Lonely Planet’s team of experts just released (Oct. 2020) their list of the Top 10 Ultimate Destinations – their “must-see and must-do experiences, from spotting wildlife on the Galapagos Islands to admiring the spectacular Iguazú Falls waterfall that spans Argentina and Brazil, to wandering the geothermal landscapes of Yellowstone National Park.”
According to CNN Travel, the Lonely Planet team “scoured past Lonely Planet guidebooks and also reviewed each destination’s commitment to sustainability.” They claimed… “this is intended to be something that really drives people’s bucket list, not just for now, but for the future.”
Well, as seasoned travellers know well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To choose a Top 10 list from hundreds of incredible destinations around the world is not easy task, and can only be based on personal experiences, preferences and individual psyche.
I have visited seven out of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 and I agree that all ten are good. Not sure how many of these would be in my Top 10 list. I’d say not more than five, at most. Below is CNN Travel’s / Lonely Planet’s comments, preceded by my assessment.
All photos are mine, except where otherwise indicated.
10. Annapurna Circuit, Nepal
I have done both the Annapurna Circuit to the west of the capital, Kathmandu, as well as Everest Base Camp to the east. While I agree that at least one should be in the Top 10, my choice is the Everest Base Camp triangular hike via Gokyo Ri and the dreaded but stunning Chula Pass.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: This jaw-dropping trek is a must for climbers, hikers and on-foot travelers. Traversing Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit, you’ll pass through rice paddies, yak grasslands and a snowy mountain pass named Thorung La.
Parts of the walk are very high altitude, including the stunning Tilicho Lake, which only adds to the appeal for thrill-seekers. According to Lonely Planet, the Annapurna Circuit is “everything a good trek should be.”
9. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
In my magazine, GlobeRovers, available online and in print, I published a list of my Top 50 Incredible Destinations and Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni was at the top spot. Say no more. It’s an awesome trip but make sure to spend at least a week in the area using a 4×4 and a good driver/guide.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: Visiting Salar de Uyuni, the biggest salt flat in the world, feels like you’re walking through the clouds. After rainfall, water on the lake’s salty surface creates a glossy, glass-like illusion, turning the lake into a mirror that reflects the sky above.
Salar de Uyuni is also pretty impressive when it’s arid, and the surface becomes cracked with geometric patterns. Plus, when it’s dry you can visit the two lake islands, Isla Incahuasi and Isla del Pescado.
8. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia
These ancient ruins are incredible, but they are really not incredible with many hundreds of tourists around you. I first visited 15 years ago and on a drizzling day almost no other tourists visited. What an amazing experience. I felt like I was in a Indiana Jones movie! During my last trip, there were just too many people and the ruins totally lost its magic.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: The atmospheric surrounds of Angkor, a cluster of beautiful crumbling temples surrounded by jungle, comes in at number eight on Lonely Planet’s list. Cambodia’s top tourist attraction, this vast UNESCO World Heritage Site is a remarkable place to visit.
Angkor Wat, the most famous Angkor temple complex, was designed as a visual representation of Mount Meru, the home of the Hindu gods, and Lonely Planet calls Angkor “a monument to human ingenuity.”
7. Iguazú Falls, Argentina-Brazil
While the Iguazú Falls are incredible… I have been to the Zimbabwe/Zambia’s Victoria Falls and the Niagara Falls in Canada/USA. I would rather list the Victoria Falls among the Top 10.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: The Río Iguazú Falls is a spectacular cascading waterfall, located between Argentina and Brazil. Watching the water cascading over the vertical ledge is an incredible experience — in part because of the sheer scale: Iguazú is actually made up of 275 waterfalls and the tallest, the Devil’s Throat, is 80 meters deep.
It’s the drama of Iguazú, as well as its beauty, that nabs it a spot on this list: “The thundering vibrations of crashing water remind you in no uncertain terms of the power and splendor of nature,” says Lonely Planet.
6. Lake Bled, Slovenia
While Lake Bled is serene, I would not place it among the Top 10 or even the Top 20. There is nothing but a church in a lake, beautiful but that’s about it. While the surroundings are lovely, it’s just not worthy to be in the Top 10!
