Off the beaten path overseas vacation locations

[Pat S]

Looking for somewhere unique to go this winter for about a week with my wife (no kids). Anyone have any favorite vacation spots outside the US? Prefer something off the beaten path (i.e. not the more common locations Americans go like Western Europe, Mexico, Canada).

Thanks,
Pat

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Pat S

Looking for somewhere unique to go this winter for about a week with my wife (no kids). Anyone have any favorite vacation spots outside the US? Prefer something off the beaten path (i.e. not the more common locations Americans go like Western Europe, Mexico, Canada).

Thanks,
Pat

Pat,

Warm or cold?

[Joeaksa]

What are you looking for? 5 star or roughing it?

[MattKellett]

How about Iceland? It's a place I've always wanted to visit, I know its not cheap but there's something about the place that fascinates me...

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by MattKellett

How about Iceland? It's a place I've always wanted to visit, I know its not cheap but there's something about the place that fascinates me...

Beautiful country. Not cheap but no where else like it on the earth. Now is a good time to go, and after October or so winter sets in and you see the sun about 3 hours a day, so not so nice.

Get a deal with Icelandic Air airlines and its not real expensive. They want tourists to come and visit.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

New Zealand.

[red-beard]

Romania. It's not very expensive yet and you get to do the Dracula tours.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

New Zealand.

South Island of NZ is wonderful!

[BeyGon]

Uraguay, just a flop of Southern California, 33 degrees south instead of north, Atlantic instead of Pacific. 3 million people, 8 million cattle, 500k horses. Eat a lot of meat. Nice climate, lots of coast line and lots of rivers. Spanish, Italian, and English spoken.

[911 in SC]

Just as Seahawk and Joeaska asks, 5 star, rough it, warm or cold? If you're looking for a great European vacation, I'd suggest Budapest. I was there for 2 weeks back in April (I arrived the day before the Va Tech shooting). It was beautiful. The weather was very nice, and IMO, so much history 'crammed' in one big city. I would LOVE to go back, if that's any indication of how much I liked it.

If you want to 'rough it', then just go outside the city. While it's built up quite a bit, you still have quite a few small villages that are very nice too. I stayed in Újhartyán during my stay. Very cool atmosphere.

Mike

[Pat S]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Pat,
Warm or cold?

The wife would prefer warm although will consider cold (i.e Romania/Hungary could be options)

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

What are you looking for? 5 star or roughing it?

Undecided. I personally prefer the rougher side since you tend to get a better sense of the culture/people/local tastes and experience. However, 5 star is nice when you need a place to relax/warm up/cool down/or security is a concern. I think this decision would depend on the location, but I'm sure the wife would generally prefer something on the less adventurous end of the spectrum.

Iceland is probably out since we will probably travel around the Dec/Jan timeframes. I've flown through there and it does look like a great place to visit.

I've heard others mention Romania and Hungary as good options. I'll have to look into those more to see just how cold they are in winter. I never considered Uraguay, sounds interesting, I'll look into that more as well. NZ could be an option, but I think it's normally pretty expensive though isn't it?

Thanks for the ideas and please them coming.

Pat

[TimT]

Peru...

cheap, something interesting at every turn, great food... ( ceviche on the beach with a frosty cerveza or pisco sour)

go to Ballestos the "little galapogos"

Nazca, Huaca puclana.

Its a different sort of vacation.. Ill post some pics when able

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by 911 in SC

Just as Seahawk and Joeaska asks, 5 star, rough it, warm or cold? If you're looking for a great European vacation, I'd suggest Budapest. I was there for 2 weeks back in April (I arrived the day before the Va Tech shooting). It was beautiful. The weather was very nice, and IMO, so much history 'crammed' in one big city. I would LOVE to go back, if that's any indication of how much I liked it.

If you want to 'rough it', then just go outside the city. While it's built up quite a bit, you still have quite a few small villages that are very nice too. I stayed in Újhartyán during my stay. Very cool atmosphere.

Mike

Absolutely...great city and country.

Looking for warmth, the Maldives is/are great: there are many outlaying islands in the archipelago that offer the full spectrum or not. The last time I was there they turned off the generator at 1800. Little Hura.
Mali is a great day trip.

Maldives are not to far off the beaten path but offer a good compromise.

Turkey/Bosphorus offer(s) great bargains. I was spoiled because I traveled with a local.

Don't ignore the mid Americas.

Have fun. If it was me, New Zealand or the Falklands. I've been to NZ but not the Falklands.

[widgeon13]

Prague, beautiful city, good deals on five star hotels in the winter and not really an American destination in the winter.

[masraum]

How about Peru. Maybe the Machu Pichu, Aztec/Maya stuff.

If you manage to be south of the equator or near the equator, it'll be warm.

Australia is also an option, but not a cheap one.

[BeyGon]

I bought property on the Pacific in Costa Rica in 91, built a house and lived there a few years, I loved it, my wife doesn't. A good place to visit for Thanksgiving. Don't go for Christmas. Janruary is good.
Next we want to go to Uraguay, New Zeland, and Malta, all great places to go for winter. Malta sure looks like a cool place to hang for a week.
Nothing is cheap anymore but these places seem like a good spot for North Americans.

[jim49ers]

turtle island fiji... bring your money but its worth it....http://www.turtlefiji.com/

[TimT]

Aztec/Maya stuff.

Peru is Inca and quecho... The aztec and maya were farther north, their empire may have extended to Peru but the focii and seat of power were north.



Inca grave right along the road outside of Nazca

[p911dad]

We like the Dominican Republic, and have been there many times over the years. Our favorite hotel is the Royal Hamaca(maybe now called the Coral Hamaca in Boca Chica. Very friendly place for Americanos or Canadians, not expensive, lots to do, a little exotic(but not too much). It is about 30 east of Santo Domingo, the capital. Nice airport, nice roads, nice people. You will not see many US citizens there, instead folks from Columbia, Germany, England, etc.

[Joeaksa]

Maladive Islands are heaven on earth but you need to want to get away there. Most are very small islands with little to do there except relax. I love it there but after 3-4 days want my internet back.

Maladives



Each family has their own "hut" and its wonderful inside:


Paradise



New Zealand is opposite from our seasons, so Jan/Feb is their summer and very nice weather there.

Nice photos here:

http://danny.oz.au/travel/new-zealand/