The Lonely Planet travel guide has released its top 10 list for your vacation in 2011:
1. Sinai, Egypt
2. Istria, Croatia
3. Marquesas Islands, Polynesia
4. Cappadocia, Turkey
5. Westfjords, Iceland
6. Shetland Islands, Scotland
7. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
8. West Coast USA
9. Chilean Patagonia
10. Gili Islands, Indonesia
Top countries: Albania (1), Brazil (2), Cape Verde (3), Panama (4), Bulgaria (5), Vanuatu (6), Italy (7), Tanzania (8), Syria (9) and Japan (10). Top cities: New York City (1), Tangier (2), Tel Aviv (3), Wellington (4), Valencia (5), Iquitos (6), Ghent (7), Delhi (8), Newcastle in Australia (9) and Chiang Mai (10).
We were able to go to the Gili Islands earlier this fall. The islands certainly qualify as a tropical paradise. There are beautiful and inexpensive accommodations, warm, crystal clear water over vivid coral loaded with sea turtles, rays, hundreds of colorful tropical fish. Let’s see, was there anything I could complain about? The day time temperature was very hot with little wind once you are off the beach. Not much of a complaint, is it? The food and drinks at beach side cabanas was varied, tasty, and inexpensive. The tropical fruit drinks were plentiful. Tropical paradise.