Skyscanner's Top Ten Healthy Holiday Spots: No surprise the US didn't make the cut

March 16, 9:05 AMSeattle Travel ExaminerSue Frause

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Seattle Travel Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

 The markets of Kowloon are just a ferry ride away from Hong Kong. Photo by Sue Frause.

Skyscanner, a UK website that provides industry opinion, commentary, travel trend and flight search has put together a list titled Top Ten Healthy Holiday Spots.

The life expectancy figures are provided by The Economist's Pocket World in Figures, 2009 Edition, based on statistics from the World Health Organization. Here are the top ten; read the complete descriptions here.

1. Andorra (83.5 years) - "Wedged in between Spain and France in the Pyrenees...home to the most long lived population in the world. A great range of skiing and snowboarding, and hiking and biking."

2. Japan (82.6 years) - "Lots of fresh fish, vegetables and tofu, but visitors may be surprised to hear that there's more to Japanese cuisine than sushi."

3. Hong Kong (82.2 years) - "The residents of Hong Kong like their food fresh and this is perhaps the secret to their long lives."

4. Iceland (81.8 years) - "Is it the geothermal, mineral-rich hot springs...their diet of fresh fish...or just their liberal outlook on life which keeps them going so long?"

5. Switzerland (81.7 years) - "Ample opportunities for an active lifestyle, with world-class skiing, climbing and mountain biking."

6. Australia (81.2  years) - "A nation of sports fanatics, Australians' enthusiasm for health and fitness ensures them a place in the top ten."

7. Spain (80.9 years) - "Lots of fresh, regional produce and an outdoor lifestyle ... and the generally pleasant climate."

8. Sweden (80.9 years) - "A highly green country -- the Swedish diet is rich in fish, wild fruit and fibre-rich rye bread."

9. Canada (80.7 years) - "An active and outdoorsy kind of place ... great swaths of wilderness and forests that help keep their air fresh." (Tied with Israel and Macau)

10. France (80.7 years) - "The French certainly know how to make simple, healthy food taste great ... their love for red wine may also add a few years."