CNN/LP COMMENTS: Picturesque Lake Bled is home to a quaint, white church, sitting on a verdant island and surrounded by aqua-blue water, silhouetted against the backdrop of the Julian Alps.
Back in the day, pilgrims would travel to the church to worship and later it was the vacation hangout for 19th-century royalty. Today, tourists enjoy walking and cycling around the lake — while those who want to test the waters can opt for a ride in a pletna boat — a type of Slovenian gondola.
5. Yellowstone National Park, USA
I have not yet been to Yellowstone so I can’t comment other than what I have seen in photos. I guess it can make the Top 10 but I need to first see for myself. I have seen and photographed so many beautiful places in 46 out of the 50 US states that I have visited! America has so many beautiful landscapes.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: Once smelled, Yellowstone’s not easily forgotten, but this US National Park is also the largest geothermal area on earth, dancing to a tune of burps and bubbles.
Visiting the park, home to more than 500 active geysers including the famous Old Faithful, is a wondrous experience. The park’s also home to wildlife including bighorn sheep, elk, grizzly bears and wolves.
Grand Prismatic is another must-see Yellowstone attraction — the largest hot spring in the US, it’s a shining rainbow of multicolored water.
4. Okavango Delta, Botswana
Another place in this Top 10 that I have not been to but it is high on my list. I could agree giving it a top spot.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: Each year the Okavango River is flooded by water from the Angolan highlands, transforming this extraordinary wilderness.
The Okavango Delta is also a wildlife hotspot — home to everything from majestic elephants to exquisite reptiles — and one of Africa’s greatest and most exclusive safari destinations.
Visitors to Okavango Delta can journey along its rivers by powerboat and in traditional dugout canoes called mokoro. Lonely Planet reckons it’s the perfect trip for travelers looking to be at one with nature.
3. Uluru-Kata Tjuta NP, Australia
Personally, and please forgive me, but I have absolutely no interest to see this rock. Okay… it would be nice to see, but there are just way too many other gorgeous and special places around the world that I first want to see.
CNN/LP COMMENTS: Visiting the spectacular Uluru sandstone monolith — an Australian landmark — is an unforgettable experience. Brassy bronze in color and beautifully glowing when the sun sets, Uluru is considered sacred by the original inhabitants, the Anangu people, who believe that the spirits of their ancestors live on there.
Head to Uluru to walk around the circumference of the rock, and learn about its history and tradition.
2. The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
The Galápagos Islands rank number 2 in GlobeRovers Magazine’s Top 50 Incredible Destinations so it absolutely belongs in the Top 10. Make sure to take a boat cruise of at least 8 days to visit several islands. It’s purely magical!
CNN/LP COMMENTS: A nature lover’s dream and eco-traveler’s paradise, the Galápagos are home to some of the world’s most colorful creatures, including glorious iguanas, ancient tortoises, diving penguins and lively seals.
Volcanic rocks, turquoise-blue waters and a stunningly diverse eco-system are some of the reasons why this destination is ranked second on Lonely Planet’s list.
1. Petra, Jordan
Petra is incredible, but make sure to go in low season and don’t be stuck with adoring the main tourist spots. Spend at least three days and explore the area and the local Bedouin inhabitants of the greater Petra area. Also make sure to spend a few nights in the desert of Wadi Rum (Valley of the Moon) to the south. It is totally awesome!
CNN/LP COMMENTS: A once almost abandoned “lost city,” largely forgotten by Europeans for 1000 years, Petra is the perfect place for adventurers who want to visit a destination like no other. The Nabataean people lived in Petra from the fourth century BCE to the first century CE, and this sandstone city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lonely Planet’s Tom Hall calls the site a “really mysterious and evocative place.”
So what’s left out from the above list? Here’s my take on it….
- Svalbard Islands, NORWAY
- The atolls of the MALDIVES
- Glaciers around the world, in particular Perito Moreno Glacier, ARGENTINA
- Macho Picchu Ruins, PERU, and many other awesome ruins around the world
- The temples of Bagan, MYANMAR
- Sana’a and Shibam Hadhramaut, YEMEN
…and the list goes on and one and one…. 🙂
☛ Read more: Posts of my Top Ranking Lists
Text partly sourced from the CNN Travel report.
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.