Bluelist 2008 is Lonely Planet's take on the world's hottest trends, destinations, journeys and experiences. Looking for inspiration for the year ahead? We've put together a tasty selection of the very best cities, countries and regions. Got your mouth watering?
Bluelists aren't just about places to go - you can bluelist an experience, an event, an eccentricity - anything that's stood out on your travels. How about the eeriest places to sleep behind bars, or where to view the most volatile volcanoes? The greatest film festivals around the globe? China's quirkiest sports?
Lonely Planet's Top-Pick Countries, 2008
Armenia (Armenia)
History nuts battle mountain tracks to the finest medieval monasteries, trekkers scale 4000m-high peaks, nature buffs search for the ultra-rare Caucasian leopard, and everyone enjoys the potent local brandy, finely ground coffee and the easygoing what-the-heck tempo of daily life.
Bhutan (Bhutan)
The last surviving great Himalayan kingdom has long turned its back on the rest of the world, favouring Buddhist compassion over Western capitalism. With its gorgeous monasteries, towering fortress-like dzongs, intact Tibetan culture and pristine Himalayan environment, Bhutan offers an opportunity to glimpse a truly different way of living.
Eritrea (Eritrea)
Eritrea might have one of the toughest regimes in East Africa but for travellers it's one of the most welcoming countries on the continent, with virtually no hassle, extremely courteous people (including officials), a sense of harmony and a strong culture. Its trump cards include surreal landscapes and pristine reefs.
Malaysia (Malaysia)
Help collect eggs at the Ma' Daerah Turtle Sanctuary, take a riverside bath with elephants, watch the synchronised flashing of fireflies on the Selangor River, search for the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros...then head back to sleek Kuala Lumpur for frog porridge at the hawker's markets and a walk across the Petronas Towers skybridge.
Montenegro (Serbia & Montenegro)
Though some have called it 'the new Croatia' (which was, you'll remember, 'the new Italy'), Montenegro has an edge of its own. The sultry curve of its coastline is irresistible, and the sparkle of the Adriatic’s deep blue waters is as enticing to beach potatoes as the tall peaks of the snowy mountains are to activity-spurred travellers.
Mozambique (Mozambique)
Its off-beat, undiscovered element, combined with a 2500km-plus coastline and a rapidly expanding tourism infrastructure, is starting to glean Mozambique some serious attention. Although most of the world hasn't yet caught on, its alluring mix of stunning beaches, a rugged bush interior and a pulsating Afro-Latino vibe won't stay a secret for long.
Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)
True, PNG is expensive and difficult. But this means that nothing is contrived for tourists and every experience is authentic - most people live much the way they have for thousands of years. Then there's the uncrowded surf, live volcanoes and exquisite wildlife, including dugongs and manta rays, birds of paradise and countless butterfly species.
Lonely Planet’s Top-Pick Cities, 2008
Apia (Samoa)
The low-key, laid-back atmosphere of Apia encourages a similarly low-key travel itinerary. Forget the big ticket thrills - join the sunset crowd sitting on the breakwater with a cool beer and takeaway food. For a literary thrill, it's worth taking a bus trip to Vailima, Robert Louis Stevenson's grand old manor in the hills behind Apia.
Bologna (Italy)
Wave bye-bye to your good intentions when you go to Bologna. Dubbed la rossa, la grassa, la dotta (the red, the fat, the wise), this is Italy's culinary capital. Its centre is drenched in medieval history but its large student population and active gay scene makes for great nightlife.
Córdoba (Argentina)
Córdoba has more contemporary art, independent film, theatre and live music than you could ever get to. But when the sun goes down, the city really heats up, with tango shows, reggae clubs and underground DJs. And if you like it underground, check out the maze of Jesuit crypts that run under the city centre.
Miami (USA)
Miami is south enough to be eternally warm and east enough to enjoy the Gulf Stream's sweet water and sweeter breezes. Dive into its Latin living - sophisticated on the mainland, party central on Miami Beach. Slink down to Little Haiti for some voodoo charm or pull up a banana hammock and work on your tan.
