Where should I travel in April/May?
March 21, 2016 6:03 PM Subscribe
Travelfilter - I have two to four weeks to travel somewhere in late April/May, leaving from the east coast of the USA. Can you help me choose a destination?
I'm badly in need of a vacation, but don't have a particular destination in mind. In the past, I've traveled a fair bit, to:
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico
All of Europe south of Germany-Poland-Ukraine, plus the UK and Turkey
Southeast Asia except Myanmar
Morocco
My favorites from the above were Spain, Morocco, Turkey, and pretty much all of Latin America. I enjoy visiting places with unique and interesting cultures, beautiful nature/scenery, and doing things (so not sitting on a beach).
Previously when traveling I had virtually unlimited time so I'd just pick somewhere to fly into and explore from there. I don't have that kind of time anymore, unfortunately, so I need to plan a bit more.
I'm reasonably adventurous and open to anything. Cost isn't a major concern.
What would you recommend?
I'm badly in need of a vacation, but don't have a particular destination in mind. In the past, I've traveled a fair bit, to:
Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, Mexico
All of Europe south of Germany-Poland-Ukraine, plus the UK and Turkey
Southeast Asia except Myanmar
Morocco
My favorites from the above were Spain, Morocco, Turkey, and pretty much all of Latin America. I enjoy visiting places with unique and interesting cultures, beautiful nature/scenery, and doing things (so not sitting on a beach).
Previously when traveling I had virtually unlimited time so I'd just pick somewhere to fly into and explore from there. I don't have that kind of time anymore, unfortunately, so I need to plan a bit more.
I'm reasonably adventurous and open to anything. Cost isn't a major concern.
What would you recommend?
My family went to Lisbon last May and LOVED it! It's a pretty short flight from the east coast and has lots of gorgeous buildings and landmarks, plus you can take day trips to Sintra and other places like Evora if you'd like. The food is yummy, the people are either nice or dour (because they listen to so much Fado) and I found there to be lots to do including awesome museums (tile museum, maritime museum, coach museum to name just a few), beautiful parts of the city to walk around in, gorgeous old buildings, and yummy food (if you go I'd start with a boat tour -- we did Lisbon by Boat which was run by a lovely couple and it really helped us contextualize the city and feel ready for the rest of the trip plus their obvious pride in Lisbon was very touching and fun to be around). It's a city where you can both plan to visit specific places and spend some time walking around and just getting a feel for it. Definitely, definitely recommend going to Lisbon!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 6:23 PM on March 21, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 6:23 PM on March 21, 2016 [5 favorites]
Japan is gorgeous in May. Be sure to avoid Apr 29 - May 6, which is Golden Week, a period of government holidays and one of the peak travel times in Japan.
posted by xmts at 6:28 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by xmts at 6:28 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I want to go to Malta. Have you been to Malta?
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:29 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:29 PM on March 21, 2016
April/May is one of the perfect times to visit Japan (October/November being the other), and 2 to 4 weeks is a great length for a trip. Yes there will be crowding during Golden Week but you can still get around and do stuff. If you go to Hokkaido you should even be able to catch the cherry blossoms.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:36 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:36 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
A Danish-Norwegian acquaintance keeps informing me that the USD to Norwegian krone exchange rate is fantastic right now, and she keeps plying me with unbelievably beautiful pictures and tales of tasty baked goods, so my vote is for Norway.
posted by Diagonalize at 6:39 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Diagonalize at 6:39 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Malta. I'll be there the second week in April :). Fingersandtoes, want to all meet up?
posted by Capri at 6:42 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Capri at 6:42 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Iran.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 6:51 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by the duck by the oboe at 6:51 PM on March 21, 2016
If I were you, I'd just go to Hawaii and island hop starting from Oahu.
posted by discopolo at 6:59 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by discopolo at 6:59 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Welp, you haven't been to Cuba, it looks like. It's probably not a 2-week trip, but you could hop to somewhere else in the Caribbean from there.
