The end of the year is drawing near. It’s time to share New Year’s plans which will also help planning new travels that will bring us even closer to the world’s diversity. Lonely Planet took planning quite seriously and, in early November, made lists of countries, cities and regions that will be worth visiting next year. This means you can already make plans to start discovering unique places on our planet.
You can read all about this year’s destinations on more than 200 pages of book titled Best Travel in 2022. The list includes ten wonderful countries, cities and regions. Each destination is described and each place has specially marked points of interest that are worth visiting. The book will provide inspiration for you to set out into the world, which is now learning to live with the pandemic, and discover it anew. It’s full of stunning pictures. In it you’ll find practical tips on how to travel as sustainably as possible, something that’s always welcome. The authors provide tips on how to support the locals and how to help preserve the unique beauty of a place. The purpose of the book is to inspire you and fire you with enthusiasm for all your future travels.
The first place in the country section goes to the Cook Islands. These are remote islands located in the middle of the Pacific, and they’re both modern and traditional. Rarotonga, the largest of the islands, attracts visitors with its modern cafés and restaurants, while the vast and remote countryside is full of traditional Polynesian customs. You can read more about Petra’s adventures on the paradise island of Aitutaki. The second place goes to Norway and its fjords and glaciers. Norwegian cities are cosmopolitan and pride themselves on the famous Scandinavian city planning. Bergen is just one of the many beautiful Norwegian cities. Travel tips for the city can be found here. Mauritius is a group of islands, about which Mark Twain once said were created before Heaven. But this archipelago is much more than just beaches and turquoise sea. The interior is attractively hilly. The list also includes countries, such as the exotic Belize, the green Slovenia, the Caribbean Anguilla, the desert Oman, the hilly Nepal, the diverse Malawi and Egypt with its numerous temples.
The next list shows the world’s most beautiful regions. Only ten per cent of tourists in Iceland visit the country’s less accessible Westfjords. This is where the road runs by the coast, which means beautiful views of the ocean on one side and of the lakes, waterfalls and snow-capped peaks on the other. Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, a hiking paradise, is especially remote and is only accessible by dirt roads that run past fjords and small fishing villages. West Virginia in the US is often overlooked by local and foreign tourists, and unjustly so. Which is a shame because the state, with its green mountains, wild rivers and snowy ski resorts, is a paradise for nature lovers. Next on the list is the southern Chinese province of Xishuangbanna or Banna for short. It’s like a miniature version of Thailand – here, tourists relax on beaches or go hiking in the rainforest. The botanical gardens are especially famous. The list also includes the English Kent gardens, the culturally diverse Puerto Rico, the Japanese island of Shikoku, the world’s driest desert of Atacama, Australia’s mountainous The Scenic Rim, the colourful Vancouver Island and the wine region of Burgundy.
The first place on the list of the most beautiful cities goes to New Zealand’s Auckland, a city of a thousand faces of love. It has an ideal location an isthmus between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea, between the volcanic cones and fertile agricultural lands. It’s best viewed from the Sky Tower. An hour’s ride away one can find dense temperate rainforests, hot springs and wildlife reserves. Taipei is a friendly city where the Chinese, Japanese and South Asian cultures meet. The city with its various temples is a true open-air museum. When you’re done exploring, enjoy some food in the company of the locals and go on a tasting tour to try out some local specialties. Freiburg is a German city located at the forested foothills and vineyards of the Black Forest range. It’s a sunny and friendly university city, full of traditional German houses. Bustling squares and mysterious cobbled streets make you want to just go and explore. Take a guided tour and discover all the places in the city. The list also includes the charismatic Atlanta, artistically inspired Lagos, the divided Nicosia, the lively Dublin, the cultural Merida, the legendary Florence and Gyeongju, the Korean open-air museum.