Life | Travel

The 15 travel destinations you must visit

Whether you're looking for a quick getaway around Asia or a leisurely trip to an exotic, far-flung destination, these are the top 15 places to visit.

By Lee Siew Hua - 5 Jan 2017

Share this article

Discover the world afresh, whether it’s a train trip in the Arctic Circle, a homestay in Mongolia, or playing in the timeless toytown of Legoland in Denmark.

Travel writer Lee Siew Hua highlights 15 of the top travelogues from the Straits Times archives.

1. PATAGONIA, CHILE AND ARGENTINA

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, set in the Torres del Paine National Park, is a scenic base from which visitors can explore the region, including the Grey Glacier and Lake Toro. PHOTO: HOTEL LAS TORRES PATAGONIA

With windswept pinnacles and glaciers clustered in the far south of Latin America, wild Patagonia is a hyper-real journey to the rim of the world.

2. ZAMBIA

A microlight flight over Victoria Falls affords a 360-degree view of the landscape from 250m in the sky. PHOTO: BATOKA SKY

The wildest dreams come alive in Zambia, whether it’s riding a microlight through the mist of Victoria Falls or taking a cheetah for a walk.

3. IRAN

The grand Naqsh-e Jahan Square (above) in Isfahan, a Unesco-listed site with mosques, a palace and bazaar. PHOTO: CALVIN CHEUNG

Iran is safe and super-friendly, and rewards the wanderer with hidden gardens, echoes of great civilisations past and a stylish lifestyle. With Iran fast opening up, this is the best time to visit.

4. FIJI

Kama Beach in Fiji. PHOTO: INTERCONTINENTAL FIJI GOLF RESORT & SPA

In the heart of the less-explored South Pacific, frangipani-scented Fiji is a paradise for sea-lovers.

5. NORTHERN HOKKAIDO, JAPAN

Sunset off Rishiri Island. PHOTO: RISHIRIFUJI TOWN TOURISM BUREAU

At the northernmost tip of Japan, travellers revel in the uni-rich shores and still sense the intrigue of the Cold War.

6. IRRAWADDY RIVER CRUISE, MYANMAR

One of Bagan's more than 2,000 temples and pagodas. PHOTO: LEE JIAN XUAN

Cruise luxuriously down the mighty Irrawaddy River to experience Myanmar’s storied past and its panoramic world.

7. MONGOLIA

Gers set up on a plain in Mongolia. PHOTO: LESLIE KOH

Staying in a round, warm tent amid nomads is a wonderful way to relish life in the middle of nowhere.

8. LEGOLAND, DENMARK

A Lego sculpture of a dragon, complete with sound effects, in the lobby of Hotel Legoland in Billund. PHOTO: CLARA CHOW

Whoosh, whoosh! Battle baddies at the new Ninjago World in Legoland - and take a breather in Lego's tranquil hometown of Billund.

9. AMRITSAR, INDIA

Amritsar's Golden Temple, a central religious place for Sikhs. PHOTO: CLARA LOCK

In northern India, step into the shimmering Golden Temple and dance at the India-Pakistan border.

10. HOI AN, VIETNAM

Hoi An Ancient Town - a Unesco World Heritage site - epitomises the old Vietnam. PHOTO: DENISE LIM

The piquant dish of cao lau rice noodles embodies the many cultural layers of Hoi An, an old-world Vietnamese town.

11. ARCTIC CIRCLE, NORWAY & SWEDEN

The magnificent view from high above the Trollfjord. PHOTO: EDWARD J. TAYLOR

A journey by train and ship deep into the Arctic Circle, a world of ice and isolated towns, laced with dazzling Northern Lights.

12. DARIEN GAP, COLOMBIA

Capurgana in Colombia has an edgy charm with brightly painted bars for adventurous tourists. PHOTO: MARTIN FLETCHER

The wilderness of the Darien Gap, an isolated isthmus between Colombia and Panama, is newly open to travellers. Marxist guerillas have signed a peace pact and are leaving this stronghold.

13. WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES

The National Mall in Washington, DC. PHOTO: ROB SCHENK

Washington may be a highly political city but it’s also a high-energy haven for kids. Let them turn into little astronauts or tepee-dwellers in museums, run free among monuments, or be treated like tiny royals in hotels.

14. SRI LANKA

The shores of Lake Koggala in Sri Lanka. PHOTO: LEE SIEW HUA

Savour the imagined lifestyle of colonial British tea-planters in the hill country, watch whales in the Indian Ocean, or linger at a hidden lake at three luxe resorts in Sri Lanka.

15. BORDEAUX, FRANCE

Chateau La Lagune in Haut-Medoc, a winery and third-growth Grand Cru Classe producer. PHOTO: CHATEAU LA LAGUNE

Enjoy the plush chateau life in Bordeaux, which has been making wine since Roman times.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.