Wikitravel:Destination of the Month candidates

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Here we determine which articles are featured on the Main Page as Destination of the Month (DOTM) and Off the Beaten Path (OTBP).

[edit] Nominate

You can nominate an article you would like to see featured; just say a few words about why, and select a good time to go. Well-known and/or popular destinations should be nominated as Destination of the Month, while more obscure destinations should be nominated for Off the Beaten Path. Any destination, region, itinerary or event that passes the "What is an article?" test is eligible for DotM/OtBP.

The basic format of a nomination is as follows: 

===[[Destination]]===
Great article and it's just luvvly-jubbly in the springtime. ~~~~

However, before nominating, please check that the article follows these basic guidelines:

  • The nominated article should have an article status of guide or star. This includes having at least one good picture, and listings/headers/etc. that match our manual of style.
  • The nominated article should not cover too large a subject (e.g. "India" or even "Indiana").
  • The nominated article should be featured at a good time to visit.
  • The nominated article must not have been featured previously.
  • If the article has been nominated previously but failed, any objections should be addressed before nominating it again.
    • See Slush pile to check.
    • If you think a once-slushed destination is now ready to go, list it as new, but with a pointer to the slush pile entry.

[edit] Select

You can also comment on any previous nomination based on timeliness and adherence to the criteria above, just add a bullet point (*) and your signed opinion. 

===[[Destination]]===
Great article and it's just luvvly-jubbly in the springtime. TravelNut 25:25, 31 Feb 2525 (EDT)
* Looks nice, but shouldn't the Do section contain more than just quilting contests? ~~~~

If an article gets several comments in favor and none against for a week or so, it's eligible to be placed in an appropriate time-slot in the queue.

Please note that the following are not considered valid reasons to oppose a nomination:

  • "I don't like it." All objections have to be based on the guidelines above: poor formatting, missing information, etc. Personal opinions, dislikes, etc do not count.
  • "Wrong time of year." Articles are supported or opposed based on their content. Timing can be worked out later.
  • "Wrong type of place." Articles are supported or opposed based on their content. Whether it's DoTM or OtBP can be worked out later.

Discussions for previously selected destinations are in the Archive. Discussions for nominations that didn't make the grade are in the Slush pile.

[edit] Upcoming DOTM / OTBP

[edit] Schedule

The following queue should contain about six months' worth of upcoming destinations. Note that new DotMs are rotated in on the 1st of each month, while OtBPs are changed on the 15th.

Month DOTM OTBP
January 2009 Phnom Penh Saint Martins Island?
February 2009 Boracay? Wake Island?
March 2009 Walt Disney World Resort? Putrajaya?
April 2009 Basel? Tywyn?
May 2009 San Francisco? Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park?
June 2009 Birmingham? Odense?

These are not cast in stone, and the order can be changed if, for example, an excellent guide for a timely event is found. Whenever a guide becomes a current feature, it should be removed from the list, the discussion archived, and a new month added to the end of the queue. Alternatives are OK; the whole point is to enable some discussion as needed.

[edit] Next change

The section below provides an opportunity to see what the DOTM and OTBP will look like on the Main Page. Please remember that main page real-estate is a valuable commodity, so keep the description brief and the photo small.

Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia. Known as the Paris of the East before 1970, the city is fast recovering from years of civil war and neglect and its French colonial buildings and riverside setting retain a laid-back colonial charm. Despite its reputation as a 'rough' city, Phnom Penh is easy to get around and is a great introduction to Cambodia. (more...)

Saint Martins Island is a tropical cliché and the only coral island in Bangladesh, 10km south-west of the mainland. With beaches fringed with coconut palms and laid-back locals, it's a clean and peaceful place with nothing more strenuous to do than soak up the rays — even mosquitoes are a rarity. (more...)

[edit] Nominations for Destination of the Month

[edit] Walt Disney World Resort

This article is chock-full of detail and has a Guide status. It deserves to be Star, especially by this coming January, which is when "The American Idol Experience" will open.

