Top Destinations 2010
We're excited to announce this year's list of top destinations. As in years past, they represent a mix of emerging spots, under-appreciated cities, and places we think you need to experience before they're overrun by tourist crowds. While authors and editors again contributed their suggestions, this year we reached out for some additional advice: During October and November readers from around the world nominated their favorites and then voted for this year's inaugural Reader Favorite. The one element that connects all of these? We can't wait to go.
Tunisia
While northern Tunisia is a hot spot for European tourists, it's still new to Americans, who tend to visit Morocco instead. Tunisia -- and especially the areas around the capital Tunis -- are a microcosm of North Africa's charms: Islamic culture mixed with Mediterranean spirit and beauty, modern colonial remnants from the French and ancient colonial remnants from the Romans. The capital Tunis has the best of both local architecture, exemplified by its sprawling and bustling medina, and colonial remnants of wide boulevards and straight lanes that stretch eastward from the Porte de France.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark's capital rarely gets the attention it deserves, so it's been quietly focused on sensible city planning with comprehensive bicycle paths, free bikes, and a new metro line in the works to deal with the expanding city center. Residents are also trying on a host of new public buildings -- an opera house, a cutting-edge library, and a concert hall -- and an environmental program that's turning the rest of Europe green with envy. And despite the often gloomy northern climate, residents are routinely rated as some of the happiest people in the world. They'll have the opportunity to show off their city when it hosts the COP 15 Climate Change Conference in December 2009, a high-profile, international assembly of politicians looking for ways to reduce greenhouse emissions. They won't have to look much further than the host city for compelling ideas.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Vietnam's bustling capital may be a 1,000 years old, but it's a thriving metropolis with a French colonial soul. A cultural center littered with pagodas, temples, and historic monuments, Hanoi offers plenty for the traveler seeking an authentic yet eclectic Asian experience. The eating scene is colorful with excellent meals available at both street-side stalls and fine eateries. Nightlife won't disappoint with the labyrinthine Old Quarter and the area around Hoan Kiem Lake housing dozens of bars from Western ex-pat establishments to disco-infused nightclubs -- plus the legendary Minh's Jazz Club. There's also a cool and contemporary art gallery scene showcasing young artists along Pho Trang Tien. And if you love to shop, try the funky boutiques on Nha Tho, or Cho Hang Da, the huge Dong Xuan market that transforms into a night bazaar on weekends.
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Generational changes in Miami have diminished the anti-Cuba lobby's strength, as have changes in the U.S. capital. This means that 2010 may be the year that everything changes for Cuban tourism and the Europeans, South Americans, and Asians that have taken advantage of the island's charms while Americans stayed home. What better way, then, to get a look at Cuba today than with a visit to where everything began to change just over five and a half decades ago. It was here that Castro surfaced for the first time with his failed attack on the Moncada military barracks in 1953. He wasn't the first revolutionary to cause trouble here: the city's known as cuna de la Revolución ("cradle of the Revolution") for its history of slave uprisings and attempts to overthrow its Spanish oppressors. It's not all political firebrands, though. Santiago is a culturally rich and scenic city that retains the intimate, friendly feel of a provincial capital, with peaceful neighborhoods where men play dominoes outdoors on hilly streets.
Hawaii (the Big Island), United States
Few tourist destinations in the United States have been hurt during the current recession as badly as Hawaii. As hotels and resorts struggle to come up with smart deals, we're looking beyond the lei-wrapped packages this year to the islands' most quintessential Hawaiian destination -- especially to Hawaiians. In place of vacant beach-front high rises visitors are greeted by a wealth of options for water sports, hiking, cycling, diving, and golf. It's an island of extremes, from its size (the biggest of the chain), to its age (the youngest), to its population (the smallest), to its natural wonders (highest peaks, most active volcanoes, glacial lakes, and snow). The beauty isn't of the white sand beach variety (the sand is black here after all), but rather the look of a destination that's survived relatively untouched --just the way it should be.

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