Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Lonely Planet top ten regions includes NZ and Borneo

Here are Lonely Planet’s picks of the regions to put on your map from Best in Travel 2012. Chosen by a panel of Lonely Planet experts, they’ve been written up by Lonely Planet authors to give you that most contagious of ailments: the travel bug.
1. Coastal Wales
2. La Ruta Maya, Central America
3. Northern Kenya
5.  Hvar, Croatia
7. Maritime Provinces, Canada
8. Queenstown & Southern Lakes, New Zealand (Make sure you check out the South Island – my birthplace and particularly Christchurch on your way south - the KTW)
There isn’t a bad time to turn up in the world’s top adventure playground. There are nonstop outdoor activities year-round in the resort towns of Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau, as well as the surrounding mountains, lakes and national parks. It’s not just the unbelievable alpine scenery. Where else can you ski in the morning and golf or water-ski in the afternoon? Head out hiking and drink water from mountain streams…then down more potent liquids in vibrant resort nightlife when the sun goes down. Raft down white-water rapids, tandem paraglide from craggy peaks or hike world-class trails such as the Milford, Routeburn and Hollyford tracks. Add excellent wineries and superb restaurants, and what more is there to say? - Craig McLachlan
9. Borneo (YAY: I’m off there in 2012 - theKTW)
 Borneo is one of the last remaining tropical paradises that won’t break the bank. The East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, tiny but oil-rich Brunei and Indonesian Kalimantan are home to the world’s oldest rainforests, the region’s third-highest peak and some of the world’s best diving. The indigenous Dayak peoples add a layer of intriguing cultural complexity and, of course, there is also that cutest of primates – the cheeky orang-utan. Shawn Low
10. Poitou-Charentes, France

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