  • Discuss -- carefully. The article is terrific, no doubt about that, and it stands on its own merits. However, it is a radical departure from our usual DotM practice to feature a privately-owned resort with a single, commercial operator. I'm not sure that disqualifies Disney World -- it certainly does meet the criteria for "destination" -- but let's not rush into this one without thinking through the issues. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 13:18, 4 September 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. The article is excellent, and I don't see a problem with featuring it — it's clearly a valid article, and so it's OK for DOTM in my book. Jpatokal 23:10, 4 September 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. It's a great article, and I'm sure it'll be Star by the time it's featured as DotM. Walt Disney World is well-known enough, and the article is well-written enough, that I feel comfortable going against precedent. --Tally talk 23:10, 1 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. Great article. I'll agree with Jani—as long as it meets our article criteria, it should be allowable as a DotM/OtBP, regardless of the inherent weirdness of having a resort as our featured article. I'd give scheduling priority to more traditional DotM nominations, but I suppose this could be scheduled any time of the year (probably any time other than crowded summer would be best). --Peter Talk 00:20, 2 October 2008 (EDT)
Er, let me append that by saying that huge airports, despite meeting our article criteria, should definitely not every be featured. --Peter Talk 00:27, 2 October 2008 (EDT)
I wouldn't got that far -- I'd be happy to feature one if the article ever becomes star/guideworthy. I just don't see that happening though, because few Wikitravellers are willing to put in the elbow grease for (say) documenting every restaurant in Heathrow... Jpatokal 03:42, 3 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Don't Support for all the reasons listed by Bill-on-the-Hill (first comment). Personally having been there several times, and living 50mi(80km) from it, I can say this: it is expensive, very commercial, and lacking in any form of "culture". While it is indeed a great place to visit, it can be plagued by long lines on weekends, around Christmas/New Year, and all summer (April-September). My biggest concern is that there really isn't much culture involved except for Epcot and it's lake surrounded by representations of several nations (they also hire lots of diverse persons). The cost of such a trip should be considered too...the admission is high, food prices and snacks are expensive, shopping/stores on the premises are expensive, and anyone planning to stay at the resort should be prepared to pay a lot for a room. Also, if one considers the vicinity, Orlando and Kissimmee are somewhat lacking in culture (save a couple of VERY small enclaves of Indians and Vietnamese). While it is a great article and a great place to visit with children, I do not believe it is worthy of being a DotM for the preceding reasons. AHeneen 19:41, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
I'm not sure that anything you mentioned should disqualify it. It's a destination, one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, and it's one of the better articles we have on the wiki. Culture value doesn't disqualify an article from DotM status, and even if it did, there's a strong argument to be made that Disney World and its commercialism is a good representation of American culture, in all its excess. As for expense, that's not relevant; a lot of our featured destinations are rather expensive to visit. --Tally talk 14:35, 25 October 2008 (EDT)
Let me be clear that I was not "voting against" the article; I was simply saying that the issues need to be discussed, as is occurring. I still haven't decided whether I support this as a DotM or not, but the things I raised were intended as points to ponder rather than as show-stoppers. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 17:50, 25 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Support Although i would not set my own feet there in a million years - it's a very nice article, and one of the worlds biggest tourist draws. Sertmann 08:33, 3 November 2008 (EST)
  • Don't Support. If we're going to expand this article with districts and whatnot -- which is something I'd like to get started on over the next few months -- I strongly suggest we wait before showcasing it as DotM. LtPowers 18:51, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Basel

Influential port city on arguably the most important river in Europe, the Rhine. Stands at the intersection of three nations (Switzerland, Germany, and France) and serves as a cultural center for the region. Great jumping off point for diverse surrounding area. Currently has a very useful "Guide" article that I found especially useful when planning my trip there in 2007. Great city anytime in the year. --AZGSB9 17:46, 09 October 2008 (EST)

  • Support. My review was perfunctory, but at first glance it looks like it's up to snuff. --Peter Talk 01:22, 17 August 2008 (EDT)
Support. I like this article a lot. It's generally weak on prices and admission fees, though. Gorilla Jones 19:38, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Boracay Island

The Philippines is comprise of 7,100 and more islands yet none of these had been nominated at least once since 2004 compared to other countries in Southeast Asia (maybe due to lack of promotion or perhaps unnoticed). This country has lots to offer: one of them is the white-sand beach Boracay. I nominate the destination (not because it is one of the few good travel guides here for the Philippines) to be featured on April 2008 because the country is on its hottest summer on that month and is ideal for beach-lovers. Alas 18:59, 3 November 2007 (EDT)

Contentwise the article is good, but the style needs work. Restaurants and hotels should be split into Budget/Mid-range/Splurge, and many if not most of the entries need formatting. Jpatokal 23:39, 3 November 2007 (EDT)
  • I'd already nominated this for OtBP (below) but would support it for DotM once the tidying that Jani recommends is done. I'll have a go. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 18:37, 1 January 2008 (EST)

Fascinating article that almost suffers from a TMI problem. There's a lot of stuff here that it would be hard to find in a dead-trees travel guide. Question for discussion: is this place OtBP or DotM? Either way, it looks interesting (in a touristy sort of way...). -- Bill-on-the-Hill 11:34, 27 October 2007 (EDT)

Is this a place where addresses don't matter? It has plenty of listings and descriptions but not much in the way of where places are. Gorilla Jones 20:37, 2 November 2007 (EDT)
Boracay is one of the Phils' top tourist draws, so I think DotM would be more appropriate. Jpatokal 06:26, 15 February 2008 (EST)

So it this ready for February, anyone's input on the address situation? --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 20:34, 31 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] San Francisco

This should be separated from San Diego, to avoid an overload of California sans destinations. But I think it's already up to DotM status, and is improving exponentially. I'd certainly understand, though, if Asterix & John want to wait to feature it until they've finished what they set out to do. I'm guessing winter would be a nice time to feature this one. --Peter Talk 00:52, 17 August 2008 (EDT)

