46 Places to Go in 2013 - NY Times

Holiday-seekers practically have the world at their feet, what with budget airlines and budget hotels plus a million free seats on AirAsia.

There is a whole lot of places to explore in every corner of the world, from one list of hot spots that CNN suggests on their Top travel destinations for 2013 to more recommendations by New York Times in their The 46 Places to Go in 2013. Let's take a look at this countdown.

Topping the list of 46 places is Rio de Janeiro - because the world will be there in 2014, for the World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Click on image to enlarge it..

That must be Christ the Redeemer on the top left, illuminated, statue of Jesus of Nazareth. According to Wikipedia, it is considered the largest Art Deco statue in the world and the 5th largest statue of Jesus in the world.

Coming in at second place is Marseille, the second largest city in France. An ancient port town on the Mediterranean, it has become a vibrant ethnic melting pot. Marseille is also home to an increasing number of contemporary art and avant-garde performances.

Nicaragua comes in third. The article says it's eco and the food is good. Enough said.

..then Accra in Ghana while Bhutan comes in at fifth spot.

6 Amsterdam
7 Houston
8 Rossland, British Columbia
9 New Delhi
10 Istanbul

11 Singapore (yes, Singapore at 11th) - Spot green shoots in a financial capital.
15 Mongolia
16 The Big Island, Hawaii
17 Philippines - A surfing and beach destination goes luxe.
20 Ningxia, China
27 Changbaishan, China
28 Porto, Portugal
30 Koh Phangan, Thailand - A party island goes upscale and family-friendly.
31 Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka
33 Bangkok - Still the party city of Asia but for a more sophisticated crowd.
42 Mergui Islands, Myanmar - Live-aboard diving in a remote archipelago.
44 Washington, D.C.
45 Casablanca, Morocco
46 Paris

No Malaysia. Even Sri Lanka makes the list, no offence. Surprisingly, Japan doesn't either.

For the full list and why you would want to be in these places, visit NY Times' The 46 Places to Go in 2013.


Image source: NY Times