Lonely Planet lists Penang's George Town among world's top 10 cities

The charming port of Kotor in Montenegro has emerged as the top city to visit next year, according to Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016 guide.

"Fremantle thrums with live-music rooms, hipster bars, boutique hotels, left-field bookshops, craft-beer breweries, Indian Ocean seafood shacks, buskers, beaches and students on the run from the books", Lonely Planet says. It's pulsing with vibrancy, optimism and creativity. The city is truly buoyant, with people embracing its inner green spaces and exploring the wild outdoor arenas along the coast. "2016 really is the time to go".

The Irish capital was beaten only by Kotor in Montenegro and Quito in Ecuador to be named a must-see city for next year.

Natural Attractions: Places like the Okavango Delta, Makgadikgadi Salt Pan, Kalahari desert and several national parks like the Central Kalahari Game Reserve make for great visiting locations, and if you're adventurous, you can also camp out in these places. "The city has something to offer everyone".

"Penang is named one of the most charismatic cities in the world and in the same level as cities like Rotterdam, Dunlom and Mumbai", said Lim Guan Eng in a report by the Malay Mail Online.

Selecting which cities would appear in Lonely Planet's annual publication involved authors, editors, bloggers and tweeters.

All the cities on the list "meet certain criteria", Lonely Planet added.

The dynamic city secured the eighth spot on the coveted list, rising above Rome at number 10.

The leading travel media company has unveiled the accolade in the prestigious Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016 - its collection of the world's hottest trends, destinations and experiences for the coming year.

The creator of the Lonely Planet series of travel guides Maureen Wheeler was born and raised on Belfast's Holywood Road and now lives in Australia.