Zimbabwe

Photo: Eva Mont/Shutterstock

If you want to learn the lesson of how a corrupt autocrat can ruin a country, look no further than Zimbabwe, whose longtime dictator Robert Mugabe drove the country into bankruptcy and forced it to abandon its currency.

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Since a 2008 power-sharing agreement, the country has found some stability, now using the U.S. dollar and South African rand countrywide. Even if the infrastructure isn’t quite on the cutting edge, at least spending money here will be easy.

The country has plenty of good reasons to visit, which makes the years of corruption even more frustrating. Victoria Falls is the most famous attraction, the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Near the falls, you can hike the cliffs of Batoka Gorge or raft the mighty Zambezi River running through the middle. You can also spot wildlife in Hwange National Park or enjoy a waterfront sunset along Lake Kariba, the largest manmade body of water in the world by volume. Or, if you want to get in the water, explore Chinhoyi Caves, where you’ll find a stunning crystalline blue pool 150 feet underground. Clearly, we've got a lot to cover.

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