“Of
all the places you've ever
visited, which is your
favourite?”
It's
a question each of us at
TrailFinders is asked almost
every day by our clients trying
to decide where to go
next.
There
is rarely a simple
answer.
Before
recommending a destination, we
need to know a little more about
the traveller.
-
Are you travelling alone or with
others? Will your companions be
family, friends, colleagues or
part of a group?
-
What time of year will you be
travelling?
-
Do you prefer destinations that
feel familiar, or places that
are completely different from
home?
-
Would you rather visit iconic
destinations or venture
somewhere more remote and less
discovered?
-
Will you have children with you?
-
Will you be travelling in
economy, premium economy or
business class?
-
And, of course, what budget do
you have in mind?
The
answers to those questions help
us match travellers with
destinations that suit them
best.
But
every so often, when there are
no clients to advise and no
itineraries to plan, I find
myself thinking about my own
favourites. Not the destinations
that are right for a particular
client, but ones that appealed
to me, personally, over the
years.
I
grew up in Manitoba, and the
only place my parents ever took
me, outside of Canada, was
Florida. When I left home after
graduation, I had never
travelled internationally, but I
was fascinated by the wider
world and eager to explore
it.
My
international travels began with
a one-week honeymoon trip to
Saint Pierre and Miquelon, that
little corner of France just off
Newfoundland's coast. Since
then, I've visited more than a
hundred countries and the list
of places I still want to see
continues to grow.
So,
in response to many of the
travel questions I have been
asked recently, here are a few
of my personal
favourites.
Favourite
Overall
Destination.
Svalbard
– Incredible landscapes,
abundant wildlife and a feeling
of being at the very edge of the
inhabited world. This
destination continues to be
number one on my Top Ten list
and I would gladly
return.
Weirdest
Destination
Ashgabat,
Turkmenistan - The
many grand but empty boulevards,
extensive empty marble
buildings, eccentric monuments
and unique political culture
make it unlike anywhere else
I’ve ever been.
Favourite
Ancient
City
I
actually have two.
Khiva,
Uzbekistan -
Walking through Khiva feels like
stepping directly into a
perfectly preserved Silk Road
storybook.
Dubrovnik
Old Town, Croatia -
Surrounded by magnificent walls
and the Adriatic Sea, it is one
of Europe's most beautiful
historic cities.
Favourite
Modern
City
London,
UK - No matter how
often I visit, I continue to
discover new neighbourhoods,
museums, restaurants, pubs and
surprises. In fact, we have
created a special one-week
itinerary for our clients who
really want to explore this city
in depth.
Favourite
Places in South
America
The
Galápagos Islands –
The wildlife encounters are
unlike anything else in the
world.
Chile
& Argentina
– Few countries offer such a
remarkable variety of
landscapes, from deserts to
glaciers along with great food
and wine and wonderful
people.
Favourite
Places in
Europe
Three
places come to mind.
The
Balkans – The dozen
countries that we have travelled
through here continue to impress
us. Rich history, welcoming
people and excellent value make
a rewarding travel
experience.
Scotland
– Because of my Scottish
ancestors and numerous visits to
this incredible country, I could
easily spend forever
here.
Cornwall
UK –
Still one of my favourite parts
of England with its rugged
coastline, charming villages,
exceptional pubs and affordable
local accommodation.
Favourite
Places in
Africa
Again,
three places come to
mind.
Egypt
– I still consider Egypt as one
of the absolute best travel
destinations with the sheer
scale of its ancient history,
its spectacular stone monuments,
the Nile, Luxor, the Valley of
the Kings, Aswan and Abu
Simbel.
Mali
– Before political instability
limited travel, it offered some
of the most memorable cultural
experiences of my life. I have
taken three groups through the
Sahara to Timbuktu and would
gladly go again anytime.
Southern
Africa – The
countries of South Africa,
Namibia and Botswana offer
extraordinary wildlife viewing
and safari experiences.
Favourite
Places in
Asia
Too
many to list, but these stand
out.
Khiva,
Uzbekistan
(mentioned previously) –
Incredibly well-preserved and
endlessly atmospheric.
Samarkand
& Bukhara,
Uzbekistan – Great
historic cities of the Silk
Road.
Luang
Prabang, Laos –
This is a place where I spend
almost every winter and I have
often thought that, if I really
wanted to live and work in a
quiet, calm, inexpensive place
with a rare combination of
spirituality, charm and natural
beauty, I would live
here.
Sri
Lanka – A compact
country packed with culture,
wildlife, scenery, and
exceptional hospitality. An
incredibly diverse destination
and a favourite of our
clients.
Inle
Lake, Myanmar – A
superb, quiet destination
offering floating farms, stilt
villages and a unique way of
life. When we bring our clients
here, they take home
unforgettable memories.
