Nairobi is third best world destination for 2018 - TripAdvisor

Actress and supermodel Tasha de Vasconcelos feeds a giraffe at Giraffe Centre during her 10-day tour of the country in April 2017. /Hezron Njoroge
Actress and supermodel Tasha de Vasconcelos feeds a giraffe at Giraffe Centre during her 10-day tour of the country in April 2017. /Hezron Njoroge

Nairobi is one of the top 10 world destinations for 2018, according to travel site TripAdvisor.

The capital came third after Ishigaki in Japan and Kapaa in Hawaii.

Then came Halifax (Canada), Gdansk (Poland), San Jose (Costa Rica), Riga (Latvia), Rovinj (Croatia), Nerja (Spain) and Casablanca (Morocco).

"The winners were decided using an algorithm that measures the year-on-year increase in positive TripAdvisor ratings for restaurants, hotels and attractions, plus the number of destination bookings compared to previous years," the company said on its website on Thursday.

TripAdvisor describes Nairobi as an

interesting place to visit for urban explorers due to the many

holiday spots for globe-trotters seeking something different.

Nairobi is known as the safari capital of Africa or the city in the sun, the main reasons being its weather conditions, wildlife and nightlife.

"[Nairobi is] an energetic, modern city that serves as a fascinating introduction to both wildlife and nightlife," the website states.

"Music clubs pulse with life, shops and markets bustle, and a mélange of restaurants will tempt your palate in this former Maasai watering hole."

According to the site, the top sights include the Karen Blixen Museum, Giraffe Centre and Nairobi National Park which has black rhinos.

On accommodation, TripAdvisor notes favourable rates at most hotels, the cost being about £80 (Sh11,127) per night.

Ishigaki, the top destination, is an island in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture. It has

landscapes including sandy beaches, rare coral, mountains and mangrove forests.

Kapaa is a small town at the base of Kauai's Nounou mountain with many hotels, shopping centres and restaurants.

It's also popular with

watersport fans who can go kayaking and skiing.

"The average hotel price here is £185 (Sh25,709)

per night, with the Aston Islander on the beach hailed as the best-value, from £132 (Sh18,372)

per night in June."

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