Top 3 Favourite Countries of Ric Gazarian - GlobalGaz
September 3,, 2021 | Tagged: Top 3 Favourite Countries
Introducing Ric Gazarian of GlobalGaz. Traveller, blogger, and author on a quest to visit every country in the world.
Here Ric Gazarian talks about his Top 3 Favourite Countries
Here Ric Gazarian talks about his Top 3 Favourite Countries
Ric Gazarian, avid traveller, travel blogger, professional photographer, drone pilot, author, podcaster, documentary producer, and industry speaker.
He is on a quest to visit every county in the world and has visited all 7 continents and has travelled to over 140 countries.
Ric has produced two documentaries; Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric drove a tuk-tuk for 2000 km across India and 1400 km across Cambodia. The film traces his adventure across the countries.
He has written or appeared in Huffington Post, Yahoo Travel, Thrillist, and Skyscanner.
Ric is also an industry speaker at such conferences as Frequent Travel University, Mekong Tourism Forum, and PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Conference.
He is on a quest to visit every county in the world and has visited all 7 continents and has travelled to over 140 countries.
Ric has produced two documentaries; Hit The Road: India and Hit The Road: Cambodia. Ric drove a tuk-tuk for 2000 km across India and 1400 km across Cambodia. The film traces his adventure across the countries.
He has written or appeared in Huffington Post, Yahoo Travel, Thrillist, and Skyscanner.
Ric is also an industry speaker at such conferences as Frequent Travel University, Mekong Tourism Forum, and PATA Adventure Travel and Responsible Conference.
1. Armenia
While I was born in the US and grew up there, I also consider that I have two “homes away from home”.
One of those is Armenia, located in the southern Caucasus, nestled between Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. I have made 17 visits since 2003, for a combined stay of a year and a half.
This landlocked country punches well above its weight.
Yerevan, the capital, is one of my favourite cities in the world. It is eminently walkable, and it overflows with cafes, restaurants, and bars.
From spring through fall, you will find throngs packing the cafes and strolling around Yerevan’s green spaces late into the night.
You will also find fascinating museums, the unique Cascade, and the delightful Republic Square with a nightly performance of a sprawling fountain. And of course, there is the cuisine … a mixture of Armenian, Persian, Russian, and a lot of Lebanese & Syrian.
There is also a burgeoning wine scene. Armenia is home to the oldest discovered wine press, dating back 6,000 years.
I have extolled the virtues of Yerevan, yet there is plenty to explore outside of this cosmopolitan city.
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity in 301 AD, and it boasts a plethora of stone churches and monasteries.
In the south is the 9th-century Tatev monastery set in green mountains. You can reach Tatev by cable car, which has won a Guinness World Record.
In the north, I enjoy visiting the Mikoyan Museum which honours the Armenian inventor of the MIG fighter jet, the Soviet Union’s aeronautical workhorse.
One of those is Armenia, located in the southern Caucasus, nestled between Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. I have made 17 visits since 2003, for a combined stay of a year and a half.
This landlocked country punches well above its weight.
Yerevan, the capital, is one of my favourite cities in the world. It is eminently walkable, and it overflows with cafes, restaurants, and bars.
From spring through fall, you will find throngs packing the cafes and strolling around Yerevan’s green spaces late into the night.
You will also find fascinating museums, the unique Cascade, and the delightful Republic Square with a nightly performance of a sprawling fountain. And of course, there is the cuisine … a mixture of Armenian, Persian, Russian, and a lot of Lebanese & Syrian.
There is also a burgeoning wine scene. Armenia is home to the oldest discovered wine press, dating back 6,000 years.
I have extolled the virtues of Yerevan, yet there is plenty to explore outside of this cosmopolitan city.
Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity in 301 AD, and it boasts a plethora of stone churches and monasteries.
In the south is the 9th-century Tatev monastery set in green mountains. You can reach Tatev by cable car, which has won a Guinness World Record.
In the north, I enjoy visiting the Mikoyan Museum which honours the Armenian inventor of the MIG fighter jet, the Soviet Union’s aeronautical workhorse.
2. Thailand
My second “home away from home” is Thailand, where over the last 7 years, I spend around 3 months a year based out of Bangkok.
While Covid brought so much misery to so many, there is always a silver lining. I spent 12 months of Covid “stuck” in Bangkok, which allowed me to explore the country much more deeply and provided even more appreciation for this Land of Smiles.