  • Support, but not until some time in '09. This complex of articles is prime DotM material already. I'd personally suggest spring rather than winter, but in any event, not before February, just to spread Lotus Land out a little. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 15:28, 17 August 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. It's a good article for Spring '09. Keep smiling, ee talk 18:37, 5 November 2008 (EST).
I'd suggest April or May 2009. Keep smiling, ee talk 18:05, 16 November 2008 (EST).
  • Support. I hear spring is a lovely time to go to SF...which is when I went, now that I think about it. I can't wait to see the Golden Gate Bridge on Wikitravel's front page. PerryPlanet Talk 17:26, 18 November 2008 (EST)
    • It is a good time, but I'd suggest looking for something else to insert between it and DW. Having two US DotMs in a row should be avoided if feasible. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 09:09, 19 November 2008 (EST)
      • Sounds good - how about May? That would still work just fine. PerryPlanet Talk 13:12, 19 November 2008 (EST)
Put in April - good enough. Keep smiling, edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 13:50, 19 November 2008 (EST).
We have an unspoken rule around here that we try to avoid putting a bunch of destinations from the same country/continent all together in a row, one after the other; instead we try to spread it around a bit, to make things fair. PerryPlanet Talk 15:40, 19 November 2008 (EST)
What's that supposed to mean? Keep smiling, edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 15:56, 19 November 2008 (EST).
Well, let's say you nominated Edmonton and you wanted it for say August, and you nominated, oh say Ontario, and you wanted that for September. Then you nominated Montreal for October, Toronto for November, etc. That would be several months of nothing but Canadian destinations highlighted on our front page, which wouldn't really be fair to other places in the world who we want for a shot at DotM. So we try to spread things around, and avoid having too many places from the same country come one after the other. PerryPlanet Talk 16:05, 19 November 2008 (EST)
Yeah, I kind of know that, man. But, if you are directing the thought that I am doing too many nominations to a specific area, please don't discuss it here, leave me a note in my talk and we can discuss it, ok? Thank you love! Keep smiling, edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 16:11, 19 November 2008 (EST).
  • Support. Looks great, also agree about breaking up the North America destinations by at least a month – cacahuate talk 20:20, 27 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support And me two! --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 19:34, 8 December 2008 (EST)
  • Support. Yup, a terrific DotM here. Gorilla Jones 19:40, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Frankfurt

One of the major destinations in Germany, with a very well written article. It lacks a map, and needs an external links attack, but otherwise looks very much up to DotM standards, I think. Don't know when would be best to feature. --Peter Talk 01:23, 19 August 2008 (EDT)

  • Support. This was actually slushed once way back, but the article has improved by leaps and bounds since then. Definitely a late spring/summer destination though. Jpatokal 02:10, 26 September 2008 (EDT)
  • I'd Support it for February 2009 or around there. Keep smiling, ee talk 00:02, 11 November 2008 (EST).
    • February is still deep winter in Germany at that time. Early fall is also an option though, mid-October was surprisingly pleasant... Jpatokal 02:18, 11 November 2008 (EST)
  • Don't support. Overall a good article, but almost half of the Eat listings don't have descriptions, and almost none of the clubs or hotels have addresses. Gorilla Jones 19:50, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Birmingham

Not a huge tourism destination (which is why it seems ok to go without districts), but one of England's biggest cities, and a major business hub. The article looks borderline perfect and the maps are jaw-dropping. Weather on this island is always rainy and a little chilly, and the main draws are nightlife, shopping, and proximity to nearby destinations, so it doesn't really matter when we feature it. --Peter Talk 01:23, 19 August 2008 (EDT)

  • Meh. The article is certainly well done, but the city is not very appealing. We could use this in a pinch, but I'd rather give precedence to more "interesting" destinations if suitable articles can be found. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 23:13, 19 August 2008 (EDT)
Couldn't have said it better myself! --Peter Talk 23:18, 19 August 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. It is England's second-largest city, I think 3rd in UK behind Glasgow, not certain. Great Indian food, some nice pubs, ... Not big for tourism, but a convenient base for Stratford which is. If not DotM, could it be OtBP despite its size because it is not a big tourist area?
Lots of people go there to work, from everywhere. ("How do you recognise a Brummie? There's a shamrock in his turban.") Huge numbers of students, too. Birmingham is a major university, largest nursing school in UK, I think medical as well. Aston University is not small, either. Pashley 05:50, 11 November 2008 (EST)
Support - it's an amazing article and does have touristic draws. Not Peter and Bill, this isn't Tokyo or Hong Kong, maybe not even Seattle, but it deserves it because it has pretty good touristic stuff to do with it's size. It's very well written and a lot of work has gone into it. This could make the city more popular! Keep smiling, ee talk 17:38, 16 November 2008 (EST).
  • Support. Excellent article - great find by Peter, and credit to the folks who worked on it. OtBP isn't a bad idea if its touristic charms aren't well known (they weren't to me), although I'm OK with a DotM as well.. Gorilla Jones 19:56, 8 December 2008 (EST)
  • Objections Someone needs to pick up a yellow pages, or get going with google, and complete the adresses (I don't know, I have a feeling I may demand star quality sometimes) - At the very least, the drink section should be fixed up - this is England for heavens sake! :o) --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 20:09, 8 December 2008 (EST)
What addresses? From what I saw - everything was full. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 18:59, 19 December 2008 (EST).

[edit] Edmonton

I was told that the summer months fill up fast, so I want to propose this now, I suppose! Edmonton is a very touristy city (though you wouldn't think it upon glance): it's got North America's largest mall, vibrant theatre scene, growing retail market outside that mall (a lot already established), Canada's Festival City, Alberta's Captial, Canadas largest historic park, the biggest parkland system in North America, a growing population, and an out of this world job market. The best time would be between May and August. I would support it for June or July. What do you think? I have worked lots on the article and it has gotten praise by many people as being very good. So, from my mind, it's a touristy area (not the likes of Toronto or Tokyo, but holds it's own for it's size) and is a good article. Also, the new Art Gallery of Alberta will be open in March and will be a very amazing gallery that is going to be another major attraction-as opposed to previous when it was meh. Would you support it, gimme your thoughts! If you think there are major areas that need improvement (in the main and distict articles)...point them out for me so I can fix 'em. I don't think theres anything major wrong with it. Your thoughts? Keep smiling, ee talk 17:44, 16 November 2008 (EST).

