
Standby to readjust your bucket lists, because the adventure experts at Lonely Planet have revealed the hottest destinations for 2018 – and it's Chile that takes one of the coveted top spots.

Lonely Planet's just-published Best In Travel 2018 book - whose sections include 'top 10 countries', 'top 10 regions' and 'top 10 cities' - has named it as the No1 country to visit in 2018, followed by South Korea, Portugal and the obscure Djibouti.

The best cities for 2018 have been named as Seville in Spain, followed by Detroit, Canberra and Hamburg, with Belfast and the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland named as the best region, followed by Alaska, and the UK the seventh best-value country.

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Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2018 book - whose sections include 'top 10 countries', 'top 10 regions' and 'top 10 cities' - has named Chile, pictured, as the No1 country to visit in 2018

South Korea, described as a 'compact playground of Asian modernity' with 'mountainous delights' and 'steamy urban life', came No2 in the top 10 countries list

One of Chile's star attractions, according to the book, is its 'ever-trendier capital', Santiago, which it enthuses has been 'turned into a gourmand's playground in recent years'.

It adds that it also has a 'flourishing arts scene'.

The book also picks out the coastal city of Valparaiso as a big plus point for Chile, with its 'art-filled streets, bohemian cafes and romance-inducing promenades'.

The runner-up choice in the top 10 cities list, Detroit (pictured), may surprise many, because it is normally associated with a high crime rate, but Lonely Planet insists that 'after decades of neglect, Detroit is rolling again'

Seville is lauded for transforming itself from a 'traffic-congested metropolis resting on its historical laurels' into a 'city of bicycles and trams, keen to reinvigorate its past'

The country also boasts the wilds of Patagonia in the south and the Atacama desert in the north where 'there's been a big bang in astrotourism, with new stargazing hotels and geektastic tours to groundbreaking observatories'.

South Korea, meanwhile, is described as a 'compact playground of Asian modernity' with 'mountainous delights' and 'steamy urban life'.

The No 3 entry, Portugal, is praised for 'emerging from the long shadow cast by neighbouring Spain and seizing the spotlight as a dynamic centre for art, culture and cuisine'.

The book continues: 'A spate of artfully designed museums have opened in the past two years, there's now a celebrated microbrewery scene, and rock-star Portuguese chefs are creating culinary buzz from Lisbon to the glittering beaches of the Algarve.'

Fourth-placed Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, offers something completely different – spectacular geology.

Djibouti (pictured), on the Horn of Africa, came fourth on the top 10 countries list and is praised for its beckoning beaches and geological drama

The book says: 'This petite nation is in the process of being ripped in three by diverging tectonic plates. Magma seethes beneath ever-thinning crust and Martian-like deserts spew steam from fumaroles… add intoxicating culture and beckoning beaches and you have even more reason to hop on a plane.'

Describing the No1 region, Belfast and the Causeway Coast, the book waxes lyrical, praising Belfast's 'hip neighbourhoods', 'vibrant Titanic Quarter' and the 'timeless beauty' of the Causeway.

The No2 region, Alaska, wins plaudits for 'mixing incredible wildlife with a rough-and-tumble outdoor spirit'.

Describing the No1 region, Belfast and the Causeway Coast, Best in Travel 2018 waxes lyrical, praising Belfast's 'hip neighbourhoods', 'vibrant Titanic Quarter' and the 'timeless beauty' of the Causeway, pictured

The No2 region, Alaska, wins plaudits for 'mixing incredible wildlife with a rough-and-tumble outdoor spirit'. Pictured are two people on paddle boards on the state's Bear Lake

The No3 choice in the cities list, Canberra, pictured, is singled out for having 'national treasures around every corner' and a very strong restaurant scene

