World's top destinations
A tiny island close to Auckland in New Zealand, the Civil Rights Trail in Alabama and beautiful Cape Town have all made it onto this year's list of the world's top 12 travel destinations, compiled by influential travel guide Frommers...
Arthur Frommer launched his career on the travel scene in 1957, when he self-published "Europe on $5 a Day." Today, some 350 titles are offered through the best-selling Frommer's Travel Guides and their annual ‘world's best destinations list' has become a bible for travelers all over the world.
According to the Frommers website, this year's list is ‘a mix of value picks that will still wow you; cities that are sprucing up for big events, smart alternatives to overrun spots nearby and destinations that are justifiably hyped.'
Check out some of the 2009 choices:
Cartagena, Colombia
Traditionally avoided as a holiday spot due to safety concerns, Colombia has come into its own and is starting to attract hoards of tourists.
Especially popular with Americans due to the short flight - 2.5 hours from Miami - Cartagena has stunning coastal views, sandy beaches and 17th Century cathedrals to explore.
Cape Town, South Africa
The 2010 World Cup has kicked off a new wave of interest in South Africa. The completion of the new international airport and the improved infrastructure is expected to pull in thousands more visitors and international property investors.
Cape Town, the oldest city in Southern Africa, is regularly heralded as one of the most beautiful on earth. With so much to see - from Table Mountain, to Nelson Mandela's prison on Robben Island, to the diamond shops glittering around the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront - Cape Town is a true feast for the senses.
You can also visit African Penguin colonies at Boulders Beach along False Bay or drive to one of the safari parks and get up close and personal to some South African wildlife.
Washington, D.C., United States
The appointment of Barack Obama has heralded a new dawn for America. The ‘Obama effect' is already attracting more visitors to the capital, all eager to see what the new President will do to Change the American way.
Frommers has called Washington one of the world's great ‘budget cities,' as virtually every major attraction the city has to offer - from the Smithsonian Museums to the National Monuments to the National Zoo - is free and transportation via the city's Metro system is quick and easy.
There is also a new museum coming this year, so book your flight to DC and check out the National Museum of Crime and Punishment.
Civil Rights Trail from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama, United States
‘What happened forty years ago between Selma and Montgomery - the antecedent for the Voting Rights Act - is why the U.S. has welcomed Barack Obama into the White House,' says Frommers.
A vital part of American history, this region of the USA is often overlooked by tourists and is well worth a visit. Aside from the enormous sense of history, the area offers breathtaking wild scenery, national parks and vast plantation houses.
Highlights include the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Slavery & Civil War Museum, the Rosa Parks Museum, and the Maya Lin-designed Civil Rights Monument.
Waiheke Island, New Zealand
The tiny island of Waiheke is the gem of the Hauraki Gulf and lies 35 minutes by ferry from Auckland in New Zealand.
A summer favourite with Kiwis, many of whom own summer houses on the island, Waiheke is also ‘a hot spot for New Zealand's massive wine and olive industries.'
According to Frommers, ‘Growers of both grapes and olives have caught wind of all those travelling foodies and responded by building sleek and modern accommodations amongst the vines, providing high-end creature comforts, menus offering food for the sophisticated palate and spectacular views of the bay and distant Auckland.'
The other destinations on the 2009 list were Saqqara, Egypt; Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada; Lassen Volcano National Park, California, United States; Berlin, Germany; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Istanbul, Turkey and Cambodia (but not Angkor Wat).
Picture by PhillipC