By DON GEORGE
Lonely Planet

To inspire travelers’ adventures in the new year, Lonely Planet recently published the Bluelist, a 260-page compendium of top places to go and things to do around the world, compiled from our globe-girdling staff, authors and on-the-road travelers.

In addition to profiles of 30 hotter-than-ever countries, the book contains 40 “bluelists” of recommendations in such categories as Best Adventure Travel Ideas, Dining on the Wild Side, Best Music & Place Combinations, Most Deserted Islands and Tourist Traps Worth the Stay.

With these in mind, we asked our U.S.-based staffers to choose their three top hot spots for 2007. We compiled their responses and came up with our collective bluelist. Here are our recommendations, along with selected staffers’ comments.

7. Nicaragua

“Nicaragua is one of the safest countries in which to travel in Central America; it has the wonderful cities of Leon and Granada, the Isla de Ometepe, rain forests, beaches, the famed Miskito Coast and the Corn Islands, and a distinctive national identity. Go!”

To see the top ten visit: [1] http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/4480326.html