TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking site, has announced the winners of its 2017 Travelers’ Choice awards within the destination category, and Indonesia’s Bali tops the list.
Winners were chosen using an algorithm that took under consideration the quantity and quality of reviews and rankings of hotels, restaurants and attractions in locations around the globe collected over a 12-month period, in addition to traveler interest in bookings on TripAdvisor.
The awards honor 418 unique destinations on 24 lists around the globe.
Here are the ten most continuously chosen by TripAdvisor travelers:
1. BALI, INDONESIA
Bali is a living postcard, an Indonesian paradise that resembles a fantasy. Soak up the sun on the positive white sand, or commune with tropical creatures as you snorkel along coral ridges or a colourful WWII warship wreck. On the shore, the luxurious jungle hides stone temples and mischievous monkeys. The “artistic capital” of Ubud is the right place to see a cultural dance performance, attend a batik or silversmithing workshop, or revitalize your mind and body with a yoga class.
2. SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
When the morning light illuminates the overgrown temples and ruins of Angkor Wat, an strange sunrise in Siem Reap becomes a profound event. The ancient buildings are situated in one in all the biggest religious complexes on the earth. The complex and the Twelfth-century royal city of Angkor Thom are the essential reasons to go to Siem Reap. Take part in a national history lesson on the Cambodian Cultural Village and learn to haggle on the Angkor Night Market, filled with market stalls, food vendors and bars.
3. PHUKET, THAILAND
Thailand’s largest island is a global magnet for beach lovers and serious divers who enthusiastically dive into the Andaman Sea. Blue lagoons and salmon sunsets create a dreamlike atmosphere and indeed a vacation here could seem a bit surreal. The hottest activity is water sports, although once you have had enough of the sun, there’s still plenty to find on the island’s aquariums, gardens and Buddhist temples.
4. HOI AN, VIETNAM
This city on Vietnam’s central coast is a well-preserved example of a very important Southeast Asian trading port that existed through the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. Already a preferred tourist stop, it’s becoming increasingly known to tourists. On the fourteenth day of every lunar month, the town replaces electric lighting with traditional colourful lanterns. Attractions include the Japanese Covered Bridge and Quan Cong Temple. Let local tailors make custom-made clothing for you.
5. KATHMANDU, NEPAL
The capital of Nepal is surrounded by a valley filled with monuments, ancient temples, sanctuaries and interesting villages. Connect with locals and animals among the many monuments at Durbar Square, or join mountain hikers in the colourful Thamel district. Visit shops where you’ll find exquisite works of local craftsmen – their specialties are carpets and paper prints.
6. HANOI, VIETNAM
Vietnam’s charming capital has aged well, preserving its Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture while making room for contemporary developments. Hanoi can have shrugged off several previous names, including Thang Long, or “rising dragon,” however it has not forgotten its past, as evidenced by sites similar to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Hoa Lo Prison. Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and over 600 temples and pagodas add to the charm of this city, which may be easily explored by taxi.
7. KO SAMUI, SURAT THANI PROVINCE
Koh Samui was once a Thai fishing community and this charming sensibility remains to be present. Spending time in Bophut is an ideal option to absorb the local culture; restaurants and pubs in seaside villages are perfect places to admire the sunset. There are few other places where you’ll be able to benefit from the camp of a cabaret performance and the solemnity of a Buddhist temple. As for the latter, Wat Plai Laem is a grand vision of gilded red roofs and an enormous statue of Guanyin with spindly arms.
8. BANGKOK, THAILAND
Golden palaces, floating markets, majestic porcelain spiers… you have never seen a capital like Bangkok. Visit Pratunam or Siam Square for premium shopping, then calm down within the European-style Dusit Gardens. In Thon Buri there may be the amazing temple of Wat Arun and in Phra Nakhon there may be the temple of Wat Pho of the Reclining Buddha. Enjoy mango sticky rice at a food stall, then absorb the gilded splendor of the Grand Palace.
9. LOMBOK, WEST NUSA TENGGARA
Many Indonesians prefer to holiday in Lombok over Bali for quite a lot of reasons: prices for hotel rooms, food and attractions are sometimes less expensive, and the island’s picturesque corners are still unmarred by the gated villa communities, low cost cocktail bars and tacky souvenir shops that supply a variety across much of Bali.
10. TOKYO, JAPAN
Tradition collides with popular culture in Tokyo, where you’ll be able to reverently stroll through ancient temples after which party at a karaoke bar. Wake up before sunrise to participate within the energetic fish auction at Tsukiji Market, then refresh yourself with a walk under the cherry blossom trees along the Sumida River. Spend a while in the gorgeous eastern gardens of the Imperial Palace, then study Japanese history on the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Don’t forget to eat as much sushi, udon noodles and wagashi (Japanese sweets) as your stomach can handle.
Source : TripAdvisor