  • Support. Reads pretty well, has a few maps and photos and probably the most exhaustive coverage of Edmonton anywhere. A couple of the districts are weak in non-touristy areas and not all listings are complete, but I don't think that should hold it back. If we go ahead with it, I'd recommend August -- still summer but a couple months space from DW and SF. Shaund 00:52, 20 November 2008 (EST)
Thanks Shaund. You are right, it is very comprehensive compared to other guides. Why? Because not everything is promoted well and you need to know exactly on the web where to find it or you won't find it. I know all those, which makes a big bonus for Wikitravel. Yeah, there are some non touristy areas-they're kind of the struggle. August would be fine, so long as it's one of the summer months-it'd be cool, Summer is the best time in the city. Keep smiling, edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 09:54, 20 November 2008 (EST).
  • Support Well it's the one thing EE is doing right at the moment, so i'll throw in my support. It's quite impressive coverage for a young city this size, a couple of maps, and most of the entries look good. --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 19:38, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Reykjavík

Alright, so this time I have discovered an article which is at guide status. Hotels and most restaurants list addresses. The buy section is a bit slim and there is nothing in the work section (but does the work section really matter). Iceland has recently gone bankrupt and the people are clamoring for money that isn't worthless so it would be a destination where the dollar (or pound or euro or loonie) really goes far. Hot springs in an arctic land would make for an interesting late-winter or early spring article (Feb-Apr?), although the best time to visit would be in the summer. AHeneen 04:07, 25 November 2008 (EST)

  • Support- looks fine , but then again I am not very proffessional and it would be outweighed to Stefan or Peter. Keep Smiling, edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 10:37, 25 November 2008 (EST).
  • Dubious it's not DOTM yet, but it could get there with a little work, as it is pretty close (might do some myself, maybe we should make it COTM!?) - as far is I'm concerned, there is only one good time to feature this, and that would be during the super cool Iceland Airwaves festival in October, as the town itself is rather dull, Iceland's impressive nature non withstanding. --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 20:42, 27 November 2008 (EST)
Sure dunt look boring to me. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 11:25, 2 December 2008 (EST).
  • Almost support. Generally good, but the 'Understand' section stinks, and there's almost no descriptive text in the 'Drink' listings. Gorilla Jones 20:16, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Canberra

It looks quite solid and shows a lot of information that is useful. It's listings are complete and looks like a neat lil destination. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 14:11, 8 December 2008 (EST).

Almost support. 'Do' section needs to have some sense ironed into it and someone will need to choose a lead image. The concerns about touristic charms from Birmingham above may apply here as well. Gorilla Jones 20:02, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Nominations for Off the Beaten Path

[edit] Point Reyes National Seashore

I can't help but feel this National Park is a hidden gem overshadowed by parks like Yosemite, OTB this article is. There is a great picture, along with a park map. Great place & Great Article. -98.228.6.230 21:14, 5 October 2008 (EDT)

  • Maybe I think the number of US DotM and OtBP destinations have been a little disproportionate. Don't take that as rude (I, myself, am an American), but that's the truth. If we do list another US destination, it should be something "off the beaten path", as in...away from big cities, in the middle of nowhere (somewhat), and someplace many have never heard of (this article meets that, but it is too close to San Francisco). Just my opinion, it's not as if I speak for everyone. AHeneen 19:48, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Maybe. I'll second that maybe. It's interesting, and the article is pretty well done. Is there nowhere to eat there? Only the one place 45 min away at Drake's beach? We should at least put contact info for that place. I think we could use this if we need to fill a slot. But I wouldn't cry if we skipped it either. If it does get featured, I'll do a WT style map for it first – cacahuate talk 15:55, 25 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Support - overall it is pretty good just from a quick look. The only thing that the Buy and Get out areas need more loving and caring! edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 13:05, 14 December 2008 (EST).

[edit] Kilkenny

This article is very good and gives a good insight into the Medieval Capital of Ireland. Its small nature, I feel, qualifies it for Off the BEaten Track. As a resident of Kilkenny, I feel that it deserves the opportunity to be on this list.

The article contains many nice photos and detailed descriptions of Hotels and ways of getting in and, of course, things to to.

It is a guide article.

  • Close. There are a few edits that need to be done -- contact info and hours for restaurants, typo repair, ideally adding a map -- before I'd support it unequivocally, but all are doable. Let's keep an eye on this one to see how it develops; it's definitely a reasonable candidate. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 18:37, 6 September 2008 (EDT)
  • New information on eat has been added, with new maps and photographs.

Another map copyright issue on this one. Please respond at the shared:vfd page. --Peter Talk 10:47, 7 September 2008 (EDT)

Gone.

  • Support. Great page. It has a thorough description of things to do and where to go. Great Photos.

[edit] Odense

Nicely turned out article on a small city in Denmark with some attractions. I'm not sure there really are "Off the Beaten Path" locales in western Europe, but this one seems to qualify, and we're probably overdue for an OtBP there. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 16:02, 3 August 2007 (EDT)

Support. Some listings could use more detail, but overall it seems to cover the destination well. Good OtBP candidate. Gorilla Jones 19:42, 3 August 2007 (EDT)
Support. I presume summer is best? Jpatokal 06:30, 15 February 2008 (EST)
Support. Anywhere from May til September would fit, if it get's nominated i'll work on it a bit too - would love to see a Danish destination :) Sertmann 18:35, 4 September 2008 (EDT)

Support. Looks ok. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 18:52, 19 December 2008 (EST).

