Visitations

Places to see, things to go
See also:
Things to take

Asia

Middle East

Latin America

Europe

Ever had a vacation come up and have been uncertain where to go? Guide books are usually too comprehensive and they usually make every little trivial splot on the map sound like a can't-miss proposition. So here is my listing of the top places in the world. These are biased only on my own biased personal experience. They are scored from 2 (interesting, but over-rated) to 5 (steal money to get there). No ones are permitted here.

Asia

Japan Nikko 5 Baroque carvings on these temples counterbalance usual "zen" idea of clean, simple lines.

Nara 5 Temples of every description, that famous rock garden, that famous gold temple, and so on.

Ryukuchukaigan 3 Terrific ocean scenery: cliffs falling off into the Pacific

Goshikinuma 3 These 5-color lakes in the Japanese Alps reflect typical Japanese forests and mountains.

China Dali 3 -

Great Wall 5 Great

Guilin 5 -

Taiwan Taroko Gorge 3 -

Food 5 From stands in the street to five star hotels: Taiwan has some of the best food anywhere.

Phillipines Beaches 4 -

Korea - - -

Thailand Bangkok 2 Hot & dirty, but the Royal Wat is a spectacular 4

Chiang Mai 3 Pleasant tourist jungle town

Nepal Kathmandu 4 Friendly,but overly touristic, surrounded by stunning mountains & unique architecture.

India Taj Mahal 5 The perfectly balanced building

Ellora 5 Magnificently carved temples

Udaipur 4 -

Khajuraho 4 Only depictions of sexual acts could have inspired the builders to carve so many intricate reliefs on the walls of these buildings.

Tahiti Tahiti 3 A pleasant island, and don't miss the Piano Bar's show.

Moorea 5 The best snorkling I've ever.

Mid-East

Pakistan Moenjadaro 3 Not much too see - just another 4000-year old city.

Jordan Petra 5 The Holy Grail of lost cities, Petra's intricately carved facades are well set off against the water-carved walls of the canyons around them.

Jerash 2 Roman ruins.

Iraq Babylon 5 The Iraquis did a wonderful job of reconstructing this city with 20 foot high mud brick walls. I wonder if it still exists.

Quebayesh 3 These marshes were the scenes of some fierce fighting in the Iranian war. Despite that a few of the reed houses survived.

Egypt Pyramids 4 Big blocks of rocks

Karnak 5 Extensive Egyptian Ruins.

Turkey Cappadocia 5 Carved conical mountains.

Pamukkule 3 Snow-white cascading calcite encasing pools of warm water.

Latin America

Guatemala Tikal 5 Out of the world setting for Mayan 'mids admidst the forest.

Mexico Chichen Itza 4 Them guys were pretty good with the rock houses.

Tulum 4 Ruins by the sea. Stay in the beach huts a mile to the south - if you don't mind bugs in your bed.

Belize - - -

Panama - - -

Colombia Capurgana 3 Good beaches set in the jungle. Beware of guerillas.

Medellin 2 A beautiful spring city in the mountains

Ecuador Otavalo 3 Quaint Andean village

Banos 2 Nice place to take a break and a bath.

Venezuela Roraima Tepuis 5 It takes a stiff six-day round trip to see the top, but the weirdly eroded rocks, the out-of-this-world plants and the crystals littering the ground make up for it.

Santa Elena Waterfalls 3 Just a series of waterfalls: all different from each other.

Peru Macchu Picchu 5 Stupendously steep mountains form an amazing backdrop for these ruins.

Puno (Lake Titicaca) 2 -

Bolivia Corioco 3 A jungle town with a view.

Valle de la Lune 2 Eroded mud pinnacles.

Europe

Bulgaria Rilla Monastery 2 -

Romania Sucevita 3 -

Hunedora 3 -

Germany Neuschwanstein 5 -

Greece Parthenon 4 -

England Stonehenge 4 Hey, a circle of rocks.

Japan	Nikko	5	Baroque carvings on these temples counterbalance usual "zen" idea of clean, simple lines.
	Nara	5	Temples of every description, that famous rock garden, that famous gold temple, and so on.
	Ryukuchukaigan	3	Terrific ocean scenery: cliffs falling off into the Pacific
	Goshikinuma	3	These 5-color lakes in the Japanese Alps reflect typical Japanese forests and mountains.
China	Dali	3	-
	Great Wall	5	Great
	Guilin	5	-
Taiwan	Taroko Gorge	3	-
	Food	5	From stands in the street to five star hotels: Taiwan has some of the best food anywhere.
Phillipines	Beaches	4	-
Korea	-	-	-
Thailand	Bangkok	2	Hot & dirty, but the Royal Wat is a spectacular 4
	Chiang Mai	3	Pleasant tourist jungle town

Nepal	Kathmandu	4	Friendly,but overly touristic, surrounded by stunning mountains & unique architecture.
India	Taj Mahal	5	The perfectly balanced building
	Ellora	5	Magnificently carved temples
	Udaipur	4	-
	Khajuraho	4	Only depictions of sexual acts could have inspired the builders to carve so many intricate reliefs on the walls of these buildings.
Tahiti	Tahiti	3	A pleasant island, and don't miss the Piano Bar's show.
	Moorea	5	The best snorkling I've ever.

Pakistan	Moenjadaro	3	Not much too see - just another 4000-year old city.
Jordan	Petra	5	The Holy Grail of lost cities, Petra's intricately carved facades are well set off against the water-carved walls of the canyons around them.
	Jerash	2	Roman ruins.
Iraq	Babylon	5	The Iraquis did a wonderful job of reconstructing this city with 20 foot high mud brick walls. I wonder if it still exists.
	Quebayesh	3	These marshes were the scenes of some fierce fighting in the Iranian war. Despite that a few of the reed houses survived.
Egypt	Pyramids	4	Big blocks of rocks
	Karnak	5	Extensive Egyptian Ruins.
Turkey	Cappadocia	5	Carved conical mountains.
	Pamukkule	3	Snow-white cascading calcite encasing pools of warm water.

Guatemala	Tikal	5	Out of the world setting for Mayan 'mids admidst the forest.
Mexico	Chichen Itza	4	Them guys were pretty good with the rock houses.
	Tulum	4	Ruins by the sea. Stay in the beach huts a mile to the south - if you don't mind bugs in your bed.
Belize	-	-	-
Panama	-	-	-
Colombia	Capurgana	3	Good beaches set in the jungle. Beware of guerillas.
	Medellin	2	A beautiful spring city in the mountains
Ecuador	Otavalo	3	Quaint Andean village
	Banos	2	Nice place to take a break and a bath.
Venezuela	Roraima Tepuis	5	It takes a stiff six-day round trip to see the top, but the weirdly eroded rocks, the out-of-this-world plants and the crystals littering the ground make up for it.
	Santa Elena Waterfalls	3	Just a series of waterfalls: all different from each other.
Peru	Macchu Picchu	5	Stupendously steep mountains form an amazing backdrop for these ruins.
	Puno (Lake Titicaca)	2	-
Bolivia	Corioco	3	A jungle town with a view.
	Valle de la Lune	2	Eroded mud pinnacles.

Bulgaria	Rilla Monastery	2	-
Romania	Sucevita	3	-
	Hunedora	3	-
Germany	Neuschwanstein	5	-
Greece	Parthenon	4	-
England	Stonehenge	4	Hey, a circle of rocks.