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I have a couple of friends who had to cancel long-awaited holidays abroad when the hard lockdown kicked in in March.

It’s been well over six months since then, and for now, travel is likely the last thing on anyone’s mind, but there’s no reason not to think ahead.

This too shall pass, so take the cash that you had saved for that cancelled vacation and start planning something spectacular for when it’s safe to explore the world again.

To help you in that venture, Lonely Planet has released its yearly Ultimate Travel List.

The full list is 500 destinations strong, so we’re going to narrow things down to the top 10.

Coming in at number 10, we have Annapurna Circuit, Nepal, billed as a jaw-dropping trek for climbers, hikers, and on-foot travellers.

At number nine, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is where you’ll find the biggest salt flat in the world, giving you the impression that you’re walking on clouds.

Taking eighth spot is Cambodia’s Temples of Angkor which are just as epic as they sound, followed by Iguazú Falls, Argentina-Brazil in seventh place, with its spectacular cascading waterfall.

In sixth place, in Lake Bled, Slovenia, you’ll find the ever serene Lake Bled, with its quaint white church, and fascinating history.

Which brings us to the top five, starting with:

5. Yellowstone National Park, USA

Yellowstone stinks. No, really, it smells terrible.

But then, what do you expect when you’re exploring the largest geothermal area in the world? More than 500 active geysers spout in Yellowstone’s enormous, steaming landscape – Old Faithful being the most famous. And there are hot springs to visit – from the bloodshot eyeball of Grand Prismatic to the travertine shelves at Mammoth.

The wildlife is perhaps an even bigger draw. This is like North America’s answer to an African safari, although here the Big Five creatures are bison, bighorn sheep, elk, bear and wolf.

Worth it.

4. Okavango Delta, Botswana

Hailed as one of Africa’s premium safari destinations, this one is a little closer to home.

Each year, the floodwaters of the Okavango River arrive from the Angolan highlands and expand this unique ecosystem to almost 7722 sq miles (20,000 sq km), sustaining vast quantities of wildlife. Along with 4WD safaris, visitors can explore by powerboat and traditional mokoro (dugout canoe).

As the mokoro is poled silently through the shallow reed-lined channels you are immersed in the environment, hearing every bird and animal call, witnessing the mightiest of elephants crossing your path and the smallest of frogs clinging to the grass.

If you’ve been stuck in a city for most of the year, you might want to take note.

3. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

That picture above was taken without a filter.

At sunset, when its wavy walls blaze gold, Uluru looks like a ship on fire in a desert sea. Rising to 1142ft (348m), the sandstone monolith seizes your eyes from miles away. It’s easy to see why it’s a sacred site.

The Aṉangu people, the area’s original inhabitants, believe it’s still home to spirit ancestors like the python woman Kuniya and the hare-wallaby people, the Mala. But it’s become an icon to all Australians, a symbolic heart beating in the country’s Red Centre.

Did I mention the kangaroos?

2. The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

These islands aren’t just stunning – they also changed the course of science.

A thousand kilometres from mainland South America, life on the Galápagos follows different rules. Cormorants can’t fly. Iguanas can swim. Tortoises live nearly 200 years.

The islands are famed, of course, as the place where Charles Darwin developed his ideas on evolution by natural selection.

The process is more obvious here than elsewhere on Earth, since animals that otherwise look alike diverge subtly from island to island, depending on their environment.

Almost 200 years after Darwin visited, tourists are still astounded by the diversity of the plant and animal life.

1. Petra, Jordan

The Unesco Heritage Site of Petra is a must-see for the adventurous traveller.

Once nearly lost to the outside world, the sandstone city is now one of the most loved places on the planet, voted in as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World by popular ballot in 2007.

Spread over some 102 sq miles (264 sq km), Petra was constructed by the ancient Nabataeans, a civilisation of crafters and merchants, and made for a grand trade route stop-off between Arabian oases.

But generations later, after the city was abandoned, it was known only to the Bedouin who made the caves their home.

Mystery, travels through a narrow water-etched slot canyon, and simple, straight-up beauty earned this destination the top spot.

Jot those down and get researching.

Chances are we’ll be looking at some decent deals on flights as soon as the globe opens up again, so there’s no time like the present to start planning.

[source:lonelyplanet]