[edit] Spring Green

Has a couple of very interesting attractions and some small-town, away-from-the-interstate charm. Might be too small to be featured, but it's a nice weekend trip. Could work for December (there are Christmas festivities in town, and the House on the Rock supposedly goes all out for Christmas), otherwise a warm weather month. The major article for the region, Madison, is in reasonably good shape. Gorilla Jones 19:38, 3 August 2007 (EDT)

Not yet - I don't know if being too small is a problem - we've had Berneray as OtBP and that article covers 10 sq km and has just 128 residents. However there are a few problems - we need a few more things to do listed either in See/Do or the Get Out section, a bit more info in the get in section (e.g. nearest airport) and some more info about the town as a whole. I also like to read about places before I visit, so some general pre-visit info and history about the town would be nice. Also there needs to be more details about the hiking trails and canoe trips. If we get this to a reasonable standard, then maybe it would be a good candidate for when the American Playhouse Theatre does their annual outdoor Shakespeare festival? -- Tim (writeme!) 09:06, 15 August 2007 (EDT)
Support. I don't see anything wrong with the article? It seems to have something in all the main sections, and just being small isn't really a problem for OtBP. Jpatokal 06:30, 15 February 2008 (EST)
Support -- reluctantly. I had an experience very close to this town that makes it difficult for me to recommend any site in southwestern Wisconsin for visits. However, that was probably an isolated case, the article is well done, and House-on-the-Rock is just weird enough to be good OtBP fodder, so I'll lay aside my personal distaste for the area and say yes. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 19:16, 21 June 2008 (EDT)
Support. Spring Green makes for a fantastic OtbP in my estimation. It should definitely be featured May – October, since the tours of the Taliesin Estate only run during those months. The article could use a little polishing, but I think that will probably happen before next May. --Peter Talk 00:45, 17 August 2008 (EDT)

[edit] Hovd

This would be a great first Mongolian OtBP, and there's a gorgeous lead pic to boot. The content is there, but the article still needs some MoS work. Jpatokal 03:16, 16 April 2008 (EDT)

  • Support. Just about the model of what an OtBP article should be, and the MoS work isn't all that big a deal (although it should be done). When's the best time? -- Bill-on-the-Hill 11:48, 20 June 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. And oh how I love this magnificent country!!! It should not be featured before June when the hills turns green - June would actually be the perfect month - and probably not after October, winter is nasty nasty in Mongolia, but then again, it would be even more OtBP to go there in -40 degrees. Sertmann 18:33, 5 November 2008 (EST)
Just a reminder, we should email User:HovdProject when we feature this. Bunch of volunteers from Peacecorps etc., doing the writing to promote tourism in the area, I think they'd be proud to see Hovd featured on our front page. --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 02:20, 9 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Saba

Great little article. With a little polishing this could be our first Caribbean OtBP! Jpatokal 09:38, 30 April 2008 (EDT)

  • Let's see the polishing first. There's rather little contact information for Eat/Sleep/Drink and it needs a map. The idea of a Caribbean OtBP is indeed appealing, but Virgin Gorda (next entry) is closer to ready. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 18:06, 20 May 2008 (EDT)
  • Truely of the beaten path Caribbean destination. Very specific and insightful article. While you may see other Caribbean islands nominated, it doesn't get more OtBP than Saba. With a complete article and an abundance of resources, why not?--AZGSB9 18:03, 29. May 2008 (EDT)
  • Support, with one caveat—there should be at least one shop named under buy. If we move forward with this as an OtBP, I'll see if I can put together a map (if it's possible!). --Peter Talk 21:52, 10 September 2008 (EDT)
  • Objections The cities should atleast be usable first OR merged into the main article Sertmann 20:17, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Don't support until the city situation is sorted, and eat/sleep cleaned up. See Talk:Saba – cacahuate talk 20:30, 27 November 2008 (EST)

[edit] Saint Martins Island

I'd prefer to just nominate the entire country of Bangladesh for otbp, but it's not up to snuff... sooo, I'll settle for this gorgeous little island, the jewel of the country, nestled remotely in the far south off the coast of Myanmar. It's otbp2. There's not much at all missing from the article, though it may look spartan... what may look incomplete is actually just non-existent. This would be great for the December slot – cacahuate talk 18:00, 21 June 2008 (EDT)

Support. Wow! I didn't even know this place existed. A map would be nice, but other than that it looks pretty good to me. Jpatokal 06:32, 22 June 2008 (EDT)
I mapped it – cacahuate talk 00:09, 26 June 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. Well done and certainly OtBP-ish. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 09:32, 1 July 2008 (EDT)
  • Support definitely. Very cool, very OtBP article. --Peter Talk 01:03, 19 August 2008 (EDT)
  • Support good otbp stuff, always nice to learn about new places. Sertmann 03:42, 11 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support. Some gibberish about Keari Sinbad appears to have cropped up - someone with more familiarity should sort it out... Gorilla Jones 20:23, 8 December 2008 (EST)
Fixed – cacahuate talk 23:30, 8 December 2008 (EST)

We cannot have this one as the next one. I don't mean it that it isn't a good destination, but we have had a lot of Asian places lately, can we change it to Feb? edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 19:46, 9 December 2008 (EST).

No, it's fine, we've never had a Bangladeshi article featured, Asia's a big place, and there haven't been too many lately – cacahuate talk 03:00, 10 December 2008 (EST)

Alright. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 23:11, 10 December 2008 (EST).

