Lonely Planet lists the Best In Travel 2016

Travellers — they travel to see the wonders of the world and to to discover even themselves. Then there are those who have seen it all and are on a quest to find something new, or those who want to stay off the beaten track. And that’s why when Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2016 lists places where you can see the longest moustache or have the most extraordinary sleepover in the world, it’s hardly a surprise. The Black Forest region in Germany is where competitive moustache-growing takes place. As for the sleepover, it’s much more than pretty pyjamas. “The book also has information on the Best Burgers Experience — VeganBurg in Singapore, and introduces you to the world of geniuses like Mozart’s birthplace Austria, Einstein’s house in Switzerland among others,” says Sesh Seshadri, general manager and director, Lonely Planet, India.
The Best in Travel guide is an annual feature that points you to the top 10 cities, regions and countries to travel to. Last year, Chennai made it as one of the cities to visit in 2015. This year, Mumbai is the only Indian entry that’s sitting pretty on number six, while Kotor (Montenegro) heads the list, followed by Quito (Ecuador) and Dublin (Ireland). Botswana, Japan and USA find themselves as the top countries, while Dracula’s home town, Transylvania, heads the region list with West Iceland and Valle De Vinales finishing second and third respectively.
It takes months of research to compile the lists. “We invite our authors, staff and bloggers to submit their choice of places based on travel trends, how many people are actually going there, upcoming events and recent attractions. The editors then shortlist the places, and finally, an in-house panel of experts picks the top 10,” explains Seshadri.
There is an interest in unusual destinations like Iceland and Greenland. At the same time, Thailand remains the most preferred vacation spot. “Within India, it’s the golden triangle — Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Now, Uttar Pradesh has the Heritage Arc that connects Agra, Lucknow and Varanasi,” he adds.
Seshadri says that in India, 80 per cent of the people do domestic travel. Apart from Best in Travel, Lonely Planet puts together other specific guides like Temple Travels in South India and Best Bollywood Escapes in Britain.
This year, Mumbai is the only Indian entry that’s sitting pretty on number six