In the last two years, Sarah and I visited 40+ countries. In a completely unscientific process, each of us ranked our top 10 favorites. After averaging both lists, we determined our top six favorite countries.
#6. Oman
Oman is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. With most people living in or near the capital, there are tons of deserts, mountains, and wadis (valleys) to explore. The architecture is distinct, the roads are superb, and the people are famously friendly. We hitchhiked to Jebel Akhdar and locals always picked us up within a couple minutes.
Oman is an excellent place to camp. With few people, tons of remote beaches, and free wild camping, Oman is a great place to explore on your own. We drove a 2WD rental car, but a 4WD vehicle would get you off-road and into the desert.
Nizwa goat market
Tip: Visit in the winter! Oman is one of the hottest countries on earth. We visited in May and spent a lot of time in the mountains just to escape the oppressive heat.
#5. Singapore
We heard Singapore was expensive and boring before we arrived. Instead, we found cheap hawker food, iconic sites, and a fascinating mix of cultures. If you can handle a stinky dorm room, beds can be found for $11/night.
The famous pool at the top of Marina Bay Sands was way out of our price range, but you can take the elevator up for the view. The Supertree Grove music and light display is charming and the malls (even if you don’t buy anything) are more interesting than our dying malls in North America. The food we ate in Little India and Chinatown was the best we had during our entire travels.
Light shows with play every evening at the Supertree Grove.
Tip: Visit the Supertree Grove at sunrise. We went early and were the only ones there.
#4. Indonesia
Indonesia contains about 900 inhabited islands, so it’s hard to describe concisely. With volcanoes and beaches, orangutans and komodo dragons, and the paradise that is Bali, there is a ton to see. Most people stick to Bali, but there are off-the-beaten path destinations for the adventurous. Like elsewhere in southeast Asia, everything is super affordable.
Tip: Visit the orangutans in Borneo
#3. Chile
At 2,653 miles long and 221 miles wide (at most), Chile is an oddly shaped country. With miles of coastline, mountains over 22 thousand feet, desert and rainforest, Chile is a country of extremes. The Atacama Desert in the north and Patagonia in the south are breathtaking.
Chile is the wealthiest and safest country in South America, though a bit more expensive than the others. However, we almost got robbed twice—so keep your guard up!
Eating a cheese empanada in colorful Valparaíso
Tip: Drive or hitchhike the Carretera Austral for an unbelievable roadtrip.
#2. Georgia
Georgia looks like Switzerland for a fraction of the cost. With fewer tourists, the people are friendly and the food is excellent. In the summer, you can buy a backpack full of fresh fruits and vegetables for less than two dollars.
Georgia is one of the oldest wine-growing regions on earth. After helping a soldier boil water for his coffee, he gave us a bottle of homemade grape vodka. We’re pretty sure he was on duty.
Chaukhi pass in the Georgian Dolomites
Tip: While you’re in the Caucuses, don’t miss Armenia.
#1. South Africa
South Africa was the first country on our two-year honeymoon, so maybe we’re partial, but we have heard from several long-term travelers that South Africa was also their top choice. The geography is stunning, the wildlife is accessible on self-drive safari, and the history is fascinating, though the inequality is shocking.
South Africa, like every country in Africa, is way bigger than it looks on the map! We wracked up exactly 5000 km on our rental car in 30 days.
Camping near the Drakensberg Amphitheatre, location of Tugela Falls, the second highest waterfall in the world
Tip: Rent a car and you can self-drive safari South Africa’s many national parks.
Final thoughts
Four of our top six countries were places we rented a car and camped. Amazing geography, fewer crowds, and the freedom to explore led to many of our favorite experiences.
For fun, here were our other favorite countries that didn’t make both lists:
Sterling: Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, and Swaziland
Sarah: Canada, Cambodia, United Arab Emirates, Latvia/Lithuania
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I am Sterling, one of the Two Fish Traveling. I love to travel and live in Polson, Montana with my wife Sarah.
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