Bangkok, the capital, is like an onion, you can keep on peeling the layers for infinite discovery. This city is a true mix of East and West and old and new. You can scratch the service and visit the amazing Grand Palace and Wat Pho and then head off to the islands.
Or you can spend the week discovering a small colourful temple on a sub-soi while dining on scrumptious mango and sticky rice.
Many travellers know Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai, but my year of Covid allowed me to explore some lesser-known corners of Thailand which allowed me to appreciate the country even more.
I took three trips to Koh Mak, my new favourite island.
This tiny island located near Koh Chang only has 400 residents. If you are looking for a laid back, idyllic experience, this is the island for you.
I also visited Nan, tucked in the northern corner near Laos. Nan is a favourite of vacationing Thais, but not that well known with foreign tourists. Expect to be beguiled with mist-covered mountains, historic temples, and a vibrant night market.
While Covid brought so much misery to so many, there is always a silver lining. I spent 12 months of Covid “stuck” in Bangkok, which allowed me to explore the country much more deeply and provided even more appreciation for this Land of Smiles.
Bangkok, the capital, is like an onion, you can keep on peeling the layers for infinite discovery. This city is a true mix of East and West and old and new. You can scratch the service and visit the amazing Grand Palace and Wat Pho and then head off to the islands.
Or you can spend the week discovering a small colourful temple on a sub-soi while dining on scrumptious mango and sticky rice.
Many travellers know Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai, but my year of Covid allowed me to explore some lesser-known corners of Thailand which allowed me to appreciate the country even more.
I took three trips to Koh Mak, my new favourite island.
This tiny island located near Koh Chang only has 400 residents. If you are looking for a laid back, idyllic experience, this is the island for you.
I also visited Nan, tucked in the northern corner near Laos. Nan is a favourite of vacationing Thais, but not that well known with foreign tourists. Expect to be beguiled with mist-covered mountains, historic temples, and a vibrant night market.
3. Bhutan
Bhutan is a dream destination for many but is also considered to be too challenging. This Himalayan kingdom is squeezed in between the two largest countries in the world, India and China.
Bhutan is a remote country with limited gateways and a quality over quantity tourism philosophy. That means Bhutan mandates a minimum dollar spends per day by visiting tourists.
Despite these two challenges, one will not be disappointed with their visit.
I considered myself fortunate to visit in 2005 and extra lucky that I was able to visit twice more including an amazing two-week cross-country trip.
Most visitors stay in the west for a visit to Thimpu-Paro-Punakha. This troika does not disappoint with highlights including the high-altitude Paro Taktsang better known as the Tiger’s Nest, a stunning monastery that seems to hang off the side of a mountain and includes a robust three-hour hike.
Another highlight is the Punakha Dzong which sits at the fork of a river. A Dzong is a combination monastery-fort-administrative centre, which are found in each region of Bhutan.
If you make the extra effort to visit the remote east of Bhutan, don’t be surprised if you don’t meet any fellow tourists. Expect to see verdant green rice fields flowing between towering mountains, maroon clad teenage monks, and ancient monasteries.
Bhutan is a remote country with limited gateways and a quality over quantity tourism philosophy. That means Bhutan mandates a minimum dollar spends per day by visiting tourists.
Despite these two challenges, one will not be disappointed with their visit.
I considered myself fortunate to visit in 2005 and extra lucky that I was able to visit twice more including an amazing two-week cross-country trip.
Most visitors stay in the west for a visit to Thimpu-Paro-Punakha. This troika does not disappoint with highlights including the high-altitude Paro Taktsang better known as the Tiger’s Nest, a stunning monastery that seems to hang off the side of a mountain and includes a robust three-hour hike.
Another highlight is the Punakha Dzong which sits at the fork of a river. A Dzong is a combination monastery-fort-administrative centre, which are found in each region of Bhutan.
If you make the extra effort to visit the remote east of Bhutan, don’t be surprised if you don’t meet any fellow tourists. Expect to see verdant green rice fields flowing between towering mountains, maroon clad teenage monks, and ancient monasteries.
This series has already featured top travellers such as Jonny Blair of Don't Stop Living, Peter Steyn of GlobeRover and Steve Rohan formerly of The Trip Goes On, so if you are a traveller and blogger and would like to be featured, drop me a line on nomadicbackpacker [at] protonmail [dot] com
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