Here are the Top Five Countries to visit in 2019 according to Lonely Planet.
- Sri Lanka
Lonely Planet has named Sri Lanka the No. 1 country in the world to visit in 2019. The publisher’s annual Best in Travel awards ranked the country on the top of the list a decade after the end of the country’s civil war. What we love: the surf breaks, the jungle hikes, the spas, the yoga retreats, the new five-star hotels, the Buddhist vibes and the ridiculously good rail system. - Germany
There are big things on the horizon in Germany for 2019. As well as being named second on Lonely Planet‘s top countries to visit list, 2019 marks 100 years since the influential Bauhaus movement was founded and 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. What we love: That the world is invited to join what Lonely Planet describes a year-long Bauhaus birthday party of the birth of modernism. - Zimbabwe: Despite Zimbabwe’s ongoing economic crisis, the African country’s tourism sector was given a leg-up after coming in at No. 3 on the list of ‘best countries’ to visit in 2019. What we love: “It is one of Africa’s safest destinations, is blessed with ultra-friendly locals, Big Five-filled national parks, World Heritage-listed ruins, forested mountains and the mighty Victoria Falls,” Lonely Planet wrote on its website.
- Panama: Panama is at the crossroads of two oceans and two continents located on the narrow isthmus bridging Central and South America. It’s steamy, it’s tropical, it has vibrant Caribbean traditions and has long been flying under the radar. Lonely Planet loves it and so do we. What we love: It has killer surf, white-sand beaches, howler monkeys, crystal-clear waters and lays claim to a melting pot of cultures, some of whom are descendants of shipwrecked African slaves.
- Kyrgyzstan: Intrepid Travel says a travel highlight in Kyrgyzstan is spending the night in a yurt, which is a traditional dwelling. The so-called ‘land of the nomads’ is one of the highlights on its 17-day Central Asia Explorer small group adventure. What we love: The fact it’s in the beating heart of Central Asia, that you are likely to meet nomadic herdsmen and it has backdrops of snow-covered mountain peaks.