I just happen to be watching a video about Din Tai Fung right now, but what about Taiwan? Again, maybe not a 2-week trip but you could bounce to Thailand or Hong Kong or Japan from there.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:02 PM on March 21, 2016
I just happen to be watching a video about Din Tai Fung right now, but what about Taiwan? Again, maybe not a 2-week trip but you could bounce to Thailand or Hong Kong or Japan from there.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:02 PM on March 21, 2016
Four weeks in Iran would be spectacular, good value, and it's quite straightforward to get a visa - you need to go on a "tour" with an agency, but the tour could just be you and a guide and a driver. I'm going in August with these people on a recommendation from a friend. I'm going on a group tour but the agency quoted me 200-250 EUR a day for a totally private tour with accommodation, sights and transport plus some meals - not bad value, really.
You could also split your time: you could easily go overland up through Iran from Shiraz to Tabriz stopping at Persepolis, Yazd, Abyaneh, Kashan, Tehran, and Tabriz, then get a taxi/bus to the Armenian border, and work your way up through Tatev, Yerevan, Lake Sevan, and the monasteries up in northern Armenia to Tbilisi and see a bit of Georgia (Svaneti, Kazbegi, Motsameta/Gelati, Sighnaghi - so many places!), ending on the Black Sea coast in Batumi. From there you could head into northern Turkey and overland back to Istanbul if you haven't seen the Black Sea coast region.
If you can start your journey in New York, Boston or Washington, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates/flydubai are probably the easiest one-stop connection from the US east coast to Shiraz and Tbilisi (stopping in Istanbul/Doha/Dubai respectively). You could also look at Aeroflot (change at Moscow Sheremtyevo/SVO), Ukraine International (Kiev) and Azerbaijan Airlines (Baku) to Tehran and Tbilisi if you left from New York, plus Lufthansa from a few more US gateways.
posted by mdonley at 7:33 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
You could also split your time: you could easily go overland up through Iran from Shiraz to Tabriz stopping at Persepolis, Yazd, Abyaneh, Kashan, Tehran, and Tabriz, then get a taxi/bus to the Armenian border, and work your way up through Tatev, Yerevan, Lake Sevan, and the monasteries up in northern Armenia to Tbilisi and see a bit of Georgia (Svaneti, Kazbegi, Motsameta/Gelati, Sighnaghi - so many places!), ending on the Black Sea coast in Batumi. From there you could head into northern Turkey and overland back to Istanbul if you haven't seen the Black Sea coast region.
If you can start your journey in New York, Boston or Washington, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates/flydubai are probably the easiest one-stop connection from the US east coast to Shiraz and Tbilisi (stopping in Istanbul/Doha/Dubai respectively). You could also look at Aeroflot (change at Moscow Sheremtyevo/SVO), Ukraine International (Kiev) and Azerbaijan Airlines (Baku) to Tehran and Tbilisi if you left from New York, plus Lufthansa from a few more US gateways.
posted by mdonley at 7:33 PM on March 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
Definitely Iceland.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 7:35 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by treehorn+bunny at 7:35 PM on March 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
But as a runner-up option, Costa Rica.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 7:35 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by treehorn+bunny at 7:35 PM on March 21, 2016
Malta is pretty awesome. I loved the War Rooms tours in Valetta, and a day on Gozo, and snorkeling, and horse riding. Perfect Mediterranean weather. Good food. Their weird soda Kinnie is actually pretty good.
posted by olinerd at 7:42 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by olinerd at 7:42 PM on March 21, 2016
Montreal!
posted by Fister Roboto at 7:58 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by Fister Roboto at 7:58 PM on March 21, 2016
Iceland!!!
posted by mollymayhem at 9:10 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by mollymayhem at 9:10 PM on March 21, 2016
I just read a story that the first Carnival cruise to Cuba sets sail May 1, so if you have any interest in Cuba, go before then.
posted by purpleclover at 9:32 PM on March 21, 2016
posted by purpleclover at 9:32 PM on March 21, 2016
Iceland and Greenland?
Alternately: While speaking to most well traveled person I know, during my first trip to Iceland (it was maybe her 4th and she has been EVERYwhere) I asked: "I feel pretty wowed by the scenery here. I feel like it is so spectacular I will be disappointed next place I go. Where should I go so I'm not?"