Matsuyama (Japan)
Matsuyama ramps up the contradictions - lightning-fast trains race alongside old ladies on bicycles while mountaintop shrines are lit up by walls of vending machines. The city is centred on one of the country's finest feudal-era castles, and is home to a storied public bath house and a famous temple.
Chengdu (China)
A construction boom is totally transforming the city, and Chengdu's mayor is pursuing the national 'Best Tourism City in China' award with a near religious fervour, making it one of the most traveller-friendly places in the country. There's also the city's legendary throat-searing snacks and the chance to see the endangered giant panda.
Fes (Morocco)
The medina of Fes is a journey back in time. Get lost among the souqs selling everything from rose petals to camel's heads and quail's eggs. Recline on cushions in a pasha's palace to sample local cuisine before retiring to the roof terrace of your riad as the sun sets over the medina and the last call to prayer echoes across the city.
Mumbai (India)
With the film of Shantaram, touted for release this year, Mumbai is set to reclaim the world's attention. Growing economic strength has seen the city become noted for its sleek shopping, gourmet dining and swanky bars as well as its hordes of bazaars and temples. Its pace and its extremes make it a truly pulse-racing experience.
Thessaloniki (Greece)
This spirited, energetic, forward-looking city (known affectionately as 'Thess') is the cultural heart of Greece: it's the gateway to Mt Athos, the spiritual home of the Greek Orthodox church, and was the birthplace of rembetika, the Greek musical equivalent of the blues. The largest student population in Greece makes for a legendary nightlife.
Punta del Diablo (Uruguay)
Punta has long been a favourite for vacationing Uruguayans looking to avoid the excesses of Uruguay's other coastal resort towns. Now it's starting to register on foreign visitors' radars. There's precious little development here - come here for the whale watching, the seafood and lazy days exploring on horseback and roaming the beaches.
Damascus (Syria)
With Syria replacing Iraq as a member of the 'axis of evil', Western tourists are thin on the ground - so no annoying travel groups! The World-Heritage-listed Old City is a gem. It still retains the feel of a city of the 'Orient', with labyrinthine bazaars, narrow alleyways, medieval mosques, and the echo of the muezzins' call to prayer.
Vienna (Austria)
In the last few years Vienna has begun to shake itself free from the heavy hand of the Habsburg legacy, and a younger, edgier city has emerged. Modern architecture, 'new Austrian' cuisine and an exploding bar and club scene attract a flock of bright young things. Old-fashioned, staid, a bit of a fuddy-duddy? Nah. Vienna is cool.
Lonely Planet's Top-Pick Regions, 2008
Azores, Portugal (Portugal)
Old-world traditions are alive and well on the nine islands of the Azores, with ox-drawn carts and farmers on horseback a common sight. Fishing villages, dairy farms and rolling vineyards dot the landscape, amid a diverse backdrop of flower-covered cliffs, pristine forests, sulphurous hot springs and otherworldly volcanic craters.
Colarado, USA (USA)
Camp beside a mountain lake or stay on a working cattle ranch. View craggy mountains from the world famous Trail Ridge drive. Sip hopped-up, locally brewed beer at a brewpub. Experience the Wild West of centuries past in the state's south-western corner and look for UFOs amid the towering dunes at Great Sand Dune's National Park, America's newest.
Bolivian Amazon (Bolivia)
Bolivia may be among Latin America's poorest countries, but it's one of the world's richest in plant and wildlife species. However, it's not all jaguars and howler monkeys. Get to know Bolivia's indigenous communities, the slow pleasures of river travel and the relaxed, hammock-swinging town of Rurrenabaque.
Glacier National Park, USA (USA)
Gorgeous Glacier National Park is home to 200 clear crystal lakes, 50 (sadly shrinking) glaciers and too many rushing waterfalls to count. Spotting animals is common: cougars, grizzlies, black bears and elk all roam freely. You're more likely to exchange hellos on the hiking trail with a brown bear sipping glacier water than with another human.
Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada (Canada)
Tourism to The Rock, as Canada's craggy, easternmost province is nicknamed, really only began about 15 years ago. Be among the first to spend a day kayaking through the spray of whales and hiking along the shore to view icebergs, followed by a night of eating of fish 'n' brewis and partridgeberry pie.
