This has the makings of a controversial page, because fans of a country can say with justice "how can you say it's a bad country when you were only there a few days?", and people who come from the locations I've mentioned can be offended. So buyer beware. It's just my unscientific opinions about some of the places I've been, and some of my advice for potential tourists.

Rating system: The more stars in each category, the better!

You can click on each country's picture to see more pictures.

Bali

I really liked Bali. The beaches are nice, there's lots of varieties of food, and unusual culture. The atmosphere of interesting temples, practises, and the flowers and greenery everywhere are very welcoming. The Balinese seem comfortable with tourists and it's easy to communicate or to get around. After the bombings, people seem on their best behavior. The only strong irritants in Bali are the crooks who run the airports (hang on to your departure card or you'll be asked for a bribe), dishonest taxi drivers, and the constant hawkers who pester you to buy junk on the beaches. If I could watch the sunset without fighting off someone selling surfboard keychains, it would be perfect. I would also avoid Kuta nowadays as it's gone downhill and become crowded and dirty.

Tourist convenience, low costs, great dining, culture	Corrupt officials, pestiferous hawkers, crowds
Hot: Jimbaron for seafood; highlands for scenery	Not: Dirty ferry to Lombok; dull Sanur; noisy Kuta

Canada

It's hard to rate your own country objectively as a tourist destination. Canada has beautiful natural scenery, lots of interesting buildings and art, and it's relatively safe and stable. Negatives must include our pricey transportation and spread-out population (rent a car, take a snail-paced bus, or take an overpriced airplane across the country), as well as Canada's zeal for overtaxation which makes vacations there expensive. And only a masochist would visit outside of summer months, when it can be bitingly cold. And all that nature and peacefulness, combined with a little too much politically-correct holier-than-thouness in places can make things a little tame. Have fun, but God forbid you smoke or drink or park in the wrong place. One of my Korean students called Canada 'boring heaven.'

Safe, clean, beautiful scenery & nature	Costs, general anti-fun social overregulation
Hot: Rocky Mountains, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax	Not: Anywhere in winter unless you're skiing

England

If you like old buildings and museums (I do) and the England mystique, it's a fascinating country. Everywhere you go there's some interesting old building or castle! The transportation system isn't perfect, but it's fairly easy to get around to see the sights. There's something worth a photograph everywhere, it seems. The worst blight is the ridiculous cost of almost everything. Travelling across London on the subway can cost over $10. This would be $1 in Korea, for a cleaner and better subway. And then there's that famous English "food."

Museums, architecture, British atmosphere	Costs, gloomy weather, bad food
Hot: London, British Museum, Cambridge	Not: Stonehenge. It's a pile of rocks.

Korea

Korea is a nice place to live, but being a tourist is not the same as being an English teacher. It's a generally safe and orderly country with good public transportation. But frankly, there's just not much to see. The architecture is either grey concrete or restorations of interchangeable temples burned down by the Japanese. The yay-for-Korea attitudes can be abrasive at times, but at times Koreans can be surprisingly kind and helpful. The problem is that little English is spoken here. And you'd better like Korean food; that's all you're getting. Also note that costs in pricey Seoul are no better than in Singapore. But Korea is more than Seoul; the smaller cities have their quirky charms, and the mountain hiking trails can be gorgeous in the fall. The beaches are not generally warm enough for swimming but can be fun.

Authentic culture, shopping, mountain hiking	Little English, Seoul prices, monotonous food
Hot: Seoul, Jeju Island	Not: Beaches outside of June to September

Malaysia

Malaysia usually isn't considered a tourist destination for westerners, but it should be. Because I went there with low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. Georgetown, Penang has interesting Sino-Portugese architecture, a good road and transportation system, decent hotels, and the costs are quite low. To me it's Singapore without the million rules and the high prices. Malaysians, at least those in Penang, are pretty cosmopolitan and most people were a little brusque but helpful. I'd go back—but not during bloody Chinese New Year's, when every hotel is full and most of the restaurants and shops close!

