Archive for December, 2017

The 20 Best Places to Travel in 2018

posted: Dec 27, 2017 by: Amanda Klein with: No Comments

It’s that time of year again! Every travel publication is putting out their Top List of “must see” and “trending destinations” for next year’s globetrotters. We don’t know if you’ve noticed, but when you look from list to list, it seems like the whole world has made the cut! So we decided to do the dirty work for you. We took a look at all the most popular lists, from Travel+Leisure to Pinterest (and everything in between), and aggregated and tallied up all the trending destinations to give you the true Top 20 Destinations for 2018. You can see the full list below. Then click on the links or scroll down to learn more about select destinations that we visit on some of our tours.

Mexico
Canada
Portugal
Australia
Chile

Italy
Malta
Morocco
Spain
Argentina

Croatia
England
France
Greece
Scotland

Portugal

The Friendly Planet Take: Watch Portuguese water dogs help fishermen bring in their nets, then dine on their fresh catch at an outdoor cafe. Explore countryside castles proudly bearing Roman and Moorish heritage. Shop by foot or funicular in the stunning and sophisticated capital of Lisbon. Algarve’s southern beaches beckon, while Porto lures the aficionado of port wine with its ancient traditions and cave cellar tours. We recently released our brand new 11 day Best of Portugal small group tour because we knew how popular the country would be in 2018. Or, you might prefer our classic Douro River Valley Cruise.

What the trendsetters are saying:

“Heightening Portugal’s appeal are its incredible affordability and its natural wonders: in 2016, more than 300 beaches earned the coveted Blue Flag rating and two new biosphere reserves were named. It’s no surprise everyone is talking about this small, seafaring nation.” -Lonely Planet
“This coastal Portuguese city has all the elements of a world-class travel destination: a striking shoreline, charming architecture and historic sites, plus a one-of-a-kind export – port wine.” -U.S. News & World Report

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Tags: Best Places to Travel, Top 20 Travel

10 films to see before heading to Japan

posted: Dec 13, 2017 by: Amanda Klein with: 2 comments

For a relatively small island-nation, Japan’s impact on the world is impressively oversized. Sushi and sake are popular staples in cities across the globe. Japanese innovation in technology informs the way we communicate, travel, shop, and even chart the stars. And from a cultural standpoint, Japanese influence can be found from fashion to film, and everything in between! Before you head out on your trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, check out these ten films that will not only whet your appetite, but also expand your understanding of this fascinating culture.

Spirited Away (2001)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli

You’ve probably heard of the Academy Award-winning animated film Spirited Away, but did you know that when the film was theatrically released in 2001 it became the most successful film in Japanese history? Anime (Japanese animation) is so prominent in the country that hundreds of thousands of people gather each year for festivals surrounding the characters, art, and stories.

Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro, a young girl who wanders into a magical world ruled by witches and spirits, and where humans obsessed with worldly greed are transformed into beasts. The film is infused with a variety charming lessons steeped in traditional Japanese folklore. More importantly, Studio Ghibli films are well-known for depicting daily life in Japan in great detail—especially the often overlooked, quiet moments such as pouring tea, making offerings, or lighting incense. In one such moment, Chihiro sheds tears of relief having found joy in a gift of rice balls from a new friend.

If you’re in Tokyo, consider stopping by the Studio Ghibli Museum during some down time to get an insider look at all of the wonderful films made by this award-winning animation studio!

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Tags: Cinema, Japan, Japan Panorama, Orient Adventure, Singapore & Tokyo Adventure, Tokyo Express

Through Your Eyes: a tribute in South Africa

posted: Dec 12, 2017 by: Amanda Klein with: 1 comment

Recently, one of our travelers, Carol, shared this heartwarming personal account of an experience she had in South Africa. Memories like this stay with us forever and illustrate the transformative impact that traveling the world can have on each and every one of us. Here at Friendly Planet we are humbled to play a small role Carol’s experience!

My Dad was an animal lover. He was a banker in real life, but his true passion was animals and making things. He trained homing pigeons during the Second World War. He milked rattlesnakes for their venom to make vaccines. He raised parakeets, nursed and brought back to life numerous wild creatures over the years. He was always coming home with some critters that he found like the tiny barred owl that fell out of its nest, a beautiful greyhound dog named Tala that was abandoned after the dog races were over, and an injured and very anxious seagull that was hit by a car–left on the side of the road. Then there was the good-sized painted turtle he found walking across the road while on a trip in Williamsburg, Virginia. There was just a never-ending parade of animals always seeming to be processing through our home. My Mother supported all of this animal love, which was pretty amazing considering she was a nurse and liked everything clean and tidy.

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Tags: South Africa, Through Your Eyes, Traveler Story

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