At the turn of the millenium, National Geographic’s Traveler Magazine published a special issue, entitled, 50 Places of Lifetime, The World’s Greatest Destinations. Over the next few weeks, I will revisit this list, which was divided into five categories, Urban Spaces, Wild Places, Paradise Found, Country Unbound, and World Wonders. Following the recap, which will also include a photo album, I will attempt to come up with my own list. Hope you enjoy the result.
Places of a Lifetime – Paradise Found
1. Pacific Islands (Oceania) – consists of Polynesia (Cook, Easter, Midway, Pitcairn, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga), Melanesia (Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon, Vanuatu), and Micronesia (Guam, Kiribati, Palau, Marshall, Northern Mariana, Nauru)
2. Japanese Ryokan (these are inns which typically offer either traditional cuisine or hot-spring/spa services; they are found throughout the country)
3. Boundary Waters, northern Minnesota, USA, along the border with Canada
4. Greek Islands (includes the Ionian Islands, such as Corfu, the Argo-Saronic Islands, such as Hydra, the Cyclades, such as Mykonos and Santorini, the Sporades, northeast Aegean islands, the Dodecanese, such as Rhodes, and Crete)
5. Seychelles (located in the Indian Ocean)
6. Torres del Paine, southern Chile
7. British Virgin Islands (located in the Caribbean Sea)
8. Amalfi Coast, Italy
9. Kerala, India
10. Hawaiian Islands, USA
