Top 5 destinations for world travel beginners

                This blog post is dedicated to those readers who have never left the United States. Where should you go? These are the trips I’d recommend the highest.

 

 

1)      Alberta, Canada – Canada is a perfect dip your toes in the water destination. I tell anyone who will listen that the benefits far outweigh the costs of visiting such lovely places as Banff and Jasper National Parks where you’ll find Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, and Peyto Lake (see pics below). English is the primary language, so no language issues to deal with. The flight is short and cheap into Calgary from most western cities. You can usually get away with not changing any money if you have a debit/credit card. You’ll obviously need a passport, but that’s the whole point of this post to persuade you to get one. For the most part, there is very little downside to making Canada your first international trip.

Caveat: Go only in the summer, otherwise you may run into snow and ice. June 15-September 15.

 

 

 

 

2)      Switzerland & Italy – Both of these countries got my top scores for European destinations. If you can only visit 2 countries in Europe, these are the two that offer the most things to do plus incredible scenery. You can usually get by with zero foreign language skills. These countries are very safe and friendly to tourism. Renting a car or using public transportation are both feasible. You won’t run out of things to do in cities like Rome, Venice, Pisa, or in Grindelwald, Interlaken, etc.

Caveat: Don’t go in the winter months, as the roads in the Alps close and the views aren’t quite as spectacular with less chance of sunny weather. Of course, if skiing is your primary purpose, then do the opposite

 

 

 

 

3)  French Polynesia – My next recommended destination is the French Polynesia, specifically Bora Bora and Moorea. These are two beautiful islands that are normally earmarked for honeymooners. This means that you’ll spend 90% of your time in or near the water, but it’s ok because the water colors are pretty awesome! There are also scenic viewpoints on both islands worth visiting. Even though French is the native language, you’ll get by just fine with English.

Caveat – Hotels are not cheap, especially over the water. You’ll want to stay a couple hundred feet inland to save big money. Winter airfare prices are much lower. In fact, package deals can be had on normally very expensive hotels.

 

 

4)   Peru – As representation of South America, it was a tossup between Peru and Brazil. Peru has Machu Picchu, which trumps Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls. Peru is also much cheaper than Brazil. You won’t need to spend too much for hotels, transportation, etc. in Peru. Even outside the Machu Picchu area, the Sacred Valley is very scenic and worthwhile. 

      Caveat – Visiting Lake Titicaca was overrated in my view. I’d rather visit the Amazon jungle than spend time at Lake Titicaca. There are altitude issues in Peru for most of the touristy areas, so you’ll have to get adjusted. Language can be a real barrier if you don’t know Spanish.

 

5)    UAE – The surprising thing about Dubai and Abu Dhabi is that it’s cheap to fly there and it’s cheap to stay there. Airline tickets can easily be had for under $1K. Decent hotel rooms can be had for ~$50/night, because of the massive over supply of rooms. Most of the sites worth seeing are either in malls (indoor ski hill, aquariums, etc.) or just in the architecture of the city. The tallest building in the world is here. There are 7 star and underwater hotels. It's a super fascinating place. 

Caveat – You only need ~3 days to see Dubai and Abu Dhabi, although there are other things to do with more time like go play in the sand dunes. Since the flight is very long, you may want to consider a second destination to make it worth the trip. Only go in the winter months. The rest of the year is extremely hot and humid.

 

 

 

 

Honorable mentions:

 

     South Africa – Picking a place in Africa was challenging, but Cape Town was definitely my favorite city in my 4 trips to Africa. Egypt and Tanzania also have a lot to offer, but would not recommend Egypt without a group if you are new to travelling along with the current safety concerns. Tanzania is nice with Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar beaches, and the Ngorongoro Crater. Cape Town has both beautiful scenery and things to do like Robben Island, Table Mountain, and the Cape of Good Hope. Hostels are pretty cheap.

Caveat – You have to be on high alert walking around the city. There’s a lot of crime. Don’t go out after dark.

 

      Beijing – There is a lot to see in Beijing (the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, Tianamen Square). Flight costs can be reasonable. Visa requirements have been relaxed for US citizens if you only want to spend a couple days here en route to somewhere else. Hotels are cheap along with eating out.

Caveat – The language barrier can be huge. You will need to bring the Chinese version of the names of your hotels to provide to taxi drivers. If you can reserve an English speaking driver in advance, it will be a huge benefit. Costs for that service are surprisingly cheap.