world's greatest places to visit 2022

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25 amazing journeys for 2022

We’re ready to explore again. Here are the best adventures for the year ahead.

Ready to travel again? Our global editors picked the planet’s 25 most exciting destinations for 2022. Five categories—Nature, Adventure, Sustainability, Culture and History, and Family—frame unforgettable journeys of discovery. This year’s list celebrates a number of World Heritage sites in honor of UNESCO’s 50 years of helping to safeguard cultural and natural treasures. Although the pandemic changed when, where, and how we travel, we are eager to unleash our wanderlust—and see what wonders we’ll uncover.      

BEST PLACES TO ENJOY NATURE

Lake Baikal, Russia

Help save a natural wonder. Baikal is so vast and deep, many locals call it a sea. Covering some 12,200 square miles and with an average depth of 2,442 feet, the massive lake is a natural wonder. It’s also in serious trouble. Despite being named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, Lake Baikal has experienced ongoing pollution, the recent weakening of government protections, and new threats, such as large-scale tourism development. As a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature deemed the lake’s environmental World Heritage Outlook of “significant concern” in 2020.

Visitors can help safeguard the lake and its varied landscapes—including tundra, steppe, boreal forest, and virgin beaches—by volunteering with Great Baikal Trail Association , the nonprofit environmental group creating a hiking route around the lake. “Volunteering helps protect Lake Baikal nature by developing ecotourism infrastructure,” says association president Elena Chubakova.

Hiking the trail is a planet-friendly way to spot some of the 1,200 Lake Baikal plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth, such as the nerpa, the world’s only exclusively freshwater seal.   — Victoria Meleshko, National Geographic Traveler Russia

Discover the next great safari. Namibia evokes images of deserts, immense dunes, and parched mountains. But the Caprivi Strip, a narrow finger of land that juts out toward the east in the extreme north of the country, is a green, wildlife-rich territory. The presence of the Okavango, Kwando, Chobe, and Zambezi Rivers creates an ideal habitat for numerous animal species.

During the second half of the 20th century, the area was the scene of intense military activity. Remote and difficult to access, it was a prime corridor for various armed groups. After Namibia gained independence in 1990, peace—and wildlife—gradually returned.

In the eastern section of the region, Nkasa Rupara National Park is a secret jewel. A ranger station and tented lodge that opened in recent years have made it more accessible to tourism, but it’s still seldom visited. Encompassed by the Kwando-Linyanti River system to the south and by swamps and lagoons to the north, Nkasa Rupara is Namibia’s largest protected wetland. It’s described as a “mini Okavango,” as its floodwaters mirror Botswana ’s more famous Okavango Delta . The park is home to the largest population of buffalo in Namibia. Predators include lions, leopards, and hyenas, while crocodiles and hippos abound in the river.  

Mahango Game Park , in the west, includes wetlands and mopane forests. Here roam large herds of elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and nearly all the antelope species of Namibia, including the elusive semiaquatic sitatunga. Go with Nat Geo: See otherworldly landscapes and seek out endangered black rhinos in Namibia. —Marco Cattaneo, National Geographic Traveler Italy

Victoria, Australia

Drive the Great Ocean Road.   Green shoots of regeneration are popping up across Australia , where the 2019-2020 bushfires burned some 72,000 square miles of land. The disasters led to the deaths of nearly three dozen people and more than a billion animals.

Playing its own role in these rejuvenation efforts, Wildlife Wonders , in Victoria’s Otways region, is a new wildlife sanctuary tucked away off the Great Ocean Road amid lush ancient forest and waterfalls. It’s the brainchild of Brian Massey, the landscape designer of New Zealand ’s Hobbiton movie set tours. Massey, along with botanists, scientists, zoologists, and environmental specialists, has crafted a sinuous wooden path that winds through the refuge and blends seamlessly into the landscape.

Visitors can set off on 75-minute guided tours of the sylvan site, wandering through thickets of eucalyptus trees and admiring the koalas, wallabies, and bandicoots that now call the sanctuary home. During a stop at the Research Base, guests can learn more about how the site provides a safe space for native species like the long-nosed potoroo, a marsupial that often falls prey to invasive predators such as foxes and cats.

All profits from Wildlife Wonders go toward the Conservation Ecology Centre , which helps to fund several vital conservation projects in the Otways, including one that studies the movement of potoroos before, during, and after planned forest fires. — Connor McGovern, National Geographic Traveller UK

Peek at tropical wildlife. The race to preserve one of the largest remaining tropical rainforests in the Americas got a big boost recently. In April 2021, a coalition of conservation partners, led by the Nature Conservancy , purchased 236,000 acres of tropical forest in northwestern Belize to create the Belize Maya Forest Reserve . Along with saving some of the most biodiverse forests in the world from denuding and development, the new protected area—which is contiguous with the neighboring Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area (RBCMA)—closes a huge gap in a vital wildlife corridor that runs from southeast Mexico through Guatemala and into Belize.

The combined reserve, which protects nearly a tenth of Belize’s land area, safeguards and connects essential habitats for an amazing variety of endemic and endangered wild things. These include the tapir, Belize’s national animal; black howler monkeys; more than 400 species of birds; and some of Central America’s largest surviving populations of jaguar. For now, ecotourism activities are based in the more established RBCMA, which has two rustic lodges and offers guided expeditions. Go with Nat Geo:   Take a private tour of the Maya ruins of Tikal, Guatemala, and the cays of Belize.  

Northern Minnesota  

Turn off the lights.   Thousands upon thousands of stars dazzle above northern Minnesota . This remote region bordering the Canadian province of Ontario has little to no light pollution, and residents are determined to keep it that way.

The Heart of the Continent Dark Sky Initiative is a cross-border effort underway to create one of the largest dark-sky destinations on the planet. Two of its biggest pieces are in Minnesota: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , the world’s largest International Dark Sky Sanctuary at more than a million acres, and neighboring Voyageurs National Park , the state’s first International Dark Sky Park. Both wild places received dark-sky certification in 2020, and Ontario’s Quetico Provincial Park , which adjoins the wilderness area, earned International Dark Sky Park status in early 2021.

( Here’s how to see auroras—from the Great Lakes .)

“The preservation of darkness at places like Voyageurs National Park not only provides wondrous views and ecological benefits to wildlife,” says Christina Hausman Rhode, executive director of the nonprofit Voyageurs Conservancy . “It also allows us a window to the past; to see the skies as they were hundreds of years ago, used for navigation and storytelling by peoples like the voyageurs of the fur trade and the Indigenous Ojibwe.”

BEST PLACES FOR ADVENTURE

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

Climb the Rockies. For unparalleled views of the Continental Divide, one must climb hand over foot up North America’s highest via ferrata. Arapahoe Basin ’s “iron way”—a climbing route comprising metal rungs and cables—begins at the base of granite Rocky Mountain cliffs and ascends nearly 1,200 feet to a 13,000-foot summit.

A glance below reveals a weathered Colorado landscape dotted with green moss and pink and purple flora, and rock gardens created by the cliffs themselves, the fallen chunks varying in size from pebbles to Volkswagens. The thin air is occasionally punctuated by the shrill peep of a marmot or pika.

Even those without prior rock-climbing experience can scale the cliffs with a guide, using the metal rungs while also gripping the rock or wedging a foot into a crack for leverage. To avoid what could be a thousand-foot plunge to certain death, climbers must clip their harnesses from one cable to the next as they go. The route is entirely exposed and thunderstorms can roll in suddenly.

From the cliffs above, high-alpine mountain goats are often stoic observers, but typically disappear as travelers reach the summit. This marks the halfway point. From here, climbers must also descend, which, for via ferrata first-timers like Michael Lytle, can be the most harrowing part of the journey.

“You try not to look all the way down. The highway looks like a piece of thread from up there,” Lytle says. “The fear factor is real.”  

Swim with sharks. When you arrive here, the stamp in your passport will include the Palau Pledge , which all visitors must sign, promising that “the only footprints I shall leave are those that will wash away.” The 59-word eco-pledge was drafted by and for the children of this remote western Pacific archipelago to help protect Palau’s culture and environment from the negative impacts of tourism.

Eighty percent of the nation’s waters—recognized by National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project as one of the richest marine ecosystems on the planet—is preserved as the Palau National Marine Sanctuary . At 183,000 square miles, the no-take sanctuary is one of the world’s largest protected marine areas, safeguarding some 700 species of coral and more than 1,300 species of fish, including a dazzling variety of sharks.

“From the air, Palau looks like paradise on earth,” says Pristine Seas founder and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala . “When you get underwater, you’re transported to a different world.”

During the 20th annual Shark Week Palau, from February 27 to March 6, 2022, divers can observe and participate in citizen science–assisted counts of numerous shark species, such as grey reef, blacktip, blue, tiger, and hammerhead. Daily dive sites are chosen for their abundant sharks and other marine life, including large aggregations of manta rays and thousands of spawning fish.  

Snorkelers can join a February or November Oceanic Society tour of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Rock Islands Southern Lagoon , home to reef sharks, dugongs, giant clams, and marine lakes teeming with millions of golden jellyfish. Go with Nat Geo:   Discover the undersea wonders of Palau on this snorkel and kayak tour . — National Geographic Traveller India

Seine River, France

Cycle a new bike trail. La Seine à Vélo is a new cycling trail worthy of painter Claude Monet, whose house and famous water lilies in Giverny are on the route. But the 270-mile Paris-to-the-sea path, opened in October 2020, offers lesser known masterpieces too, such as the colorful street art that brightens the Canal Saint-Denis in Paris .

On the trail’s 15 stages, bikers pass through protected natural areas, including Normandy’s Grande Noé Bird Reserve , located along a major migratory flyway. While rolling across Normandy , they can visit the ruins of Jumièges Abbey , founded in 654, and take a Benedictine monk–led tour of Abbaye Saint-Wandrille , a centuries-old working abbey. The tearoom and gardens of Château de Bizy , a royal residence built in 1740 and inspired by Versailles , offer a respite off two wheels.

While Monet isn’t the only reason to ride the trail, pedal-pushers who love paintings should allow extra time for the Giverny Museum of Impressionism , which explores the revolutionary 19th-century art movement. — Gabriel Joseph-Dezaize, National Geographic Traveler France

New Brunswick, Canada

Tackle a backcountry trail. A turtle-shaped rock near Nepisiguit Falls, in the Canadian province of New Brunswick , carries with it a legend told by the Mi’gmaq people (also spelled Mi’kmaq). When water levels drop, the “turtle,” named Egomoqaseg, or “rock like a moving ship,” appears to be climbing up out of the river, says trail master Jason Grant, whose father-in-law, Mi’gmaq elder Gilbert Sewell, was a keeper of the story.

“Legend goes, once the turtle is completely out of the water, it will be the end of the world for the Mi’gmaq people,” says Grant. Based on his annual visits to the rock, Grant adds, Egomoqaseg has a long way to go before reaching dry ground.

The falls are a stop along a millennia-old First Nations migration route that has been developed into the longest backcountry hiking trail in the Canadian Maritimes. Running 93 miles along the Nepisiguit River, the rugged Sentier Nepisiguit Mi’gmaq Trail follows ancient portage pathways used by the nomadic Mi’gmaq.  

The route begins at sea level at Daly Point Nature Reserve in Bathurst and ends at Bathurst Lake in Mount Carleton Provincial Park , home to 2,690-foot-tall Mount Carleton, the highest peak in the Maritimes. To promote respect for the relevance of the trail to the Mi’gmaq people, the route’s restoration, completed in 2018, included incorporating Mi’gmaq language and culture, such as teepee campsites and a turtle logo inspired by Egomoqaseg.  

Trek from sea to sea. Stretching across Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific, El Camino de Costa Rica is a 174-mile-long window into life far off the well-trod tourist path. The 16-stage hiking route primarily follows public roads as it passes through remote villages and towns, Indigenous Cabecar lands, and protected natural areas.  

It’s designed to spark economic activity in rural districts. Local families, nonprofits, and a network of micro-entrepreneurs, such as Ecomiel honey producers, the woman-owned Finca El Casquillo organic farm, and La Cabaña sustainable coffee micro-mill, provide most of the trail’s lodging, food, tours, and other hiker amenities.

Due to the trail’s remoteness and its patchwork of tourism services, Mar a Mar (Sea to Sea)—the nonprofit partnership formed in 2016 to develop, promote, and help sustain El Camino—strongly recommends hiking with a guide. Ticos a Pata , UrriTrek Costa Rica , and ViaLig Journeys are among the tour operators offering guided experiences—from single-day hikes to coast-to-coast treks with multiple river crossings and rambles through ranch lands, rainforests, cloud forests, and sugarcane plantations. Multiday itineraries typically feature optional adventures, such as a white-water rafting trip on the world-class Pacuare River rapids. — National Geographic Traveler Korea

BEST PLACES CHAMPIONING SUSTAINABILITY

Yasuní National Park, Ecuador

Fight for the forest. In recognition of the global importance of the Amazon, France is leading the fight against deforestation in eastern Ecuador ’s Yasuní National Park , designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1989. The almost 4,000-square-mile park—home to mahogany trees, sweet guabas , anthuriums, palms, and hypnotizingly green ferns—is the first of five pilot sites in the French-funded TerrAmaz program . This four-year initiative, launched in late 2020, supports sustainable development and safeguards biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Yasuní—considered one of the most biodiverse places on Earth—shelters an astonishing assortment of creatures, such as anteaters, capybaras, sloths, spider monkeys, and about 600 species of colorful birds. In the Napo and Curaray rivers flanking the park, visitors can watch for the Amazon river dolphin, an endangered and enigmatic species.

Yasuní also provides refuge for the Tagaeri and Taromenane people, Waorani Indigenous groups who live in voluntary isolation and use handcrafted canoes to travel between waterways. Tour operators such as Napo Wildlife Center offer excursions and lodging based on a sustainable ecotourism model that benefits the resident tribes. — Karen Alfaro, National Geographic Traveler Latin America

Chimanimani, Mozambique

Witness a conservation success. “Chimanimani is a timeless place, where local rainmakers still climb peaks to summon rain,” says National Geographic Explorer and photojournalist Jen Guyton , of one of Mozambique ’s newest national parks. Located on the country’s mountainous border with Zimbabwe, Chimanimani National Park , established in October 2020, is home to Mozambique’s highest peak, Mount Binga (elevation: 7,992 feet). It was once flush with elephants, lions, and other large animals whose images appear in ancient rock art created by the ancestral San people.

Poaching during decades of civil unrest decimated wildlife populations, but small numbers of elephants remain, as do at least 42 other species of mammals and a dazzling variety of plant and avian life. In the two recent biodiversity surveys alone that Guyton photographed, 475 plant species and 260 bird species were identified, along with 67 amphibian and reptile species—including one frog and one lizard thought to be new to science.

( How one of Africa’s great parks is rebounding from war .)

Sustainable tourism activities—such as birdwatching, hiking to forest waterfalls, and overnighting at the Ndzou Camp , a small community ecolodge—provide up-close views of a captivating wild place, which Guyton particularly enjoys experiencing at sunset. “With no roads for miles around, there’s total silence except for the birds, and you get a few moments of almost transcendental peace in that warm glow.”

Ruhr Valley, Germany

Get creative. Mining and steel production once dominated the densely populated Ruhr Valley , located in Germany ’s western state of North Rhine–Westphalia. Today, the region is repurposing former slag heaps (mounds of mining waste) and postapocalyptic-looking industrial sites as parks and open-air cultural spaces.  

The most famous is the World Heritage site of   Zeche Zollverein (Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex), home to an outdoor swimming pool, ice rink, and walking trails. “People visiting the Ruhr area are usually impressed by the abundance of green,” says Karola Geiss-Netthöfel, director of the Ruhr Regional Association .

Zollverein is part of the wider Emscher Landscape Park , an east-west system of green spaces and corridors covering nearly 175 square miles. Rent a bike in Essen for a car-free Ruhr Valley trip along cycling routes, many of which follow former railway tracks. Or explore on foot via the 96-mile-long Hohe Mark Steig , a trekking trail opened in 2021.  