[edit] Preah Vihear

Off the beaten path but certainly in the news; just named a UNESCO World Heritage site and Thailand and Cambodia are still squabbling over it. Now has a gorgeous new map from Wikimedia Commons. Good more or less any time of the year, perhaps best in the winter though. Jpatokal 05:49, 8 July 2008 (EDT)

Undecided. If "Thailand and Cambodia are still squabbling over it," is it really a good idea to recommend travel to it? How serious is the "squabbling"? Please advise. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 08:54, 8 July 2008 (EDT)
Not particularly serious. Thailand occasionally closes off access for a day or two, but it's fully accessible from the Cambodian side (if rather harder to get to). Jpatokal 04:08, 12 July 2008 (EDT)
You're positive? This article kinda caught my attention... -- Bill-on-the-Hill 12:00, 20 July 2008 (EDT)
Should we create an "adventurous dotm" section for the main page? – cacahuate talk 23:36, 20 July 2008 (EDT)
I thought we called that "OtBP". Jpatokal 08:56, 4 August 2008 (EDT)
"Off," not "On," and "Beaten," not "Bombarded," "Besieged," "Battlefield..." -- Bill-on-the-Hill 11:57, 4 August 2008 (EDT)
  • OK, if the squabbling has died down, I'll support, but let's keep an eye on it. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 22:29, 2 November 2008 (EST)
    • I've popped this off the list for time being, but mostly because Phnom Penh is about to be featured. Let's see again in late 2009. Jpatokal 07:26, 13 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

It's always good to feature more articles on Oz, and this one does a fine job with a famously out-of-the-way feature, describing some of the other stuff in the vicinity besides Uluru itself. January/February? -- Bill-on-the-Hill 12:57, 24 July 2008 (EDT)

  • Support. However, the article suggest that Dec-Jan is brutal, and July-Sep is the best time to go. Jpatokal 08:05, 24 August 2008 (EDT)
  • Support. Great to see that the nearby town is also a nice article. --Peter Talk 14:19, 11 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support. July-Sept timeframe is good, although anytime other than Nov-Mar is probably fine. I was there in late Oct and the heat was tolerable, although starting to get very warm by mid-day (mid 30s). Shaund 01:02, 20 November 2008 (EST)
  • Oppose. 5 star accommodation, tours galore, more coaches with occupants sipping champagne next to them than you can poke a stick at, in massive carparks. Major airport a few kilometres away, with shuttle buses linking the choices of swimming pools, bars and restaurants. On the travel route of most coach tours, retirees, and backpackers. Hard to see what beaten track this is off --Inas 23:15, 3 December 2008 (EST)
That's a valid reason to propose moving this to DotM, but it's not a valid reason to oppose the nomination itself. Jpatokal 07:48, 9 December 2008 (EST)
Prooably true, however it wouldn'r feel right to me to move people's opinions from off the beaten track to DotM. The opinions expressed may be different. If anyone thinks it should still be a DotM it is easy enough for them to move it upwards, and restart a discussion there, and avoid any possibility that people don't know what they are supporting. --Inas 16:16, 9 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Yakutsk

I've been meaning to finish the translation of this one for a while, and I think it highlights some spectacular possibilities for Wikitravel, in the translation of articles written by locals from destinations around the world that are not covered by existing guides. This city would get at best 2-3 pages in any Russia guide, and I'm pretty sure no English-language guides exist to just the city itself. It's a fascinating destination with reindeer-blood-vodka, natural ice caves used for cryogenics, dog sledding, Yakut national culture and cuisine, expeditions to the Northern Sea and Northern Mountains, wild Siberian nightlife, and some seriously cold temperatures—it's considered the coldest city in the world. The best time to visit is during the late summer, especially around the Ysyaakh festival, but I'd recommend we put it up for a freezing cold New Year's OtBP. The coldest city in the world has plenty to see, but the most interesting thing to do may be to simply experience what it's like to live in such a freakishly cold environment. Lastly, what's an OtBP without being accessible only by 2 of the world's most dangerous roads? --Peter Talk 21:11, 17 August 2008 (EDT)

  • Support. Good article on an exotic place, and the fact that it's translated from the Russian article should be a plus, interwiki-style. Karasho!-- Bill-on-the-Hill 23:15, 18 August 2008 (EDT)
  • Support for all the reasons outlined by Peter WindHorse 00:57, 19 August 2008 (EDT)
  • Support, but I think it would be best to wait until at least May or so as, being in Siberia, it would be odd to feature it during a time when it is -20 to -40 or colder. Otherwise, great article!AHeneen 19:24, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
    • Actually, that's the whole point: point out the fundamental exoticness of the place at the time when it's at its most exotic (and "exotic" is not a synonym for "warm..."). -- Bill-on-the-Hill 21:58, 17 October 2008 (EDT)
      • I understand where you're coming from, I agree that warm is not equal to "exotic"...but when it's cold enough to be fatal in a matter of a minute or two (with anything less than a foot of fur atop your skin) is really pushing the "exoticness" a bit far I think. Also in terms of getting in, how reliable is air travel in the winter in such a place? If you want cold, maybe wait until February or so (so people could plan for a trip a couple months later as DotM should be nominated). Anyways, I'll let others comment on this.
I don't think that the middle of the winter is really the best time to go to Yakutsk, but I do think it is the most intriguing time of year to read the article. Much of what is interesting about the city is related to its "coldness" (the preserved mammoth, cave cryogenics laboratories, the nearby "Pole of Cold," ice sculptures, etc.). I think it makes for a very fun read around New Year's (which, by the way, is a huge deal in Russia, and would probably be a raucous good time even in this extreme weather). --Peter Talk 21:21, 18 October 2008 (EDT)
  • Support It's a travesty that basically everything outside Moscow and StP. is of the beaten path - but this one definitively is, and it's a good looking piece. Sertmann 17:08, 11 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support Pashley 05:20, 11 November 2008 (EST)