Northeast England (England)
The region's beautiful 19th-century architecture now has a modern counterpart: new art galleries, a renovated quayside, a music centre. The wildernesses of the North Pennines and Northumberland mean you can really get away from it all, stopping off to explore historical sights such as Hadrian's Wall and the medieval castles along the coast.
Northwest Vietnam (Vietnam)
Welcome to the roof of Vietnam, which has long been a haven for an eclectic mix of hill tribes. Dressed in elaborate costumes, living as they have for generations, extending the hand of friendship to strangers, the Montagnards will humble you. See this exquisite region before it disappears underwater - it's being dammed at an unbelievable rate.
Peninsular Malaysia (Malaysia)
Help collect eggs at the Ma' Daerah Turtle Sanctuary, take a riverside bath with elephants, watch the synchronised flashing of fireflies on the Selangor River, search for the elusive Sumatran rhinoceros...then head back to sleek Kuala Lumpur for frog porridge at the hawkers' markets and a walk across the Petronas Towers skybridge.
RAAN, Nicaragua (Nicaragua)
The vast and untamed Región Autónoma del Atlántico Norte (RAAN) offers the hardy traveller ripe ground for exploration, with great opportunities for off-the-beaten track volunteering and ecotourism. Boats are the way to get around this largely flat region, which has large swathes of fairly impenetrable forest criss-crossed by hundreds of rivers.
Réunion, France (Reunion)
The 'Himalaya of the Indian Ocean' has been cleared of the Chikungunya virus that recently devastated its tourism industry. The time is ripe to (re)discover the phenomenal assets of this French island. Treks, abseiling, canyoning, mountain biking and one of the most active volcanoes in the world - go now!
Tiwi Islands, Australia (Australia)
The Islands are where you'll meet the culturally distinct Tiwi Aboriginal people, who keep their home unadulterated by restricting visitors to tours: traditional values and spirituality are the priorities here. However, visitor numbers are increasing, so go now to see the art, learn about the culture and catch the famous football matches.
Sleep Behind Bars
Karosta Prison, Liepaja (Latvia)
It's billed as 'unfriendly, unheated and uncomfortable,' and Karosta delivers as advertised. Today's lodgers get the full treatment: cold damp cells, rusted water taps, thin mattresses and flimsy blankets that must be made to military standards (or else punishment ensues).
Napier Prison Backpackers, Napier (New Zealand)
As New Zealand's oldest prison, the facility locked up convicts from throughout the country including mass murderers, drug barons, gang members and the criminally insane. Guests nowadays can tour the hanging yard, where locals used to pay a shilling to watch executions take place.
Ottawa Jail Hostel, Ottawa (Canada)
Formerly the Carleton County Jail, a maximum security holding facility for 110 years, this place is infamous as the site of Canada’s last public hanging. Patrick James Whelan was convicted of murdering journalist and politician Thomas D’Arcy McGee, and was strung up from the onsite gallows in front of 5000 spectators.
Breakwater Lodge, Cape Town (South Africa)
The original prison housed long-term male convicts who were put to work constructing Table Bay's breakwater. Little remains from the former hard-core joint, other than the building's imposing turrets and the ‘Treadmill’ displayed onsite - a nasty punishment consisting of a staircase that rotated when prisoners stepped on it.
Malmaison Oxford Castle, Oxford (England)
It may have been a stark Victorian prison between 1870 and 1996, but the days of bread and water are long gone. The owners have returned the property to its regal roots (the jail was once a castle owned by William the Conqueror more than 900 years ago), and swaddled it in mod, boutique-hotel luxury.
Langholmen Hotel, Stockholm (Sweden)
Langholmen is the name of a 1.4km-long by 400m-wide island in the middle of Stockholm where Sweden's largest prison was plopped. Groups wanting to get in the convict groove can pay extra to role-play a stint in jail, complete with striped uniforms, a series of tasks to undertake and guards to bribe to win freedom.
Celica Hostel, Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Celica means 'cell,' and this was indeed a former military prison abandoned only after Slovenia's independence and the departure of the Federal Yugoslav Army. The barbed wire and graffiti-covered exterior look intimidating, but in recent years, Slovenian artists transformed the first-floor cells into individual works of art.
