Countries to absolutely visit in your lifetime

I went on a world tour for 23 months and visited many countries around the world. In a first article about the countries visited during a world tour, I told you about the countries I visited during my first year around the world.

In this article, I will talk to you about the countries I visited after my stay in Canada.

Countries to visit in America

During my first year, I went to South Africa, Asia, Oceania, and North America. I will tell you about the list of countries I visited afterwards, which are the countries to visit in the region.

• The west coast of the USA to visit:

It was not my first stay in the USA, and my stay in Hawaii had reassured me in my choice to return. This time, I wanted to travel and do a road trip on the west coast of the USA going to Las Vegas, Death Valley, Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon, and San Diego, and that is what I did.

A place I recommend, the visit to the Grand Canyon: although I did not have the chance to stay more than one day, I recommend you stay there several days. If you want to see one of nature’s wonders, do not miss it under any circumstances.

You should go in July and September.

Countries to visit in winter?

• The French Riviera of Mexico:

France has the French Riviera and Mexico has the coastal region of Cancun, you have beautiful beaches, many tourist attractions, islands more or less touristy, cenotes (water holes in the middle of the forest). The food is very good and although this region is more expensive than the rest of Mexico, it is affordable for us Europeans.

Must see: the lagoon of 7 colors in Bacalar (near the Belize border), it is a place with a lagoon with shallow water and few tourists.

You should go in January or June. If you want other countries where to go in January.

• Learning Spanish in Guatemala :

I spent a month and a half in Guatemala in Central America and I had tears in my eyes when I left and to be honest with you, I hadn’t even thought of going there before setting off on my world tour. The advantage of Guatemala is that there are fewer tourists than in Mexico, prices are more affordable for accommodation or transport, however, it is more dangerous.

Country	Type of travel	Daily budget
Italy	Culture, gastronomy	80-120€
Japan	Culture, modernity	80-120€
Vietnam	Adventure, value for money	30-50€
Peru	Adventure, history	40-70€
Portugal	City-break	60-90€

You should visit in January, February or March.

Things to do in Guatemala: take Spanish classes and climb the surrounding volcanoes.

• Traveling to the rhythm of salsa in Cuba :

One of the reasons I went to Cuba was that Cuba was going to open up more and more to the world (especially to the USA) and to be honest, I do not regret it. There is music everywhere in the streets, people are very open and warm. There is a great atmosphere there.

You should visit in May, June, October or November.

Don’t miss in Cuba: dancing salsa outdoors and sipping a good mojito.

•  Living like a local in Colombia :

When I arrived in Colombia, I had traveled a long way in 15 months of travel and I wanted to practice Spanish. Colombia was the opportunity to live in a country for several months. There is a good atmosphere almost everywhere, people are as warm as in Cuba, prices are very affordable. Colombia leaves a mark through the encounters you make and the beautiful girls you meet.

Place to visit: Guatapé is a magical place near Medellin.

Medellín is possible to visit all year round. The Caribbean coast is better in February or March with the carnival.

•  Completing my first stay in Peru :

  Advantages

  • Inspiration for choosing your next destination
  • Overview of lesser-known countries
  • Budget comparison
  • Help matching travel with desires
  • Encourages you to travel

  Weak points

  • Subjectivity of the ranking
  • Variable safety from one country to another
  • Visa required for some countries
  • Highly uneven costs
  • Seasons to respect for enjoyment

Before leaving on a world tour, I spent two weeks in Peru to visit Machu Picchu and some remarkable places in Peru. This stay allowed me to see other tourist sites that I had missed.

You should visit this country in May, June, October, or November.

A somewhat special place: the Huacachina Oasis where you can do sandboarding (surfing on sand).

I then went to Bolivia, Chile, Argentina but I talk about them in another article.

• Paraguay, it needs to be a bit warmer:

  The classic trap to avoid

  Don’t trust rankings to choose a destination if you’re traveling alone or with family. A “must-see” country may be unsuitable for your profile. Cross-reference your desires (nature, city, culture, beach) with the season and your budget.

When you go to Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina after April, it is cold almost everywhere but not in Paraguay which is located further north and in a tropical zone. It is cold in Bolivia because of the altitude. Paraguay is much less touristy and that is what makes its charm. You should go see the Jesuit missions in Encarnación.

I then ended my trip in Brazil, more details on where to go in South America.

Which countries to visit in Asia?

Here are the Southeast Asian countries I recommend in April, it’s a festive area. I recommend going to China in September or June. In July or August, Taiwan is ideal in summer In May and June, Bali is ideal

Which countries to visit in Europe?

For July or August, I recommend the Baltic countries to avoid tourist crowds or Bulgaria for beaches in summer.

Which countries to visit in Africa?

If you are preparing your departure, take a look at our guide on focus on the which complements the topic well. The feedback around most beautiful cities also provides useful benchmarks to avoid unpleasant surprises. And to go further for inspiration, the article on most beautiful countries is worth a detour.

Here are the 4 African countries to visit South Africa is also a country I recommend visiting in December, January, and February.

You should always travel with travel insurance, here is my travel insurance comparison article.

The countries to visit concern the Americas region but I could very well have talked about Eastern countries, or European Union countries, or Asia, my wonders of the world.

And you? What did you enjoy in America?