I’ve visited 175 Countries These Are The 11 You Shouldn’t Skip

After journeying through 175 countries across every continent, I’ve learned that the most unforgettable places aren’t always the ones with the biggest landmarks they’re the ones that move you.

Some steal your breath the moment you arrive; others unfold slowly, revealing their beauty in quiet alleys, shared meals, and spontaneous moments.

While every country has its charm, these eleven rose above the rest. They’re not just must-sees they’re places that shift your perspective and stay with you long after you’ve gone.

1. Japan – Where Ancient Traditions Meet Modern Marvels

Walking through Tokyo’s neon-lit streets before sunrise, you’ll witness salarymen bowing respectfully at centuries-old shrines tucked between skyscrapers. Japan masterfully balances reverence for tradition with cutting-edge innovation in ways that feel almost magical.

Every meal becomes an art form here, from perfectly crafted sushi to steaming bowls of ramen that warm your soul. The bullet trains glide silently through landscapes dotted with temples, while robots serve coffee in cafes where monks might meditate nearby.

Seasons transform the entire country into living artwork. Spring brings cherry blossoms that create pink canopies over ancient gardens, while autumn paints mountains in brilliant reds and golds that reflect perfectly in temple ponds.

2. Iceland – Nature’s Most Dramatic Playground

Geysers shoot boiling water hundreds of feet skyward while you stand close enough to feel the earth’s raw power beneath your boots. Iceland feels like stepping onto an alien planet where fire and ice have been locked in eternal battle for millennia.

Waterfalls cascade from impossible heights, creating rainbows that dance in the mist as you walk behind curtains of falling water. The Blue Lagoon’s milky blue waters offer the ultimate contrast – soaking in natural hot springs while snow falls gently around you.

Northern Lights paint the winter sky in ribbons of green and purple that seem to pulse with the planet’s heartbeat. Summer brings endless daylight where midnight feels like afternoon, perfect for chasing waterfalls and exploring volcanic landscapes that constantly reshape themselves.

3. New Zealand – Adventure Capital of the World

Bungee jumping was born here, and that spirit of adventure flows through every valley and mountaintop across both islands. New Zealand packs more diverse landscapes into two islands than most continents manage across entire regions.

Milford Sound’s towering peaks rise straight from mirror-like waters where dolphins play alongside your boat. The South Island’s Southern Alps offer world-class skiing, while the North Island bubbles with geothermal wonders that create natural hot pools perfect for evening soaks.

Hobbits aren’t the only magical residents you’ll encounter in this Middle-earth paradise. Glowworm caves illuminate underground rivers with thousands of tiny lights, while native birds like the cheeky kea parrot might steal your lunch during mountain hikes that reveal panoramas worthy of movie screens.

4. Morocco – A Sensory Journey Through Time

Marrakech’s medina assaults your senses in the most wonderful way – cardamom and cinnamon perfume the air while carpet merchants call out in Arabic, French, and broken English. Every corner reveals new treasures, from hand-hammered brass lamps to intricate rugs woven by Berber families.

Snake charmers and storytellers fill Jemaa el-Fnaa square as sunset paints the Atlas Mountains purple in the distance. The call to prayer echoes across rooftops where storks nest on ancient minarets, creating a soundtrack that’s remained unchanged for centuries.

Sahara nights under star-filled skies while riding camels across endless dunes create memories that haunt your dreams long after returning home. Berber guides share tea and stories around campfires, teaching you that hospitality transcends all language barriers in this crossroads between Africa and Europe.

5. Peru – Where Ancient Civilizations Still Whisper

Machu Picchu emerges from morning mist like a lost city from dreams, its perfectly fitted stones defying explanation even today. The Inca Trail tests your endurance, but reaching this ancient citadel at sunrise makes every challenging step worthwhile.

Lima’s culinary scene rivals any world capital, where ceviche made from fish caught hours earlier melts on your tongue with perfect acidic brightness. Street vendors serve anticuchos that locals queue for, proving that Peru’s greatest treasures aren’t always found in museums.

Amazon rainforest expeditions from Iquitos reveal pink dolphins playing in chocolate-colored rivers while howler monkeys announce dawn from canopy heights. Indigenous guides share plant knowledge passed down through generations, showing how traditional medicine still thrives alongside ancient ruins that continue revealing their secrets to archaeologists worldwide.

6. Norway – Fjords and Northern Lights Paradise

Geirangerfjord’s seven waterfalls tumble from cliffs so steep they seem to fall from heaven itself. Cruise ships look like toys floating between towering walls of rock that rise directly from emerald waters reflecting clouds and snow-capped peaks.