The Jail Backpackers, Mt Gambier (Australia)
Mt Gambier's joint may have been small (30 prisoners), but it hosted plenty of action while incarcerating men and women between 1864 and 1995. Visitors today sleep in those same cells, and can examine the murals prisoners painted (under the influence?) on the courtyard walls.
Jailer's Inn, Kentucky (USA)
This wee county jail did its time from 1819 through 1987. Now converted to a B&B, the 76cm-thick stone walls come in handy as noise buffers. Five of the six rooms are flowery, four-poster-bed types. The sixth room, The Cell, provides the novelty of sleeping in a pair of prison bunk beds while Elvis watches protectively over you.
Lowengraben Jail Hotel, Lucerne (Switzerland)
For the felons confined here through 1998, the magical Alps backdrop must have softened the blow of being in the Big House. The simple rooms retain their barred windows and original chunky wooden doors, complete with food-tray slots, from their former lives as cells. The onsite Club Alcatraz draws Lucerne's good-time seekers.
Visiting Volcanoes
Stromboli (Italy)
Known as the ‘Lighthouse of the Mediterranean’ for its permanent eruptive activity, Stromboli is part of the Aeolian Islands, an archipelago of seven volcanic peaks off the north coast of Sicily. The most awesome of the islands, Stromboli belches regular explosions of dust and steam, spitting rocks and, at times, lava.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (USA)
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a huge preserve containing two active volcanoes and terrain ranging from tropical beaches to the subarctic Mauna Loa summit. The park’s centrepiece is the steaming Kilauea Caldera, at the summit of the planet’s most active volcano - pay rare witness to flowing lava!
White Island (New Zealand)
White by name, but black by nature, White Island has been in almost constant eruption for the last three decades. Sat in the Bay of Plenty, the island marks one end of the highly active Taupo Volcanic Zone where the ever-changing colours and fury of White Island are arguably more impressive.
Paricutin (Mexico)
Paricutin – where during WWII, an eruption suddenly began in the middle of a cornfield, with a 410m-high cinder cone rising from the earth, and lava flows covering an area of about 20 sq km (engulfing two villages). Today there’s the surreal sight of a church spire poking above the solidified lava - all that remains of the two villages.
Soufrière Hills (Montserrat)
The Soufrière Hills ended four centuries of dormancy in explosive fashion in 1995, blowing away one third of its own height and rendering the Caribbean holiday island of Montserrat almost uninhabitable. The geothermal belches calmed over the following decade, but in January 2007 the volcano erupted again, shooting out a spectacular cloud of ash.
Mt Pinatubo (Philippines)
In 1991, after around 600 years of dormancy, Mt Pinatubo produced one of the greatest volcanic jolts of the 20th century. The new summit is accessible to hikers - the climb begins from Santa Juliana, 40km from Angeles - and is also the scene of a virtual pilgrimage on 30 November each year.
Rabaul (Papua New Guinea)
The PNG island of New Britain is a constant bubble of geothermal activity, and in 1994 twin volcanoes erupted around Rabaul, a town many travellers considered to be the finest in the Pacific. Today, there’s a modicum of activity in the town, even as the Tuvurvur volcano still issues the occasional smoke signal.
Mt St Helens (USA)
Once a classic symmetrical volcano, Mt St Helens showed a disdain for geometry on May 18, 1980 when an eruption blew around 400m off its peak and created a 1.5km-wide crater on its north side. Around the mountain, a number of hiking trails highlight the volcanic landscapes, while climbers wanting to summit must obtain a permit.
Hekla (Iceland)
Once believed to be the entrance to Hell, Iceland’s most famous volcano has shown watch-setting punctuality in recent times, boiling over pretty much every 10 years. The 1491m peak makes for a comfortable climb when it’s inactive, and rewards walkers with a heated crater ringed by a snow-capped summit.
Gunung Bromo (Indonesia)
In eastern Java sits a caldera 10km wide, covered by a sea of sand and punctured by a trio of volcanic cones. As a grandstand to this remarkable scene, Bromo makes for one of the most remarkable outings in Southeast Asia. Most hikes to Bromo follow the Probolinggo approach, crossing the Sand Sea for a sunrise spectacular atop Gunung Bromo.
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