Armenia
Armenia has a very rich history and it is said to be the first country to of adopted the Christianity religion as far back as 300AD. Many of these old churches have been restored to there original glory. When Christianity was introduced almost all of the old Pagan Temples were destroyed except one called Garni Temple. It was believed that it was too beautiful to destroy so Christians built a larger and taller church right next store. Another place worth visiting is the Areni-1 Cave Complex. It is a series of caves that have recently been discovered filled with artifact that date back to the bronze age. Some of the discoveries include the oldest preserved brain and a shoe used for stomping grapes for the near by winery. The Echmiadzin Cathedral is Armenian Apostolic Church equivalent to the Vatican in Italy. It is the oldest state-built church in the world. Inside the church’s museum holds many artifacts and precious objects including the Holy Lance called the Surp Geghard. It was the weapon used by a Roman soldier to pierce the side of Christ while he was still nailed to the cross.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
December is typically the most expensive month but November is about 30-40% less expensive. Temperatures are in the 80’s during the day and low 70’s at night. There are many things to do here year-round including Rio’s most famous landmarks, Christ the Redeemer. You can take a hike up the hillside, catch a mini-bus or take a train to the top. However you get there it will be worth the trip. If you go, leave early to beat the crowds. Don’t forget to visit the world’s most famous beach, Copacabana Beach. It is famous for a reason, it stretches 2 1/2 miles long of pure uninterrupted sand without a hotel on the beach. Another must-do, take a cable car ride up Sugarloaf Mountain for some spectacular views of the city and sunsets. The cable car reaches a summit of 1299 feet with spectacular 360 degree views of city below.
Vancouver Canada
Vancouver is one of the most diverse provinces in the entire country. 52% of it’s residents have a first language other than English. It also has an exchange rate of .80 cents to the US dollar, so it is a great place for the budget conscious. On a chilly day, take a Skyride gondola to the top of Grouse Mountain. Once at the top there are plenty of activities for both kids and adults. A favorite of many visitors is the Vancouver lookout. Sitting on top of the 55th floor of the Harbor Center, you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the city, the North shore, Olympic mountains and Stanley Park. Make sure to pack a rain jacket or poncho, On average the city gets rain about 20 out of 30 days during the month.
Phuket, Thailand
While many of the southern Pacific nations are very affordable, Thailand has some amazing beaches, great food and people and cheap hotels. Fall is a great time to go because the rainy season is over and the weather is mild. Even if religion or culture are not your thing you have to spend some time visiting some of the impressive temples throughout the area. The nation of Thailand has over 40,000 Buddhist temples so there are tons to choose from. Some of the most beautiful in Phuket are Wat Sri Sunthon, the city’s oldest, Wat Phra Nang Sang, and the largest and most visited, the Chalong Temple.
San Juan Puerto Rico
November is a great time to go, the rainy season is basically over as well as hurricane season. Who wants to worry about how they are going to evacuate the island while they are on vacation? Flights to the island are frequent and fairly inexpensive and the currency is US dollars, so you don’t have to worry about exchanging funds. If you are staying within Old San Juan most things including shopping, restaurants, local markets and housing are pretty close to each other, so a car is not needed. For only 5 bucks you can get into two of the most impressive forts in all of the Americas, the San Felipe del Morro and the San Cristobal. It is said that the Pina Colada was invented here. So do as the locals do and pull up a stool at one of the local bars and have yourself one or two.
Guatemala
The Central American country may not be as popular as some of the others, but it still has a lot to offer. It’s most famous landmarks and busiest tourist attractions is the ruins of Tikal. At its peak, this area had over 120,000 inhabitants and was once one of the most powerful Mayan empires in central America. Continuing with the theme of old ruins, however not as old as Tikal, Old Antigua has some fantastic locations for sight-seeing. Old Antigua was once the capital city of Guatemala until a major earthquake hit the area in 1773, reducing much of the city to rubble. Aftershocks continued for months so they decided to relocate the city to what is not Guatemala City.
