Lonely Planet rates Sikkim as best region to visit in 2014

So now that we have a stamp from LP, we can be rest assured that Sikkim will see a spike in tourist arrivals.

It sure comes in my top 5 list, pretty close to Ladakh. Yeah, it’s that pretty! In fact, I had written a love story based in Sikkim for one of my fiction writing assignments while studying journalism. And even got an ‘A’ for it.

So in keeping with the theme of Google Trends, my next post will be on Sikkim from a guest writer. And I assure you it will be non-fictional. So look out.

According to CNN.com, Sikkim was voted the best region for "showing the way for what could be the future of India's tourism industry."

Kalimpong in Sikkim has a very British charm to it

Top three destinations on the hot-off-the-press Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2014 chart is: Brazil, Antarctica (what! really?) and Scotland.

The rationale: Brazil is hosting the World Cup. Antartica because it is the centenary of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition, while Scotland's nod is mainly due to it staging the Commonwealth Games in the summer and celebrating the Year of Homecoming for overseas Scottish.

Read CNN's full coverage here.

LP's top 10 regions for 2014

1. Sikkim, India

2. Kimberly

3. Yorkshire

4. Hokuriku, Japan

5. Texas

6. Victoria Falls

7. Mallorca

8. West Coast, New Zealand

9. Hunan, China

10. Ha'apai Tonga