Taiwan, Croatia and Brazil all worth a trip

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The walled city of Dubrovnik is a jewel in the list of UNESCO�s Heritage cities.

Many of the questions I receive from readers ask about specific destinations I have visited over the years. Usually when I go on a trip, I follow up with a story that is carried as a full-coverage destination story in this travel section.

But, as often as not, what readers are looking for is a more simplified overview of places or regions they may be considering visiting.

Today's column will respond to some of those inquiries.

QUESTION: I travel on business a great deal and over the years have taken my spouse along when we can stay a few extra days to visit a new and unique country.

I will be travelling to Taiwan in the coming months, a country I know little about. Is it a place that you think is interesting enough to invest extra time and money in extending the stay for the two of us?

ANSWER: Taipei, Taiwan's largest city with a population of close to eight million, is worth at least a couple of days visiting.

It's still worth seeing even though, after taking bragging rights away from Toronto as the city with the tallest building, it lost that recently to Dubai's Burj Khalifa structure.

Its Snake Alley Night Market is unique, and there is a good selection of quality restaurants to be discovered. But the attractions really worth staying for are beyond the nation's capital.

The Taroko Gorge is known as the largest and best of its kind in the world. Seeing marble in its natural state in such quantity is a memory that stays with those who visit it.

The Yehliu Geopark, with its statues of limestone carved by nature over time, can leave you thinking you may have just stepped onto the surface of the moon.

And the resort region around Sun Moon Lake is as tranquil as you will find anywhere. Along the way to any of the major attractions, you will have no shortage of temples and historic sites to stop at and explore.

QUESTION: It is a bit of an extra distance for us, but I have been fascinated by much of what I have heard about Croatia as a tourist destination. I hear that Dubrovnik particularly is supposed to be a fascinating place to visit. Is that correct?

ANSWER: After the death of Yugoslavian dictator Marshal Josip Broz Tito in 1980, ethnic tensions emerged, and as Russia's hold on its iron-curtain states fell apart, the glue that held the nation together fell apart. The seething ethnic tensions that were only slightly beneath the surface broke into violence, war, and the emergence of a new phrase that characterized the underlying hatreds.

Ethnic cleansing, as it was called, brought atrocities that finally led world leaders to put a stop to it all.

Prior to that, Dubrovnik had become a major tourist and convention destination. In fact, during the time I was heavily involved with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies, we were forced to cancel a return conference as a result of the conflicts that seemed to be emerging at the time.

During that period, Dubrovnik was shelled fiercely, and signs of the damage inflicted can still be found in walks through the city. But the Croatians are a resourceful people and Dubrovnik has returned, in no small part, to its previous glory.

It is a beautiful city to visit, and the rest of the country is lovely, as well.

But Dubrovnik is a jewel. Situated on an isthmus extending into the Adriatic Sea, its walled fortress creates an imposing view from inside and more so from the hills nearby.

It was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 for good reason. Its history can be seen in preserved buildings throughout the city, and you are likely to find quality entertainment in the squares on a regular basis during the prime tourist season.

After the cancellation of the ACTA conference, it took me many years to finally taste what they would have had to offer to our delegates. It is a city, and a country, I will not wait long to visit once more.

QUESTION: Rio de Janeiro's is supposed to be the best of carnival celebrations. Is it all it is made out to be, and are there lots of other things to do in the region?

ANSWER: While New Orleans may take issue with placing its famous carnival behind Rio's, there is no question the ambiance of Rio, with its beaches and hillside views, make its carnival an exceptional celebration.

Next year's carnival, which begins with the Lenten period on Friday, Feb. 8, and runs until Ash Wednesday on Feb. 13, will be another extravaganza of floats, sambas and the occasional beverage consumed during and after the extremely long parades.

The Rio carnival is an explosion of colour and music in a city that has a lifestyle of its own.

Make the carnival visit part of a broader exploration of Brazil, which is considered a rising economic powerhouse, part of the BRIC group (Brazil, Russia, India and China) seen as the future generators of worldwide wealth.

While the statue of Christ the Redeemer steals the spotlight for photography, the power of Iguazu Falls, near the boarder of Argentina, is described as one of the great wonders of the world.

Forward your travel questions to askjourneys@journeystravel.com . Ron Pradinuk is president of Journeys Travel & Leisure SuperCentre and can be heard Sundays at noon on CJOB. Previous columns and tips can be found on www.journeystravelgear.com or read Ron's travel blog at www.thattravelguy.ca .

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 9, 2012 D2