Weather and political change are the drivers behind 2013's new travel hot spots. Global warming is transforming many destinations, such as Greenland, and the window for seeing them in their original state is closing fast. An even briefer window is offered by the once-in-a-lifetime appearance of comet ISON, which will provide the ideal excuse to get out of town in search of dark skies when it swings by in late 2013. Politically, a growing openness and shifts toward democratic government are opening destinations such as Madagascar and Myanmar to tourism—offering glimpses of fantastic natural landscapes and untainted cultures.
Pictured: Quito, Ecuador – Courtesy of Kaushal Karkhanis via flickr