[edit] Tywyn

A really good article on a small place. Best time is May to September I presume. -- DanielC 14:59, 11 September 2008 (EDT)

  • Support. It's amazing the amount of information accumulated for such a small place. Summer is definitely the best time to visit Wales so, as DanielC recommends, let's hold for a May to September slot. Frequenttrekker 22:55, 11 September 2008 (EDT)
  • Support - for the reasons mentioned above. WindHorse 23:18, 11 September 2008 (EDT)
  • Support, of the beaten path? Maybe next year during May or June, that'd be nice, heh! Keep smiling, Edmontonenthusiast 12:04, 2 November 2008 (EST).
  • Support. Great article in a beautiful part of the country—that's quite an exceptional get out section too. --Peter Talk 14:12, 11 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support But let's get a map together, and make it star at the same time. --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 21:01, 27 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support. A sertmann-esque map would be lovely. The only other thing I see on a quick scan is that phone #'s should be formatted internationally (+44-xxx-xxx-xxxx) – cacahuate talk 02:07, 28 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support Really nice article! AHeneen 17:51, 30 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support. Just (belatedly) happened across this nomination. I've reformatted all the phone numbers now as per cacahuate's suggestion, and I'm trying to get a usable map put together, though unfortunately openstreetmap.org shows a virtual desert in this area at the moment! Any time from April to September would be ideal for it to feature, preferably early summer when the weather is generally better and it's not so busy as it is once the school holidays start in mid July. Tarr3n 10:39, 16 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Nako

Pretty place, and its status in the hard-to-get-to "Restricted Zone" brings a whole new meaning to "Off the Beaten Path." Don't be put off by the sparseness of the Eat and See/Do sections; can't talk about what's not there. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 11:48, 2 November 2008 (EST)

Seriously? No offense, but how is this a GUIDE article? It is so tiny and even if there isn't much to do I am sure you could have added a bit of OOPH to it. Sorry for ranting, it just seems out of place. I don't get it. Personally I wouldn't nominate it yet, you just need to add some wording additionally to what you've got! NO FOR NOW.Keep smiling, Edmontonenthusiast 11:51, 2 November 2008 (EST)
  • Objections for a place located in a restricted zone, and hence probably hard to get to, the get in section needs some work. Also I'd like some more information about why i should go through the trouble of going there (see/do) just some prose would be fine. Otherwise i find it very interesting Sertmann 11:53, 2 November 2008 (EST)
    • Inner Line Permits are a hassle, but they're a formality -- they're not going to reject you unless the village has just been taken over by al-Qaeda. Jpatokal 10:46, 11 November 2008 (EST)
  • Undecided. I wrote most of the article, and yes EE, it's about as "guide" quality as this article will ever get! While I love love loved this village, it has very little infrastructure, and can't support a lot of attention. I'm not sure if we've touched on that subject at Wikitravel before, but it's something LP is keenly aware of when choosing to feature destinations. As for the concerns with the article, the thing that would make it clearer is a map on the Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti pages, which would put things in perspective... There's only 1 road that loops through those two valleys, and if you take it all the way around from either direction you'll pass by Nako. The Nako article isn't really the place to describe that, the article assumes (rightly) that anyone reaching Nako will already have a very good sense of what they're doing. FYI, there's faaaar more info here than even LP devotes to it (or how to get to it). Lastly, I'd almost prefer to wait until Lahaul and Spiti or Kinnaur are up to speed, along with the major stops along the way, and feature them as little regions... that's the only way that anyone visits them anyhow, you don't go into this area to just see one specific place like Nako, you do the loop (or half of it, anyway) – cacahuate talk 20:33, 2 November 2008 (EST)
We've featured more "forbidding" (and "forbidden") places than this before, e.g. Panmunjeom, which also has durn little infrastructure for tourism. Part of the idea behind OtBP is identifying places that are really off the beaten path, not just to alert travelers to their existence but to make the point that Wikitravel can treat such places better than written guides can, exactly as you point out. I don't see the remoteness and restrictions of this place as a disqualifier. -- Bill-on-the-Hill 22:27, 2 November 2008 (EST)
Well, I've cleaned it up a little, and added more detail on getting in to the Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur articles. I also drew a map for Himachal Pradesh, so hopefully it's becoming a little more clear where the heck this is and how to get there. It is otbp for sure, and it is interesting, but I really feel like it should be the whole region that is featured as otbp when it's ready. I won't withhold support though, if we need to fill a slot. July thru September is probably the best time to feature – cacahuate talk 02:37, 3 November 2008 (EST)
I agree with Cacahuate. The Kinnaur region would probably be a better candidate for showcasing than this village (which I believe I trekked to some years ago), but will go with majority ruling, and neither support nor object. `WindHorse 11:08, 3 November 2008 (EST)
Actually, Panmunjeom is visited by tour buses daily, so while it's unusual, it's not that off the beaten path... but I agree that featuring a slightly larger region would be good. Jpatokal 10:46, 11 November 2008 (EST)
Should there be a "stay safe" section????? Anyways, I agree that a slightly larger region should be featured. This town is very small and the description is quite short...it just doesn't make me want to get up and start planning my trip there. The article may be as good as it possibly can be, but there just needs to be more substance for a featured OtBP article. AHeneen 22:36, 3 December 2008 (EST)
No need for stay safe section, very quiet and stable area. At the moment this is near perfect for what I think it should be, but I also have concerns about trying too hard to sell tiny destination with no infrastructure... and also, half of what's special about this place is its remoteness and the fact that it's a bit off the trail for most people, even among those that come to this region. So writing a fabulous salesman intro that makes you want to go there, to me anyway, is not at all what the article needs, and would then probably let down the tourist who decided to make the journey based on that sell. If that makes sense – cacahuate talk 23:38, 8 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Wake Island

