Countries I'd Love To Visit!

As many of my friends know, sadly I have never been to another country except for the one that I live in, Great Britain. I don't own a passport and none of my close relatives do either, it seems travelling just isn't in my blood. Despite this, I still very much dream of visiting a wide variety of places. I do love photography, and such sights are once in a lifetime opportunities.

England

If I do decide to travel, or if you need ideas on what places to go, here's my top picks!

Costa Rica

I think Costa Rica is notable for it's luxurious surroundings, which see many tourists from around the world gather just to enjoy it. Many reviews are positive, particularly to do with the culture of the people who live there, as they are all very friendly and helpful to tourists. In Central America, Costa Rica is just below Nicaragua and part of it's borders are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, as if it couldn't be tempting enough!

The official Costa Rica site, 'Visit Costa Rica' promotes the country by giving curious Internet users the satisfaction of finding out all about the country, from the climate to famous landmarks they must see when out there. There are many other sites in which dedicate their information to possible tourists, particularly when it comes to travel and business, all of which can greatly improve their economy.

When searching through review sites, I found a helpful list of things to do which would most appeal to tourists:

★ Visiting San José - The capital of Costa Rica with plenty of bars and museums to visit.

★ Manuel Antonio National Park - Known for it's beautiful beaches, and a rainforest which holds many diverse wildlife.

★ Monteverde - A cloud forest reserve with hiking trails for the most adventurous of us!

★ La Fortuna, San Carlos - Where the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall lie.

The landmarks alone are reason enough to see why the country is so widely visited, and even more so that there are so many flights and hotels allowing you to take a holiday there whenever you need to. In comparison to other neighbouring countries, Costa Rica is known to be smaller than most, though the size isn't enough to stop tourists from flooding in! 

The greatest reason to holiday in this country is that it isn't aimed at a specific tourist. It caters for the needs of many, from families to couples, or lone hikers and for me, this makes it a desirable place to visit. Despite all of the landmarks mentioned, there are still other activities available for those who aren't as adventurous, and would rather have a relaxing trip away, there is a great culture in the area for surfing, yoga, and even descending into caves to go 'bat-watching'.

It has to be said that the idea of an active volcano still being on the island is slightly terrifying, but no less intriguing in my eyes. What a piece of history to witness.

Malaysia

Asia overall is just a beautiful continent with many diverse countries in it. You can see I've tried to be as fair as possible by including equal (near enough) amounts of countries from each continent. Though it has to be said that Asia holds a very special place in my heart. 

The most interesting thing about the country from what I've heard is that it has thirteen states! One of the few Asian countries that does.

It seems that the country does have a large following on social networking, with it's Twitter account posting various comments on music, sport or national goings-on within the country.

Like with Costa Rica, I came across a list of things to do in the country, and these seemed very appealing!

★ Kuala Lumpur - Home of the Petronas Twin Towers, a large city perfect for eating out and shopping.

★ Kota Kinabalu - Where famous mountain, Kinabalu is located, alongside a beautiful rainforest and beaches.

★ George Town - The capital of Penang.

★ Malacca City - Jonker Street and Cheng Hoon Teng.

The country is very active online, many representatives using it to draw in tourists. As of July 2018, 'Tourism Malaysia' partook in a collaboration with the Department of Museums to organise the Tourism Malaysia Media Challenge, which encouraged others to come to various museums and delve into the history of the area.

Many reviews of the country outline the large cities, wonderful beaches, delicious food and the beauty of the national parks. All of which leave visitors breathless. Those who struggle to find work in the region often turn to Malaysia to start, as they have a high employment rate.

Those who love the warmth of the sun and getting tanned from head to toe will be pleased to hear that the country is close to the Equator! Although I am not the greatest when it comes to the heat, it would make a lovely change from the downpours of Britain, which do get rather tiring after a while. Wildlife is extremely diverse, and there are species of tiger which thrive there, only in recent years h
ave the population of the species been growing, and that is a sight I would love to see.

Peru

Peru was one of the countries I had most trouble deciding, as neighbouring countries, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil all had similar characteristics. It was the landmarks alone that made my decision final, here were the few that really stood out to me.

★ Machu Piccu - A beautiful area where the Temple of the Sun was built.

★ Lima - Home of Museo Larco art and full of colonial architecture.

