Where to go next????
 

So I need everyone's help here. I THOUGHT we were decided on South Africa for our next trip, but now we are now considering several options and the list keeps growing instead of narrowing!
It's between South Africa, Prague & Vienna, Peru or Costa Rica (and actually Thailand, but the reason we're started wavering on South Africa is we just got off a long, horrible flight so the 17 hours to SA isn't so appealing at the moment. And with Thailand being even longer...well, that'll probably wait until we can afford first class...)
So I'd love to hear any pros/cons about the above places, if you have any preferences of one over the other and why. It's not a matter of what we like to do, we just love traveling and are willing to try anything and go anywhere.
Thanks!

When would you go?

Hi cms,

Are Prague and Vienna or Peru the only choices?

It's hard to say as these aren't really similar places or transferable in any way. I think it really does depend on time of year and where you are going from -- but I guess you know how long the flights are.

I wouldn't put Peru or Costa Rica alone as a contender in these trips. I think Costa Rica might be better for a short vacation break, at least that's my opinion. I haven't been there, but my brother went there on his honeymoon as he was living in El Salvador at the time--it's popular for them. I have two friends who just went sometime in the past year, and while they enjoyed it and parts of it (I think you have to be into the natural jungle, outdoors stuff to some degree) some other experiences were not particularly pleasant. Some crime occurred (apparently it is common to have to bribe certain people to watch your car or it will be damaged, even in somewhat urban areas) and potentially dangerous situations with some men (they were two single women). A couple of their accommodations were very unpleasant (not obvious on the web sites, of course). It just wasn't an easy, pleasant vacation. ON top of that, they both got seriously ill, and one friend got extremely ill for about two weeks. I think it may have been Dengue Fever, as her doctor thought from the symptoms. You cannot prevent that, unfortunately. She said they always used mosquito repellent and they weren't in really super-rural areas, either.

You'll probably get more help if you tell more about what you types of things you want to see and what your interests are. Also, what time of year you want to go, seeing that the places you mention all have different climates.

. My experience in Costa Rica was quite different to the one Christina described. I went in November. Although I stayed in a hotel in San Jose I did go into the rain forest. I am allergic to mosquito bites and was afraid I would have a problem. Not a single mosquito! The weather was perfect, the people most accommodating and friendly. I did not feel threatened but did not go out late at night. The food wasn't great - at least to my taste - but I guess everyone's experience is different. I'd go back without a second thought. Not much point in giving advice on Vienna and Prague. There is tons of information available on this forum.

Thanks everyone, we're thinking of going away the end of April or beginning of October (most likely April). We've been to W Europe several times and our last trip was to Italy so I'd rather do something other than that which is why I was looking at all these other places. Although I know all our options are very different, we're really open to any type of vacation (except W Europe this time around)and just wanted to get feedback on what trips others have taken and what they liked/didn't like about them.

Go to South Africa.

Just kidding...go where you want, of course. But I went to East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) this past July. Yes, the flight is murder (and I'm coming from SF), but it was soooo worth it.

Very different from W. Europe and Central America where I've travelled--and loved, and still do love--before. There is something about safari, however, that's quite hard to describe. So if that were to be part of your itinerary in South Africa, I say go go go.

You have great choices (by the way, the last time I was in Costa Rica was 10 years ago and it was fantastic, although I hear it's changed quite a bit).