreal Iceland can be.
Beach in the Lofoten islands in Norway with strong green northern lights.
The popularity of this European nation has been on a steady rise, prompting a national discussion about applying curbs on the number of tourists permitted to visit. Best to tick this one off the bucket list, before your name slips on to a waiting list of visitors.
ADVERTISEMENT
Africa Rwanda True, the country has a checkered past, enmeshed in a long history of violence. But nothing like tourism to change a nation’s image and fortunes. Earlier this year, the country’s tourism department signed a multimillion dollar branding deal with English football club Arsenal, putting the country’s tourism tagline on player jerseys.
ADVERTISEMENT
Typical Uganda huts. Most of the inhabitants live in thatched huts with mud and wattle walls. During the rainy season it is a very difficult task to keep huts stable and dry.
The deal quickly became controversial as Rwanda is one of the world’s poorest countries and marketing monies are frowned upon. But soon the number of UK visitors surged, claimed officials. Something did the trick. Either the campaign, or the country’s stunning national parks and wildlife.
Antarctica The ship breaker cruise This one is for the adrenaline chasers. Go to the end of the world aboard a ship breaker, surrounded by glaciers and water, and little else.
High fitness levels are recommended. But even that’s not a guard against potential sea sickness bouts. Prepare for wonder on this journey, and a discovery of what you are truly made of.
North America Vancouver, Canada It’s been voted as one of the best cities to live in the world. Not exactly unknown, the city does tend to lose out to the hordes that prefer the shinier, bigger cities of neighbouring United States.
But by itself, Vancouver, a west coast seaport in British Columbia, is not just one of Canada’s densest, most ethnically diverse cities, it is also a thriving metropolis with a buzzing art, music, food and theatre scene. Surrounded by mountains, it isn’t too hard on the eyes either.
South America Machu Picchu, Peru One of the seven wonders of the world, this one is a definite bucket list item for many.
Trekking up to the Inca ruins, is a much-awaited highpoint to those travelling to the continent, and with Peru on their itinerary. An early morning climb is strongly recommended to witness the sun creeping over the sprawling ruins.
Australia Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand A self-drive tour through New Zealand, taking in the abundant natural beauty. Enough said. Here’s a tip to top that.
Spend a couple of days at the Aoraki/Mount Cook alpine village. Spend time in the shadow of New Zealand’s highest mountain, boating on the glacier lakes, walking around, taking off on hikes, generally pausing to breathe.
Travel Buff? Download These Apps Before Your Next Vacay
1/8
Take the stress out of planning your trip and explore the world with these mobile applications.
Take the stress out of planning your trip and explore the world with these mobile applications.
AR City uses a combination of augmented reality and computer vision technology to let tourists access information as they travel around cities. You can stand in a street and holding your iPhone in front of you, see virtual information such as street names, building names and local points of interest on a live image of the real world in front of you. You can also use it for basic navigation. The app is still in beta, so the amount of information available is limited, but the accuracy is promising.
Image: www.blippar.com
AR City uses a combination of augmented reality and computer vision technology to let tourists access information as they travel around cities. You can stand in a street and holding your iPhone in fr..
Read More
It is a travel inspiration app that makes local culture globally accessible. Tourists can explore more than 300 locations around the world through the lens of passionate locals and in-house journalists. From unknown stories about Mexico’s third gender to the most Instagrammable dishes in Beijing – the app covers every area of culture including food, travel, music, sport, entertainment, fashion, art, design, health and more.
Image: play.google.com
It is a travel inspiration app that makes local culture globally accessible. Tourists can explore more than 300 locations around the world through the lens of passionate locals and in-house journalis..
Read More
Your smartphone becomes a live-out-loud translator with this must-have app for tourists. You can have conversations in up to 38 languages by tapping the button to speak and holding to translate. The app automatically picks up which language is being spoken and becomes the middleman in your conversation. The app is free to use in its basic form but to unlock unlimited translations and multiple devices you’ll need to pay a subscription.
Image: play.google.com
Your smartphone becomes a live-out-loud translator with this must-have app for tourists. You can have conversations in up to 38 languages by tapping the button to speak and holding to translate. The ..
Read More
This app is your travel guide for more than 600 destinations worldwide in five languages, including offline maps and a trip planner. You can put together all the details of your trip before, or even during, your journey. Add the important points of interest, shops, hotels and museums to your travel guide and you’ll get a complete route as an offline map. The app can also automatically arrange your route by the distance from your departure point.
Image: www.tripwolf.com
This app is your travel guide for more than 600 destinations worldwide in five languages, including offline maps and a trip planner. You can put together all the details of your trip before, or even ..
Read More
GPS Tracker It is a global real-time instant messaging and tracking app that can help you stay in touch with your loved ones while you are continents away. You can see locations in multi-map views including satellite, access history, request for meeting points, instantly see who is Letstracking in your vicinity and deactivate tracking anytime. The app can also track your automobiles like cars and motorbike.
Image: play.google.com
GPS Tracker It is a global real-time instant messaging and tracking app that can help you stay in touch with your loved ones while you are continents away. You can see locations in multi-map views in..
Read More
Klook is an indestination travel activities and service booking plat form for Asia that gives tourists a trusted way to book and enjoy over 30,000 popular attractions, local experiences and services around the world. The app of fers more than 50,000 activities and services provided by over 5,000 industry partners in over 200 destinations worldwide. It is the mostfunded company in the tours and activities sector globally.
Image: play.google.com
Klook is an indestination travel activities and service booking plat form for Asia that gives tourists a trusted way to book and enjoy over 30,000 popular attractions, local experiences and services ..
Read More
Trip n howl is an interactive travel networking app and is a great place for tourists to connect with other travellers, plan trips and share their experiences. The app makes travel l ing abroad a lot more convenient by connecting to your favourite destinations, travel tips and more. It also helps you find your way around an unfami liar city, figure out currency conversion, translate foreign languages and avoid mobile roaming costs when contacting your loved ones anywhere in the world.
Image: play.google.com
Trip n howl is an interactive travel networking app and is a great place for tourists to connect with other travellers, plan trips and share their experiences. The app makes travel l ing abroad a lot..
