Top Travel Hotspots from the Experts

This image is no longer available

Kiyomizu-dera temple, Kyoto, Japan

Romantic romps. Where to get the “lust” in wanderlust? Here, we ask experts for their “hot” spots.

 

Will Ferguson, Canadian author and winner of the 2012 Giller Prize for his novel 419 (his most recent book is Road Trip Rwanda, a travel memoir)

Kiyomizu-dera temple, Kyoto, Japan (pictured above). At a small Shinto love shrine, tucked inside these temple grounds, visitors write their heart’s desires on rice paper and then watch them dissolve into water. The most common wish? To find true love. I asked for a winning lottery ticket.

Nyungwe Forest Lodge, Western Rwanda. A luxury resort in the heart of the African rainforest, it would have been even more romantic had my travelling companion, Jean-Claude, been a beautiful woman. Sadly, he was not.

The most romantic place? The Municipal Curling Rink in Fort Vermilion, Alta., circa 1976 My first kiss was behind this curling rink. I haven’t been back in years, and I understand that they’ve torn it down. But you’d think they would have at least erected a commemorative plaque to mark the spot.

Sunrise over Lisbon Old Town

Lori Copeland, Director of product development and leisure programs, Merit Travel Group

A luxury cruise to Alaska on the Silversea Silver Shadow
. Wrapped in sumptuous comfort with attentive service and surrounded by awe-inspiring natural beauty. Sitting on your balcony, sipping a Pinot Noir as you sail through the Inside Passage, passing waterfalls and breaching orcas.

A villa in Anguilla
. Unspoiled white sand that runs into crystal clear turquoise waters – without crowds. There are no all-inclusive resorts or mass-market hotel brands here. The island offers fantastic dining, from beachfront seafood shacks to fine fare. It’s a little harder to get to than some islands in the Caribbean – but worth the effort.

Lisbon, older than Rome, Paris or London, is a vibrant city steeped in heritage and culture. The Portuguese people are warm and inviting, and English is spoken throughout the country. Lisbon is a walkable city with beautiful architecture, great food, medieval ruins, sidewalk cafés and lovely boutique-style hotels.

A view of Masada with the Dead Sea in the background.

 

Evelyn Hannon, Editor, www.journeywoman.com, solo traveller

Climbing Masada in Israel. Nothing creates more of a bond with your love than beginning your climb in the pitch black of the night and arriving at the summit in time to see the sun come up over the Holy Land. Magical!

Cruising the Antarctic. Imagine braving the elements in Zodiacs to explore iceberg formations, then returning to your ship to enjoy a glass of wine and a cuddle before your formal dinner.

Sarlat, France. Meandering hand in hand through this medieval town in the Dordogne Périgord region with mazes of tiny cobbled roadways, all breaking from the main street, each filled with its own kind of magic.

Kowloon, Hong Kong. You can’t help feeling that feeling each Sunday watching as love-struck brides and grooms pose for their formal photos on the steps of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.