More destinations for 2009

'Best of' lists — By Bob Riel on January 13, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Here are some more top destinations for 2009, this time courtesy of Lonely Planet and the U.K. Times. Lonely Planet provides the background, while The Times online supplies a more detailed plan and resources. A sampling:

Bay of Fires, Tasmania: “White beaches of hourglass-fine sand, Bombay Sapphire sea, an azure sky – and nobody. This is the secret edge of Tasmania, laid out like a pirate’s treasure map of perfect beach after sheltered cove, all fringed with forest. It’s not long since the Bay of Fires came to international attention, and the crowds are bound to flock. Now is the time to visit.”

Chiloe, Chile: “With a newly inaugurated ecological reserve and the country’s oldest agro-tourism network, Chiloé has adventure on tap. This misty archipelago is the distilled, 80-proof version of traditional Chile. Witches and ghost ships go bump in the night, but modernity is on the march – the cool Museo de Arte Moderno is a worthy heir to Chiloé’s Unesco-listed shingle churches. Try a family homestay, outdoor lamb-roast and island-hopping via wooden fishing boat.”

The Big Island, Hawaii: “It may be less glam than its smaller siblings, but the Big Island has all the necessary tropical delights (plus lava-spewing volcanoes), and is less crowded and less expensive. You can stargaze from Mauna Kea, ride horses over grassy ranch land, and trip across lava wastes until you’re face to face with glowing magma – oh, and bake to a crisp on white-sand (and black-sand, and greensand) beaches.”