Favourite
Middle East
Destination
Jordan
– Friendly people, dramatic
desert landscapes, Petra, Aqaba,
Wadi Rum, Madaba, Amman, the
Jordan River and the Dead Sea
make it an easy choice. We
continually recommend that a
trip to Jordan be combined with
an extension to Egypt. One of
the best trips you can take.
Both countries are safe.
Favourite
Islands
I
have a few.
Islay
– A paradise for whisky lovers
and anyone who enjoys rugged
coastal scenery, local pubs,
Celtic music and distillery
visits. We include Islay on our
Scotland Private Journey.
Sri
Lanka (mentioned
previously) - One of the most
complete travel destinations
anywhere.
Bermuda
– Beautiful beaches, colourful
towns, special banking and a
relaxed
atmosphere.
New
Zealand –
Magnificent scenery around
almost every corner.
Plus
Ko Samui, Singapore,
Lombok and so many
others.
Favourite
Hotels
Sofitel
Metropole, Hanoi –
Historic elegance combined with
impeccable service. I would
gladly live here!
Tea
Trails Bungalows, Sri
Lanka – Stunning
scenery, exceptional hospitality
and complete tranquility.
Best
Hotel
Staff
Shinta
Mani, Siem Reap –
The warmth and professionalism
of the team are
unforgettable.
Favourite
Airlines
Qatar
Airways – One of
the finest airlines with
consistently excellent service
and a superb global network.
Business Class clients are
treated like royalty in
personalized suites on certain
aircraft.
Cathay
Pacific – Since I
prefer to travel westbound on
long-haul trans-Pacific
routings, I prefer Cathay
Pacific. They especially treat
their passengers well if any
flights are delayed.
EVA
and ANA – Have
always been favourites.
Favourite
Airports
Singapore
Changi – I never
mind spending extra time
here.
Bangkok
Suvarnabhumi –
Efficient, spacious and my
favourite gateway to Southeast
Asia.
Plus
Zurich, Taipei, Hong
Kong and Narita.
Favourite
Airport
Lounges
Istanbul
Airport – One of my
favourite lounges anywhere.
Exceptional food and generous
space. Impressive.
Doha
Hamad International
Airport – Probably
one of the world’s best lounges,
but not accessible by everyone
in Business Class. When booking,
take care.
Air
Canada Signature Suite,
Toronto –An
impressive premium lounge which
is hidden from most Air Canada
clients. I often purposely route
through Toronto because of this
lounge.
Favourite
Unusual Places I’ve
never taken my clients
to
Borneo
(Malaysian side) – I enjoy both
Sarawak and Sabah with exotic
wildlife, the Dayak Iban
indigenous people and the
exceptional hotels. Very
rewarding. I usually combine my
trips here with Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur, Malacca and the Cameron
Highlands.
19th
Street, Yangon – A
lively snapshot of everyday
local life in a secret alleyway
in Yangon.
A
Little Italian Café in
Hanoi – A place
near our hotel that we’ve
managed to keep secret from all
of our clients (except one) for
over 25 years!
Kyoto,
Japan – The
cultural heart of Japan with
beautiful preserved temples, zen
gardens, local parks full of
deer, traditional wooden
townhouses, world-class dining
and the Gion Geisha district
with evening theater. While we
haven’t yet taken clients here,
we are currently working on an
upcoming Private Journey that
will include Kyoto. Stand
by!
Cricova,
Moldova – A
fascinating underground wine
city unlike anywhere
else.
Transnistria
- A place I enjoyed immensely. I
would love to take clients with
me next time. The region
is recognized
as a part of Moldova,
but has operated as
a de
facto independent,
self-proclaimed state known as
the Pridnestrovian Moldavian
Republic.
Best
Hotel
Meals
Breakfast
– Sheraton
Saigon
The
sheer size, variety and
quality set a standard I've
rarely seen matched anywhere
else. The closest was the
Westin, in Kuala Lumpur and
the Shangri-la in
Bangkok.
Lunch
- Four Seasons
Bali
Spectacular
service, cool drinks and
wonderful food in an
unforgettable setting.
Dinner
I
have two that come to
mind.
-
Zoe at the Royal
Dubrovnik
A
wonderful, lengthy dinner that I
remember. Excellent cuisine
enhanced by spectacular Adriatic
views.
-
443 Bar Lounge (Formerly
Prego) at the Westin Kuala
Lumpur
The only
reason I remember this meal is
because it was the best lasagna
I ever had. Period.
If you
need the recipe, we have it!
Favourite
Waterfall
Iguazú
Falls – Of all the
falls worldwide, these are the
ones that impress me the
most.
Long-Haul
Flights – Should I go
East or
West?
Always
westbound – The
time changes will always be
easier on your body
clock.
Where
would you like to take a
small group of your
friends, neighbours,
colleagues, family or
even
clients?
Good
question.
The
answer changes from time to
time, but right now I would
choose Cambodia and
Laos. These
countries are worth visiting and
are well-priced right
now.
If
you would like to come, let me
know!
Cheers,
Rick