“The trail combines nature and industrial culture in a unique way, as you pass by several industrial buildings,” says Geiss-Netthöfel. A top spot nearby: Halde Hoheward, elevation 495 feet, a mountainous slag heap made from 180 million tons of mine waste and topped with a giant sundial. — Franziska Haack, National Geographic Traveler Germany

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon/Washington

Wine and dine mindfully. The nation’s largest National Scenic Area is probably not where you think it is. It straddles the Oregon - Washington border and comprises 293,000 acres of public and private lands along the Columbia River Gorge.

With Mount Hood nearby, the area attracts more than two million visitors annually. A nonprofit alliance is helping to reduce tourist impact on local nature and culture. This collaboration has become a model for other regions building a sustainable tourism economy.

Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance initiatives include the visitor education program Ready, Set, Gorge, and the East Gorge Food Trail , a network of farms, historic hotels, wineries, and other homegrown experiences. Partnering with other local organizations and educating visitors benefits everyone, says Ali McLaughlin, owner of MountNbarreL , which offers wine-tasting bike tours and other car-free experiences.

“Having tourists who understand the importance of respecting the area they are traveling through has gone a long way toward mitigating concerns from local residents,” says McLaughlin. Go with Nat Geo: Retrace the path of Lewis and Clark’s trailblazing expedition through the Pacific Northwest.

Łódź, Poland

Spotlight a green city. Named a UNESCO City of Film in 2017 for its rich cinematic culture, Łódź , a city of nearly 700,000 in central Poland , was a major textile manufacturing center in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now Poland’s Hollywood is flipping the script on its industrial past to create a greener future.

In recent years Łódź   (pronounced woodge) has embraced new ecological technologies, such as using pre-RDF (refuse-derived fuel) and biomass energy to heat homes. In 2021, the city partnered with the European e-commerce delivery platform InPost to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and traffic in the town’s center by installing 70 parcel locker locations and electric car charging stations.

Nearly a third of Łódź is green space, ranging from new pocket parks to the 2,977-acre Łagiewnicki Forest . In the city’s old industrial areas, factories are being reborn as parks, cultural centers, residences, and retail spaces. The trendiest spot on the cultural map is OFF Piotrkowska , a buzzing art, design, dining, and club district housed in a former cotton mill.  

Another massive factory, built by the I.K. Poznański Cotton Products Company—which employed as many as 7,000 people in 1913—was reimagined as Manufaktura , an arts center and shopping mall spread across 13 historic brick buildings. Manufaktura’s Muzeum Fabryki explores the   Poznański family’s “cotton empire” and the lives of the factory workers. — Martyna Szczepanik, National Geographic Traveler Poland

BEST PLACES FOR CULTURE AND HISTORY

Jingmai Mountain, China

Taste tea. One of the oldest cultural landscapes in China is slated to become one of the country’s newest UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2022. The Ancient Tea Plantations of Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er , which collectively form the world’s largest ancient artificially cultivated tea plantation, features about 1.13 million tea trees, the oldest of which is 1,400 years old.

Located in the remote southwestern corner of China’s Yunnan Province, the region was a starting point of the legendary Ancient Tea Horse Road . This 11th-century network of routes was named for its primary purpose: trading Chinese tea for Tibetan horses (130 pounds of tea equaled the value of one horse).

( In search of the perfect cup of tea in China’s Yunnan Province .)

Today, new highways have replaced the route, but the region’s tea plantations remain, as do the four local ethnic minority groups—the Blang, Dai, Hani, and Wa people—who retain their own languages, customs, and festivals. The remote location and limited tea-tourism offerings make a guided trip the best way to experience this enduring cultural landscape. — Yi Lu, National Geographic Traveler China

Hokkaido, Japan  

Learn about an island’s roots. Most visitors to Hokkaido , Japan’s wildly scenic and northernmost main island, don’t have many opportunities to learn about the Ainu, Indigenous people from the northern region of the archipelago. But the new National Ainu Museum and Park at Upopoy, which opened in 2020, hopes to change that. It joins the Kayano Shigeru Nibutani Ainu Museum , which opened in 1992, in teaching Japanese and international visitors about Ainu culture.

Marginalized since the late 1800s, the Ainu were granted legal protections in Japan in 2019; the country’s new Ainu Promotion Act recognizes and bans discrimination against the Ainu.  

Upopoy has a pressing three-pronged mission: promote, revitalize, and expand Ainu culture before it becomes extinct. Particularly at risk is the Ainu language, which is unrelated to Japanese or any other language, and is considered critically endangered by UNESCO. Listening to conversational Ainu and playing games to learn pronunciation are part of the new museum’s permanent exhibition.  

Visitors can also discover the timely sustainable-living lessons of the Ainu, whose spiritual beliefs are rooted in respect and gratitude for nature. After visiting Upopoy, drive 30 minutes southwest and soak in nature at Noboribetsu Onsen , Hokkaido’s premier hot springs resort which is located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park . Go with Nat Geo:   Take a voyage in the Ring of Fire aboard the National Geographic Resolution.

Procida Island, Italy

Connect with culture.   Chosen pre-pandemic, the theme of Procida’s reign as the Italian Capital of Culture 2022 — La cultura non isola (Culture does not isolate)—now seems particularly on point. The island city, located 40 minutes southwest of Naples via high-speed ferry, plans to use its year in the spotlight to illustrate the importance of culture, particularly in times of uncertainty.

“Today, ‘Culture does not isolate’ is an even stronger call to action because, for us, the island is a metaphor for modern people,” says Procida 2022 director Agostino Riitano. “We are all like islands, creating our own archipelagos where culture has to be the mortar that holds them together; this is even more true following the effects of the pandemic.”

( The pandemic couldn’t silence this Italian city of music .)

Procida 2022 plans to spread cultural programming, such as contemporary art exhibitions, festivals, and performances, over 300 days to encourage responsible travel throughout the year, and to avoid a mass influx of visitors during the summer. In the spotlight as a symbol of the inclusive theme is the island’s Palazzo d’Avalos , a Renaissance palace-turned-prison, built in 1500 and closed in 1988. Most recently associated with isolation, the former prison and its green space (where inmates raised crops, cows, and pigs) will be reborn as a cultural venue and urban park.

Atlanta, Georgia  

Meet the moment. At a time when voting rights are in contention in the United States, Atlanta is flexing its cultural and political muscle through two formidable voter empowerment organizations: The New Georgia Project and Fair Fight Action , both founded by Atlanta-based political leader and activist Stacey Abrams.

Being at the forefront of social change isn’t new, says city native Bem Joiner, cofounder of the creative agency Atlanta Influences Everything . “Atlanta’s ‘special sauce’ is its three C’s: civic, corporate, and cultural. We’re the cradle of the civil rights movement, the home of Coca-Cola, and our hip-hop culture shapes global culture. There’s no place else quite like Atlanta.”

Georgia’s largest city is also an epicenter of Black entrepreneurship, incubating businesses such as plant-based burger chain Slutty Vegan and eco-conscious Sustainable Home Goods .  

Easily accessible on foot or by bike via the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail , the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood blends nightlife and dining venues, such as Biggerstaff Brewing Company and Ponce City Market , with historic highlights like the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum .

Tin Pan Alley, London

Sing along. Despite pushback from punk and rock purists, the remix of Denmark Street , former hub of the British music industry, promises to hit all the right notes. Once lined with music publishers, recording studios, rehearsal rooms, and dimly lit clubs, the tiny street, nicknamed London ’s Tin Pan Alley, helped launch the British punk rock movement and legends including David Bowie, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones.  

In recent years, the music had all but died, save for Denmark Street’s surviving guitar shops. Now this iconic slice of history is being revived as part of Outernet London, the West End’s new $1.2 billion entertainment district.

The retooled street retains pieces of its storied past: restored 17th-century building facades; the heritage-protected graffiti art of Johnny Rotten, lead singer of the Sex Pistols (who lived here); the old-school music shops (thanks to affordable, long-term leases).  

( Learn more about the unlikely rebirth of a London legend .)

It also welcomes new spaces for infusing with music. There are busker spots where street musicians can make their case for being the next Adele (who debuted at Denmark Street’s original 12 Bar Club ); a free-to-use professional-quality recording studio for up-and-coming artists; and the new Chateau Denmark hotel, spread across 16 buildings steeped in music history.

BEST PLACES FOR FAMILIES

Lycia, Turkey

Learn about nomadic life. The nomadic Yörüks,   originally from different Turkic groups that ranged from the Balkans to Iran , once roamed the plateaus of the Turkish riviera. Most of the Yörüks (literally “walkers”) have now settled down—but many of their thousand-year-old customs are alive and well.  

Located in the historical Lycia region in southwestern Anatolia , Teke Peninsula is one of the spots where Yörük culture remains strong. Teke Yörüks live a semi-nomadic life with their tents, kilim rugs, herds, shepherd dogs, and transhumant traditions, set against a mountainous, Mediterranean backdrop full of olive trees.

In recent years, tour companies have started to merge the marvels of Lycia with Yörük life. Families can trek parts of the famous Lycian Way ; visit ancient sites like Patara, Xanthos, or Letoon; and swim in crystal clear waters while spending nights in hotels, guesthouses, tents, or villagers’ own homes. But it’s the children who have the most fun, as they can experience Yörük culture by making syrup with pomegranates, cooking local pastries, milking goats, or taking part in the olive harvest.

“History, nature, and culture, they’re all here. We wanted to turn this beautiful landscape into a learning platform, but also into a playground,” says Kerem Karaerkek, the chief guide of Middle Earth Travel . “I love how the kids get excited when they step into a Yörük kitchen or when they go on a treasure hunt in ancient Lycian ruins. You can see the sense of wonder in their eyes.” — Onur Uygun, National Geographic Traveler Turkey

Granada, Spain

Marvel at geometric beauty. Built as a palace-city by 13th-century Nasrid sultans—rulers of the longest-lasting and final Muslim dynasty on the Iberian Peninsula—the Alhambra (“red fort”) is considered the Moorish architectural jewel of Europe. The almond-shaped profile of this UNESCO World Heritage site rests on a hill above Granada, one of the most picturesque cities in Spain .

But it’s the mathematical wizardry on display here that is particularly fascinating for families. Intricate mosaics, arabesques (a repetitive, stylized pattern based on a floral or vegetal design), and muqarnas   (ornamental vaulting) make the Alhambra a masterpiece of geometric beauty—and a colorful classroom for age-appropriate exploration of math concepts, such as shapes, symmetry, proportion, and measurement.

Math flows through the Alhambra’s other main design feature, water, which gives life and meaning to the whole. Water provides the refreshing spirit of the gardens and the murmur of its fountains, but is also an element of the architecture itself.

At the Palace of the Lions , one of the Alhambra’s three original royal palaces, families will marvel at the central fountain. Its elaborate design features 12 stone lions supporting a large marble basin on their backs and—thanks to the technical wonder of complex hydraulics—spitting water from their mouths. Go with Nat Geo: Discover Moorish Spain from Córdoba’s cultures to Granada’s Alhambra to Seville’s wonders. —Manuel Mateo Pérez, NG Viajes Spain

Eastern Shore, Maryland

Be transported by history. The history of the Underground Railroad flows through the waterways, wetlands, swamps, and tidal marshes of Dorchester County on Maryland ’s Eastern Shore. This is where the secret network’s most famous “conductor,” Harriet Tubman , was born enslaved, grew up, and honed the skills—such as trapping, hunting, and using stars to navigate—she used to escape to freedom in Pennsylvania . She then returned 13 times to rescue more than 70 enslaved friends and family. Her heroic story is told at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center , one of the more than 30 stops along the 125-mile Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway .

To bring Tubman’s story to life for kids, Alex Green, co-owner of Harriet Tubman Tours , suggests a kayaking adventure in the byway’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge . As a child, Tubman trapped muskrats here and worked alongside her father, a timber inspector who taught her how to move around the marshlands.

“We talk to kids about how the confidence and lessons Harriet learned inside the terrible institution of slavery drove her to accomplish incredible things,” Green says. “Harriet never gave up and she never stopped learning. That’s a lesson they can take home.” Go with Nat Geo:   Embark on a wild Chesapeake Bay escape to see waterways, watermen, and wildlife.

Danube River  

Cruise storybook lands. Boating the Danube can seem like traveling through a realm of fairy tales, with its scrolling views of castles, medieval towns, and stately palaces that help to bring European history to life. The river twists through 10 European countries (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine), and most Danube cruise itineraries include stops in at least four of those, with special family sailings featuring kid-friendly onshore activities.

School lessons focusing on Middle Ages feudalism take on vivid dimensions when exploring Veste Oberhaus in Passau, Germany, one of the largest surviving castle complexes in Europe. Ages-old Hungarian equestrian traditions come alive on a southern Hungarian ranch, where fearless csikós , or mounted herdsmen, ride standing upright and balancing on the backs of two galloping horses.

When off the water, look to wheels. Board Vienna ’s iconic Giant Ferris Wheel, the Riesenrad , or take a bike ride among terraced vineyards in Lower Austria’s World Heritage-listed Wachau Cultural Landscape .   Go with Nat Geo:   Savor Christmas markets from Budapest to Nuremberg on this Danube cruise . — National Geographic Traveler Romania

Dive a longtime marine reserve. Dazzling sunlight, a turquoise sea, palm trees, white beaches, and a laid-back atmosphere: Bonaire checks all the boxes for an idyllic tropical destination. But compared to many other Caribbean islands, Bonaire (pop. 21,000) is quiet and still relatively wild and unspoiled. Off its coast lies one of the oldest marine reserves in the world.

The Bonaire National Marine Park was established in 1979 and has been on the provisional UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. The reserve encompasses 6,672 acres of coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove vegetation. Bonaire’s healthy reefs are a magnet for divers and snorkelers who can spot up to 57 species of coral and more than 350 different fish species.

Several dive schools on Bonaire participate in the Reef Renewal program , in which volunteers can grow and maintain corals in underwater nurseries, then plant them into the reef. Anyone who can dive can come and help after completing the PADI Reef Renewal Diver course.

( Read more about new efforts to save dying coral reefs . )

Accessibility is another bonus: You don’t need a liveaboard or other boat transport to start exploring. At 54 of Bonaire’s nearly 90 public dive sites, you walk from the beach or a pier straight into the water. —Barbera Bosma, National Geographic Traveler Netherlands

Written by the global editors of National Geographic Travel, with additional reporting and writing by Maryellen Kennedy Duckett, Karen Carmichael, and Shauna Farnell.

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted travel. When planning a trip, be sure to research your destination and take safety precautions before, during, and after your journey. Click here for National Geographic reporting on the pandemic.

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• CULTURAL TOURISM

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52 Places for a Changed World

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Susan Wright for The New York Times

Chioggia, Italy

Built on a cluster of islands in the Venetian lagoon, with centuries-old buildings rising from the canals in all their decadent glory, Chioggia is called “piccola Venezia,” or little Venice. Locals beg to disagree: If anything, they say, it’s nearby Venice that should be described as Chioggia’s larger doppelgänger, and it’s true, Chioggia is older. Venice is so worried about being overwhelmed once again after the pandemic that it is planning to resort to surveillance cameras and cellphone data to control the crowds; visiting other culturally rich places like Chioggia can help relieve the pressure. Today, Chioggia is popular with Italian and German visitors, drawn both by the architectural beauties in the historic center and the family-friendly beaches of its mainland suburb, Sottomarina. The city, which has preserved a rough maritime vibe, can serve as an ideal base for bicycle tours . It is also known for its radicchio. During a time of increased awareness of overtourism, this miniature Venice is a delightful alternative for travelers looking for a lesser-known destination.