THE TOP 10 COUNTRIES, CITIES, REGIONS AND BEST-VALUE DESTINATIONS FOR 2018 Countries 1 Chile 2 South Korea 3 Portugal 4 Djibouti 5 New Zealand 6 Malta 7 Georgia 8 Mauritius 9 China 10 South Africa Regions 1 Belfast and the Causeway Coast 2 Alaska, USA 3 Julian Alps, Slovenia 4 Languedoc-Roussillon, France 5 Kii Peninsula, Japan 6 Aeolian Islands, Italy 7 The Deep South, USA 8 Lahaul & Spiti, India 9 Bahia State, Brazil 10 Los Haitises National Park, Dominican Republic Cities 1 Seville, Spain 2 Detroit, USA 3 Canberra, Australia 4 Hamburg, Germany 5 Kaohsiung, Taiwan 6 Antwerp, Belgium 7 Matera, Italy 8 San Juan, Puerto Rico 9 Guanajuato, Mexico 10 Oslo, Norway Best Value 1 Tallinn, Estonia 2 Lanzarote, Spain 3 Arizona, USA 4 La Paz, Bolivia 5 Poland 6 Essaouira, Morocco 7 UK 8 Baja California, USA 9 Jacksonville, USA 10 Hunan, China Advertisement

Over on the top 10 city list, the No1, Seville, is lauded for transforming itself from a 'traffic-congested metropolis resting on its historical laurels' into a 'city of bicycles and trams, keen to reinvigorate its past'.

The runner-up choice in this list, Detroit, may surprise many, because it is normally associated with a high crime rate, but Lonely Planet insists that 'after decades of neglect, Detroit is rolling again'. It praises its transformation of abandoned buildings into 'distilleries, bike shops and galleries' and public works, such as the hockey and basketball arena.

The No3 choice, Canberra, is singled out for having 'national treasures around every corner' and a very strong restaurant scene.

POUND'S SLUMP SPARKS BEST-VALUE TOURISM BONANZA IN UK The UK is one of the world's best value destinations for 2018 because of the slump in the value of the pound, according to Lonely Planet. It is urging holidaymakers from overseas to 'reap the rewards' of currency exchange rates while the UK Government 'busies itself with Brexit'. Sterling is down 14 per cent against the euro and 11 per cent against the dollar compared with before the EU Referendum of June last year. The UK is one of the world's best value destinations for 2018 because of the slump in the value of the pound, according to Lonely Planet. Pictured is Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon in Bath The latest edition of Lonely Planet's Best in Travel advises readers to 'make the exchange rate work even harder' by heading to Devon, Cornwall, Bath, York and Edinburgh. The travel guide adds: 'The most likely scenario is that the UK stays affordable to international visitors - at least until a true picture of the post-Brexit landscape emerges.' It lists the UK as number seven on its table of the best value countries to visit next year. Estonian capital Tallinn is number one, followed by Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and the US state of Arizona. From January to July this year there were a record 23.1 million overseas visits to the UK, up eight per cent on the same period last year, according to tourism body VisitBritain. Lonely Planet's destination editor for Britain and Ireland, James Smart, said: 'While the value of the pound hasn't been great news for British travellers, it has been a great boost for people looking to visit the UK and we expect this to continue next year. 'New galleries and theatres, rehoused historic attractions and thoroughly modern opportunities for adventure combine with classic sights to make the UK a brilliant destination for both staycationers and foreign visitors in 2018.' Meanwhile, Belfast and the coast around Giant's Causeway was ranked the number one region to visit in the world in 2018. The city is 'full of hip neighbourhoods that burst with bars, restaurants and venues to suit all taste', according to Lonely Planet, which adds that the coastline has 'timeless beauty' and 'high-grade distractions' such as golf, whiskey and famous rocks. Mr Smart said: 'Belfast and the Causeway Coast topped our list of the top 10 regions because it is deservedly now recognised as a must-visit destination by travellers from across the globe. 'Dynamic Belfast has put its troubled past behind it and is a city transformed, its streets packed with buzzing bars and great stories, while the coastline beyond boasts spectacular scenery and plenty of great diversions. 'The region may be famous for Game of Thrones but its many scenic filming locations are just the start.' Advertisement

The only other UK-mention in the book is in the 'best value destination' section, where it comes seventh, thanks to a weakening pound making Britain affordable for international visitors.

Lonely Planet said: 'Deciding the destinations in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel annual selection is a considered process, with Lonely Planet's expert writers and travellers providing hundreds of suggestions of destinations not to be missed from the places they have visited over the past year.

'These places are then shortlisted by a panel of in-house travel experts who consider criteria such as topicality, excitement and wow-factor to decide what to include in the best-selling, inspirational travel yearbook.'