Some Of The Best Countries For Ethiopians

Ethiopian citizens with their passports issued by the Ethiopian government can travel to up to 39 countries without a visa, but it is our intention to narrow the list down to best suit your travel plans.

Because let us be honest, just because one can travel to Somalia, doesn't mean one will go there for their long awaited romantic honeymoon, although they might travel there for business opportunities.

At the moment, with Ethiopia's booming economy there are lots of Ethiopians that have the capital and the desire to travel abroad. Some reasons could be serious and urgent such as for medical reasons.

While others could border on the mundane and be for something as simple as a lazy beach side vacation.

The following list of 10 of the best visa free countries for Ethiopians should act as a de facto guide to show all Ethiopian passport holders which are the best countries to travel to and why.

Searching for a nice place to hold a business convention, try Mauritius...looking for an unforgetable honeymoon, try the Maldives...looking to just get away for a nice quiet vacation...try the Comoros.

1. Thailand Visa on Arrival (15 days)

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The slogan "Amazing Thailand" is used to describe this remarkable country for a valid reason. Many Ethiopians have reported enjoying their stay in the Thailand.

In 2016 Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand was ranked 1st by Euromonitor International's list of "Top City Destinations" exceeding New York and London, with their 21 million visitors.

In 2017, US News' "Best Countries" report put Thailand as 4th internationally for adventure value and 7th for cultural heritage.

Aside from the obvious gastronomical (food) tourism, sex tourism, or even elephant tourism, we shall focus mainly on their wonderful medical tourism sector.

Medical tourism in Thailand is a huge sector and is continually growing. It is a favored destination for potential medical tourists because of the following reasons: it was the first country in Asia to achieve Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.

This basically means that the hospital staff is mostly Western educated and trained professionals operating with the latest technology. Furthermore this all comes at a significantly lower price compared to other nations.

When you add all this up, you can see that Thailand's reputation as a favorite tourist destination has also made it one of the globe's most popular medical tourism hotspots.

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Ko Samui, Pattaya/Chonburi, and Phuket make up some of the most popular cities for medical tourism in Thailand.

2. Kenya Visa Not Required (90 days)

Most Ethiopians take their neighbor Kenya for granted, but all this should be a thing of the past. Kenya is known for its remarkable beach tourism, cultural tourism sports tourism and eco-tourism.

Kenya has been awarded the Best Leisure Destination award at the World Travel Fair in Shanghai, China and continues to serve tourist from all over the world.

Aside from some setbacks that were caused by their hotly contested political elections, tourism in Kenya is definitely growing.

From the beautiful beach side resorts in Mombasa, Kenya is also popularly known for its safaris and tours of its national parks and game reserves. The Masai tribe's village is also a favorite for tourists.

3. Singapore Visa Not Required (30 days)

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Singapore a country with one of the world's lowest crime rates has English as the dominant language of the four official ones in the country. This is helpful, for tourists engaged for example in shopping, which Singapore is renowned for.

The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Singapore the best in the world at # 1 in international openness, business functionality and also its tourism conditions.

The country is also considered a business hub in Southeast Asia and has huge shopping districts.

The most popular and the center of tourism in the country is the shopping area called Orchard Road District, which is filled with high rise shopping centers and hotels.

This wonderful country also has two casinos and plays host to several festivals, such as: Singpore Arts Festival, Chingay Parade, Singapore Garden Festival, Singapore Food Festival, Singapore Jewel Festival and the Singapore Sun Festival among many others.

4. Maldives Visa on Arrival (30 days)

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The Maldives are known for their natural beauty which consists of beautiful blue oceans, white beaches and clean fresh air. This has made the Maldives one of the best recreational diving destinations in the world.

Furthermore, a global survey by Agoda.com reports that the Maldives is the world's most desired honeymoon destinations.

The climate of the Maldives is great for tourists that are interested in water sports such as wind surfing, jet skiing, fishing, scuba diving, swimming, water skiing and snorkeling.

A typical resort in the Maldives is usually located on an island that is self sufficient. Meaning that the workers live there, they have their own water treatment plant, etc.

Each island also has its own "house reef", which creates a sort of swimming pool that protects swimmers and has the effect of an aquarium.

5. Bolivia Visa on Arrival (90 days)

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Bolivia is a spectacular country filled with sights and destinations that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.

This country is definitely a hidden gem and deserves more attention from tourists everywhere in the world.

Bolivia amazingly has six World Heritage sites, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, the Andes is the largest mountain range in the world, Chacaltaya is the highest ski slope in the world, Nevado Sajama is the highest forest in the world...

If all this was not enough, Bolivia also has the largest salt flats in the world and the only hotel in the world that is built entirely of salt.

6. Cape Verde Visa on Arrival

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The archipelago Cape Verde has become a hotspot for tourism in Africa. This island country off the coast of Senegal has a very pleasant climate throughout most of the year.

Aside from its marvelous beaches, Cape Verde also has beautiful mountain scenery to leave you in awe.

Cape Verde's cultural gift to the world is a rhythmic form of music and can be heard drifting out of the doorways of bars and cafes, where you can see live performances of this lovely sound.

Diving, windsurfing, mountain trekking, sailing, and a lot more is available for tourists. Eco tourism is also available on this archipelago.

7. Comoros Visa on Arrival

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The Comoros Islands are spread out off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean.

These islands are not tourist hotspots therefore if you are looking for a remote and relaxing place to vacation this would make a great choice.

The inhabitants are predominantly Muslim and traditional in their beliefs.

White sandy beaches for relaxing, hiking in pristine rain forests, close looks at volcanoes, and more is available for the adventurous traveler.

8. Seychelles Visa on Arrival (30 days)

The archipelago of the Seychelles lies east of Kenya and boasts some of the most pristine and beautiful beaches in the world. UNESCO listed it as a nature reserve and it has 115 granite and coral islands.

The dazzling beaches of Anse Soleil and Petite Anse and Petite Anse are among the popular ones, with their remarkable azure water and stunning white sand.

Rock climbing, mountain trail hiking, Creole cuisine, lounging on beautiful beaches, viewing unique fauna and flora, diving, snorkeling, surfing, and first class fishing are some of the exciting things waiting for you in the Seychelles.

9. Mauritius Visa on Arrival (60 days)

Mauritius has it all, from waterfalls, unique wildlife, lush forests, mountains, white sand beaches and beautiful crystal clear lagoons.

Even the resorts and hotels are world class with all the latest technology and services for tourists as well as for business visitors.

Mauritius is a great place to hold conferences or conventions. The island offers a wide range of amenities for the business community, such as: first class personal service, luxury accommodations, the finest food, state of the art telecommunications infrastructure and a safe environment.

10. Saint Lucia Visa on Arrival (45 days)

image credit: stlucia.org

Saint Lucia has a UNESCO heritage site, a volcano, tropical rainforests, waterfalls, and a lot more. There are many activities for the tourist to take part in, such as scuba diving snorkeling, and water sports.

Opportunities to relax are also available for those more inclined to take it easy on their trip, such as sunbathing, whale and turtle watching trips.

The night life in Saint Lucia is lively with regular events being held such as the Friday street party.

The cultural heritage of the people, food, and architecture is also very unique as it takes parts from both the British and French colonial influence.

All in all, a visit to Saint Lucia will be a unique experience worthy of your time.