— Anna Momigliano

Chimanimani National Park

Chimanimani National Park, Mozambique

Even at a time when many of the world’s countries were under extreme duress, the case of Mozambique was severe enough to catch the attention of the United Nations: In March, Secretary General António Guterres called upon the international community to help the African country as it faced the triple threat of climate change, Covid and conflict. It’s not the first time that Mozambique has faced such crisis — its civil war of more than 15 years resulted in a million lives lost and a huge loss for its wildlife, too. But the country showed its resilience. In 2008, the Gorongosa National Park launched a vast program to repopulate a reserve decimated by poaching, accompanied by grass-roots efforts like training local women as game wardens. In May, another spectacular national park was unveiled: Chimanimani, along the border with Zimbabwe. The park has priceless ancient rock paintings; secluded sacred mountains including the country’s highest peak, Mount Binga; and natural habitats for the plants, birds and wildlife like the southern-ground hornbill, miniature squeaker frog and Agama kirkii lizard.

— Ondine Cohane

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Queens, New York

Queens wants you to show up hungry. “There’s probably nowhere else in the world where you can sample the home cooking of more than 150 different countries within such a compact space,” says the restaurant critic Robert Sietsema, who covers the borough’s restaurants for Eater.com. And at a time when long-haul travel is still uncertain, a dim-sum lunch at Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao in Flushing is as quick and delicious a ticket to China as some nostril-clearing shrimp aguachile at the new Mariscos El Submarino in Jackson Heights is a trip to Mexico. “The Queens restaurant industry was slammed by Covid-19, but now it’s recovering because we’re a borough of family-centered communities where the restaurants take care of their own,” says Jonathan Forgash, a chef and borough resident who founded Queens Together , a nonprofit, in March 2020.

— Alexander Lobrano

Northumberland

Andy Haslam for The New York Times

Northumberland, England

Britain’s diverse coastline, from the cliffs of Dover to the boardwalks of Brighton, will soon have a unifying element: the 2,800-mile England Coast Path . Developed in part by the governmental organization Natural England, the path aims to increase public access to the coast while also restoring landscapes, improving community connection and promoting sustainable travel. Trail segments that have opened include a 44-mile stretch in the northeast, from the River Tyne to the Northumberland coast , which is the epitome of rugged England: misty dunes, rocky headlands, wild beaches. At night, look up. The Northumberland International Dark Sky Park has some of the lowest light pollution in the country and features one of the largest areas of protected night sky in Europe. Gaze at galaxies sprayed across the sky at Kielder Observatory , and then venture to the ancient past as Hadrian’s Wall is celebrating its 1,900th anniversary with a yearlong festival .

— AnneLise Sorensen

Zihuatanejo

Adrian Wilson for The New York Times

Zihuatanejo, Mexico

This laid-back beach town — neighbor of Ixtapa, the resort destination on the Pacific Coast — and communities around it have spawned grass-roots environmental projects that travelers can support. The conservation nonprofit Whales of Guerrero has helped train fishermen as whale-watching guides, and Campamento Tortuguero Ayotlcalli offers opportunities to join turtle nest patrols and release hatchlings. The guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela , Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero, are involved with local vegan initiatives; Mr. Sánchez runs his own plant-based restaurant, La Raíz de la Tierra . Check into Playa Viva , 30 miles south. The solar-powered regenerative resort has helped revive the adjoining village of Juluchuca by providing education and employment in conservation, tourism and agriculture. It recently joined a new regional project to protect the watershed of the Juluchuca River, which begins in the mountainous interior where guests can take A.T.V. excursions to explore the headwaters at an off-grid coffee and cacao plantation.

— Elaine Glusac

Tomas Munita

Iberá Park, Argentina

Twenty years ago, this reserve in Argentina’s northern Corrientes region wasn’t so much a park as it was tiny parcels of wilderness surrounded by cattle ranches. That’s when the Rewilding Argentina foundation and Tompkins Conservation, created by the North Face co-founder Douglas Tompkins and his wife, Kris, the former chief executive of Patagonia, stepped in and began buying land. Today, Iberá Park is one of the largest in Argentina, close to 2 million acres of protected grasslands, lagoons, islands and wetlands — and a sanctuary for huge populations of animals. Now the Rewilding Argentina foundation, funded by tourism and a consortium of philanthropists around the world has saved dozens of species from extinction here, notably jaguars, giant anteaters and giant river otters, and has become a refuge for marsh deer, maned wolves, rheas, grassland birds and the aptly named — and endangered — strange-tailed tyrants. Tourism and infrastructure are strictly managed, and staying in one of the park’s campgrounds directly supports the foundation, continuing the cycle of conservation.

— Danielle Pergament

Alentejo Wine Region

Marcus Westberg for The New York Times

Alentejo Wine Region, Portugal

Alentejo has most of the elements required for wine production: sun, soil, native grape varieties and a centuries-old winemaking legacy. What does it lack? Rain. Global warming has increasingly threatened this arid region known for warm and full-bodied reds, so in 2015, the area created the Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Program . By prioritizing water conservation, with measures like developing cover crops for water retention and creating ponds to collect rainwater, the program has helped wineries reduce their average water consumption by 20 percent; some that were using 14 liters of water to produce 1 liter of wine have decreased their needs to 6 liters of water. While upcoming projects include an online calculator for members to measure their carbon and water footprints, the program in 2020 created a certification process to further verify that wineries are following green initiatives. These wineries include Herdade de Coelheiros , a verdant estate with a walnut orchard, a cork forest and a herd of sheep — an organic solution for weed control.

The Lucayan Archipelago

The bahamas, turks and caicos.

Caine Delacy

The Lucayan Archipelago, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos

Consider — without fear — the shark. In the last 50 years, global populations have declined by more than 70 percent . Industrial-scale fishing hauls them in by accident. Some cultures have an appetite for them. And yet sharks, one researcher has said , are the “white blood cells” of the seas, cleaning sick, dying and dead animals from the waters. The good news is that efforts are underway to support sharks — even in the turquoise waters off some of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean. In 2011, the Bahamas established the Bahamas Shark Sanctuary , the first of its kind in the Atlantic Ocean. Now it’s calling itself the “ shark diving capital of the world .” During the pandemic, Turks and Caicos — which, along with the Bahamas, forms part of the Lucayan Archipelago, an important shark habitat — began its own shark preservation effort, with help from the Caribbean Shark Coalition . Researchers have been tagging sharks in the waters off the tiny islands, gathering data that will assist Turks and Caicos, which has already prohibited most shark fishing, to establish further protections.

— Nina Burleigh

Maria Mavropoulou for The New York Times

Evia, Greece

The Other Human food pantry was established more than 10 years ago, serving Athens, Thessaloniki and the island of Evia in the wake of Greece’s financial crisis. As the country recovers from last year’s wildfires and floods, The Other Human has expanded to help those who lost their livelihoods, and welcomes travelers to get involved. At weekly food drives held in Evia’s capital, Chalkida, meals are cooked and eaten together to establish a sense of community. Volunteers are invited to help cook, pack hampers with food and essentials, and contribute funds to rebuild schools and aid locals with essential bills. Lost in the fires were homes, businesses, olive groves and one third of Evia’s beloved pine forest, which generations had relied upon for resin and honey. Increasing tourism is vital for the economic recovery of this island a short trip from Athens. In addition to community projects, visitors will find a hilltop acropolis and other archaeological sites in Eretria, mineral-rich thermal springs in Edipsos and showstopper sunsets, with the Aegean Sea as a backdrop.

— Caterina Hrysomallis

Cobscook Shores

Chris Shane

Cobscook Shores, Maine

“Vacationland,” as Maine calls itself, thrives on the allure of its craggy coast and woodlands, and attracted more than 3 million visitors in the first nine months of 2021 to coastal Acadia National Park alone. Navigate 95 miles northeast near Lubec to find a new park that aims to ease overtourism: Cobscook Shores . Comprising 15 blocks of land spread primarily across three Down East peninsulas, Cobscook offers undeveloped beaches, coves and bluffs that can be reached by hiking trails and biking paths, as well as channels to be explored by paddlers. Just five backcountry campsites offer opportunities to stay overnight in the reserve, but there are more sites at nearby Cobscook Bay State Park , and the Inn on the Wharf in Lubec offers accommodations in a renovated sardine factory. The philanthropist Gilbert Butler, a conservationist who has invested in preserving natural areas from the Adirondacks to Patagonia, created the 780-acre Cobscook Shores, amplified by thousands of surrounding acres managed by state and federal entities and private conservation groups.

Christopher Miller

Hoonah, Alaska

Once dependent on fishing and logging, Hoonah , about 20 miles south of Glacier Bay on the Inside Passage, now relies on cruise tourism, not just for its livelihood but also for its cultural continuity. The community, which is half Huna Tlingit, is counting on a robust return to sustainable tourism in 2022, having recently introduced a second ship dock at its cruise port, Icy Strait Point , a half-mile from the original to prevent overcrowding. Additionally, the Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation, which runs tourism operations for the town on behalf of its 760 residents, built a gondola system to shuttle passengers in eight-person aerial cabins, which can handle 5,600 riders an hour, eliminating up to 100 exhaust-emitting buses. Bear- and whale-watching excursions underscore the community’s reverence for nature, and by next April, the gondola system will reach the top of Huna Mountain, with its hiking trails and views of Chichagof Island and the Tongass National Forest. Locals credit visitors’ interest in Native culture with the revival of the Indigenous language and local art.

Cleveland, Ohio

Dinner isn’t usually part of the prisoner re-entry system, but at EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood, the mission is larger than braised artichokes and Burgundy snails: The aim is to teach former prisoners a new trade. Founded by Brandon Chrostowski, a classically trained chef, EDWINS includes a fine-dining French restaurant, bakery, butcher and event space, all open to the public. The campus has a test kitchen, apartments and basketball courts, and EDWINS continues to buy and refurbish buildings in the underserved neighborhood (a culinary class is available on closed-circuit tablets in prisons throughout the country). The institute helps former inmates get a place to live rent-free (relocation fees are paid in part by the Cleveland Browns football team), a driver’s license, legal counseling and health care. “It’s not just about a wonderful restaurant, it’s not just about re-entry,” said Councilman Blaine Griffin of Cleveland. “This is social entrepreneurship at its best.”

Clara Tuma for The New York Times

Courmayeur, Italy

This charming town at the foot of Mont Blanc, in a historically French-speaking region of Italy, has long made an effort to strike a balance between tourism and conservation. Decades before overtourism became alarming, Courmayeur began limiting access in the summer to its two high valleys, Val Veny and Val Ferret, with a fixed number of private cars and a separate quota for those with reservations at one of the local inns, known for their polenta concia — creamy polenta with local fontina cheese. Some days, private cars are banned altogether , and in the winter both valleys become ski slopes. The cable car that carries visitors to Mont Blanc, a breathtaking experience, uses energy from renewable sources . But it takes more than a village to stop the global warming threatening Mont Blanc and its many glaciers. One of them, Planpincieux, has been declared in danger of collapse . Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, so visitors should follow warnings to avoid some routes — or the entire area — when risk is deemed too high.

Red River Delta

Justin Mott for The New York Times

Red River Delta, Vietnam

Once travel begins to normalize, tourists will undoubtedly flock to Vietnam’s world-famous beaches and dynamic megacities. But head north to the traditional villages of the Red River Delta, and you can immerse yourself in centuries-old cultural practices and a way of life that is at risk of disappearing. Since ancient times, villagers along the Cau River in northern Vietnam have sung Quan họ, a call-and-response folk music style performed by alternating all-female and all-male duets from neighboring villages that was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage practice in 2009 . In the decade since, 49 ancient villages in Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces have taken measures to safeguard the cultural heritage of Quan h ọ — which includes countless rituals celebrating culinary traditions — and to address rural-urban migration through cultural tourism. Hanoi-based tour operators like Vietnamstay and Khoa Viet Travel offer travelers a chance to explore the villages’ Buddhist temples, craft communes, Ly Dynasty pagodas and waterways while helping to preserve the past.

— Charly Wilder

South Africa

Joao Silva/The New York Times

South Africa,

After nearly two years of restricted travel and the recent detection of the Omicron coronavirus variant, South Africa’s many outstanding wildlife reserves and conservation projects are badly in need of support. Lockdowns caused a 96 percent drop in visits to South Africa’s national parks, jeopardizing the efforts of places like iSimangaliso Wetland Park , an 800,000-acre UNESCO World Heritage site on the country’s eastern coast. Home to elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos and whales, iSimangaliso also supports more than 12,000 jobs and an environmental education program involving 150 schools. Visitors can keep it classic and track the “Big Five” — elephants, rhinos, buffalo, lions and leopards — on safari at some of the country’s approximately 500 private game reserves, like Kariega and Manyeleti . Or they can go a step further and volunteer to monitor biodiversity with the Endangered Wildlife Trust at Medike Nature Reserve in the Soutpansberg Mountains, or help save the dazzling aquatic life and octopus teachers that inhabit the Great African Seaforest , the planet’s only forest of giant bamboo kelp.

Uttarakhand

Poras Chaudhary for The New York Times

Uttarakhand, India

In northern India , along the Tibetan border, the Himalayas soar to 25,000 feet and paths wander by misty waterfalls, ancient temples and through rhododendron forests. But those paths can be deadly, especially to local men who drink too much and tumble to their deaths. In 2009, Poonam Rawat-Hahne, a social justice activist with ties to the region, learned of the tragedy of those left behind. Ms. Rawat-Hahne was inspired to start a nonprofit called the Bachan Charitable Trust , which has a sustainable-travel arm called Fernweh Fair Travel that’s based on a simple idea: Train widows and survivors of domestic violence to offer homestays, cook for visitors and be guides. Fernweh brings a maximum of eight groups of no more than 10 people a year to villages like Gopeshwar , Mandal and Chopta, where travelers can do yoga, take cooking lessons and hike among the wild orchids of the nearby Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary . Visitors stay in cabins, village homes and, soon, a new eco-retreat in Koteshwar . Funds support environmental and educational programs in at least nine villages; a group buying just one meal from a widow will support her for months. “This is not mass tourism,” Ms. Rawat-Hahne says. “This is empowerment.”

— Tim Neville

Fogo Island

Newfoundland, canada.

Alex Fradkin

Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada

In 1992, Newfoundland’s moratorium on cod fishing decimated fishing villages along the region’s Atlantic coast, including Fogo Island, a granite outpost of stilt-supported fishing shacks and saltbox cottages. But the arrival of the angular and arresting Fogo Island Inn in 2013 changed the island’s fortunes, as intended by its founder, the Fogo native Zita Cobb. Nine years later, the population has stabilized and more than 70 new businesses have opened, along with a dozen food producers. Now there are lodging alternatives to the inn (where rates start at over 2,500 Canadian dollars, or about $2,000, a night), including vacation homes with names like Aunt Glady’s from The Old Salt Box Co. , and cottages from Escape by the Sea . In summer, after summiting bald Brimstone Head, one of the island’s highest points, or watching birds or icebergs, fuel up at Scoff , run by former cooks at the inn, or Bangbelly Café . The strong arts-and-crafts scene, including galleries such as Fogo Clay Studio , attests to the power of tourism to sustain a community.

The Great Highway

San francisco.

Beth Coller for The New York Times

The Great Highway, San Francisco

Most pandemic-related shutdowns were disruptive reactions to a disease-dominated world, but many people across the U.S. welcomed one exception: prohibiting car traffic on city streets. In San Francisco, the street shutdowns included a two-mile stretch on the city’s far western edge known as the Great Highway. The throughway became a destination, a beach-front promenade flanking the raw expanse of Ocean Beach, and a community center — friends met up for walks, local children learned to ride bikes, and everything “popped up,” from street art to protests and trick-or-treating . But opponents took issue, with claims of increased traffic, limited access for older people and the disabled, and general inconvenience. In an uneasy compromise, city officials reopened the highway to traffic Monday to Friday. Still, on weekends, the Great Highway has become a unique destination — in a city full of them — to take in San Francisco’s wild Pacific Ocean coastline by foot, bike, skates or scooter, sample food trucks and explore local cafes , restaurants , record stores , bookstores and more. It’s also a telling microcosm of the ways in which our cities, and our values, shifted during the pandemic.

