Russell Hannon - May 27, 2016
If you're unsure where to take your next vacation, this collection of fun travel type surveys suggests places that align to your travel type. Here are the overall Top Travel Destinations you should consider. Each place on this list meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Easier to access
- Most sought out
- Budget friendly
CLICK HERE to see present the Top Travel Destinations on City TV Edmonton.
Pristine Wonder
The Island of St. Helena is a majestic 10 x 5 mile island is in the middle of the south Atlantic. Dubbed 'The Secret of the South Atlantic,' it's one of the world’s most remote islands and takes 5 ½ days to reach St. Helena by sea. It's so remote in fact, that it’s where Napoleon Bonaparte was sent into exile.
In February 2016, St. Helena Island opened its first ever airport, a monumental achievement taking years of work to complete as all crew, heavy equipment and materials had to be shipped there by sea. The island’s key attractions include Napoleon’s last residence ‘the Longwood House,’ his tomb, a lush waterfall and the lack of light pollution make way for spectacular stargazing.
What Everyone's Talking About
The charm of Cuba is also what makes it unique from most other places in the world. Visitors will liken it to a time warp and is where all the cars are from the 50’s. With the U.S. lifting sanctions on Cuba, trade is slowly opening up and this month Carnival Cruises launched cruises to Cuba. Cases can be made to either go before ‘it changes,’ and also to wait:
- Go Now If: You want to see the 1950’s cars that roam the streets. As trade picks up, these time capsules will fade away.
- Wait If: You want the standards of hotels, resorts, service, food and water to improve.
Most Sought Destination
Despite the Zika virus outbreak and controversy around pollution and readiness, Rio is the most sought out destination this year thanks to the Olympics. There’s a myth that Olympic host cities are astronomically expensive to visit during their host year, when in fact, you can avoid the premium Olympic pricing and benefit from all the Olympic infrastructure by visiting in the months leading up to and shortly after the Olympics.
From a health perspective, there is a swath of contradictory information online as to whether or not you should be concerned. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is amongst the best reputed sources for travel and health advisories, and has setup this CDC health advisory web page for people traveling to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Top Must See Country
Botswana, South Africa was ranked by Lonely Planet as this year's Top Must See Country. Botswana is home to what many consider to be the most spectacular safaris on earth with herds of elephants, hippos, and rhinos. Accessibility to Botswana has also improved with direct international flights starting this year.
Top Budget Travel Destination
Lonely Planet has ranked Estonia as this year’s TOP Budget Travel Destination. Estonia’s charm is in its mid-evil architecture and enchanting forests - the sorts you would expect to find in a fairy tale fantasy. You also have the Baltic islands off the west, and although Estonia is on the Euro, the country is much less expensive to visit than it’s sister Eurozone countries.
Once feeling unable to afford to travel, Russell Hannon uses lean principles to travel at a fraction of the going rate. He has been featured on CNBC, FOX, America Tonight, CBS, CTV, CBC, the National Post, Around the World Travel TV and nationally broadcast lifestyle and personal finance shows. He's the author of ‘Stop Dreaming Start Traveling: The Ultimate Guide to Traveling More & Spending Less’ .
FREE GUIDE: Download 'Beat the Best Online Fare - Every Time, Every Flight' at BreakTheTravelBarrier.com