Trendy Destinations for 2018
If you like to consider yourself a trendsetting traveler, one who wants to go above and beyond the usual, then you have come to the right place. With the help of our travel designers, we’ve put together a list of a few of the best places to travel in 2018. They range from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan to the salt desert of Chile. These are PKT’s choices for some of the trendiest countries in the world for 2018.
Bhutan
The tiny Asian kingdom of Bhutan has been relatively tucked
away from the rest of the world, until recently. The isolation has helped the nation preserve
its culture and longstanding Buddhist traditions, pristine scenery. It is constitutionally mandated that at least
60% of the country remain under forest cover all the time. Thimpu, the capital city, has ZERO traffic lights! In fact, when one was installed there was
such an outcry that it had to be removed and replaced by a traffic
officer. The self-imposed isolation also
resulted in a government ban on TV and the internet, until only 1999 when it
was allowed. Bhutan translates to “Land
of the Thunder Dragon”, due to the fierce storms that come rolling in from the
Himalayas.
Morocco
A magical kingdom at the northern tip of Africa, Morocco is
much more than just Marrakech. It
combines middle eastern magic, European style and pizzaz, and traditional
Berber culture that makes for a living, breathing spice market that has to be
seen as believed. 99% of Morocco’s
citizens are Muslim but moderate King Mohammed VI has a strategy of improving
and developing the country’s infrastructure, thereby making it easier for
travelers to travel around the country.
The maze-like medinas of Marrakech and Fez will transport you to another
time, and the daily mint tea will keep you coming back for more (hint – ask for
only a little sugar!). Marrakech is a
scene out of Disney’s Aladdin and the outdoor market is one of the world’s
greatest spectacles. But Imlil in the
High Atlas Mountains and Fez in the east, not to mention the iconic Sahara
desert should not be missed either.
Morocco could be the trendiest country on this list, but the hipsters
haven’t raided it yet. Take advantage of
it!
Hamburg, Germany
A series of impressive projects in this northerly German
second city has revived this once stalwart city. The development and opening of HafenCity, a
gigantic and spiffy waterfront space with trendy restaurants, outdoor
promenades, and a new concert hall known as Elphi – short for Elphilharmonie –
provides a great place to spend the day.
There is also Miniatur Wunderland and the Spice Museum which are now
housed in the historic Speicherstadt, filled with historic and handsome
red-brick warehouses. There is also the
red-light district which claims some of the wildest nightlife in Europe, which
stands in contrast to Hamburg’s Art Noveau mansions that line the Alster
River. Couple a visit to Hamburg with
Berlin, Nuremberg, Cologne, and Munich to complete the German experience.
Chile
Snaking along the Pacific Ocean, Chile is everything… and
then some. Valparaiso’s open-air museum
is a living, breathing work of art that sits along the mountainside and
transports you to another century and maintains some of the world’s finest wall
murals. The mysterious Eastern Islands
with their monolithic statues to the mighty Andes that straddle the country’s
eastern border, Chile has a mixture of natural wonders not found anywhere else
on the planet. The salt desert of
Atacama is the world’s driest and also one Earth’s most adventurous
destinations. There are golden dunes
that you can surf, or just admire from a distance and Rainbow Valley – cliffs
of colorfully striped strata. Oh yeah,
there are also flamingos(!) on the Los Flamencos National Reserve. The crown jewel of Chile, however, lies down
south in Chilean Patagonia and the Torres del Paine National Park. Jagged peaked mountains and crystal clear
turquoise waters await.
Malta
This little island in the Mediterranean is, up until now,
one of the best-kept secrets in the world.
The capital city of Valletta has been voted the European Capital of
Culture, and with good reason. The
entire city is recognized by UNESCO World Heritage site and is basically an
open-air museum of baroque architecture.
The country is comprised of 3 separate islands – Malta, Gozo, and
Comino. Malta is located south of Sicily
and east of Tunisia. Due to the sheer
number of historical monuments in the country, Valletta has 320 monuments
giving it claim to be “one of the most concentrated historic areas in the
world.” The world’s oldest free-standing
monuments in the world also call Malta home – they are older than Stonehenge
and Egypt. The famous Calypso Cave is
thought to be referred to in Homer’s The Odyssey, over 2,700 years ago. The island is reachable by flight, but shhh,
keep this place to yourselves .
Croatia
As all of the worlds continue to look for the idyllic
holiday spot in Europe, preferably not overrun by tourists, Croatia is steadily
making noise as the hottest destination in Europe. It is sunny, and you can expect 12 hours of
shiny sun per day during May and June.
Since 2013, Croatia has been a member of the European Union and this has
caused the country to provide excellent value, even in the popular tourist
destinations of Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.
Despite the immense popularity of Croatia, there are still parts of the
country that remain unknown, and this is a haven for the experienced
traveler. Then there are numerous
islands to go hopping on, and several Game of Thrones locations to feed into your
Instagram collection. There are also 8
incredible national parks, including Plitvice Lakes and Krka – home to amazing
waterfalls and lakes.
Portugal
Portugal was named Europe’s best destination at the 2017
World Travel Awards, and it’s no wonder when you take a look at all the small
country has to offer. Lisbon is a small,
fairytale-like city sitting along the Atlantic Coast and hosts 100-year-old wooden
trams and iron funiculars that rumble around the baroque streets and ornate
city center. Porto, Portugal’s second
city, is a picture of faded sophistication, but a blend of contemporary and
medieval vibes creates an atmosphere that warrants a visit at any time. Another reason people are flocking to Spain’s
western neighbor is that the US dollar can take you pretty far in this little
country. After Bulgaria, it is the
second best value destination in Europe.
Add that to the mild and sunny weather, and it’s no wonder that Portugal
is one of the hottest destinations in Europe.
Bulgaria
European beauty on a budget – Bulgaria is the best value in
Europe. What’s even better is that it is
still relatively unknown and there aren’t (yet) hordes of tourists flooding the
country. You can live like a king here,
and soak in the history as well – and there is a lot of it. Cobbled streets line the museum town of
Koprivshtitsa, where it will be hard to believe that it is actually the year
2018. Bulgarians are very proud of their
history, and they are happy to share it with you! Beaches along the black sea are another
reason to visit, with the most popular one being Sunny Beach. There is also Sozopol a beautiful old town
that can be enjoyed after a day of sunbathing on the beach. Plovdiv is also a must-visit city and it’s a
nice day trip from Sofia. Then there is
lovely Sofia, a nominee for European Capital Culture for the year 2019. Need we say more?