— Lauren Sloss

Shutterstock

Kyoto, Japan

Tucked between pachinko parlors and convenience stores, Kyoto’s machiya — traditional wooden townhouses, long and narrow, and often hiding courtyard gardens just beyond their latticed fronts — have been vanishing since World War II. The city has worked hard to preserve the structures: A machiya development fund was created in 2005, and the buildings were twice put on a watch list by the World Monuments Fund . To encourage their conservation, the buildings are also taxed at a lower rate than modern high-rises. But those efforts may now fall short. Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Kyoto is in cost-cutting — and revenue-raising — overdrive. After tourism dropped by 88 percent in 2020, some traditional neighborhoods may be threatened by commercial development. Tourism can help. Some investors have converted machiya into guesthouses, boutiques and high-end restaurants. When visitors, and their dollars, come to these properties, they send a message: The history of machiya matters to Kyoto.

— Debra Kamin

El Yunque National Forest

Puerto rico.

El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rainforest within the U.S. Forest Service’s holdings. The forest, whose name is a Spanish derivation of an Indigenous Taino word, offers one of the most diverse ecosystems in the network, with wildlife including the famed Coqui frog, the island’s unofficial symbol. Hit by the back-to-back hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, El Yunque is still recovering from the impact, and funding for everything from infrastructure to conservation has been slow to arrive. But local organizations like the nonprofit Love in Motion haven’t been waiting. Its initiatives include rebuilding the Picachos and Angelito trails (you can also swim in the natural pool along the latter); the sister organization Local Guest arranges low-impact itineraries like bird watching and hiking while community building. Stay in a locally owned property like Dos Aguas , which has been in the same family since the 1950s (currently available only as a full house rental because of Covid) or the Rainforest Inn , with a botanical garden and solar-powered electricity.

Sierra Leone

Renato Granieri

Sierra Leone,

In the 1980s, the sandy, palm-fringed beaches of this West African country used to attract high-flying tourists from Europe and beyond. But visitors disappeared when civil war broke out in the 1990s, and today — after nearly 20 years of peace and nearly six years after an Ebola outbreak ended — most have yet to return. But this small nation has an enormous amount to offer adventurous visitors, and authorities hope that tourism will be a more sustainable resource than diamonds or gold. Visitors who make the trip can spend the night in a jungly eco-lodge at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary (your stay supports the sanctuary’s work); enjoy a cold beer and fresh lobster on the beaches of the Western Peninsula; learn about a painful chapter in history on a tour of the ruined slave fort on Bunce Island ; and make the three- or four-day expedition to the top of 6,381-foot Mount Bintumani , the country’s highest peak.

— Paige McClanahan

Andreas Meichsner for The New York Times

Slovenia wants to cook for you, because the June 2020 launch of the first Michelin guide devoted to its restaurants was a source of national pride. It validated the way this central European country of just over 2 million people has been putting environmentally responsible travel and its good food and wines at the heart of its identity as a desirable destination for travelers since it became independent 30 years ago. “From the very beginning, we knew our food was special and would become a major reason to visit our country,” says Ana Ros, the chef at Hiso Franko , Slovenia’s most famous restaurant and the only one with two Michelin stars. Slovenian cooking is a delicious reflection of the country’s location at a culinary crossroads between Mediterranean, Germanic and Slavic countries, but the real reason its food is so good is that it’s made with produce from the country’s small farms. Some of them, like Govc , are part of a farm-stay network the Slovenian government launched in 1992.

Emilio Parra Doiztua for The New York Times

El Hierro, Spain

A few hundred miles off the coast of Morocco, flung out in the middle of the Atlantic, is El Hierro, the most remote — and, some say, the most charming — of the Canary Islands. It’s also a pint-size leader in renewable energy. In 2014, El Hierro opened Gorona del Viento, a power plant that uses a system of reservoirs and wind to supply the island’s electricity (wind provides power while pumping water into reservoirs; hydraulic turbines take over when the wind dies down; diesel supplies a fallback when both those sources are lacking). Recently, Gorona del Viento was able to supply the island’s 11,000 inhabitants with 100 percent renewable energy for 25 consecutive days. As the infrastructure of El Hierro plants one foot in the future, the island’s cultural identity keeps the other rooted in the past. El Hierro’s historic language, Silbo Herreño, is one of the last whistling languages in the world. When the island’s elders noticed that the Herreño whistle was dying out, the cultural association on El Hierro began offering free classes after school, at weekend markets and to the island’s shepherds (who traditionally communicate by whistling).

Summerland Peninsula

Asanka Brendon Ratnayake for The New York Times

Summerland Peninsula, Australia

Every evening on Phillip Island, a throng of tiny penguins emerges from the surf, waddling up toward nests that dot Summerland Beach. The penguin parade, as it’s known, is a sight that has garnered attention since the 1920s, when visitors began flocking to this island in southeastern Australia for a chance to see the world’s smallest penguin breed (adults average just 13 inches tall) up close as they head home after a day of fishing. For a time, the crowds that gathered for the nightly ritual caused problems for the penguin colony, as did the cars, pets and construction that accompanied a nearby neighborhood, Summerland Estates. Today, however, this piece of land is a remarkable ecological success story. In 1985, the state government implemented a plan to buy every piece of property on the peninsula and return the land to its natural state — and to its original inhabitants, the tiny penguins. The process was completed in 2010, and the penguin population now sits at around 35,000 breeding-aged birds, up from 12,000 in the 1980s. In 2019, a new $58 million visitor center opened to the public; it includes educational elements and a restaurant where you can sit and watch what is now the largest colony of the world’s smallest penguin.

— Besha Rodell

Dana Biosphere Reserve

Daniel Rodrigues

Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan

Perched on a cliff overlooking the central valley of Jordan’s largest nature reserve stand the quaint Ottoman-era stone houses of Dana Village. Once abandoned by the Ata-ta tribe, the settlement is being brought back to life through an ecotourism project that aims to preserve the area’s biodiversity by empowering local communities. Many of the 15th-century houses have been converted into eco-lodges with terraced gardens and orchards, creating an oasis above the desert plains below. Along the village’s cobbled streets, local women sell handcrafted jewelry and homemade jams produced from fruits grown in their orchards. Dana Village marks the start of the nine-mile Wadi Dana hiking trail that spans the reserve and its flora and fauna. The reserve is home to 833 plant species and several endangered bird species, as well as archaeological ruins from the Byzantine, Nabatean and Roman periods, including the ancient copper mines in Wadi Faynan.

— Ceylan Yeginsu

The Netherlands

Gouda, The Netherlands

In 2019, the Dutch tourism board made the surprising announcement it would stop promoting travel to the Netherlands. Because of overtourism, it would also shift to encouraging visitors to consider the country beyond Amsterdam and to travel more sustainably. A charming example of a Dutch destination that ticks these boxes is Gouda, a small historic city in the south. Internationally renowned for its namesake cheese, which has been produced there since 1184 and is one of the world’s 10 most popular cheeses, Gouda is an ideal base for a car-free visit to the Netherlands. An extensive system of well-marked bicycle routes (with charging stations for e-bikes) makes it easy to explore the city and surrounding region. The new 25-room Weeshuis Gouda hotel occupies a beautifully renovated 16th-century orphanage. Visit the new Gouda Cheese Experience , which opened in June 2020 in a butter-yellow former 19th-century military barracks, for a tasting of artisanal aged cheeses.

Thy, Denmark

If Denmark has a final frontier, it’s Thy. Silent dunes, tangled forests and near-mythic gales make this region in northwest Jutland about as far away from Copenhagen as you can get. Thy is an epicenter for wind energy — around 50 percent of Denmark’s electricity in 2020 was powered by wind and solar — and those interested in learning more about wind turbines and renewable initiatives can visit the Østerild test facility’s visitor center . The wind also shaped Thy’s coastline, where the wryly named Cold Hawaii surf community rides the curving shore’s distinctive swells. Not to be missed is the sprawling Thy National Park , rippling with dunes, meadows, marshes and lakes, big and small, and its new visitor center in Nørre Vorupør, uniquely designed to gently fold into the sandy landscape. The Thy wilderness is also folded into food and drink: Enjoy beer spiced with bog myrtle from Thisted Bryghus , fresh catch from the fish auction at Medvind and the “National Park platter” at Stenbjerg Kro .

The Red Sea Mountain Trail

Sima Diab for The New York Times

The Red Sea Mountain Trail, Egypt

For centuries, pastoral nomads in Egypt’s Eastern Desert traversed this arid region by a network of pathways over granite ranges, across barren valleys and through colorful canyons. Now the Ma’aza tribe has revived the ancient footpaths to create the long-distance Red Sea Mountain Trail . The 100-mile trail opened a few months before the pandemic shut the world down, and now its founders are hoping to organize the first through hike later this year. Meanwhile, the Ma’aza tribe offers day hikes through separate sections of this astonishing wilderness, hemmed between the Nile River and the Red Sea. All hikes are led by Bedouins. On the trek to Jebel Abul Hassan, hikers find themselves in a magical narrowing gorge flanked by pink and black granite walls. The hike up the sheer slopes of Wadi El Gattar reveals stone hermit cells built by early Christians fleeing the Romans, and primitive rock art from long before then. It’s the ultimate sustainable tourism project: the water drawn from wells, the flat bread baked in campfires, and the Bedouin legends, traditions and knowledge of the terrain preserved for future generations.

— Patrick Scott

Little Calumet River

Rudy Schultz/Openlands

Little Calumet River, Chicago

In the Calumet region of Southeast Chicago, interest in the area’s nearly two centuries of African American heritage is flourishing alongside a new marine trail. Established by the urban conservation organization Openlands and community partners, the seven-mile African American Heritage Water Trail aims to tell the story of the Little Calumet River and those connected to it throughout history, like freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad who found shelter at Ton Farm, owned by Dutch immigrants. Paddle by canoe or kayak to the trail’s other key sites, including Chicago’s Finest Marina, one of the oldest Black-owned marinas in the area, and the Major Taylor Trail Bridge, named after the African American cyclist legend. And history isn’t the only draw for visitors: Thanks to initiatives by Audubon Great Lakes and other conservation groups, more marsh bird species are returning to this restored wetland area.

The Inner Hebrides

The Inner Hebrides, Scotland

These islands along Scotland’s west coast are known for their wild, secluded beauty: fields of wildflowers, solitary beaches, ever-swirling seas. They’re also known for producing some of the world’s best single-malt whisky. Now, several new energy initiatives are helping to make the region — and its distilleries, which are largely reliant on fossil fuels — more eco-friendly. This year, the Bruichladdich Distillery, founded in 1881, is starting a pilot project on the island of Islay to begin using hydrogen fuel, in addition to fuel oil, to power its stills. According to the company, the zero-emission boiler, which will generate some of the steam required for distillation, will be the first of its kind in Britain. Plans are also underway to build new underwater wind turbines in the waters around Islay and Jura, a neighboring island, beginning in 2023. Those, too, could one day contribute to powering the islands and their distilleries, bringing an age-old industry — and the many tourists it draws — into a more sustainable future.

— Jenny Gross

Gil Giuglio

Normandy, France

Claude Monet’s paintings of Normandy’s moody Atlantic coast could now have another element: a bicycle path, winding in the distance. New bike routes in the region include the 932-mile Vélomaritime , which starts south in Brittany, travels along the shore of the English Channel and ends at the Belgian border. Along the way, Mont-Saint-Michel rises out of the water and World War II’s D-Day landing beaches beckon. The Vélomaritime is one of the newer trails making up the EuroVelo , a bike network that aims to unite the European continent. The new 260-mile La Seine à Vélo , with a focus on promoting environmentally friendly bicycle tourism and connecting with local communities, embarks from Notre-Dame in Paris and follows the Seine to the Normandy coast, through sun-dappled countryside. La Seine à Vélo’s final stretch swoops through the area of Pays d’Auge, the cradle of Camembert, Calvados and cider.

Benjamin Rasmussen for The New York Times

Estes Park, Colorado

Climate change has diminished snow and made for spottier ski seasons in many destinations. Skiers aiming to shrink their carbon footprint can turn to a ski town with no ski lifts: Estes Park , the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park , about 65 miles north of Denver. The town’s original ski area, Hidden Valley , opened in 1955 in the park but closed in 1991 because it couldn’t compete with larger areas’ snow-making capabilities. Now, with runs still cut into the mountain, it attracts backcountry skiers who champion its powder with a “no pain, no altitude gain” attitude. Those new to backcountry skiing can learn how to uphill and descend safely with a course from the local Kent Mountain Adventure Center . Rewilding Expeditions offers more unmechanized recreation, including camping and snowshoe tours, and private tours led by Yellow Wood Guiding focus on wildlife and photography. Toast your adventures aprés-ski with an Altruism amber from Estes’ Rock Cut Brewing Company , which donates $1 of every Altruism beer sold to local organizations and nonprofits.

Kunta Kinteh Island

Shutterstock/Damian Pankowiec

Kunta Kinteh Island, Gambia

Kunta Kinteh Island, a speck of land near the mouth of the Gambia River, was a key site in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Formerly called James Island and used for hundreds of years as a staging ground for the transport of enslaved people, the island, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site , was renamed in recent years after a character in Alex Haley’s best-selling book “Roots.” Now, because of heavy erosion and rising seas, the island is at risk of being lost altogether. Its ruins — including the cramped quarters where men and women were confined before being sent across the Atlantic — have been partly protected, but only a fraction of the island’s land mass remains, the rest having been reclaimed by the surrounding water. Local tour guides can be hired to explain the island’s history , and a small cruise company runs annual river trips into Gambia , giving guests the opportunity to donate to a school and film festival the company founded deeper inland.

Naples, Italy

See Naples and die, they say, meaning that this Mediterranean beauty should be on everyone’s bucket list. But sadly, Naples faces a precarious future. Without intervention, this densely populated city is expected to experience 55 days of extreme heat per year by 2049 and 93 days by 2081, according to a recent report . The good news is that some locals are rolling up their sleeves. A group of residents in the working-class neighborhood of San Giovanni a Teduccio has set up a “ fair energy” community to provide free, clean electricity to families living below the poverty line, with a system of 166 solar panels. Local authorities encourage tourists to visit the city by foot , taking tours across Naples’s fabled stairways . The Pedamentina , a scenic route tracing it roots to the 14th century and consisting of paved descents and more than 400 steps, cannot be missed.

Höga Kusten

Tommie Svanström Ohlson & ARKNAT

Höga Kusten, Sweden

Swedes have long sought solitude in the untamed northern region known as Höga Kusten, or the High Coast, for its dramatic cliffs and pristine archipelago. With more than 100 nature preserves, a national park and hundreds of miles of trails, this wilderness refuge is a draw for hikers, cross-country skiers and mountaineers seeking less-trodden paths, stunning vistas and uncrowded campsites. A dedication to sustainable tourism, including a pledge to make the area carbon-neutral by 2030, promises to protect the future of the coast, its beautiful lakes and its old-growth forests. Last summer, new electric buses began ferrying hikers from nearby towns to the park’s entrance. To inspire hikers to appreciate the surrounding nature, the ArkNat architecture project has built several sculptural huts along the trails.

— Ingrid K. Williams

Gabriela Herman

Humboldt, Kansas

In 2016, a group of Kansas locals who had left decades ago began asking themselves, “What would it take to move back home?” The answer lay in tiny Humboldt, two hours southwest of Kansas City with a population of fewer than 2,000 people. With the support of the local community, the group established an organization, A Bolder Humboldt, to revitalize rural living, with the town becoming an unexpected and affordable oasis of cool surrounded by fields of wheat and soybeans. A Bolder Humboldt has already opened shops, community gardens and co-working spaces, with a boutique hotel, a honky-tonk bar and a bookstore all in the works. Outdoor movies are screened on the town square, and the whole town participates in an annual water fight. Base Camp is a collection of lakeside rental cabins at the edge of town, and cyclists can ride a 60-mile trail to nearby Lawrence and the University of Kansas. Humboldt is betting these elevated experiences will draw both locals and tourists to the glories of the Great Plains.

