I always get a kick out of the sentence, "why would you want to go there", as there are few places on Earth I wouldn't want to see for myself.

Arguably, almost every country has enough sites of interest and things to do to make a vacation.  Granted, of course I understand avoiding a country embroiled in a natural disaster or human-made conflict, or countries that are antigay. However, I have noticed that some people hold ill-perceived ideas about some places, originating from the past.

For instance, myself and a lot of my peers grew up during the Beirut War, and a lot of us can't get past that. It's a shame, because Beirut is often called the Paris of the Middle East, and visitors to the city now can see that it is gaining back its former glory.  Plus, there is so much to see and do outside of Beirut, throughout Lebanon, such as ancient ruins and natural wonders.

The other place about which many people have a misperceived idea is Vietnam. Before going, you may link Vietnam with war.  After a vacation to this stunning country, you'll instead associate Vietnam with impeccable cuisine, natural beauty, gorgeous hotels, and a fascinating, beautiful culture.