Wow, this is a gem!! well written, covering just about everything and indisputably of the beaten path, and it even has a map. I know there is a tiny little but in that fact you can't get there - at all - but we're short in destinations for the winter months, and this article really showcases the strength of wikitravel. Sertmann 20:24, 5 November 2008 (EST)

  • Support. I'm a bit surprised this hasn't been featured before—I sort of assumed it had been. The fact that it links to a site actually offering job positions is awesome. If I were a computer technician... --Peter Talk 14:01, 8 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support, but lukewarm. It's certainly a high-quality article, no doubt about that, and it does show what this project can do with such an out-of-the-way place. However, I'd prefer to give priority to actual destinations, and use this one only as a last resort -- fittingly enough, considering how the "traveler" is most likely to wind up there... -- Bill-on-the-Hill 23:49, 10 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support. OtBPs are all about insufferably obscure places (cf. Pitcairn). What matters is that the article is good, and this one is. Jpatokal 02:16, 11 November 2008 (EST)
He, I'm actually scheming on going to Pitcairn :) --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 00:09, 31 December 2008 (EST)
  • Not sure I agree with Bill-on-the-Hill in that we should give priority to destinations which can actually be reached. The text of the article suggests that you need a private aircraft and a permit "which will probably be denied" to get onto the island. It is a good article, no doubt, but only if there is nothing better. AHeneen 22:49, 3 December 2008 (EST)
  • Support. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 14:06, 8 December 2008 (EST).
  • Almost support. My only concerns are the phone numbers plunked awkwardly at the end of the various sections. It's not entirely clear what you'd be using that phone number to do, who you'd be talking to, or what you should say to them. Gorilla Jones 20:27, 8 December 2008 (EST)
  • Changed my opinion - the problem I see with this place is that it isn't open to the general public. While I am fine it being an article - do we really want a Destination for a whole month on something most people will never be allowed to go to? edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 18:51, 19 December 2008 (EST).
    • We've previously debated whether places closed to the general public are article-worthy at all, and the conclusion was yes, as they're still places, after all. So I don't see why it could not be an OtBP as well. 01:22, 22 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Dalton Highway

I've worked a lot on this article the past couple of days and think its up to OtBP standards. I'm not sure if the template is correct, as it started with a city template and I tried to turn it into an itinerary. As a disclaimer, I was the one to put the "guide" label on the article...but it as come a long way from the outline it started as. It has a few possible MoS violations which I feel can be justified. Please read this list and their justifications on Talk:Dalton Highway before posting your comment here. I think the article would be a great around March-June as the highway is best to travel in July-August. --AHeneen 03:05, 28 November 2008 (EST)

  • Close. I think this is looking like a really interesting article, it could use some proofreading for spelling and the prose could be tightened in areas, but nice work! – cacahuate talk 03:26, 28 November 2008 (EST)
  • Support. Overall looks good. I'm not a native speaker, so I'll leave others to comment on the prose. --Stefan (sertmann) Talk 01:27, 11 December 2008 (EST)
  • Support - looks good. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 00:57, 13 December 2008 (EST).

[edit] Putrajaya

Malaysia's capital-to-be and one of the weirdest/most fascinating places I've visited, yet very much under the radar of most visitors to Malaysia. Good more or less throughout the year. Jpatokal 07:26, 13 December 2008 (EST)

  • Almost — The "see" and "do" sections need more. I also think the article needs more than 3 hotels...especially for being a large city. Finally, even though it is not a big tourist destination, as the national capital it should probably be a DotM.AHeneen 13:14, 13 December 2008 (EST)
    • AFAIK there are no more than those four hotels, nor are there any more sights of note. Putrajaya is not the capital, it's the future capital, and still very much under construction. Jpatokal 20:02, 13 December 2008 (EST)
      • In that case, might it be better to wait until it is "the" capital, and then run it as DotM? How far in the future is that? -- Bill-on-the-Hill 19:39, 19 December 2008 (EST)
        • Your guess is as good as mine, but certainly not any time soon, as the present government is rather less keen on dumping money into holes in the ground. And IMHO the very thing that makes it fascinating is the surreal "movie set" feeling of wandering around half-deserted prestige megaproject, especially as it does have a series of excellent hotels (the PJ Shangri-La is, quite possibly, the best I've ever stayed in) and wacky sights already. 01:18, 22 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Fraser's Hill

Low-key, semi-abandoned colonial hill resort featuring a very different side of Malaysia. Good any time of year, but probably best not listed until they finish fixing up the town square, sometime in "early 2009". Jpatokal 07:26, 13 December 2008 (EST)

[edit] Galapagos

Popular place but still off beat. Took a look through it and information is valid and pretty good to use as a destination. Due to it's popularity, it only seems fitting for it to be a Of the beaten path, in my opinion. I really don't see anything wrong with it. I am sorry if this is a stupid nom, it just looked good. edmontonenthusiast [ee] .T.A.L.K. 16:04, 19 December 2008 (EST).

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