[Bromymbollile]

That makes sense. In the Balkans which is the most backwards and rural part of Europe, Albania is the most rural and backwards of them all.

Positives are that it's relatively untouched and there must be SOME nice parts along their Mediterranean/Adriatic coast.

[KasaBalak]

And they still do this:

In line with Albania's social code known as Kanuni i Lekë Dukagjinit or simply Kanun (English: The Code of Lekë Dukagjini), someone is allowed to kill another person to avenge an earlier murder or moral humiliation. Gjakmarrja (literally "blood-taking", i.e. "blood feud") or Hakmarrja ("revenge") refers to this practice.

According to some reports[1], there has been a revival of instances of Gjakmarrja, due to the lack of state control, since the collapse of communism, in remote parts of Albania (mainly in the North of the country) and in Kosovo. The Albanian Helsinki Committee considers one reason for the pervasiveness of the blood feud to be the malfunction of the judicial structure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gjakmarrja

[OixKKcj1]

I've been to Syria before. Strongly recommended.

Damascus is a wonderful city, without exaggerating I could live there. The summary is spot on about hospitality too. I came from Jordania and boy was that a difference. Despite their supposed international isolation, most of the people are quite open minded. Then again I only stayed for 10 days or so. But still, got good memories of the place.

[BariGrootrego]

Plan on hitting Japan some time in the next year or two. Kyoto, Osaka, Nagasaki, maybe Hokkaido.

edit: not sure where in Hokkaido, a few of the national parks, certainly

[opergolon]

Somehow I think tourists staying at resorts their entire stay are the pinnacle of shitty tourism.

Greasy-haired backpackers visiting the same places "off the beaten path" are just as bad and much more arrogant.

[perhilzit]

Besides Albania as #1 and Vanuatu at #6 (I guess they must really like their Kava), take a look at #9:


http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/tr...articles/76164

I'd say.

And at #10? Apparently this is the year to visit Japan...

I think I'll just accept the parts of that that conform to what I already believe.

[gamblingstats]

I am surprised to see Bulgaria in 5th place.
Our seaside is almost entirely ruined by over construction.

The mountains are still fine. Maybe that is the reason for being that high on the list.

[Lån-Penge]

BTW I've been to four of their top ten.