Hot Travel Destinations For 2018

Posted on Oct 31 2017 - 9:31am by Len Rutledge

As 2017 is fast disappearing, travel writers, tour companies and the general public are starting to look at 2018. Between now and the end of the year there will be many articles about the recommended travel destinations for next year. Many will include out of the way, fanciful destinations that few are likely to actually visit.

While these unusual destinations make good stories, the real hot destinations will be some of those that have been popular for decades. They keep expanding and improving their tourism offerings and continue to meet the needs of most segments of the market.

Here are four that will continue to shine.

Switzerland

Switzerland enjoys an excellent reputation worldwide as a country with a great tradition of hospitality. It probably started in the 19th century when the world’s elite started sending their children to be educated in Swiss boarding schools. Every visitor today can quickly see that the reputation continues strongly.

One of the secrets to Switzerland’s success is its diversity. You can visit an enchanted castle or a first-class museum, gaze at breathtaking glaciers and stunning mountains, pass palm trees and grotti, explore World Heritage Sites and enjoy unspoilt natural landscapes and easy-to-manage cities.

Many names are legendary – Geneva, Zurich, Zermatt and St Moritz – but the surprise is the interest to be found in places you probably have never heard of. Take Avenches as an example. Two thousand years ago it had 20,000 inhabitants, and stately mansions and temples protected by a five-kilometre-long, nearly seven-metre-tall wall with over 70 towers. Today you can see the eastern gates and a wall tower, the forum’s thermal baths, the amphitheatre with a capacity of up to 16,000 persons, and temple ruins.

Switzerland has some great modern hotels such as the Alpina Gstaad which opened in 2013 but I also love to experience the grandeur of the more classic properties. The 150 year-old Bellevue Palace in Bern, the Hotel Des Bergues in Geneva, founded in 1834, which is now a Four Seasons Hotel, and the Hotel Splendide Royal in Lugano which is celebrating 130 years, are three of my favourites.

Thailand

Thailand is a kingdom in south-east Asia filled with spectacular natural, cultural, and historical attractions. It is no surprise that the tourism industry has prospered despite some short-lived problems in recent years.

The North has the country’s highlands where vast mountain ranges dominate the landscape and you find hill-tribe people, isolated villages and the city of Chiang Mai. The Northeast features some highlands but also large plateaus where rice is grown and traditional culture is preserved.

Central Thailand is mainly plains and is a huge area of rice farming and agriculture along The Chao Phraya River. This is the most intensively developed part of the country and includes the huge city of Bangkok. The South contains many beautiful beaches and islands including Phuket, Koh Samui, and Koh Phi Phi.

Eastern Thailand has mountains, golf courses and tourist places like Koh Samed, Koh Chang, Bang Saen Beach, and Pattaya. The West is mountainous with many woodlands, waterfalls, and dams and this is home to Erawan Waterfall, Mon Bridge, Three Pagodas Pass, Underwater City, The Bridge of the River Kwai, and Kanchanaburi.

Thai cuisine is renowned world-wide and there is a great variety of authentic Thai food for you to try. Most Thai dishes are stir fried or grilled and served with rice but noodles are also popular. Thai beer is cheap and fruit smoothies and fruit juice are both very popular. Eating and drinking are two of the real pleasures throughout the country. Combine this with excellent accommodation, good transport and happy smiling people and it’s not hard to see why this country is so popular and will continue to be so.

New Zealand

New Zealand is a land of immense and diverse landscape. You’ll see things and have experiences here that are unique to this country.

The are spectacular glaciers, picturesque fiords, rugged mountains, vast plains, rolling hills, subtropical forests, a volcanic plateau, and thousands of kilometres of coastline with rocky bluffs and sandy beaches all within hours of each other. Don’t forget the cities. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and others all have their own special feel.

Most New Zealand visitors find that they are quickly into experiences even though this may not have been their reason for visiting. At Waitomo Caves you can explore with a walking or boat tour, try blackwater rafting where you’ll crawl, swim and float through the caves on a rubber tube, or abseil or zip-line through the darkness.

The 53 kilometre Milford Track leads you across suspension bridges, board walks and a mountain pass. Queenstown has helicopter flights, the world’s first and most famous bungy jump at Kawarau Bridge and jet boat thrills through the rugged beauty and unspoilt grandeur of the white-water rapids of the Shotover River.

Rotorua has bubbling mud pools, shooting geysers and natural hot springs, as well as fascinating Maori culture. And these places are just a fraction of what is on offer.

Another feature of New Zealand is its high-quality accommodation, some of it in lodges in spectacular locations. Typical of this is Marlborough Lodge (http://www.themarlboroughlodge.co.nz/) a luxury country estate located in the heart of the famous Marlborough wine region. There are elegant, contemporary suites, gourmet local cuisine, beautiful parkland surrounds and attentive staff on hand 24 hours a day. It is a great place to relax and unwind.

Tahiti

For many, the name evokes visions of an island paradise, exotic days, romantic nights and South Sea adventure. And this is exactly what you’ll find here. Officially known as French Polynesia, the area possesses one of the most spectacularly beautiful and diverse environments on earth in a mixture of high volcanic islands and low-lying atolls.

There are 118 islands but none impress me more that Moorea which rises magically out of the ocean like a cathedral. There are waterfalls tumbling down fern-softened cliffs, peaceful meadows and a bright blue lagoon which will bring to life the South Seas idyll of your dreams. Pastel-painted houses with gardens of hibiscus circle the island in a necklace of simple villages.

The quiet waters of the lagoon allow for a variety of activities, from swimming, fishing, scuba diving or snorkelling and outrigger canoeing to paddle boarding, kite boarding, and water skiing. The on-shore area is area is good for hiking, horseback riding, quad biking or exploring on a four-wheeler.

Many painters, carvers, jewellers and tattoo artists live on the island because of its beauty and serenity and you will find your own peace while watching fishermen on their outrigger canoe or listening to the sound of the ukulele while sitting on the sand under a tree.

The Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa (www.moorea.hilton.com) offers bungalows set amongst gardens or suspended above the lagoon. Guests enjoy a swimming pool, a fitness centre, a tennis court, 3 restaurants and 3 bars. Arii Vahine Restaurant, which faces the lagoon, serves French and Polynesian favourites; the beach-side Rotui Grill & Bar offers a relaxed setting for lunch; and the overwater Toatea Crêperie & Bar is a popular hangout for evening cocktails and crêpes under the stars. This resort is great for both active and passive visitors.

About the Author

Len Rutledge is the author of the Experience Guide series to Thailand, Norway, Ireland,& Northern Italy, Myanmar, Singapore, India, Istanbul and Melbourne. Books are available as ebooks or paperbacks from https://amazon.com by typing in Len Rutledge in the search box & on that site.