I have only really traveled well enough around the USA, Greece, and a bit of Turkey. I will soon be in Sicily in the Southern part of Italy which I am very excited about, but I wanted to write down some other countries I really want to go to in the future. Places that I have heard of that would be awesome to see and experience first hand.
1. New Zealand
The islands of New Zealand are incredible scenic destinations with diverse landscapes and stunning seascapes. At the top of my priorities in traveling the country would be Milford Sound within the Fiordland National Park. The park offers access to some of the most beautiful fjords by boat with steep cliffs and giant waterfalls dotted along the area. The country also has attractions like the Sky Tower, Abel Tasman National Park, Lake Wanaka, and the Waitomo Caves just to name a few.
2. South Africa
The southern tip of Africa is another one of those locations that offer a lot, but aren’t high on many people’s lists of places to go. Table mountain is a very recognizable landmark that sets itself just to the north of Cape Town. There is also easy access to African wildlife on safaris with Lions, Leopards, Elephants, and so much more! Johannesburg also offers the cradle of humankind which sounds like a cool place to check out!
3. Iceland
The island may seem like a blip on the map between the Americas and Europe, but a person could easily spend a couple of months just trekking around visiting some of the most beautiful sights in the arctic circle with waterfalls in front of giant caves, volcanoes, and whale watching tours. There is Blue Lagoon which is a Geothermal spa found to be beneficial to health and skin. The northern lights are easily visible in Iceland away from the urban environments where it is most worth spending time, but there is also the Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik that is the tallest building in the country with very unique architecture.
4. Argentina
The main reason I would like to travel to Argentina is because of the stunning landscapes to be seen in Patagonia. There are tall and rocky mountains surrounded by glaciers that stretch out into the sea in the southern part of Argentina. Iguazu Falls is another one of those locations with immersive waterfalls that few people know of and yet is stunningly beautiful part of the country in the Northeast near Paraguay.
5. Japan
This one is mainly for the culture and the experience of the big cities and sights around places like Tokyo. There is also Mt. Fuji that is an almost perfectly symmetrical dormant volcano. Hiroshima would also be a neat place to see with the building in the center that still exists from when the atomic bomb was dropped over the city in 1945.
6. China
A huge country with so many things to see. The city/island of Hong Kong is just too interesting to pass up. There are the Himalayas in the Southern part of the country. Beijing’s old Olympic stadiums and culture is a neat attraction as well. Plus who could forget about the parts of ancient China like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square! There is also lesser known places like Huangshan and Jiuzhaigou and the Leshan Giant Buddha to name a few.
7. Ireland
The weather can be horrible, but that is not something that could make me want to avoid it. The grand castles that offer history like Dublin Castle, Ross Castle, and Blarney Castle. The Ring of Kerry would also be a scenic place to be a part of the visit here. The Isle of Man would be my main focus on visiting Ireland with its history and scenic cliffs and rolling hills.
8. Cuba
This island has been largely inaccessible to Americans for a long while now. Finally, the Caribbean island nation is opening its shores back up to American travelers! Of the things it offers there are some of the best beaches in the world to vacation on with fantastic resorts to make your stay worthwhile. To an urban traveler, there is the streets of cities like Havana with culture and lifestyles that would be neat to see contrasting to our own. The cities also have houses lining their streets with awesome colors and character!
9. Egypt
The Great Pyramids of Giza to put it most simply. I have seen them in books and movies. I want to see them in person and know what they look like and the area that they are in. The Great Sphinx is another site that would be very cool to see in person. The Nile River and the history that still exists along it is incredible and I would love to see that in person.
10. Namibia
This one is probably the most random of my top ten list, but hear me out on why I want to travel to this African nation. It is just to the north of South Africa making it an easy add on to a South Africa trip. The country has some amazing desert landscapes (Spitzkoppe, Fish River Canyon, and Skeleton Coast National Park), unique animals to its lands only, and the deserted German mining town of Sperrgebiet from the 1920’s.