Travel Feeder picks Top 10 countries to visit in 2013

Lonely Planet recently announced its Best in Travel 2013 publication which shortlists the top 10 countries to visit in next year 2013, including Sri Lanka, South Korea, Turkey and Dominican Republic. I couldn’t agree more on the wonderful travel features that these countries have to offer. Unfortunately, some of these countries are simply too far to reach and too complicated in terms of accessibility, and are particularly interested by seasoned travelers. That said, in conjunction with Thanksgiving Day today, Travel Feeder as a trusted travel blog would like to share another Top 10 countries to visit in 2013, that are more easier and cheaper to explore and enjoy your vacation next year, particularly for casual travelers whose time and money has a limit!

Factors influencing this list includes cost, distance, environment, shutterbug-friendly, people, safety and most importantly, my personal experience towards them. The result is coming from a traveler to other travelers. They might be too popular and highly frequented for seasoned travelers, but it also means that there are more discounted packages to these countries! These countries are top 10 countries to visit first if you haven’t done so. Hope it could help you to plan your next holiday in 2013. Here it is:

1) Japan

Japan is one of the best country to travel for vacation. It has endless attractive features to explore, from historic architecture, natural scenery, modern architecture, neon lighting, vibrant night view, fantastic Japanese cuisine, local fashion to Japanese people. Japan is also one of the safest country to wander alone at night. At least in tourist spots, Japan has the cleanest public toilets which are virtually spotless! And they are free entrance! Weather is perfect with distinct four seasons so tourists can enjoy Cherry Blossom booming in spring and colourful foliage falling in Autumn. Among the popular cities where tourists arrive in droves each year are Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, Okinawa and Hiroshima.

2) China

China has one of the richest cultural and historic assets to explore. It is a huge country with many different regions that have their individual culture and ethnic groups, albeit speaking the same mother language of mandarin. One could easily spend years to explore them all. Some of the World heritage sites to die for include The Great Wall and The Forbidden City. The popular cities to travel are Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fujien, Tsingtao, Tibet and of course Hong Kong and Macao.

3) Thailand

Thailand is all about having fun. Tourism plays a big part in Thailand’s economy. Local people know this fact so well that they always treat foreign visitors as VIP! As the result, you will get all the funs in Thailand. Most attractively, cost of travel is still cheap in Thailand and shopping there is every woman’s favourite. Popular cities for travel include Bangkok, Chiengmai, Phuket, Songkla and Hatyai.

4) United Kingdom

United Kingdom is the top country to visit in Europe. Apart from all the iconic structures and castles, what made UK the must visit country in Europe is its culture and people. Except when they are drunk, British is always polite and humble. London, Manchester, York, Edinburg, Bath, Dublin, and Cambridge are some of the popular tourist destinations.

5) Spain

Spain is all about freedom. Unlike the conservative thinking most other European countries are regarded as, Spain is otherwise like a teenager. Spanish people are out spoken, energetic and sexy. Night life is always exciting and never ending. Paella and tapas, mosaic and dance, both reflect the creativity and artistic spirit Spainish are famous for. Most of the foreign visitors will come to Barcelona, Madrid, and Verona for travel.

6) Italy

If you love sculptures, then you must love Italy. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci are among the best known artist and sculptors in Italy. Italian foods are also one of the reasons why travelers arriving here in droves. Marvelous statues and painting has successfully covered up some of the safety issue in Italy.  Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan and Pisa are cities that you can’t miss to go in Italy.

7) Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the cleanest countries. Highlands, glaciers, lakes and rivers cover most of its land mass. Because of that, water from taps and public fountains are mostly pottable, and even some of the rivers! Another attraction is of course the high quality watches. Not to mention its Swiss chocolate. Zurich, Lucerne, Bern and Interlaken are among the best cities to explore in Switzerland.

8) Germany

Germany has both the history and technology. Its automobile industry is one of the top in the world. Viewing all the luxury cars passing by on the street is already a worthwhile experience. Even more surprises when you spot your dream cars parking outside the airport as taxi! Popular cities to to visit include Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg. Sausages and pork knuckles are also reasons to visit for food craving travelers!

9) Malaysia

I grown up in this country and it has lush greenery, white sandy beaches, deep blue sky and year long sunshine. Visit Malaysia for its rich culture, delicious foods, picturistic nature, beautiful seaside and island, and of course breezy highlands. Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Cameron Highland, Genting Highland, Ipoh and Redang Island are among the best.

10) Australia

Visit Australia for its fun, culture, natural, wine, landmarks and people. The combination of attractions that suit everyone and the friendly environment and people made Australia my favourite country to visit. The only drawback is perhaps its getting stronger and stronger Aussie Dollars. Visit Gold Coast for wildlife, theme parks and thousands mile long beachline; Sydney and Melbourne for its metropolitan, Perth for the nature.

Why your country is not in our list above? Nothing special, just not our personal preference! 🙂 – Travel Feeder, your ultimate travel photo blog

About The Author

Cecil Lee

The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.