Top-Ranking-Destinations

To the northeast of Moscow lies many small towns and villages known for their golden, green and red domed monasteries and churches along a 440 km ring road. Among the most stunning villages is Suzdal, known for the most number of monasteries and churches for the number of inhabitants. Among the noteworthy towns on the ring road are Vladimir, Suzdal, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Rostov Velikiy, Pereslavl-Zalesskiy, and Sergiyev Posad. [MORE...]

Along the coast of southwestern India, in Kerala State, are the well known backwaters of Alleppey. Hire a private houseboat which comes with a skipper, technician, and cook. A two or three day trip will take you along the many waterways and canals with several stops, to your liking, along the villages and many rice paddies. Meet the friendly locals and buy some interesting local food, fruits, and crafts. Such a incredible experience! [MORE...]

The beautiful Hunza Valley lies just an hour or two drive north of Gilgit town along the scenic road towards the China border. This part of the Gilgit-Baltistan Region of Pakistan's far north is known for its many peaks over 7,000 metre with several glaciers in the area. A 5 to 6 hour hike up from the town of Minapin leads to the incredible Minapin glacier which lies at the foot of Rakaposhi Peak (7,788m) and in the shadows of Diran Peak (7,266 m). This is one of the most beautiful parts of Pakistan! [MORE...]

Located at the foot of Mount Gephel, just five kilometres from the western suburbs of Lhasa, Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries. It is famous for its weekly debates among the monks. They welcome visitors and its a sight not to be missed. Sadly, very sadly, more than a third of the old monastic town was destroyed after the communist Chinese arrived in Lhasa in 1951 to annex Tibet. Fortunately, some key buildings including the four colleges, the Tsokchen and the Dalai Lamas' residence were saved. [MORE...]

Tucked in the northeast corner of Romania near the borders with Moldova and Ukraine, lies the Bucovina region on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians. The area is famous for its many painted monasteries and Orthodox churches with some adorned with frescoes both outside and inside. While the north-facing exterior walls have largely lost much of their five-century-old paintings, frescoes facing into other directions have survived and still looks really stunning. [MORE...]

The Angkor Wat Ruins ruins in Cambodia is the most impressive ruins across Asia and only rivalled by Indonesia's Borobudur. Constructed between the 12th and the 15th century, it is regarded as the largest religious monument in the world. While originally built as a Hindu temple during the Khmer Empire reign, it was slowly transformed into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the 12th century. Angkor Wat ranks #27 on our list. [MORE...]

Ranking at #28 is the Uyghur Livestock Market, in CHINA's most western province of Xinjiang. This very authentic market is a short drive outside the city of Kashgar. The market is held on Sundays and starts from early morning to late afternoon. Lots of sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, and cows on sale. Many food stands offer freshly cooked meat - Uyghur style! [MORE...]

Cartagena de Indias in northern Colombia is a beautiful old colonial town with colourful buildings and horse carts, and surprisingly not many foreign tourists. It ranks #29 on the Globerovers Magazine list of destinations to visit. [MORE...]

Japan's most northern (large) island, Hokkaido, its known for its unspoilt nature. The lakes, rivers, mountains, wildlife, and the small villages and farming communities are tranquil and seem so pure and natural. In winter, the area is transformed into a wonderland of snow, frozen lakes, and natural hot-springs flowing through frozen valleys. Winter is also an ideal time to spot the revered Tancho cranes doing their love-dances on the snow. The majestic Wooper swans from Siberia paddle gracefully around the hot-spring inlets of the frozen lakes. Welcome to Hokkaido! [MORE...]