— Gabriela Herman

Kieran Dodds for The New York Times

With its average temperatures rising faster than anywhere else on the planet , Greenland is establishing a holistic, sustainable approach to tourism that aims to be in harmony with its people, natural wilderness and 4,500-year-old Inuit culture. The world’s largest island, a Danish territory, is now directing various grants to locals, including the Inuit dog-sled tour company Greenland Dog Adventure , and offering free training and tourism degrees at Campus Kujalleq in Southern Greenland. Also in Southern Greenland: Greenland Trees . For more than a decade, this nonprofit — in a region sheltered from the island’s traditional stormy weather — has planted thousands of trees to offset carbon emissions , and future plans include building a greenhouse to cultivate seedlings and restoring land at a former military base. Volunteers are welcomed to help plant trees and enjoy Greenland off the beaten path. Here visitors can see Norse ruins — the area is a UNESCO World Heritage site , for Norse and Indigenous culture — and experience the aurora borealis, with few others blocking the view.

— Daniel Scheffler

Mallory Solomon

Marrakesh, Morocco

While women in Morocco have been granted some additional rights in the past two decades, the country recently ranked 144th (out of 156 countries) in a World Economic Forum study of gender parity. Fortunately, entrepreneurs are creating foundations, cooperatives, shops and restaurants to employ, educate and empower Moroccan women. Since many are in Marrakesh, a trip to this “Jewel of the South” offers an opportunity for visitors to help. The Al Kawtar boutique, stocked with clothing, bags and other textiles sewn by disabled women, also operates a home where the women live and receive care. For carpets, consider visiting the atelier of Salam Hello , which is devoted to paying weavers — mostly rural women — a fair wage and using profits to assist them. Come lunch or dinner, a traditional Moroccan meal — tagine, couscous, fruit salad — at an Amal restaurant provides direct assistance to disadvantaged women and helps finance a nonprofit association that trains women in culinary skills. Finally, when it’s time to sleep, consider Peacock Pavilions . The luxury resort, located in an olive grove outside of Marrakesh, is owned by the creators of Project Soar , which provides education and leadership training to teen girls.

— Seth Sherwood

New Zealand

Northland NZ

Northland, New Zealand

According to Māori legend, the North Island of New Zealand was an enormous fish, caught by the demigod Māui , and now the forested region of Northland is known as “the tail of the fish.” Endless cultural lessons await travelers here. At the newly redeveloped Ngawha Springs , where the people of Ngapuhi came to replenish their wairua, or spirit, visitors can soak in dozens of mineral-rich geothermal pools to alleviate pain and repair common ailments. Also reopening is the cultural and educational center Te Ahurea, which includes an interactive pā or settlement site highlighting the history and traditions of the Hongi, Rewa and Tāreha Māori Indigeneous peoples. For day tours, the Māori-owned and -operated Tu Tika Tours organizes private adventures that reveal local customs through storytelling, welcome ceremonies, singing, weaving and cuisine. And to rest your head, the secluded eco-retreat Tahi offers luxury while boasting of giving 100 percent of its profits back to local conservation, culture and community.

Vancouver Island

British columbia, canada.

Serena Renner

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Long a destination for adventurers eager to surf Tofino or watch for orcas or humpback whales , Vancouver Island has recently been the center of a controversy around one of British Columbia’s few remaining patches of old-growth rainforest. These complex ecosystems, which remove and store significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, are in increasingly short supply — an argument demonstrators are using against loggers as they try to protect Douglas firs and yellow cedars in the island’s Fairy Creek forest on Pacheedaht First Nation territory. While the fight rages on and Fairy Creek remains inaccessible, the wonderland of Cascadian rainforest can be explored at MacMillan Provincial Park , Pacific Rim National Park Reserve or the UNESCO-protected Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve . Experiencing old-growth forests while we still can is an affecting way to better understand what’s at stake, and what we stand to lose.

Elijio Panti National Park

Robert Rausch for The New York Times

Elijio Panti National Park, Belize

Since gaining its independence in 1981, Belize has long prioritized the conservation of its lands and waters. At a park near the country’s western border with Guatemala, those conservation efforts extend to cultural and floral realms, too. Elijio Panti National Park, a lush, 13,006-acre oasis, is one of only a handful of parks in Belize that’s comanaged by a Maya community. The park takes its name from Don Elijio Panti, a renowned Maya healer who worked from a small hut a couple of miles from the park’s entrance. A series of medicine trails display the names and uses of the nearly 100 native plants — like balsam and gumbo-limbo — that Mr. Panti foraged here. “The day we forget how to use our medicinal plants is the day we go extinct,” said Maria Garcia, Mr. Panti’s niece, who inherited her uncle’s interest in herbal medicine and serves as one of the park’s stewards. Nearby hotels have begun highlighting the park as an attraction; at GAIA Riverlodge , guests can sign up for a five-hour guided tour led by a local shaman.

— Alex Schechter

Sarasota, Florida

Architecture Sarasota is a new organization founded to protect and promote the most spectacular concentration of modernist buildings east of the Mississippi. In a booming city on Florida’s Gulf Coast, where there’s a constant tug of war between developers and preservationists, raising the profile of these modernist buildings is intended to give them greater value in the eyes of locals and attract design tourists, says Anne-Marie Russell, the organization’s executive director. The buildings were the work of architects in what was known as the Sarasota School of Architecture, which emerged during the 1940s and ran through the mid-1960s. Among the best-known architects were Paul Rudolph and his partner Ralph Twitchell, Philip Hiss, Gene Leedy, Carl Abbott, Victor Lundy and Jack West. “Our hope is the Sarasota School’s innovative sensitivity to climate and environmental concerns will spur innovative and sustainable design here today,” Ms. Russell said. Architecture Sarasota organizes guided visits to and private stays at some of the best modernist houses and runs an annual MOD Weekend of tours, exhibits and similar events.

Vanuatu Tourism Office/David Kirkland

Visitors to Vanuatu’s alluring swimming holes insist that each one is a slightly different shade of blue — some are an intense turquoise, others are sapphire. After diving into these natural freshwater pools, surrounded by lush foliage, travelers will find remarkable water clarity, even 60 feet down. The pools have been off-limits to visitors from abroad since March 2020 , when this collection of around 80 islands, scattered across an 800-mile arc of the South Pacific, shut its borders to protect itself from the coronavirus. The plan is to reopen when more residents are vaccinated.The archipelago, which some liken to Bali or Fiji 40 years ago, because it has yet to reckon with overdevelopment, is also confronting a crisis beyond the pandemic. Along with consistently ranking among the happiest nations out there, Vanuatu is the most disaster-prone country in the world , and climate change is contributing to those disasters, which include cyclones and sea level rise . This tiny country of around 300,000 people is now leading the fight to get the International Court of Justice to issue a legal opinion on countries’ obligations to each other to take action to slow climate change. Addressing this currently unresolved area of international law could influence policies not only in Vanuatu, but everywhere we travel.

— Heather Murphy

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County, California

In 2020, wildfires across California threatened some of the world’s oldest forests, including at Big Basin Redwoods and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Thankfully, most of the parks’ mighty redwoods survived the flames, and now hope — in the form of expanded green initiatives — is dawning across Santa Cruz County. While Henry Cowell is open, as is a small section of Big Basin, with more ambitious rebuilding planned, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is developing new hiking trails, including in the 8,500-acre San Vicente Redwoods. On the North Coast, the Cotoni-Coast Dairies , a recent addition to the California Coastal National Monument , is slated to open within the next year, with nearly 6,000 acres of coastal terraces, redwood forests and sweeping views of the Pacific. The area’s designation as a national monument will help protect its rich ecology and cultural history, including ancestral sites of the Indigenous Cotoni people.

Serra da Capivara National Park

Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil

Sure, it’s the dramatic mesas and canyons of northeastern Brazil’s caatinga, or cactusy shrub lands, that first catch the eye. But what distinguishes this national park from countless other breathtaking Brazilian landscapes are the archaeological and artistic remains of ancient humans who many researchers believe arrived more than 20,000 years ago. The now 88-year-old French-Brazilian archaeologist Niède Guidon first documented the exuberant red ocher cave drawings depicting hunters, prey, revelers and play in the 1960s. Her team unearthed archaeological finds that called into question previous theories on how humans reached the Americas; the area became a national park in 1979, added the Museum of American Man in 1986 and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991. The Museum of Nature, opened in 2018, brought a record 30,000 visitors to the park the next year. The pandemic slowed momentum but not progress: New archaeological sites were prepared for visitation, new visitor bathrooms were installed, and most notably, an impressive 200-foot enclosed ladder up a steep cliff face opened in October, allowing safer and far faster visitor access to a popular panoramic viewpoint.

— Seth Kugel

Saguaro National Park

John Burcham for The New York Times

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Saguaro National Park, whose two parcels sit on either side of Tucson, is home to almost 2 million of the tall, multi-limbed cactuses for which it is named. For decades it has delighted visitors with hiking trails, archaeological sites and epic vistas. But climate change is now threatening the very cactuses that have made the park an iconic destination. Rising temperatures, along with more frequent — and hotter — wildfires, are curbing the growth of new saguaro. A National Park Service report found that out of 10,000 cactuses, only 70 were less than 11 to 15 years old, a disturbing trend that puts the future of the cactus population in the park at risk. To help mitigate the effects of wildfires, the park launched an eradication program targeting buffelgrass , an invasive species that is drought-resistant and provides an outsize amount of wildfire fuel. The park has also organized monthly buffelgrass pulls, where teams of volunteers spend four hours digging up and disposing of the invasive species. Put on hold during the pandemic, the group pulls are slated to begin again early this year . Officials are also planning to begin a program where visitors can “adopt” specific areas of the park and pick buffelgrass on their own time.

— Daniel Tepper

Islas Cíes, Spain

Even before the pandemic, the Islas Cíes off Spain’s Galician coast had long limited the number of daily visitors — 1,800, in high season — to protect its environment and guard against overtourism. This verdant archipelago, part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park , is a vision of protected biodiversity: flourishing nature preserves, teeming marine life and robust colonies of seabirds. The strict conservation efforts include restrictions against cars, hotels and noise, and ensure that only in designated areas can visitors explore long, curving beaches, snorkel through clear waters and hike trails that wind toward picturesque lighthouses. The delight continues at night: Ink-black starry skies have earned a Starlight designation for limited light pollution. Island ferries depart from Galicia’s Rías Baixas region, with highlights that include misty albariño vineyards, Pontevedra’s old town, and Vigo and its Calle de las Ostras, where you can slurp up fresh oysters at outdoor wooden tables.

Joann Pai for The New York Times

Monaco’s gilded reputation shimmers worldwide, but these days the principality’s glow is unequivocally green. The sovereign city-state on the French Riviera has an ambitious plan to cut its carbon emissions by 55 percent before 2030 and turn carbon-neutral by 2050. Its sustainability efforts are driven by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, a global charity prioritizing environmental action that was established in 2006. Sixteen years later, evidence of the principality’s initiatives is visible (and enjoyable) in the 0.76-square-mile enclave. It has a robust network of electric cars, bikes and hybrid buses, and a solar-powered water taxi that transports people with ease. Strollable public parks and gardens make up 20 percent of Monaco (where escalators help with the climbs), while snorkeling is the activity du jour off Larvotto Beach , where sea life thrives amid 3-D printed reefs, submerged roughly 60 feet below the water’s surface to restore habitats damaged by human activity. The locally based company Terrae takes urban gardening and farming to new heights, populating rooftops and balconies, and supplying residents and restaurants, including Michelin-starred Blue Bay . Meanwhile, the Distillery of Monaco produces bitter orange liqueur and gin, flavored with citrus from trees in Monaco and nearby villages.

— Kimberley Lovato

Bronzeville

Kevin Miyazaki for The New York Times

Bronzeville, Milwaukee

At times overshadowed by its namesake neighborhood in Chicago, Milwaukee’s Bronzeville district is again distinguishing itself as a center of African American culture. From 1910 to the 1950s, the area buzzed with Black-owned businesses, but it was decimated by “urban renewal” projects that razed thriving Black neighborhoods across America. Today’s Bronzeville is supported by about $400 million of redevelopment funds from organizations like the Historic King Drive BID , P3 Development Group and Maures Development Group (all led by people of color). Symbolic of this reinvigoration is the reopening this year of America’s Black Holocaust Museum . Founded in 1988 by Dr. James Cameron, the only known survivor of a lynching, the museum attracted visitors from around the world before closing in 2008 when it lost funding during the recession. On Feb. 25, the museum will reopen in a 10,000-square-foot space that takes visitors on a journey through more than 4,500 years of African and African American history. Nearby, businesses like Gee’s Clippers (a barbershop housed in a 1930s bank) and the Bronzeville Collective (a retail space featuring local Black brands) elevate African American artistry, while the newly opened Maranta Plant Shop , Sam’s Place Jazz Cafe and soon-to-open Niche Book Bar prove that Bronzeville is back.

— Shayla Martin

Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve

Corey Myers/NWTT

Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve, Canada

Designated in 2019 and located in the Northwest Territories, Canada’s newest national park, Thaidene Nëné, means “Land of the Ancestors” in the Denesuline language. The park is a mix of boreal forest and tundra along the eastern shoreline of Great Slave Lake. It also sets a new precedent in including Indigenous peoples in park management and oversight. The first Canadian national parks, created in the 19th century, excluded Indigenous peoples from their traditional lands. Although this policy changed, overall control remained in the hands of Parks Canada. At Thaidene Nëné, Indigenous communities, including the nearby Dene settlement of Lutsel K’e, have helped create and manage the park from the beginning. Economic opportunities derived from the park, like guiding and cultural heritage tours, flow back to these communities. Ni Hat’ni Dene is a network of Lutsel K’e residents employed to protect, monitor and provide interpretive tours of the park. Visitors can hike along the trails of Dene ancestors, paddle through the many coves and waterfalls of the eastern arm of Great Slave Lake, fish for lake trout and Arctic grayling during the summer’s nearly 24-hour light, and camp at the transition point between the subarctic and Arctic environments.

— Peter Kujawinski

Cerro Castillo National Park

Cerro Castillo National Park, Chile

Located along the Route of Parks of Patagonia, a network of 17 national reserves that make up about a third of Chile, Cerro Castillo was designated as a national park in 2018 and is at the center of an effort to protect the country’s national animal, the huemul or South Andean deer, from extinction. The huemul population has dwindled to 1,500, about 1 percent of its historic size. Rewilding Chile , a conservation organization started by the co-founder of the North Face, Douglas Tompkins, working with the Chilean government, is leading an initiative to save them. The National Huemul Corridor would give the huemules more room to roam between the parks, and Rewilding Chile is gathering funds to build a huemul rehabilitation center in Cerro Castillo to treat animals infected with Linfoadenitis caseosa, a disease transmitted by cattle. Visitors to Cerro Castillo may spot the animals while enjoying a short walk on one of the trails through the Lenga and Ñirre forests, or can opt for a circuit through the park that takes four to five days. The park’s crown jewel is a mountain peak that resembles a castle, from which it takes its name.

— Concepción de León

Daintree Rainforest

Daintree Rainforest, Australia

The 180-million-year-old Daintree Rainforest in northern Queensland is one of the world’s most complex ecosystems. Part of a UNESCO World Heritage site , the area is home to sparkling rivers, copious wildlife and lush tropical flora, all of which tumble down to white sand beaches that abut the Great Barrier Reef. The region has always been popular with tourists. But in 2021 it became an even more compelling destination, after nearly 400,000 acres of land, including Daintree, were handed back to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji , an Aboriginal people who are believed to have lived in the area for more than 50,000 years. The hope is that the transfer of ownership will encourage visitors to learn more about the culture and ecological stewardship of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji, as well as provide career opportunities for members of the tribe. It is an example of the increasingly vital role Indigenous Australians are taking in the country’s tourism industry.

