I’ve been to 125 countries so far and a good friend recently asked me, “what are your top countries?” So, here you go. These are my favorites — so far!

Cambodia. There aren’t many places in the world where you can still visit inexpensively, stay in wonderful historic hotels and meet people who are kind, joyful and friendly. This is Cambodia. I’ve been there four times and each time, I came away in awe of the people. When you consider all they have been through (think Khmer Rouge) and the suffering they have experienced, it is unbelievable that they have kept their welcoming and kind spirit.

What do you do there? In Siem Reap, tour Angkor Wat. Hire a cyclo driver to get you around. Go out for a morning tour. Wear good walking shoes. Come back to your hotel for lunch, take a rest and then go out in the afternoon for another tour. You can easily spend 2-3 days exploring the ruins and you can still get close to everything, with very little roped off or off limits. Food is delicious. We love the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, a historic hotel that has lovely rooms, a beautiful bar and several restaurants. Spend time roaming the streets and buy some of the beautiful crafts (scarfs, clothing, linens, pottery, lacquerware).

Turkey. It took me a while to make my way to Turkey, but I fell in love with this country the minute I arrived. Istanbul is geographically gorgeous – located in the most scenic spot with the Black Sea to the north and the Marmara Sea to the south. The monuments, mosques, churches and architecture are spectacular. But the shopping here is world class. I am going back in two months, simply to spend a day at the Grand Bazaar on my way home from Egypt. (I had a kidney stone attack while there two summers ago and missed my day of shopping. But that is a story for another blog.) Wonderful food, charming little hotels and lots of cobbled streets to explore. In the center of Turkey, Cappadocia is other-worldly. This region looks like the surface of the moon – covered with painted caves and fairy chimneys. It is a must-see area. We stayed in a cave hotel that was fabulous. I haven’t explored the rest of Turkey, but if you have the time, plan for 2-3 weeks there. You won’t regret it.

Vietnam. Ken and I went to Vietnam for the first time right after Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton made their first visit to Vietnam in 2000– the first visit of any president since the Vietnam War. We spent time in Hanoi and Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City as it is called now. In Hanoi, stay at the Metropole Hotel. Located close to the city center lake, it is a charming hotel with old and new sections. We’ve stayed in both and love them equally. The hotel has beautiful restaurants and friendly and helpful staff who can arrange tours and shopping expeditions to the many shops. Most of the people in Vietnam now are under 30, so the war is part of their history but not their personal experience.

Our first guide in Hanoi was a former Viet Cong soldier. When I asked him how he felt seeing all these Americans in his country after he had fought us, he was direct. “I was 17 when I went to war. My parents didn’t want me to go and I didn’t want to go. I welcome you with open arms,” he said. Who wouldn’t tear up at that?