A Journey Through Every Country in the World: Choosing the Right Destinations and Countries to Travel

Imagine 817 images, 229 countries from A to Z in the seven continents including Antarctica. This visual, coffee table book provides snapshots of countries in the world, with a sketched map for each country, relevant photos, best time to visit, top things to see, top things to do and other random facts.

For example if you are looking at Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, the best time to visit is May to December for mainland and January to April to Galapagos Islands. Recommended book to learn more about the indigenous villagers in the early 20th century called Huasipungo (The Villagers) by Jorge Icaza.

In Fiji, eat the Fijian pit-cooked lovo, a traditional dish; Indian curries with roti and Chinese specialties. From these entries on food recommendation, we know that Fiji is a multi-cultural country with a variety of cuisines.

There is really no way for one to visit and immerse in the cultures of all the countries and destinations in the world in one or two years. So what do we look for?

Language immersion. Since Spanish is a language of choice for our children, Spanish-speaking countries will be important in our list of countries to visit. The possibilities of going to Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and many more.

Internet. The countries have to provide good Internet connection for our online work. We are not going to stop working and will continue to serve our clients just like what we are doing now without interruptions.

Budget. The countries cannot be extremely expensive for a family of four to stay comfortably for two or three months.

Friends and family. Visiting countries where our friends and family are currently residing saves us travel money and time for researching. We have family(including distant relatives) in Tahiti, New Zealand, Brazil, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia who will accommodate us. Friends and fellow travelers that we met online could provide a wealth of information. They are the ‘been there, done that’ group that provides the best advice. Nothing beats traveling with locals and eating and mingling with them.

Unique and must see places. African safari, Climbing Kilimanjaro, Mountain Gorilla, Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, Iguazu Falls, Galapagos Islands and Petra are some must see places in our lists.

Dream locations. My dream locations when I was younger were Disneyland and London. Today we have different sets of dream locations. Some of us dream of running with the bulls, some eating tapas in Spain and the rest of us just want to see Machu Picchu.

Safety and Political conditions. The U.S. Department of State have a website where they list current travel warnings. Countries that are dangerous or unstable and travelers should avoid.

Weather and Timing. The idea of going through Siberia sounds fun and adventurous. There are only certain times of the year when a trip there will be comfortable for those who dislike extreme coldness.

Choosing the right destinations is one of the most important factors when deciding to travel.

Years ago while working in travel agencies, customers came back from short trips and presented us with souvenirs because of a wonderful experience. There are some who came back and complained about the weather conditions or the crowded cities or beaches.

Those who chose carefully, opened to suggestions and have done their homework are the ones with a smile and gifts for us. Questions we asked customers who traveled short term could also apply to long term travels:

What do you hope to achieve?
What kind of experiences do you want?
What is your budget?
How long do you want to stay in a location?
What type of accommodation?
What mode of transportation?
When do you want to go to each destination?

Do you have a list of recommended places to visit? We love suggestions and recommendations. Please comment below.

Claudia Looi is a copywriter, travel and web content writer. She's dedicated herself to helping entrepreneurs create their online presence with email campaign, sales page and web content. A writer and traveler who has lived and worked in Kuala Lumpur, Auckland and New York in the travel industry for over 12 years and has had the luxury of traveling to almost 30 countries. Currently, her works include writing for tour operators, hotels, real estate, wellness and immigration consulting industries. When not working, you will find her reading or planning her next family trip with her husband and two teens.