She said Oman. She said it is safe, the people are amazing and the scenery is incredible.
posted by ReluctantViking at 9:57 PM on March 21, 2016
Alternately: While speaking to most well traveled person I know, during my first trip to Iceland (it was maybe her 4th and she has been EVERYwhere) I asked: "I feel pretty wowed by the scenery here. I feel like it is so spectacular I will be disappointed next place I go. Where should I go so I'm not?"
She said Oman. She said it is safe, the people are amazing and the scenery is incredible.
posted by ReluctantViking at 9:57 PM on March 21, 2016
I vote Iceland, then maybe hopping over to another country. I think April counts as the shoulder season, so it should be slightly cheaper? I spent six days there and it was barely enough to see the south coast...every day I had to stop while driving because there was some breathtaking sight, and if you're an active person there's no shortage of awesome hikes and activities. Plus as a solo lady traveler I have never felt more safe. When I went last year I could still feel and enjoy some of the untouched and unspoiled nature of the place--it's a really special feeling--but Iceland is getting more and more popular and I fear that won't last long. Go while you can!
posted by sprezzy at 10:31 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by sprezzy at 10:31 PM on March 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh, if I had time then, I'd go to Sicily. Wonderful time to visit.
posted by frumiousb at 2:25 AM on March 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by frumiousb at 2:25 AM on March 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
Third vote for Cuba, then Puerto Rico.
No long travel times, and both cultures are laid back, and friendly.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:51 AM on March 22, 2016
No long travel times, and both cultures are laid back, and friendly.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:51 AM on March 22, 2016
Nthing the recs for Iceland or Japan. Both completely amazing, in very different ways!
posted by john_snow at 7:32 AM on March 22, 2016
posted by john_snow at 7:32 AM on March 22, 2016
I loved Iceland, but the bit of Europe I didn't anticipate falling for so completely was the Balkans. I know you said you'd done southern Europe, but Montenegro was astonishingly beautiful.
Also, Norway and my possible next destination, the Baltic states.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 10:24 AM on March 22, 2016
Also, Norway and my possible next destination, the Baltic states.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 10:24 AM on March 22, 2016
No mentions yet for China. The Great Wall is one of my favorite sites of all time!
posted by littlewater at 12:07 PM on March 22, 2016
posted by littlewater at 12:07 PM on March 22, 2016
I hear what people are saying about Iceland but 2-4 weeks of Iceland at that time of year will be a lot of dark, cold time in Iceland.
Iceland gets more than 13 hours of sunlight per day at the beginning of April, rising to an impressive 20 hours by the end of May (sunset at 11:30 pm). It is a little colder than mid-summer, but not enough to make a huge difference. I often see April-May recommended as the best time to visit Iceland because it's cheaper and less touristy than mid-summer but has similar weather.
posted by randomnity at 12:40 PM on March 22, 2016
Iceland gets more than 13 hours of sunlight per day at the beginning of April, rising to an impressive 20 hours by the end of May (sunset at 11:30 pm). It is a little colder than mid-summer, but not enough to make a huge difference. I often see April-May recommended as the best time to visit Iceland because it's cheaper and less touristy than mid-summer but has similar weather.
posted by randomnity at 12:40 PM on March 22, 2016
I lived in Iceland for a year, and don't recommend it any month other than July. In April and May, it can be bone-chillingly cold. Sideways rain. Hail. Brutal winds. Or scenery-hiding fog. Ugh. Even in July I found snow in some places, but it was warm (60s, maybe low 70s) and lovely others. I'm not a warm weather fan; I love cold, wintery weather. But sideways freezing rain and gale-force winds really knock the snot out of a vacation.
posted by Capri at 11:49 AM on March 23, 2016
posted by Capri at 11:49 AM on March 23, 2016
Seconding Lisbon, where I am now. Beautiful and various. Weather is chilly in the morning, but April and May should be glorious. Natural areas not far. (But, hmmm, the other suggestions are interesting...)
posted by ck49 at 12:57 PM on March 24, 2016
posted by ck49 at 12:57 PM on March 24, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by vrakatar at 6:18 PM on March 21, 2016