Keep in mind that I didn't go anywhere else except for a stop through Kuala Lumpur, a bustling city with wide roads and skyscrapers, and gritty Johor Bahru, which borders Singapore. Malaysia is a Muslim country, but in the more touristy areas it's fairly relaxed— I saw many women wearing a headscarf with a t-shirt!—and people seem to co-exist fine.

Multicultural people, low prices, architecture	Not always very clean, noisy
Hot: Georgetown, Penang	Not: Dirty Johor Bahru

Mexico

I loved living in Mexico: vibrant street life, friendly, easygoing people, gorgeous Spanish architecture, beaches, carnivals, tasty, interesting food.. wonderful. It's the least xenophobic country I've ever been to in my life.

My only warnings is that Mexico is still cheap, but it's rapidly Americanizing and costs are going up in the tourist areas, particularly in the Baja peninsula. It can also be difficult to get by without learning a little Spanish outside of the main and resort cities. And watch your stuff—it's safe for you, but petty theft is a problem. AVOID dangerous and dirty Mexico City, where I was attacked on the subway and had friends robbed, and stay with the smaller cities. I would also avoid taking a car through Tijuana because of the giant traffic jams at the border crossing back into San Diego.

Friendly people, stunning architecture, pleasant beaches, great food, pro-fun atmosphere	Minor theft, bad water, beggars, insane traffic jams near border crossings
Hot: Puerto Vallerta, Queretero, Cancun, Acapulco, Veracruz	Not: Mexico City, border towns (Tijuana, Ensenada)

Newfoundland

Again, I lived there, and being a tourist is different. But to me there's a rugged, rude charm to the place. It's clean, beautiful, safe, and the food, beer, Irish music, nightclubs, and the old-world architecture make you want to stay. Minuses include even-worse-than-usual Canadian prices, the awful weather, and the townie-outport rivalry; the chasm between the hospitable kindness of rural Newfies and the pretentiousness and coldness of St. John's dwellers can be amazing.

Natural beauty, Irish charm & music, party attitude	Costs, weather, townie arrogance
Hot: St. John's, Signal Hill, George Street	Not: Anywhere in wintertime

Taipei

Admittedly, I was only there three days, but I left wondering why China wants it. Unceasing rain in Taipei, cold weather, dirty streets, high prices, strange food, tiny hotel rooms, no English spoken. Other than a good subway and passably interesting architecture, I don't see a reason to ever go back. Some of my flights stop in Taipei. I always know when we're there because it's raining.

Ummm... let me get back to you on it...

Where do I start?

Thailand

Thailand is an easy vacation. The Grand Palace in Bangkok is beautiful, the beaches are nice, and you can generally travel in peace as most Thais are pleasant enough and life isn't a constant sales pitch. The transportation system is good and roads are decent, and the country is well-suited for first-time or scaredy-cat tourists; it's perhaps the least xenophobic country I've seen in Asia. Most resorts have bounced back very quickly from the tsunami and business goes on. Some find Thailand overcommercialized, but I'm getting lazy in my old age. Bring on the Dunkin' Donuts.

There's nothing really objectionable in Thailand, other than the rip-off taxi drivers with their offers for 'special tours' and the sleazy go-go clubs and hordes of prostitutes. I suppose my only complaint is that it can be a little too tourist friendly, and the ever-present 7-11s can make the culture feel a little inauthentic. Another consideration is that because Thailand resorts are so popular with tourists, it's getting expensive in comparison to other hot spots; hotel costs are double what you'd expect to pay in the Philippines for similar rooms.

