Singapore, Philippines in Lonely Planet's top ten destinations for 2015

Lonely Planet's top ten countries to visit for 2015 includes two from Asia. The company recently released it's 'Best in Travel' list for next year.

Source: Lonely Planet e-newsletter.

Singapore is in no. 1 place because of her Golden Jubilee next year. Lonely Planet recommends visiting Marina Bay, a new entertainment precinct, and to consider "the new crop of swanky hotels" and new attractions like the National Art Gallery and the Singapore Sports Hub.

The Philippines is in 8th place, and Lonely Planet notes that the government has organised a number of events for 2015 to raise awareness about the 7,100+ islands in the country. "If there’s one thing Filipinos know how to do, it’s party – expect street parades, food festivals, sports tournaments and live music. Now that Philippine Airlines has gained approval for direct flights to Europe, America and Australia, why wait?" asks Lonely Planet.

View the full list here.

Lonely Planet's eco-friendly top 10 includes places in Jordan, Papua New Guinea

Lonely Planet has chosen 10 of the most outstanding eco-friendly hotels and hostels from nominations by Lonely Planet authors and travel editors. No. 8 and no. 9 on the list are from the Middle East and Asia respectively.

Dana Guest House in Jordan has "one of the Middle East's most amazing views", Lonely Planet says. The guest house is run by Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), and is located on the edge of the cliffs of Wadi Dana. 

According to the RSCN, Dana Guest House has facilities for courses and conferences, and can be used for retreats and workshops. It consists of nine comfortable rooms, and can house a maximum of 23 people. 

Eight of the rooms share the external toilets and showers, while a single suite, has a private bathroom, adding character and authenticity to the entire experience. Most rooms also come with private terraces that offer spectacular views of the surrounding wadi and mountains.

Nuli Sapi is ranked no. 9 on Lonely Planet's list. Set in Logeia Island in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, Nuli Sapi is approximately 1.5 hours by dinghy from Alotau. 
 

Source: Nuli Sapi Facebook page. Nuli Sapi at low tide.

Lonely Planet notes that the four bungalows are "simple but comfortable and made entirely of bush materials, with a veranda perched over the water". Each bungalow contains a queen-sized bed, bathroom and a verandah overlooking the China Strait, says the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority.

Guests can learn about the daily life of the community, including clay pot cooking, fishing from a canoe, and hunting for crabs.

Two Asian hotels make it to Lonely Planet's list of extraordinary hotels

Source: Mihir Garh website.

Businesses looking for a new venue to wow stakeholders can get ideas from Lonely Planet's list of the most extraordinary hotels in the world. Hotels in the UAE, Australia, Laos and India are included.

At number one is Mihir Gahr, Rajasthan, India, which took 150 masons, artisans and craftsmen two years to build. "This is not just a unique place to stay; it’s a shrine to the artistic and architectural traditions of Rajasthan in general and Jodhpur in particular,” says James Kay, Editor, Lonely Planet.

Qasr Al Sarab, United Arab Emirates at number four in the list, is another extraordinary hotel, where museum-quality artifacts in the library come from a time when the area's few residents were date farmers or Bedouins. The sense of history is palpable, with Lonely Planet author Lisa Dunford talking about meeting a fourth-generation falconer.

To stay at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, the fifth-most extraordinary hotel in the world, to "plunge.. into the heart of Tasmania’s wilderness", according to the list. Tantalisingly, Lonely Planet Writer and Editor Anita Isalska says: "Wildlife is best viewed from an outdoor hot tub."

Last but not least is The Gibbon Experience Treehouse at Bokeo Reserve, Laos, in position ten, for those with a head for heights. The beds are a hundred feet up "in the triple canopy", and Lonely Planet author Richard Waters called his visit "the most magical two nights" of his stay in Laos.

Click here to read descriptions of all ten hotels at Lonely Planet.