Design and Production

Elisabeth Goodridge, Alice Fang, Stephen Hiltner, Matt Ruby and Amy Virshup. Additional production by Michael Beswetherick.

Additional Editing

Suzanne MacNeille and Lynda Richardson

Baden Copeland

Photo Editing

Phaedra Brown

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52 Places to Love in 2021

Corrections

Jan 10, 2022: An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of a restaurant critic in New York City. His name is Robert Sietsema, not Robert Sietsma. The article also misstated the status of a huemul rehabilitation center planned for Cerro Castillo National Park in Chile. The project is still in the process of getting funded, it is not in the construction stage yet.

Jan 11, 2022: An earlier version of this article misstated the status of Puerto Rico's El Yunque National Forest. It is the only tropical rainforest within the U.S. Forest Service's holdings, not the only rainforest. It also misstated the reopening date of a museum in Milwaukee. America’s Black Holocaust Museum is scheduled to reopen this year, not 2023.

Jan 12, 2022: An earlier version of this article omitted an organization that purchased land to protect wildlife in Argentina. It was Tompkins Conservation, as well as Rewilding Argentina.

• 1. Chioggia, Italy
• 2. Chimanimani National Park, Mozambique
• 3. Queens, New York
• 4. Northumberland, England
• 5. Zihuatanejo, Mexico
• 6. Iberá Park, Argentina
• 7. Alentejo Wine Region, Portugal
• 8. The Lucayan Archipelago, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos
• 9. Evia, Greece
• 10. Cobscook Shores, Maine
• 11. Hoonah, Alaska
• 12. Cleveland, Ohio
• 13. Courmayeur, Italy
• 14. Red River Delta, Vietnam
• 15. South Africa
• 16. Uttarakhand, India
• 17. Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada
• 18. The Great Highway, San Francisco
• 19. Kyoto, Japan
• 20. El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico
• 21. Sierra Leone
• 22. Slovenia
• 23. El Hierro, Spain
• 24. Summerland Peninsula, Australia
• 25. Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan
• 26. Gouda, The Netherlands
• 27. Thy, Denmark
• 28. The Red Sea Mountain Trail, Egypt
• 29. Little Calumet River, Chicago
• 30. The Inner Hebrides, Scotland
• 31. Normandy, France
• 32. Estes Park, Colorado
• 33. Kunta Kinteh Island, Gambia
• 34. Naples, Italy
• 35. Höga Kusten, Sweden
• 36. Humboldt, Kansas
• 37. Greenland
• 38. Marrakesh, Morocco
• 39. Northland, New Zealand
• 40. Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
• 41. Elijio Panti National Park, Belize
• 42. Sarasota, Florida
• 43. Vanuatu
• 44. Santa Cruz County, California
• 45. Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil
• 46. Saguaro National Park, Arizona
• 47. Islas Cíes, Spain
• 49. Bronzeville, Milwaukee
• 50. Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve, Canada
• 51. Cerro Castillo National Park, Chile
• 52. Daintree Rainforest, Australia

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World’s 30 Best Travel Destinations, Ranked

Best places to visit in the world.

The ultimate ranking of travel destinations aims to solve a serious problem: so many places to visit, so little time.

But even in a world with a trillion destinations, some manage to stand out and rise to the top. From the sleek skyscrapers of Dubai to the emerald-green waters of the Bora Bora lagoon, you’re sure to find at least one vacation that piques your interest (and likely several!).

These are the 30 best places to visit in the world. Which ones have you already been to? And which ones stoke your wanderlust most?

30. Argentine Patagonia

In this region of the Andes, you’ll find glaciers, evergreen trees, deep blue lakes and clear skies everywhere you look. For a trip full of adventure and discovery, there are few better destinations on the planet.

No trip is complete without a visit to the craggy Mount Fitz Roy, the historic (and mysterious) Cave of the Hands, the Punta Tombo wildlife preserve, the Peninsula Valdes marine wildlife refuge and the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier. Be sure to bring your camera and your sense of wonder.

* Rankings are based on U.S. News & World Report's " World's Best Places to Visit ," traveler ratings as well as our own editorial input.

What to Know Before You Go to Argentine Patagonia

Where to stay: Cyan Soho Neuquen Hotel

Hot tip: Since springtime occurs in the southern hemisphere in October and November, those months are your best bet when planning a trip.

Fun fact: The largest dinosaur fossils ever unearthed were found in Argentine Patagonia. They belong to the largest-known titanosaur, believed to have weighed about 83 tons. 

Note: We may earn money from affiliate partners if you buy through links on our site.

29. Amalfi Coast, Italy

Set in the Sorrentina Peninsula, the Amalfi Coast has long been renowned for its natural beauty and idyllic coastal towns. During the golden age of Hollywood, it was a preferred vacation spot for glamorous movie stars.

Days here are spent eating Italian food, drinking wine and walking around colorful cobblestone streets. You can also expect to drink copious amounts of wine as you look out into the Mediterranean Sea.

The best way to see the coast is to rent a car and then drive to different towns each day.

What to Know Before You Go to the Amalfi Coast

Where to stay: Hotel Marina Riviera

Hot tip:  If you're planning on using a beach chair to work on your tan, make sure you wake up early, as they are usually first come, first served.

Fun fact:  The Amalfi Coast is featured in Sofia Loren's 1995 Film, "Scandal in Sorrento."

28. Cancun, Mexico

For years, Cancun has been the preferred getaway for East Coast Americans (particularly Floridians) who want an international getaway that's still close to home. But despite the droves of tourists, the area has managed to keep the charm that attracted people in the first place.

The city is known mostly for its luxury hotels, wild nightlife and warm beaches. Definitely indulge in all of these — as well as the Mexican food! — but also consider other activities like visiting Mayan ruins, swimming in cenotes and snorkeling. One thing is certain: You won't run out of things to do in Cancun .

What to Know Before You Go to Cancun

Where to stay: Hyatt Zilara Cancun

Hot tip:  While you're in Cancun, make a plan to visit one of Grupo Xcaret's six eco-tourism parks, with the best ones being Xcaret and Xelha. The Mexican-owned company is credited with starting the eco-tourism trend in the Yucatan Peninsula, and the parks offer incredible and varied local experiences.

Fun fact:  The Yucatan Peninsula, where Cancun is located, was the cultural, political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Many locals have Mayan ancestry and Mayan continues to be widely spoken in the area.

27. San Francisco, California

Everyone should visit San Francisco at least once in their lives. Though tech companies grab all the headlines these days, it remains down-to-earth, diverse and packed with things to do.

Where to start? No matter your style, you’ll want to check out the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge, see the sunbathing sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf, take a tour of the historic prison Alcatraz and relax in one of the city’s many parks, especially Dolores Park for its epic people-watching on the weekends. 

For dinner, treat your tastebuds and make a reservation at one of the many Michelin-starred restaurants in the Bay Area .

What to Know Before You Go to San Francisco

Where to stay: The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square

Hot tip: Want similarly beautiful landscapes and rich cultural attractions, but at lower prices and with (slightly) fewer crowds? Head to Oakland just across the Bay Bridge, named one of the most exciting places on earth to travel by National Geographic. 

Fun fact: The fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco by a Japanese resident. Random!

26. Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world . The power with which water storms down cliffs on the border between the United States and Canada has captivated the imagination of humans for centuries. 

This natural wonder is comprised of three awe-inspiring falls. One of the best ways to experience them is on a boat tour.

What to Know Before You Go to Niagara Falls

Where to stay: Sheraton Niagara Falls

Hot tip: There is some debate about which side of the falls is better, but the general verdict is that the Canadian side offers better views. This is because you can (ironically) get a better view of the American Falls as well as get up close to Horseshoe Falls. 

Fun fact:  Established in 1885, Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S.

25. Yellowstone National Park

Located mostly in Wyoming as well as Montana and Idaho, Yellowstone is America’s first national park and remains one of the most popular in the country, welcoming more than around 3.3 million people in 2022. With unpredictable geysers, rainbow-colored hot springs, craggy peaks, shimmering lakes and tons of wildlife — from elk to boars to bison — it’s easy to see why so many people flock here. 

The park makes for an awesome family trip and is well-suited to budget travelers since it offers so many campsites ( over 2,000! ). 

What to Know Before You Go to Yellowstone

Where to stay: Stage Coach Inn

Hot tip: You’ll never fully beat the crowds at this wildly popular park, but April, May, September and November are your best bets for finding some solitude.  

Fun fact: Yellowstone is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined.  

24. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

As the largest reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef is home to thousands of marine species. This makes it a paradise for scuba diving or snorkeling. 

The reef system is truly gigantic, with over 600 islands and about 2,900 individual reefs. This is one of Australia's greatest prides, but it's also a planetary national treasure. Seeing it with your own two eyes is an experience that is incredible beyond words.

What to Know Before You Go to the Great Barrier Reef

Where to stay: Crystalbrook Flynn

Hot tip: Though going underwater to see the reef is a must, we also recommend booking a helicopter tour to experience the magic of it from above.

Fun fact:  Made of corals, which are animals that live in collectives, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on the planet.

23. Santorini, Greece

With its picturesque blue-domed churches, whitewashed buildings and colorful beaches, the island of Santorini is a photographer’s paradise. If you want to snap photos to post to Instagram and make everyone back home jealous, this is the place to go. 

Also make sure to experience some of Santorini’s archaeologically significant sites, like Ancient Akrotiri (an ancient city preserved by volcanic ash) and Ancient Thera (where humans lived as early as the 9th century BC). And don’t forget to visit the smaller islands that surround it, including Thirassia, Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni. 

What to Know Before You Go to Santorini

Where to stay: Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Santorini

Hot tip: To optimize your vacation, visit in September and October or April and May — when the weather is still warm, but there aren’t as many other tourists milling around.

Fun fact: While it’s difficult to prove, locals like to say there’s more wine than water on this island where it hardly rains (and vino abounds).

22. Florence, Italy

For art and history buffs (and anyone who appreciates delicious Italian food), Florence is a must-visit city. 

As the birthplace of the Renaissance, it’s home to some of the most iconic artworks by the world’s premier artists throughout history — Michaelangelo, Brunelleschi and Donatello, just to name a few. In addition to art museums and architectural wonders, Florence is also home to chic shops, quaint cafes and spectacular gardens. 

What to Know Before You Go to Florence

Where to stay:  NH Collection Firenze Porta Rossa

Hot tip: Keep Florence in mind if you want to spend your honeymoon in Europe without spending a fortune, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Fun fact: The city’s famed “El Duomo” cathedral took over 140 years to build .

21. Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite, one of the most-visited national parks in America with more than 4 million annual guests, encompasses 750,000 acres of wilderness just waiting to be explored.

It’s home to scenic waterfalls, like the 317-foot Vernal Fall and the 617-foot Bridalveil Fall, as well as iconic rock formations like El Capitan and Half Dome, two popular spots for the world’s best rock climbers to test their mettle.

Not surprisingly, the wildlife here also impresses. Dozens of species of butterflies, marmots, bobcats and mule deer are just some of the animals that call Yosemite home. And keep your eyes peeled for black bears; some 300 to 500 roam the park . 

What to Know Before You Go to Yosemite

Where to stay:  The Ahwahnee

Hot tip: Summer can get really busy here, so if you want to camp, be sure to book a spot early. Want to beat Yosemite’s notoriously bad traffic? Ditch the car and take advantage of the park’s extensive free bus system.

Fun fact: This is one of the only places in the country where you can catch a moonbow — like a rainbow, but created by the light of the moon instead of the sun. 

20. St. Lucia

Whether you’re visiting on a cruise ship or just relaxing at an all-inclusive resort or boutique hotel, stunning St. Lucia is a clear winner. This Caribbean island offers diverse terrain for vacationers, from its pristine beaches to its lush rainforests to its volcanic peaks, the Pitons, that loom over the landscape. 

Adrenaline-junkies love hiking, climbing and zip-lining, while newlyweds (and soon-to-be-married couples) enjoy the romantic mix of fine dining, adults-only resorts and exotic activities. 

What to Know Before You Go to St. Lucia

Where to stay: Rabot Hotel From Hotel Chocolat

Hot tip: Visit when temperatures are moderate, which is typically in May and June.

Fun fact: St. Lucia is the only country named after a woman: Christian martyr Saint Lucia of Syracuse.

19. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Everything is bigger and better in Dubai, home to one of the world’s largest shopping malls, tallest towers, largest man-made marinas — and the list goes on. 

This Las Vegas-like urban center in the United Arab Emirates has an eclectic mix of activities for visitors to enjoy, including beaches, waterparks, tons of shopping and even an indoor ski resort. Outside the skyscraper-filled city, the vast desert awaits, best enjoyed via quad-biking or sandboarding.

What to Know Before You Go to Dubai

Where to stay:  Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai

Hot tip: Though you’re likely to pay a pretty penny for a trip to Dubai no matter when you visit, you can save a little cash by visiting during the scalding-hot summer months and by booking your hotel room two to three months in advance.

Fun fact: Dubai’s man-made Palm Islands were constructed using enough imported sand to fill up 2.5 Empire State Buildings . 

18. Machu Picchu, Peru

Many travelers describe their visit to Machu Picchu as life-changing. Why? It’s an archaeological wonder, the remains of an ancient Incan city dating back more than 600 years. No wonder this is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most-visited attraction in all of Peru. 

Be sure to visit significant sites like Funerary Rock, where it’s believed Incan nobility were mummified, and Temple of the Condor, a rock temple sculpted to look like the impressive bird in its name.  

What to Know Before You Go to Machu Picchu

Where to stay: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Hot tip: If you’re planning a trip, be sure to get your ticket in advance, as only 2,500 people can visit Machu Picchu each day. (And a lot of people have this destination on their bucket list.)

Fun fact: The site contains more than 100 separate flights of stairs . 

17. Sydney, Australia

With its iconic Opera House and lively Bondi Beach, Sydney is the perfect spot to vacation if you’re looking for a blend of culture, arts, nightlife and relaxation. 

Spend the day on the water at Darling Harbour, then head to the Royal Botanic garden for even more fresh air. Want to travel like a local? Get a ticket to a rugby match and order a Tim Tam, a popular chocolate-covered cookie that pairs well with coffee. 

What to Know Before You Go to Sydney

Where to stay: Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Hot tip: You can make your trip more affordable by visiting during Sydney’s shoulder seasons, which are typically September through November and March through May.

Fun fact: In 2007, Bondi Beach was the site of the largest ever swimsuit photoshoot ; 1,010 bikini-clad women participated, enough to earn it a spot in the Guinness World Records book.

16. Grand Canyon, Arizona

The Grand Canyon is truly massive (277 river miles long and up to 18 miles wide!), which helps explain why so many people feel the urge to see it in person. 

In 2022, 4.7 million people visited, making the Grand Canyon the second-most popular national park in the country (behind Great Smoky Mountain Nationals Park). Established in 1919, the park offers activities for all ability levels, whether you want to do an intense hike down into the canyon and sleep under the stars (with a backcountry permit, of course) or simply want to saunter along the South Rim Trail, an easy walking path with views that wow.

What to Know Before You Go to the Grand Canyon

Where to stay:  The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon

Hot tip: If you’ve wanted to visit the Grand Canyon for a while now, this is the year to do it. The park is celebrating its 100th birthday with musical performances, lectures, screenings and other special events.

Fun fact: The most remote community in the continental U.S. can be found in the Grand Canyon. At the base of the canyon, Supai Village — part of the Havasupi Indian Reservation — has a population of 208. It’s inaccessible by road, and mail is delivered by pack mule. Want to see it for yourself? The village houses a collection of campsites , accessible via a hiking trail.

15. Bali, Indonesia

In recent years, Bali has become a popular expat destination, where groups of "digital nomads" work and play. 

