The Globehunters Earth Guide to 2016
POSTED BY Mavy | January 20, 2016
Label: Travel Tips2016 could be the year you explore wider than ever before. It’s time to add some new destinations to your wish list and working on plans to tick them off.
This travel guide 2016 explores the best of the earth for the year ahead, including the lowdown on favourite destinations, new hotspots beginning to open up to tourism, brand new places to visit in 2016, and a guide to the latest travel tech to put you in the know and help make sure your trip runs like clockwork!
Top Destinations
Costa Verde, Brazil
With the Olympic Games coming to Rio in 2016, Costa Verde is a coastal paradise that lies just west of the big city. The “green coast” has many unspoilt beaches, majestic peaks and cascading waterfalls, providing the perfect escape from a city that is likely to be buzzing even more than usual when the games come to town at the start of August.
Iceland
Becoming increasingly well-known for the filming of some of the most iconic scenes from the smash hit TV series “Game of Thrones”, the land of fire and ice has become a hugely popular travel destination over the past few years.
Iceland features incredible natural scenery including glaciers, volcanoes and hot springs but the capital Reykjavik is also a fantastic place to relax and party the night away!
Costa Rica
With coasts on the Pacific and the Caribbean, Costa Rica is a great surfing destination. With its dense rain forests, it’s perfect for trekking too. Costa Rica really does provide an ideal blend of adrenaline and relaxation. After a few days chilling out on the beach in Playa Tamarindo, you can head into the jungle and enjoy treetop zip-lining at the Rincon de la Vieja volcano national park
Ponta Delgada, the Azores
Having seen massive growth in 2015, there are now an increasing number of airlines flying to the Azores. This autonomous region of Portugal is rapidly gaining popularity as a budget travel destination. With amazing opportunities for hiking, whale watching, surfing and diving, the Azores is likely to be a big hit with adventure travellers in 2016.
Destinations that are opening up in 2016
Cuba
With relations between the US and Cuba now thawing and the likely expansion of US hotel chains and an increasing number of flights from the States, 2016 may be a last chance to see Cuba before it inevitably changes. Having been shut off from the west for so long, visiting Cuba is like taking a step back through history with its classic colonial style buildings and 1950s cars.Burma
Burma’s popularity is on the rise following the lifting of Western sanctions and the election of Aung San Suu Kyi as leader. If you want to see a country the 21st century has barely had an impact on, Burma is the place to go, and like so many countries in this category, you better get there fast because the pace of modernisation is likely to be rapid.
Other Political openings in 2016
The recently signed nuclear deal between Iran and the UN Security Council has opened up opportunities, particularly for American travellers to visit the cosmopolitan capital of Tehran and the mosques of Kashan.
Batumi, in Georgia, with its gorgeous botanical garden is likely to become a more visited destination amongst the big cruise liner companies operating in the Black Sea. Focus has shifted to Batumi ad Georgia due to safety concerns arising from the political situation in Ukraine.
New in 2016
Fans of Disney over in the Far East and those planning a visit to China alike, will be delighted to hear that Shanghai Disney Resort China is set for a spring 2016 opening.
Back in Europe, football fans licking their lips in anticipation at the start of Euro 2016 in France can whet their appetites visiting the FIFA World Football Museum in Zurich. The museum, which is set for a spring opening, is set over 3500-sq-metres in the heart of the city. The museum will feature cinemas, a gigantic football pinball machine and deep in the basement, the World Cup itself!
Though 2015 has not seen the world football governing body enjoy its finest hour, the museum is nevertheless likely to provide a fascinating insight into the history of the beautiful game.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C will become America’s first national museum devoted exclusively to African American life, history and culture.
Trends in 2016
When it came to innovation in travel, 2015 was definitely the year of the smartphone app, and this is sure to continue in 2016. A report by TripAdvisor found that travellers now consider smartphones their most essential travel companion, with 68 per cent saying they won't travel without one.
Top apps include airport Wi-Fi, purchasing and navigation app FLIO, MOOVIT, a public transport app providing all manner of information including maps, timetables and live updates for over 500 cities and B-Guest the app to help you book the perfect hotel room.