Tromsø offers front-row seats to nature’s greatest light show when Northern Lights dance across Arctic skies in colors that cameras never quite capture accurately. Dog sledding through silent forests under star-filled skies connects you to traditions that sustained life here for thousands of years.

Bergen’s colorful wooden houses line harbors where Vikings once launched expeditions to unknown lands. Fish markets serve salmon so fresh it practically swims onto your plate, while nearby mountains offer hiking trails that reward climbers with views stretching to horizons where sky and sea become indistinguishable.

7. India – A Kaleidoscope of Cultures and Colors

Rajasthan’s palaces rise from desert sands like elaborate mirages, their walls inlaid with precious stones that catch sunlight and scatter rainbows across marble courtyards. Jaipur’s Pink City buzzes with rickshaws, sacred cows, and vendors selling everything from silk scarves to street food that sets your mouth on fire.

Kerala’s backwaters offer peaceful contrast where houseboats drift through palm-lined canals while fishermen cast nets from wooden boats unchanged for centuries. Spice plantations perfume mountain air with cardamom and pepper that once drew European explorers across dangerous oceans.

Varanasi’s ghats along the Ganges provide windows into spiritual practices older than most civilizations. Sunrise boat rides reveal pilgrims bathing in sacred waters while temple bells create soundtracks for ceremonies that connect modern India to its ancient soul through rituals practiced continuously for millennia.

8. Chile – From Deserts to Glaciers in One Country

Atacama Desert stretches endlessly under skies so clear that world’s major observatories choose this location to peer into deep space. Geysers erupt at dawn while flamingos feed in salt lakes that reflect snow-capped volcanoes creating surreal mirror images.

Patagonia’s Torres del Paine offers hiking through landscapes that inspired countless adventure films, where glaciers calve icebergs into turquoise lakes with thunderous crashes. Condors soar overhead while guanacos graze in valleys carved by ancient ice flows that still shape this wilderness.

Central valleys produce wines that rival France’s finest, where vineyard tastings occur against backdrops of Andean peaks dusted with snow year-round. Santiago blends modern sophistication with traditional markets where vendors sell fresh seafood from Pacific waters that crash against coastlines stretching over 2,500 miles from desert north to glacier south.

9. Ethiopia – Africa’s Hidden Cultural Treasure

Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches carved directly from volcanic stone demonstrate engineering that still puzzles experts today. Pilgrims gather for ceremonies that have continued uninterrupted since the 12th century, their white robes flowing like rivers through ancient courtyards.

Coffee ceremonies become social rituals where green beans roast over charcoal while frankincense perfumes the air. Ethiopian highlands produce beans that created the world’s coffee culture, and tasting them at their source reveals flavors impossible to replicate elsewhere.

Danakil Depression offers landscapes from another planet where sulfur springs create yellow and green mineral deposits across salt flats below sea level. Erta Ale volcano’s permanent lava lake glows red against night skies while Afar people guide visitors through territories that showcase Earth’s geological forces actively reshaping the African continent before your eyes.

10. Madagascar – Evolution’s Greatest Laboratory

Baobab trees stand like ancient sentinels against sunset skies, their massive trunks storing water for dry seasons while their branches reach skyward like roots growing upside down. These giants have witnessed centuries pass while remaining virtually unchanged.

Lemurs exist nowhere else on Earth, having evolved in isolation for millions of years into species found only on this island continent. Ring-tailed lemurs sun themselves on rocks while sifakas dance sideways across open ground in movements that seem choreographed for entertainment.

Tsingy stone forests create maze-like landscapes where limestone pinnacles rise like cathedral spires from jungle floors. Unique ecosystems support plants and animals that evolved separately from mainland Africa, making Madagascar feel like visiting a parallel universe where evolution took completely different paths creating wonders that exist nowhere else on our planet.

11. Bhutan – The Last Shangri-La

Gross National Happiness matters more than economic growth in this Himalayan kingdom where ancient traditions guide modern policies. Prayer flags flutter from mountain passes while monks debate philosophy in courtyards surrounded by peaks that scrape heaven’s floor.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery clings impossibly to cliff faces where legends say Guru Rinpoche flew on a tigress back to meditate in caves that became sacred sites. The three-hour hike tests determination, but reaching this architectural marvel suspended between earth and sky rewards pilgrims with views across valleys where time moves differently.

Thimphu weekend markets overflow with chilies that could power rockets and handwoven textiles created using techniques passed through generations. Archery competitions using traditional bamboo bows bring entire communities together, proving that happiness truly can be measured in ways that transcend material wealth in this carbon-negative country protecting both environment and culture.