​What country should I choose for setting for my novel?

(Hey there. This is the third place I post this, and so far, the previous communities told me, this post doesn’t belong in their threads. Hope I’ll find help here. Thanks for reading it!)

I’m writing a short novel and I’m having the hardest time finding a country and cities that would be good for setting. It’s supposed to be a very light romance novel with a lot of travelling, like half of it is just about the journey to get to the destination and the culture, and I have a picture in mind of some far away, hot, dry, even deserty country, with these beautiful buildings, crowded bazaars and so on. Something Eastern or African. The whole vibe in my head is a bit like watching Aladdin as a kid; just a magical arabian nights-like thing with a few fairytale elements mixed into reality. So far so good, but the plot limits my choices a lot. Here’s context:

Female lead is invited to X country by one of her university friends to her wedding. She loves travelling, loves foreign cultures, travelled solo a lot, SO she turns down the help offered by her friends and decides that she will get there by herself, which leads to all kinds of trouble and inconveniences. (She’s not entirely stupid – this is not Emily in Paris – but slightly underprepared and also just facing a bunch of trouble because of ahem, me xd.) She gets to city A of this country by plane or something, but then she is kinda forced to take this awfully long and uncomfortable bus ride to get to city B, where her friend is from and the wedding will take place. On this bus ride she meets the male lead, they also end up seated together, and while at first they annoy each other, he practically becomes like a guardian for her, helping and protecting her in many cases. bla bla bla, story goes on.

Problem: I just can’t find a good location. One reason, as I explained, I have a concept in my head, which I have to locate somewhere. Rich, colorful culture, intricate architecture, the traditional clothing, the food, a grand festivity around the wedding etc. But two, I have this looong bus ride in the plot. I want it to be a plausible choice, or even, the only choice. So no planes between city A and B? And the landscape, as I mentioned at the beginning.

I’m open to any suggestion, any idea, and especially from people who live in African or Eastern countries. You guys definitely know better as it is your country, your culture. Thank you everyone in advance!