Seeing the World in 2020: Top Travel Destinations for the New Decade
Can you believe it's already a new year, let alone a whole new decade? Time sure flies when you're having fun exploring the world! To get you inspired for your future travel adventures in the new decade, Yampu's travel experts have put together a list of their top destinations to add to your travel list in 2020!
General Sales Manager, Karolina Guilcapi Picks…
Cuenca, Ecuador
A real jewel of the mainland, Cuenca is overflowing with culture under the shadow of the famous blue cathedral domes. Smaller than Quito, and harder to get to, Cuenca's location allows the city's authenticity to be kept intact without that touristy, backpacker vibe.
So many beautiful galleries, music venues, European style gardens, and tiny museums pepper the windy streets. Home of the famous Panama Hat and the magical Cajas National Park, Cuenca is a must for any distinguished traveler who appreciates culture and the arts (and is still okay with guinea pig being on the menu)
Antigua, Guatemala
While in Antigua, visitors can climb a volcano, admire handwoven indigenous art, and snack on cacao pods all in one day. With the beautiful cobblestone streets, brightly painted houses, and ancient ruins scattered throughout the city, Antigua is easily the most charming town in Central America. Teeming with markets, adventure, rich cultural interactions, and culinary delights all blended into one condensed city, Antigua has something for all travelers. Some come to study Spanish; some set up Antigua as a base for exploring the rest of the country while others come and choose to never leave.
Hnappavellir, Iceland
Picture it, Hnappavellir. It's cold. The winds are bending the thick glass windows as you eat dinner. Someone that morning loses a car door to an especially persistent gust. Everything on the menu is smoked, charred, or pickled, it seems. The map is a maze of strange names with what seems like an impossible number of consonants. Did I mention it's cold? But then you look outside and see them – the northern lights dancing against the dark skies. That's when you know this strange land has so much to offer.
The next morning you run your hands through the warm mane of beautiful Icelandic horses that pop up just when you need a smile. Later on, your travel partner gets down on the black sand and offers you a diamond iceberg just before a double rainbow appears over your new favorite waterfall. Just as the sun sets, a super jeep whisks you to the top of the glacier where you learn what silence truly sounds like.
The farther you get away from the city lights of Reykjavik, the more magic Iceland unveils. Just bring your thermal underwear.
Regional Sales Manager & Groups Coordinator, Stephanie Rudolph says…
Namibia
The starkly beautiful country of Namibia is a world of its own with a desert coastline teeming with wildlife and some of the most amazing sunsets you will ever encounter. The country takes its name from the Namib Desert, which stretches along its entire coastline. With only a few tribes making up its demographics, Namibia is the second least densely populated country in the world, after Mongolia.
The only country in the world to specifically address environmental protection in its constitution, Namibia is a top-rated eco-tourism attraction with its distinct landscapes and wildlife conservancies. Aside from vast safari opportunities, one of my favorite experiences in Namibia was discovering abandoned buildings within the Namib desert as the sands slowly reclaim the land.
South Africa
Wine / food / luxury / wine / food / luxury / Wine / food / luxury
Okay, let me explain. While I was in South Africa last year, I, of course, had amazing wildlife experiences (you can go on a safari, whale watch, shark cage dive, and swim with penguins in a span of a couple of days) but I was also wined and dined all over the country.
I better understand now why South African wine is one of the fastest-growing in popularity. Explorers can see some of the best winemakers in the country with several tastings and private cellar tours for an in-depth experience. The Winelands region is also incredibly beautiful, with the vineyards woven through spectacular mountain ranges. Pro-tip, stop for lunch at one of the many excellent restaurants in Franschhoek to soak up the surroundings while enjoying some first-rate cuisine.
[Peru]