★ Cusco - Where Incan ruins and the Santo Domingo Convent lie.

★ Lake Titicaca - A very large lake with a diverse population of wildlife.

Travel sites claim that Peru holds many 'once-in-a-lifetime' experiences, and from the landmarks that house there, that isn't far from the truth. Some go as far as labelling Peru as the "richest country in the world" due to it's large buildings and general care of it's tourist attractions. One of the 'once-in-a-lifetime' experiences are the festivals that take place, there are a large variety of them that all happen annually, (except those marking a particular event which may not happen each year). Luckily there are festivals which are celebrated pretty much all year round, most notably, from March to November.

Canada

Here's something for the cold climate lovers like myself! It would make a wonderful change to go on a 'summer' holiday to somewhere particularly cold, and Canada seems like a great choice for just that! This only applies to the north however, as the south of the country does get comfortably warm in summer, so there's a happy medium between the two if you're unsure. Popular tourist sites include:

★ Vancouver - A coastal city surrounded by the sea, and home of Stanley park.

★ Banff - Perfect for ski trips, along with the famous film festival and Banff Gondola.

★ Toronto - Home of the CN Tower and Royal Ontario Museum.

★ Montreal - Vieux-Montréal, with Notre-Dame and luscious gardens.

As the second largest country in the world, (the first being Russia of course), it is expected to be pretty impressive from the get-go, and it definitely lives up to that. Those with a taste for cuisine will love the variety of good food out there, as the country is often mistaken for being all about physical activities such as climbing or sports - though these are still available if that's the sort of trip you are looking for!

The country is a very popular tourist destination, but even more popular to live in, Canada is definitely sought after as a place to settle down.

Something my research has taught me about the country was it's love of coffee. It's clear that every country supplies coffee as part of a morning routine, but I didn't quite know the scale of Canada's appreciation for it. Famous Canadian coffee brand, Tim Hortons has long been the number one for Canadian coffee creators, only recently has it come across issues, as tastes have changed and people are turning to new ways of maintaining energy without it damaging their health. As bizarre as this information may be, I felt it too fascinating to miss out, particularly as I had no idea.

Italy

What an iconic country. If you haven't heard of a few landmarks, famous dishes, or celebrities from Italy, you can't be from the same planet. It is always in the news for a variety of reasons, whether that be it's production of delicious dining, or beautiful surroundings which attracts so many tourists each year.

The top landmarks for this country were unbelievably hard to pick as there are just so many I would like to visit. Here's the four I finally decided on:

★ Rome - The iconic Colosseum, historical art and the Vatican.

★ Venice - Beautiful city of canals, featuring San Marco square and the Carnival.

★ Florence - Home of Renaissance art and Brunelleschi's Duomo.

★ Pisa - Tuscan location of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

There is just so much to talk about with this country that I couldn't fit it all in. You are welcome to research on some of these topics yourself as I probably won't get around to covering them all. The art, culture, history, nature, activities and sport are all things to become familiar with, as there is just such a large variety.

On the 'vlogging' scene, Italy is very popular, many videos are somewhat controversial, while others are just exploring the areas of beauty. Here are a few which may appeal to you:

★ I Got Arrested In Italy.. - VitalyzdTv

★ Who Is Italy's New Prime Minister? - CNN.com

★ How To Dress Like An Italian Secondo Una Ragazza Americana 2018/2019 - Tia Taylor

Greece

Greece is another very popular tourist destination I would love to visit. It's clear that Athens steals the crown for the most beautiful city in the country, and as the capital, I wouldn't expect any less.

Though it is pretty obvious what one of the answers will be, here are the top places to visit in Greece (in my opinion):

★ Santorini - Renowned for it's beaches, Fira, Oia and volcanic sites.

★ Athens - The capital city with Acropolis and Parthenon.

★ Mykonos - Holds many beaches and perfect for night-time adventures, home of Mykonos town.

★ Rhodes - Also surrounded by beaches, Ancient Kamiros and the famous Rhodes City.

