Lee Min Ho shares his 5 favourite Holiday Destinations

Lee Minho is one of the most influential artists in South Korea. He is a producer, creative director, and actor. Lee is best recognized for acting in The King: Eternal Monarch (2020), one of Netflix's most-watched worldwide original series in 2020. Other noteworthy roles include Boys Over Flowers (2009), Heirs (2013), Gangnam 1970 (2015), and Bounty Hunters (2016). (2016). As an actor, Lee has significantly contributed to the global emergence and success of Korean dramas. The Heirs was very successful even outside of the South Korean market, with millions of viewers from across the globe. Lee was commended by the Korean government for his efforts to raise the international prominence of Korean content.

Lee has fantastic memories of his travels to Hawaii and has frequented the islands for holidays with friends. Hawaii is popular for its colorful beaches, a variety of watersports and exotic sea side resorts, offering a wide variety of hotels, homestays and villas, to suit pockets of all sizes. Lee had a wonderful time on the Maui snorkeling tour to Molokini crater, where one can explore hundreds of fish varieties and sharks from as close as it one can imagine. Their catamaran cruise took them to a spot in the ocean called the Turtle Town, where they could swim alongside enormous Hawaiian Green sea turtles. A fantastic way to explore Hawaii's turquoise waters and incredible marine life, this catamaran cruise was the highlight of their Hawaiian vacation. Submarine scooters are also available for exploring the deep sea world in Hawaii, providing opportunity to get up close with marine life in the clear waters of Hawaii.

The Buddhist Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is one of the most unique destinations one can explore. Lee Min Ho considers his trip to Bhutan nothing short of a spiritual journey. Bhutan is a gorgeous landscape with majestic monasteries and fortresses. The Tiger Nest Monastery (Taktsang Monastery) is the most iconic monastery in Bhutan. Located just outside of the city of Paro, this ancient monastery on the edge of a cliff is wonderful sight. The monastery still hosts Buddhist monks who offer daily prayers and conduct a variety of rituals. The capital city of Thimphu also offers incredible sightseeing, with an array of temples, monasteries and museums. There are many dzongs to visit around Thimphu, and the Tashicho Dzong is the main administrative building with monks wandering the grounds and even a change of guard ceremony. Phunaka Dzong is another gorgeous fortress or Dzong in Bhutan that is worth a visit. It even hosted the wedding of the King of Bhutan. A pristine country with friendly people, Bhutan is truly a Himalayan Kingdom that takes you back in time, a fairy tale of a holiday, as Lee puts it.

The city of New York makes it to the top of Lee's travel list. Lee simply loves this multi-cultural American city and all the opportunities that it offers. The city's iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Broadway, Wall Street, UN Headquarters, Central Park and its downtown area of Manhattan are popular spots for tourists. NY is synonymous with incredible nightlife, arts & music scene. With mountains and ocean in its vicinity, New York has no dearth of options to keep oneself entertained. Lee had a distinct memory of taking a ferry to the Ellis Island and visiting the Statue of Liberty, enjoying the incredible landscape from its balcony. Pub hopping in NYC was another of his favourite activities, and he found the diversity in cuisines simply mind blowing. New York is a symbol of American capitalism and offers a glimpse into the American way of life and its ethos. Lee feels that a trip to the US is incomplete without visiting this most incredible metropolis and has visiting the city multiple times.

One of the most incredible cities down under, Melbourne is Australia's 2nd largest city and rated amongst the most livable cities on the planet. Lee fell in love with Melbourne on his first visit to the city and rates it amongst his favourite cities. Taking a dinner cruise on the Yarra river with his friends watching the brightly lit city skyline and enjoying a delicious 4 course meal was one of his most memorable excursions in Melbourne. Visitors to Melbourne should also take a day trip along the Great Oceans Road, visiting iconic sites such as 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Port Campbell, London Bridge, and the Great Otway National Park Rainforest. There is no better way to see the rustic Australian country than this journey along the Great Oceans Road, a truly enriching experience. For wildlife lovers, a must do excursion is a tour of Phillip Island where one gets to see adorable koalas, spot Australia’s largest colony of fur seals at Seal Rocks and watch the sunset penguin parade along the coast.

Iceland is as exotic as a destination can be, as Lee found on his trip to this Nordic wonderland. A rustic landscape of volcanoes, geysers and lava fields, with its immense national parks and fjords, Iceland is one of the most remarkable places to go for a vacation in Lee's opinion. Lee and his friends make wonderful memories on a whale watching cruise from Husavik, considered the 'whale-watching capital of Europe' due to the abundant animal traffic that passes through its fjords. The cruise offers the most amazing opportunities for marine life photography and provides a panoramic view of the Artic landscape off the North coast of Iceland. A day at a geo-thermal spa facility was another favourite for Lee, a truly relaxing experience known for its healing silica mud, which can be applied to the face for a glowing skin. Iceland is also a great place to watch the Northern Lights phenomena, and the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is probably the most exotic place to get a glimpse of this natural wonder.