But the island hasn't lost its original charm to this added tourism and continues to be an incredible destination. Divide your time between swimming in the beach, hiking active volcanoes, visiting temples and enjoying views of tiered rice terraces.

What to Know Before You Go to Bali

Where to stay: Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach

Hot tip:  Though shoulder season (January to April and October to November) means fewer crowds and cheaper prices, it also means rain. Tons of it. We'd recommend avoiding the rainy season if possible.

Fun fact: On the Saka New Year, Balinese people celebrate Nyepi. This Hindu celebration is a day of silence when everything on the island shuts down and no noise is allowed.

14. New York, New York

As the saying goes, New York City is “the city that never sleeps” — and you won’t want to either when you visit, lest you run out of time to take it all in. 

Be sure to check out newer attractions, like the High Line (an elevated park) and Hudson Yards (a mega-mall along the Hudson River), but also make time for some New York City classics, like catching a Broadway show or standing under the lights of Times Square. 

Foodies will have a hard time choosing where to eat (the city is home to almost 100 Michelin stars !), which is why an extended trip is always a good idea.

What to Know Before You Go to New York City

Where to stay: The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel

Hot tip: Yes, January and February get cold here, but this is also the best time to lock in relatively reasonable hotel rates. You can spend your time eating in the city’s restaurants, exploring its fabulous museums and catching its world-class theater shows without needing to spend much time in the chilly outdoors. 

Fun fact: There’s a birth in New York City about every 4.4 minutes — and a death every 9.1 minutes. 

13. Banff National Park, Canada

Some of the world’s most stunning mountain scenery and vistas are located in Banff, the tiny Canadian town located at 4,537 feet above sea level inside the national park by the same name. Banff is the highest town in Canada, and Banff National Park was Canada’s first, established in 1885.

Shred some powder at Banff’s three ski resorts in the winter, then come back in the summer for activities like hiking, biking, fishing and scrambling (scaling steep terrain using nothing but your hands).

What to Know Before You Go to Banff

Where to stay: Fairmont Banff Springs

Hot tip: June to August and December to March are the best times to visit if you want to take advantage of summer and winter activities. 

Fun fact: Banff National Park has more than 1,000 glaciers.

12. Maldives

You can look at picture after picture, but you still really need to visit the Maldives to believe its beauty. If rich sunsets, flour-like beaches and vibrant blue waters are your style, this is the destination for you. 

Though it’s somewhat difficult to get to this small island nation southwest of Sri Lanka, that also means it’s incredibly private and secluded, which makes it the perfect spot for a honeymoon or romantic beach getaway. 

And don’t worry about getting bored, either — explore the water by snorkeling or scuba diving, relax in the spa or wander around the bustling Male’ Fish Market.

What to Know Before You Go to Maldives

Where to stay: Velassaru Maldives

Hot tip: May to October is the island-nation’s rainy season — but that also means it’s the best time to go for fewer crowds and better rates.

Fun fact: In 1153 AD, the nation’s people converted to Islam. Today, the Maldives remains the most heavily Muslim country on earth.

11. Barcelona, Spain

Soccer, architecture, shopping, nightlife, world-class food and wine, arts and culture — is there anything Barcelona doesn’t have? If there is, we honestly can't think what it would be. 

This cosmopolitan Spanish city is home to some awe-inspiring architecture, including several buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi, so be sure to book tours of his whimsical creations like Park Guell and the yet-to-be-finished Church of the Sacred Family (La Sagrada Familia). 

For nightlife and shopping, Las Ramblas is always bustling; for an enriching arts experience, follow the progression of famed artist Pablo Picasso at Museo Picasso.

What to Know Before You Go to Barcelona

Where to stay:  Hotel Bagues

Hot tip: It can get really humid here, so it's best to plan your trip in May and June before things really heat up.

Fun fact: In preparation for its 1992 hosting of the Olympics, the city flew in sand from as far away as Egypt to make Barceloneta Beach a place where people would want to go. Though largely man-made, the beach remains a wonderful spot for seaside R&R. 

10. Glacier National Park, Montana

The crown jewel of beautiful Montana, Glacier National Park is every outdoors traveler's dream.

Of course, the most defining natural feature of the park are its glaciers, which provide spectacular views as well as a number of pristine lakes. There are hundreds of trails that will take you up peaks, down through valleys and across some of the most beautiful landscapes you'll ever see.

What to Know Before You Go to Glacier National Park

Where to stay: Firebrand Hotel

Hot tip:  Plan to spend a day or two in the nearby town of Whitefish. This gateway to Glacier National Park is one of the best small towns in America and a destination in its own right. 

Fun fact: During your visit, you're very likely to run into mountain goats, which are the official symbols of the park.

9. Tokyo, Japan

The Japanese capital is one of the most exciting cities on the entire planet. It is notoriously fast-paced, with neon lights illuminating the multitudes that are constantly rushing to their next destination. 

But Tokyo is also a city of temples, of taking time to picnic under the cherry blossoms and of making sure you enjoy the abundance of delicious food that can be found on basically every corner.

What to Know Before You Go to Tokyo

Where to stay: The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Hot tip: Visit between the months of March and April or September and November for more comfortable temperatures. Of course, spring is when the city's cherry blossoms are famously in full bloom.

Fun fact: Tokyo happens to be the largest metropolitan area in the world, with more than 40 million people calling the greater metro area home.

8. Phuket, Thailand

If you’re looking for a vacation destination that feels luxurious but won’t break the bank, start searching for flights to Phuket now. 

This island in southern Thailand, which is just an hour flight from Bangkok, is surrounded by the Andaman Sea, so white sandy beaches abound. If a stunning sunset is what you’re after, head to Promthep Cape, the southernmost point on the island and a popular spot for photo-ops. For views of the island and beyond, climb to the top of the massive alabaster statue called Big Buddha.

You can even learn something during your vacation by visiting the Soi Dog Foundation, an innovative animal shelter that’s fighting the meat trade and taking care of the thousands of stray cats and dogs in the area.

What to Know Before You Go to Phuket

Where to stay: InterContinental Phuket Resort

Hot tip: Visit between November and April for the best weather — and ideal conditions for beach activities like swimming and boating. 

Fun fact: The island is not pronounced in the rather colorful way it appears to be. The correct way to say it is “poo-ket” or “poo-get.”

7. Rome, Italy

Though Rome’s historic significance cannot be overstated, don’t assume that this Italian city is stuck in the past. On the contrary, you’ll find posh storefronts and luxurious hotels not far from iconic structures like the Pantheon (built in 120 AD) and the Colosseum (built in 80 AD).

And then, of course, there’s the city’s art. Stroll through Rome, and you’ll stumble upon some of the greatest treasures the world has ever seen — an astonishing collection of frescoes, paintings, ceilings and fountains created by icons like Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Raphael and Bernini.

After all that exploration, take advantage of ample opportunities to eat and drink, including at several Michelin-starred restaurants. City staples include suppli (deep-fried balls of risotto, mozzarella and ragu meat sauce) and cacio e pepe (a deceptively simple mix of al-dente pasta, pecorino romano and fresh black pepper). 

What to Know Before You Go to Rome

Where to stay: Radisson Blu Ghr Hotel

Hot tip: Tourists congregate here in the summer when temperatures are also sweltering. Go instead between October and April, when there are thinner crowds, better rates and cooler temps. Just make sure to bring a light jacket.

Fun fact: Each year, travelers throw about $1.7 million worth of coins into the Trevi Fountain. The money is donated to Caritas, a Catholic nonprofit that supports charities focused on health, disaster relief, poverty and migration.

6. London, England

English writer Samual Johnson once said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” 

From live performances of Shakespeare to truly world-class (and free!) museums like the National Gallery, London will enrich your mind and enliven your senses. Of course, no visit would be complete without a stop at Buckingham Palace to see the famous stone-faced guards outside and the 19 lavish State Rooms inside (though, unfortunately, you can’t see the queen’s private quarters). Another must-see landmark is the Tower of London, the historic castle on the north side of the River Thames.

What to Know Before You Go to London

Where to stay: Vintry & Mercer

Hot tip: Many U.S. cities now offer direct flights to London, so set a price alert and act fast when you see fares drop.

Fun fact: London’s pubs are worth a visit for their names alone; fanciful monikers include The Case is Altered, The Pyrotechnists Arms, John the Unicorn and The Job Centre. 

5. Tahiti, French Polynesia

Flavorful French cuisine, top-notch resorts, warm waters — need we say more? Though Tahiti can be pricey, travelers say it’s so worth it. 

The largest of the 118 French Polynesian islands, Tahiti is split into two main regions (connected by a land bridge). Tahiti Nui, the larger region, is home to the island’s capital Papeete and surfing hotspot Papenoo Beach, while Tahiti Iti, the smaller region, offers more seclusion and the bright white sands of La Plage de Maui.

What to Know Before You Go to Tahiti

Where to stay: Hilton Hotel Tahiti

Hot tip: Visit between May and October, Tahiti’s winter, when there are less humidity and rain. 

Fun fact: Overcrowding is not a concern here; Hawaii gets more visitors in 10 days than all of French Polynesia does in a year.

4. Maui, Hawaii

If you’re short on time or you just can’t decide which Hawaiian island to visit, Maui is right in the sweet spot: not too big, not too small, but just right.

There are five regions to explore on Maui, including the popular West Maui and South Maui, home to some of the island’s best-known attractions and beaches (Wailea Beach is in South Maui, for example). But don’t overlook East Maui, where you can travel along the Road to Hana, or the Upcountry, where you can explore the world’s largest dormant volcano, Haleakala. 

What to Know Before You Go to Maui

Where to stay:  Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Hot tip: This is Hawaii we’re talking about, so your trip will be on the pricey side. Be sure to budget for add-ons if you need them (think gym access and WiFi at your hotel), and do some research on insurance before you head to the car-rental counter.

Fun fact: How’s this for a selling point? Maui has more beach than any other Hawaiian island — 60 miles of it, with red, white and black sand.

3. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Don’t write off the French Polynesian island of Bora Bora just because of its size. Though it’s a little more than 2 miles wide and just 6 miles long, Bora Bora packs in an abundance of natural beauty. To start, you won’t be able to take your eyes off the island’s turquoise lagoon surrounded by lush jungle.

If you’re looking for more than relaxation on your trip, consider hiking or booking a 4X4 tour of Mount Otemanu, part of an extinct volcano that rises 2,400 feet above the lagoon. You can also snorkel among the coral reef of Coral Gardens, where you might catch a glimpse of reef sharks, eels and stingrays.

Because of its remoteness, flying into Bora Bora Airport will be quite a journey, no matter where you're departing from. But you'll forget everything as soon as you see this Polynesian paradise that is beautiful beyond words.

What to Know Before You Go to Bora Bora

Where to stay: Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Hot tip: Though Bora Bora can be wildly expensive to visit, you can cut costs by visiting between December and March (though you should avoid the Christmas holiday) and by bringing your own alcohol and sunscreen with you.

Fun fact: Bora Bora is one of the countries that no longer exists . The Kingdom of Bora Bora was an independent state until it was forcefully overtaken and annexed by France in 1888.

2. Paris, France

Paris has it all — incredible cuisine, legendary landmarks and centuries of history. Those are just some of the reasons it’s the second-best place to visit in the world.

Though you’ll want to spend your time hitting up popular tourist spots like the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d’Orsay, you should also carve out time to explore other parts of Paris — the city’s 20 diverse neighborhoods, called arrondissements, for instance. Standouts include the 2nd arrondissement, which touts covered passages and some of the city’s hippest restaurants, and the romantic 18th arrondissement, with charming squares, cafes and bars, set apart from the city’s more tourist-packed areas.

What to Know Before You Go to Paris

Where to stay: Grand Hotel Du Palais Royal

Hot tip: Yes, summer in Paris is busy, but the weather is also ideal — average highs are in the 70s.

Fun fact: Built for the 1889 World Fair, the Eiffel Tower was originally meant to be temporary , and was almost torn down in 1909. Luckily, local officials saw its value as a radiotelegraph station, preserving the future tourist icon for generations to come. 

1. South Island, New Zealand

South Island, the larger but less populated of the two islands that make up New Zealand, earn this top-spot honor for its gorgeous scenery, adrenelin-pumping experiences and affordability.

The 33.5-mile hike on Milford Sound, which is limited to 90 people at a time, is considered one of the world’s best treks, with stops at Lake Te Anau, suspension bridges, a mountain pass and the tallest waterfall in the country, Sutherland Falls.

For a heart-pumping experience, you can jump out of a helicopter while flying over the Harris Mountains with skis on your feet. Still not satisfied? Roam Fiordland National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage area, and explore the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, two of the most accessible glaciers in the world.

What to Know Before You Go to New Zealand

Where to stay: QT Queenstown

Hot tip: Book your trip for the fall, when South Island is temperate, not overcrowded and offers great rates. Bonus: This is also when the island is at its most stunning.

Fun fact: New Zealand natives, called Kiwis, are among the most hospitable you’ll ever meet. The local saying “He aha te mea nui o te ao. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata” translates , appropriately, to “What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people.”

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These are the best places in the world, according to Time magazine

From cities to spectacular beauty spots, here’s where they reckon you should travel in 2022

Looking for some travel inspo for 2022? Well, here’s a bucketload. Time magazine just released its list of the World’s Greatest Places of 2022 , featuring 50 destinations it reckons are most worth a visit this year.

So what makes Time’s list in 2022? Well, there’s a whole range of stuff. Cities dominate, from popular tourist spots like Miami , Istanbul and Copenhagen to less conventional choices like the Lithuanian fort city of Kaunas and Skellefteå, a Swedish city near the Arctic Circle renowned for its innovative timber architecture. 

Time also highlights entire regions that it says are worth a look. The Arctic Circle makes the cut thanks to a new luxury cruise route set to launch this summer ; Devon in England gets a shout-out due to a slew of brewery, winery and restaurant openings, while the southern Indian state of Kerala gets a nod for its wellness retreats and motor-home tourism.

Several areas of natural beauty make the cut, including the Great Barrier Reef, Lower Zambezi National Park and Galapagos. Entire islands included in the list are Jamaica (praised for its parties and festivals), the south-western Japanese island of Kyushu (which gets recognition for its guesthouses, hot springs and sake breweries) and Madeira (touted for its adventure tourism).

Individual attractions feature, too, like  the enormous footbridge in the Czech resort of Dolni Morava and a climate-change centre in Iceland called Ilulissat. The International Space Station also makes an appearance, though it’s difficult to imagine anyone besides the far-too-rich heading up there any time soon.

We should probably mention that we very recently released our own fabulous ranking of the best cities in the world , judging them based on locals’ opinions of what it’s like to live there, as well as takes from our local editors and experts. So yeah, check that out.

In any case, Time ’s list is brimming with fascinating stuff to see and do this year. If you’d like to read the full list, you can do so here .

Now discover to  the best cities in the world in 2022 , according to… us!

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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The 22 Best Places to Go in 2022

This was the year of getting back out there—as vaccines became readily available in the spring and borders opened slowly throughout the summer and fall, our travel calendars began to fill up once again. Now, as we look ahead to what 2022 has in store, it’s clear that our travel priorities have changed. We’re no longer checking destinations off a list; instead we’re being purposeful about why we choose to take a trip, and thoughtful about how our actions impact local communities while we’re there.

This year’s list of the best places to visit reflects these shifts in thinking: We’ve organized these destinations based on some of our favorite reasons to travel, from exhilarating food and drink scenes and historic sites to explore, to new places to soak in the great outdoors. We hope it makes it easier to plan your next big trip—and helps you narrow down where to go first of the 22 exciting places that made our 2022 list. — Stephanie Wu All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Birmingham, Alabama

Downtown Birmingham is feeling more revitalized than ever, as several historic buildings have been reimagined as restaurants by local chefs. Five-time James Beard finalist Rob McDaniel, who grew up 80 miles from the city, opened contemporary Southern grill Helen in 2020 inside a 1920s shotgun-style building. You can smell his wood-fired meats from the sidewalk, and inside every meal starts with warm angel biscuits topped with whipped cane syrup butter. A block away at The Essential , Southern-bred chef Victor King and pastry chef Kristen Hall have partnered with farmers to serve vegetable-heavy dishes, homemade pastas, and the tastiest desserts in town (look for Parisian-inspired Bar La Fête from the duo in early 2022).