All of the above places are very scenic, and most of the sights are quite literally picture perfect, and are definitely places you would need to bring a camera to. There are no sights like it in the world. It is said that Greece is full of inspiration and would be a great place to visit if you are into the creative arts for that very reason! It may be the start of a true masterpiece. The amount of tourists visiting there each year is evident by the sheer amount of help guides, event planners, and recommendations online from tourists who have already visited and wish to share their experiences with others. Though of all the ones I've seen, 'Condé Nast Travellers' free travel guide is definitely the most thorough, covering where best to eat, which hotels cater for your needs the most, as well as updates on events held to give anyone the best holiday experience.

After research, I found that Greece is very comfortably sitting in the top twenty most popular countries to visit. 

Spain

Yet another hugely popular holiday destination, Spain has plenty to write about, and even more to explore!

★ Barcelona - The Gaudí buildings and Gothic Quarter.

★ Madrid - Royal Palace and home of the Prado Museum of Art.

★ Granada - Famous Cathedral, Alhambra and Moorish quarter.

★ Seville - Alcázar castle, famous Cathedral and flamenco culture.

On the sports side of things, Spain have a wonderful football team who have lead the country to many wins, particularly in recent news. Many of it written up on their own Twitter account, which hosts as a place to encourage tourists to visit, with regular posts on certain areas of the country, along with reason as to why you should visit.

The diversity of the country is definitely something to be mentioned, there are so many different types of people from all walks of life who reside in Spain. I personally know a handful of people who own a house out there and visit regularly for a break. Review sites describe the country as a whole of being "passionate, sophisticated and devoted to living the good life." Which can't be far from true if it is the most visited country in the summer holiday period.

France

Like Spain, France has an incredible reputation for sport, particularly on the pitch with their football team. Here are a few videos I picked up where they showcased their talents:

★ World Cup Winners Show Off Dance Moves! | Video | Watch TV Show - Sky Sports

★ Giroud Stunner Fuels France To First Nations League Win - The World Game SBS

Back to the country itself though, and France, of course, the land of love. The rumour is that every traveller who visits has found, or will find love upon visiting. What a fairytale ending that would be. The hearsay alone was enough to make me want to go from a very young age, and it must be drawing in tourists all over the world who feel they need a little loving. Many romantic movies and books are set in France, or Paris in particular, and yes there are plenty of examples in which don't follow that stereotype, but the ones that do are very special, (maybe a little over-the-top though).

The City Of Love

New president Emmanuel Macron is certainly making a statement to how wonderful the country is with his continued positive influences.

The dream of many youngsters (myself included) is to visit the Eiffel Tower during the night, where the sky is pretty much black, with only the lights on the monument visible. Apparently there are firework displays that happen there now too, what a sight to behold.

The Philippines

The Philippines is a huge area, consisting of well over seven thousand islands (which I didn't know until researching the country). There are so many islands that it was near enough impossible to pick the very best destinations of each one, however here are the few I found that I thought were truly beautiful.

★ Manila - The capital city of The Philippines.

★ Boracay - Home of the White Beach, and outstanding views from Mount Luho.

★ Cebu - The beautiful Cebu City with many dive sites and beach resorts.

★ Bohol - Scuba diving resorts with tarsiers and the famous Chocolate Hills.

This country isn't particularly lucky when it comes to weather spells, and has been hit by a wave of typhoons due to it's positioning in the world, though luckily it has become more and more prepared for them. The wide variety of islands is definitely reason to visit however, as there is bound to be something for everyone with so many places to go to. The beaches are the main tourist attraction but there are still many other characteristics which make each island stand out as one. Even the more active of us can enjoy the various sport activities which take place there.

The culture aspect is definitely there, and many people pride themselves on their country, and rightly so. It is very different from the majority of Asia, spiritually, they are worlds apart. Of the seven thousand islands, only eleven of them are actually populated, though this may be subject to change as the population is growing exponentially.

Historically, The Philippines holds great details on our history as humans. The proof of our earlier existence lies with the discovery that someone discovered stone tools used to hunt down a Rhinoceros in the Philippine island of Luzon. Before the discovery we were predicted to be a much more recent species, however examination of the remains and the tools took scientists back a further seven hundred thousand years, to mark human existence way further back than first predicted.

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Overall, all of the countries mentioned are definitely somewhere I would dream of going as soon as possible. Though in all honesty I'm still not keen on travelling. If I was to travel anywhere, it would be to closer countries to me, such as Spain or France (though Spain is a little too hot for my liking - and I am a semi-fluent French speaker so that could be handy).