Tourist friendly, easy to get around, low stress	Prices a little greedy; ever-present prostitutes
Hot: Phuket, Ko Phi-Phi, Jomtien (south of Pattaya)	Not: Sleazy Pattaya, overpriced Krabi

Philippines

I liked the Philippines. Manila is seedy but has some interesting areas, and Puerto Galera has its charms. Boracay has beautiful sunsets, sandy bungalows, and tourist conveniences, and more pleasant people than the all-business Balinese or the psycho-mercantile Vietnamese. Value is excellent also. Downsides include rough transportation on Filipino goat trails roads, and the two pounds of sugar that seem to be poured on every restaurant meal. Boracay is great for beaches, but the nightlife is tame compared to Bali; it's a place to go for rest, not for action! Another plus is that, if the roads wear you out, flying within the country is quite cheap. You might even get to sing karaoke on the airplane!

Spanish architecture, friendly people, low prices	Bad local food, rough transportation
Hot: Boracay, Puerto Galera area	Not: Be careful where you go in Manila

Singapore

The Switzerland of Asia. Clean and orderly. Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I'm lukewarm on Singapore. It has some culture and shopping but also all of the bad things it's famed for—high hotel prices, psycho-regulation, and boring nightlife. The people were impatient and not particularly welcoming. Escalators run at double speed; is your time that important? Georgetown does it all better, cheaper, and friendlier. I will admit that the zoo and bird park are spectacular and the night-time skyline is snazzy. Singapore is a little like Apple: it's expensive and you'll do it their way, but once you are used to the city it works very well.

Attractive architecture & shopping malls, great airport, clean & orderly	Poor taxi transportation, high costs
Hot: Harbor area	Not: Geyland is billed as a night market; it's a night market, all right...

U.S.A.

Well, it's really hard to rate the U.S.A., as we're talking about a large country with a wide variety of sights and peoples. I'll try to make some specific and some general comments. West coast: L.A. traffic would make Mother Teresa swear like a truck driver, but northern California has funky San Francisco and the beautiful redwood forests. Las Vegas: If you like the gambling culture, it's for you; otherwise there's not much there. Midwest: My favorite part of the country. Skyscrapers, parks, lower prices, friendly people. This is a part of the country best explored on a road trip. Hawaii: I used to like Hawaii, but it's so over-touristed and over-priced now that it's no longer fun.

In general, America is, well, America—big, fast, brash, and turned up to eleven. It can be a real hassle to get here because of the crummy airports, the nickel-and-diming airlines, the psycho-paranoid security procedures, and the expense of travelling in a vast, giant country. To me customer service of any kind has deteriorated, and it's certainly not a cheap country anymore. Get past all that and the people are still generally very nice. You generally know where you stand with Americans. I am writing nothing about the east or the south only because I haven't been there yet.

Architecture, shopping, nightlife	Poor transportation unless you're driving, immigration hassles
Hot: Chicago, Northern California, Midwest	Not: Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Hawaii

Vietnam

Vietnam is opening up as a tourist destination, and it's nice to see real traditional culture before it's boxed up for the masses. Beaches are nice, and food is surprisingly multicultural and cheap. Some Vietnamese work hard for $50 a month, and they show surprisingly little animosity toward westerners. So why only two stars?

Vietnam still has a way to go to become tourist-friendly. Transportation is rough—your choice is a molasses-slow tour bus or a grubby train—but the people do try, and there's a confidence that things are improving. Less forgiveable is the never-ending sales pitch. Our holiday was one month of being assailed to buy, buy, buy! It is impossible to sit in a public place without being barraged with people trying to fast-talk you into souvenirs and cyclo-rides. On tours, the bus will stop for half-hour 'rest stops' at souvenir shops which reward the driver.

Restaurants, frustratingly, are the opposite; wait staff have a civil-service like indifference to the customer. I wanted to make things better and to tip well, but often service was so cheerlessly lazy that I was too angry to. And then there's the noise. The Vietnamese seem so used to it that hotel staff blink at you when you complain about the racket, but lack of sleep takes away from your vacation. And again, stay away during that damned Chinese New Year's, when prices rocket and everything closes.

Authentic culture, low prices, natural wonders	Feeling like a plucked goose everyday, rough roads
Hot: Hoi An, Nha Trang beach, Tam Coc	Not: Earbusting Hanoi, boring Hue