We are kicking off the Best of 2008 with nothing but plenty of fun, lost of excitement and great deal of travelling. It started yesterday with a trip to the Top Skiing Spots across the globe and we move on today to the most exotic holiday destinations across the planet which will leave you wanting for more. The trip around the globe will involve some romantic rides on the stunning coast of Italy, some tropical turquoise blue waters, spectacular ice parks, underground caves, diving with the sharks, sleeping with the tiger and will end on the most magical and exotic spot on the planet. So pack your gear and let’s get started…

1. Coast of Amalfi- Italy

The stunning coast of Amalfi in Italy is a beautiful and renowned stretch of mountainous coastline south of Naples, in Campania. The southern side of the peninsula is dotted with picturesque villages and towns clinging giddily to cliffs; this is what is known as the Amalfi Coast. If you have been to Rome, Venice and Paris, then Amalfi will offer you a whole new world of romantic nostalgia and plenty of mild adventure and stunning visuals. The picture-perfect Italian coast is all about falling in love all over again.

2. The Island of Bali

The Indonesian island of Bali is stated by many as the “tropical heaven on earth” and one trip to this marvelous island surrounded with incredible natural beauty, plenty of adventure, fun and unmatched marine life will leave you wanting for more. The island has some of the best accommodation in the world, if not the very best and you can rest assured that the local hospitality will soothe you, refresh and pamper your senses. One visit to Bali and you would never want to go back home!

3. Turtle Island- Fiji

There is no place on earth that will give you the same proximity to nature in such cool-turquoise splendor as the Turtle Island in Fiji. The hospitality of the island staff is unmatched and if you have been to Bali once before, the going to Turtle Island in Fiji will be a step up that experience. With lagoons that are by now well-known in the world and hydroponic gardens that are magnificent, every moment here will be one you would want to take back home captured in a camera.

4. Los Glaciares National Park- Argentina

One look at the snap and you would think that this was some secluded place in the heart of the Arctic or the Antarctic and not so much a part of a nation like Argentina. The Argentinean Patagonia is the home of some of the most breathtaking ice fields of the world and if you are lost, then it is the home to deadly frost that will numb your senses to death. Do not worry though, as the trip to the Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina is well conducted will thousands of tourists flocking each year. One boat ride into the heart of these glaciers and you will be enchanted by the castles of ice and snow!

5. Tak Be Ha- Mexico

If you are sitting in the US and thinking, “Well, I know about Bali and Italy, but what about a trip that is closer to home and equally new and exciting for me?” then we have the answer for that as well. “Tak Be Ha” is the place of hidden waters and the underground cavern is filled with deep water-filled caves that make for a great snorkeling spot and plenty of adventure. The trip takes you to the heart of Mexico through the jungles on a Mayan trail. This is the world’s largest underwater beckon, so rest assured of plenty of fun.

6. Seychelles

This might sound a very simple option, but if you have not been to Seychelles then you will never be able to comprehend the true magic of this island paradise. If you wish to get to ‘the best’ destination when it comes to romantic magic and plenty of unadulterated nature, then Seychelles is the ultimate destination. Snorkeling, diving, surfing, trip on yachts, gambling in casinos and privacy that is unmatched- Seychelles will offer you all that and a lot more.

7. Sub-Antarctic Islands- New Zealand

Not many people go beyond New Zealand looking for a holiday as the country itself is so beautiful that you will feel that you got the best you could. But a trip to the Sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand is taking it that one step further. Make no mistake about it, you will not find it very easy to find these trips and the trips will be no mild affair. But the delights that they offer will be almost unparallel as you will see not just great sights and sounds, but flora and fauna that is both rare and special.

8. Shark Alley- South Africa

“Come dive with the Great White”- that is the theme of Shark Alley in South Africa. Shark Alley in South Africa is a place beaming with sharks of various kinds and in various sizes. A trip to this unique place will offer you a dive into the ocean where you will be caged and the Great White will circle you. One dip into these waters and you will look at the Great White differently for the rest of your life.

9. Tiger Temple- Thailand

Known popularly as the ‘Tiger Temple’, Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua in Thailand is the place where you can claim that you have tamed the Tiger. Of course, the Tigers here have been brought up by the local monks and they are supposed to be completely harmless. You can even get a snap of the tiger in your lap, if you are willing to go that far, that is.

There is obviously no other feeling that can match the adrenaline that you experience here and the magic of watching tamed tigers. Just don’t do anything stupid though, it still is a TIGER.

10. Antarctica- Once in a lifetime journey!

This is no ordinary tourist destination and hence it is not going to be that easy to get on that giant ice-breaker to Antarctica. But you can plan this one well in advance and when you go on this journey, it will without doubt be the grand daddy of them all. Nothing in this world will compare to the sheer white magic of this untouched paradise and while you will be left gasping for breath (sometimes quite literally), the memories you will carry back home will be unmatched and unique.

Well, that ends our journey for the day. The attempt has been to focus on the less threaded path rather than the same old Grand Canyon and Eiffel Tower, not that that is a bad path to take either! In the Best of 2008, the effort will continue throughout this month at how best we can blow the roof off this holiday season and what was the good, bad and disastrous of 2008. Tomorrow we will continue with the fun, but without moving from the couch, with the Best of the Gaming World. So stay tuned and stay safe!