Thursday, December 27, 2012

Hottest destinations for 2013

Travel bible, Lonely Planet, has revealed the best places to visit in the New Year: these are the cities and countries that need to be at the top of your jet-to list

By Gemma White, Editor, Scene magazine

Published: 15:10 December 26, 2012
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Sri Lanka




 Topping the list of super-hot holiday destinations for 2013 is Sri Lanka, which, lucky for us is just over a four-hour short-hop flight from the UAE. With the island’s aficionados long extolling the peaceful vibe of the Indian Ocean island country, visitors can expect to fulfill a whole range of vacay fantasies, from adventure sports to sun-lounging; and exploring to eco-tourism.

Be among the first to re-discover the remote Wilpattu National Park, which was recently reopened after over two decades spent closed to the public, while wildlife fans will love the elephant and leopard-watching to be experienced at Yala National Park. And speaking of wildlife-watching, January to April is the best time to head to Dondra Head on the south coast to catch sight of the blue whales passing through the region.

To catch the surfer dudes in action (or try a spot of surfing yourself), head to Arugam Bay, whilst the beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli near the Eastern capital of Trincomalee are enticing lounge lizards away from the traditional beach hubs of Negombo and Vankalai.

For a list of places to explore, you could spend months taking in the historical marvels of the island country, but a visit to Sigiriya, the huge stone and ancient rock fortress and palace ruins are a must – and is thought to have been inhabited in prehistoric times. Also, take time to wander the historic streets of Galle (119km from Colombo), where European architecture meets South Asian design influences to glorious effect.


Lonely Planet’s Top spots for 2013

1. Sri Lanka
2. Montenegro
3. South Korea
4. Ecuador
5. Slovakia
6. Solomon Islands
7. Iceland
8. Turkey
9. Dominican Republic
10. Madagascar

source - http://gulfnews.com/life-style/travel/hottest-destinations-for-2013-1.1123918

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