There’s plenty to do downtown as well. The new Urban Supply mixed-use development will bring century-old warehouses in the Parkside neighborhood back to life with restaurants, bars, shopping, and fitness studios when it’s completed in mid-2022. City Walk BHAM is also in the works, adding markets, green spaces, and food trucks to city blocks beneath Interstate 59/20. The project is set to be complete by summer 2022, when the Magic City will serve as the first American host for The World Games , an 11-day, 34-sport event (including tug of war and wheelchair rugby) expected to draw 500,000 spectators. While downtown has its share of big-box hotels for groups, find a quieter stay at Elyton Hotel in a restored historic building, or the boutique Valley Hotel in Homewood, a mere 10 minutes away. —Kelsey Ogletree

Since the dissolution of Yugoslavia 30 years ago, many of its constituent nations (Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro) have emerged as major tourism hubs. Yet Serbia has taken a backseat—until now. Belgrade has earned a reputation as a culinary destination, and the Michelin Guide will soon bestow stars on the city, celebrating its East-meets-West cuisine which draws liberally from neighboring Greek, Turkish, and Central European influences. Standout restaurants include Langouste, run by chef Guillaume Iskandar, whose work at Paris’s Garance earned the place a Michelin star. And the opulent Salon 1905 (pictured) serves a tasting menu with Serbian wine pairings that proves domestic truffles, cheeses, and charcuterie can hold their own against Europe’s best.

The nightlife-rich capital city is often compared to Berlin in the ’90s, but its cool-kid persona is getting a luxe upgrade in 2022 with the opening of a St. Regis. The hotel will be set within a 42-floor tower that will be the tallest skyscraper in the Balkans outside of Istanbul and will anchor the new $3 billion Belgrade Waterfront urban revitalization district, a collection of gleaming high-rises and green spaces.

Meanwhile, Serbia’s second city, Novi Sad, has been named one of three European Capitals of Culture for 2022, marking one of the first non-E.U. cities to receive the honor. A progressive hub of music, art, and literature set along the Danube River, Novi Sad has opened several new venues in preparation for its close-up: a former pasta factory, a silk-dyeing facility, and an 1890s château have been transformed into contemporary art galleries and performance spaces that will host events and exhibitions throughout the year. —Nicholas DeRenzo

Trøndelag County, Norway

Central Norway’s Trøndelag County has become a world-renowned food region in recent years. The area’s diverse landscape—forests, mountains, fjords, and fields—produces high-quality seafood, organic dairy products, and fresh vegetables, which farmers share locally and with restaurants around the world.

Trondheim-Trøndelag was named the European Region of Gastronomy 2022 , and to see what all the fuss is about, food connoisseurs should start at the newly refurbished Britannia Hotel to dine at Michelin-starred Speilsalen , Norway’s Restaurant of the Year 2020. Indulge in head chef Christopher Davidsen’s signature dish, featuring scallops from the island of Frøya fried in organic butter from the town of Røros and served with celery and caviar. Visit Bula Neobistro for chef Renée Fagerhoei’s lamb from Madsøy island with anchovy and green pepper sauce. Stop by chef Heidi Bjerkan’s one-Michelin-star Credo (pictured) for the grilled langoustine tail or langoustine soup, and wrap up your tasting tour at Kraft Bodega , where chef Thomas Bogan serves a delicious dessert of waffles with porcini ice cream, Norwegian apples, and brown cheese—all dishes you won’t find anywhere else.

The region hosts several annual celebrations, like the Trondheim Wine Festival in March, the Trondheim Brewery Festival and the Trøndelag Food Festival , one of Europe’s largest, both in July, and the Trondheim Gin Festival in August. Consider timing your visit around one of these events, where you’re bound to be surrounded by like-minded gourmands. —Kwin Mosby

Alberta, Canada

Alberta’s turquoise lakes and snow-capped mountains have always attracted crowds, but there’s a new draw as international travelers return : a spotlight on the area’s Indigenous heritage.

Fort Edmonton Park, Canada’s largest living history museum, is now home to the Indigenous Peoples Experience , a 30,000-square-foot immersive exhibit exploring First Nations and Métis culture. For a deeper dive into the region’s thriving Métis community, head to cultural interpretation center Métis Crossing , which recently debuted its new wildlife park and will open a 40-room boutique lodge accented with Métis artwork this month. Later this winter, the property will also launch Whispers from the Stars, an evening experience where Métis knowledge holders will tell stories of the constellations.

The annual Jasper Dark Sky Festival in the dark sky preserve of Jasper National Park is also including more Indigenous voices in its programming (think drone light shows narrated by Indigenous leaders). Those planning a stay in Jasper can look forward to the June opening of a new 88-room wilderness-themed hotel from local hospitality and attractions company Pursuit .

And Banff has debuted new experiences including the 360° Dome , a private outdoor dining venue at Fairmont Banff Springs that pairs local fare like bison short ribs with Bow Valley views. Next summer, the historic hotel will debut a $28-million renovation of its Royal Suite and Fairmont Gold rooms. Those visiting this winter can cap off the evening at the Banff Gondola with Nightrise, a multi-sensory experience (running December 2 to March 12) that highlights the historical significance of the Stoney Nakoda Nation through multimedia storytelling against a backdrop of alpenglow-drenched mountains. —Julia Eskins

Balearic Islands, Spain

Rugged landscapes, a laidback lifestyle, and Ibiza’s infamous party scene have long drawn travelers to the sun-bleached shores of the Balearic Islands. Over the past year, though, the archipelago off the east coast of mainland Spain has refocused its ambitions toward art.

Last summer’s opening of Hauser & Wirth Menorca (pictured)—a new arts center and the gallery’s latest international outpost—was just the starting point. Located on the historic Illa del Rei in Manorca’s Mahón harbor, the site has taken over an 18th-century naval hospital and outlying buildings. With eight galleries, a restaurant, shop, garden, and an outdoor sculpture trail with works by Frank West, Louise Bourgeois, and Eduardo Chillida, it puts the sleepy Balearic island on the international art map with big-name exhibitions, educational activities, and sustainable initiatives .

Art and design stand out at the archipelago’s new hospitality offerings, too. In Mallorca, Can Ferrereta , a boutique hotel housed in a restored 17th-century building, features a Maison Assouline-curated library and works by local and Spanish artists—Joan Miró, Riera i Aragó, Bárbara Vidal—in all its 32 rooms and communal spaces. On relaxed Formentera, the recently opened Casa Pacha has stylish retro interiors by Patricia Galden Studio and statement decorative objects from local artisans. Meanwhile on the hard-partying isle, the Six Senses Ibiza will feature farm-to-table dining, music, art, wellness, and sustainable fashion, as the Balearics’ first BREEAM -certified resort. 2022’s debuts— El Vicenç de la Mar and the Kimpton Hotel Santa Ponsa , both in Mallorca—are bound to have unique draws of their own. —Marianna Cerini

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston will honor its African roots in a big way in 2022. The long-awaited International African American Museum is slated to open in the fall, and will examine the African diaspora and Charleston’s role housing one of the largest slave ports in the U.S. The museum sits on the hallowed site of said port, Gadsden’s Wharf, where the tide washes in and out near contemplative gardens. The exhibits will tackle centuries of difficult history and highlight contemporary Black artists, while the genealogy center is designed to help visitors connect the past to the present through their own family trees.

Music lovers will have plenty to look forward to at the Spoleto Festival USA , one of the country’s most prestigious classical music events. The opera Omar , which will have its world premiere at Spoleto, explores the life of a Muslim African scholar who was captured on the border of Senegal and Mauritania in 1807 and enslaved in Charleston. Grammy Award winner Rhiannon Giddens co-composed the score with Michael Abels, best known for his work on the films Get Out and Us. Shortly after, the city will join its three main Juneteenth festivals into a bigger and better Lowcountry Juneteenth Experience to wrap up the celebration.

The historic district has plenty of new places to stay, dine, and further explore the city’s origins. Luxury hotel The Loutrel (pictured) is inspired by Charleston’s renowned gardens, with expansive views from its rooftop terrace, and The Residences at Zero George provide longer stays for those who love the elegance of the award-winning hotel. Finally, don’t miss the refined, creative southern dishes at Lenoir , served by James Beard Award winner Vivian Howard, and traditional French cuisine at Brasserie La Banque . —Sarah Enelow-Snyder

Istanbul’s cultural scene is poised for the global spotlight in 2022. Billions of dollars have been poured into urban renewal projects that are finally coming to fruition. “I’ve lived here for 23 years and I can really see a major transformation,” says Karen Fedorko, founder of Sea Song Tours . Travelers can follow the newly established  Beyoğlu Culture Road —a two-hour walking trail that knits together many of the city’s new and restored attractions. Begin at Taksim Square to visit the newly built Taksim Mosque and Atatürk Cultural Center, a once-abandoned 1960s architectural icon that has been faithfully restored to house an opera hall, theater, rooftop restaurant, and a façade where live performances are projected. Strolling down Istiklal Street, pop into the beautified Atlas Cinema and neoclassical Istanbul Cinema Museum  before making your way to the Galata Tower. The medieval stone landmark’s redone rooftop is the place for a view of the city’s fabled east-meets-west skyline. The route culminates at the Bosphorus where Galataport , a new arts and culture hub in the Karaköy neighborhood, touts a newly minted world-class cruise terminal, restaurants from international chefs, a revamped fine arts and sculpture museum , and a refurbished Ottoman clock tower in Tophane Square. Opening late next year along the waterfront is the highly anticipated new home of contemporary art museum Istanbul Modern , whose show-stopping Renzo Piano design will house the works of big-name Turkish artists. Travelers can bed down in the just-opened Bosphorus-facing Mandarin Oriental in Kurucesme (pictured) or the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet, which will reopen in 2022 after significant renovation. Or plan a stay at the Peninsula hotel in Karaköy whose waterside rooms, Turkish baths, and swimming pools will give new life to an old port terminal when it debuts at the end of next year. —Nora Walsh

London will be in a festive mood in 2022 as The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee marks 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign. Events honoring Britain’s longest-serving monarch range from solemn services to rollicking celebrations. The biggest party unfurls over a long weekend, from June 2 to 5, where visitors can join the waving crowds lining The Mall for The Queen’s Birthday Parade (also known as Trooping the Colour), cheer for the races at Epsom Downs, and soak up the street carnival atmosphere of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.

Raffles introduces its first London hotel with The OWO (pictured), which will house 120 guest rooms and 85 private residences in the splendid Old War Office building that once served as Churchill’s headquarters. If it looks familiar, that might be because the OWO has appeared in five James Bond films. In fact, Ian Fleming was inspired to write the Bond stories when he worked in the building as a naval intelligence officer. 

Other new lodging options include The Peninsula London , overlooking Hyde Park Corner and Wellington Arch, and the Lost Property from Curio Collection by Hilton, combining new accommodations with a preserved façade near St. Paul’s Cathedral. And The Audley, a five-story historic pub in Mayfair, reopens in the fall after an art-filled reimagining by the Hauser & Wirth team, complete with a new restaurant and private dining rooms. —Laura Beausire

Querétaro, Mexico

Follow any of the shaded, twisting pedestrian alleys in Querétaro, which sits two-hours north of Mexico City , and you’ll arrive at a flower-drenched plaza, often surrounded by Colonial-era convents, palaces, and 18th-century homes, many of which have been converted to modern destination restaurants that rival those of the country’s capital.

Founded by the Otomí people in the 15th century, this city is a crossroads of Indigenous cultures, but has also served as a major base for Franciscan missionaries, a center for silver wealth, and a political seat—in 1917, regional representatives created and signed the country’s constitution. Though Querétaro’s international importance has faded since, its beauty and Baroque architecture remain.

The mid-17th-century Templo y Convento de la Santa Cruz anchors the historic city center, and its recent preservation effort earned Querétaro a nomination for UNESCO’s Jean-Paul L’Allier Prize in 2020, which honors exemplary urban cultural heritage conservation. This might just be the only place in the world where tech and aerospace workers commute on roads that weave under the slim arches remaining from a 1738 aqueduct.

Despite a slow two years during the pandemic and recent flooding, the city is growing as a tourist destination, with new hotels under construction that signal a wider opening to international travelers. One unique offering is already available to book: After sales fell because of COVID, a cheese factory outside of town kept its workers safely on the job by employing them to build the Hotel de Tierra : nine rammed-earth rooms, sustainably built from and on the soil of its adjacent vineyard, Tierra de Alonso. —Naomi Tomky

Rapa Nui, Chile

Some 2,300 miles off the coast of Chile in the South Pacific Ocean, UNESCO-listed Rapa Nui is famous for its roughly 900 monolithic moai stone statues sprinkled across the island. Now, just in time for a major anniversary, the world’s most remote inhabited island is preparing to open its borders after almost two years of isolation.

2022 marks 300 years since Dutch explorers arrived on Rapa Nui’s shores on Easter Day, which is how the 64-square-mile volcanic landmass acquired the appellation Easter Island. Locals, however, trace their lineage to a thriving Polynesian civilization dating back to the 4th century and take great pride in their native Rapa Nui language and culture, which has experienced a renaissance during the pandemic. And with less food being brought to the island, there was a boom in ancestral agriculture, yielding a bounty of guava and taro root. Some sustainability-oriented initiatives are in place as well, including proposals to limit the number of visitor arrivals to protect its cultural assets from erosion. When the island reopens to fully vaccinated tourists in February, be the first to stay at the newly branded Nayara Hangaroa , where self-drive ATV tours allow guests to take in iconic attractions like the Ranu Kau crater, moai sites at Rano Raraku quarry and Ahu Tongariki, the Orongo ceremonial village, and Anakena beach at their own leisure. For a complete cultural immersion, tap Abercrombie & Kent for local guides, a traditional meal in a friendly home, and insider’s access to the two-week-long Tapati Festival held every February. —N.W.

When Portuguese sailors first landed on what is now Cape Verde in 1456, they arrived to a largely untouched archipelago devoid of inhabitants and with few natural resources. This remote group of islands—located 369 nautical miles west of Senegal —soon became a stopping point in the transatlantic slave trade, resulting in the unique blend of Portuguese and West African traditions and heritage (many of today’s residents have roots tracing back to each) that exist on the island today.

This year, Hurtigruten Expeditions will launch sailings to the island country, beginning with a 14-day journey aboard its 180-passenger MS Spitsbergen in November. The company is scheduled to be the only expedition cruise to visit Cape Verde this year—and it’s also their first-ever trip to Africa . The ship will make stops at some of the archipelago’s most notable islands (there are 10 in total, as well as several islets), including Santo Antão, with its hikable misty pine forests and steep-cliff canyons, and Fogo, home to the awe-inspiring (and still-active) 9,281-foot-tall Pico do Fogo volcano, western Africa’s highest peak. For those who aren’t on a cruise, an inter-island ferry system and relatively inexpensive domestic flights makes island-hopping doable, too.

And you’ll want to explore on land: Known for its laid-back vibe and innate hospitality, Cape Verde is considered an LGBTQ+ oasis within Africa thanks to progressive laws. Mindelo, on the island São Vicente, hosts an annual Pride parade that will take place in the summer. As Cape Verde’s cultural capital, this colorful port city is a great place to catch performances of morna, a locally honed, melancholic music symbolizing longing for the African mainland, as well as the rousing tunes of accordion-based funaná . Listen from new Mansa Floating Hub , a futuristic-style floating music center that opened in August atop Mindelo’s Porto Grande Bay. —Laura Kiniry

The Great Lakes

The Great Lakes comprise 95,000 square miles of freshwater flanked by thick forests, historic sights, and skyline-speckled cities. But despite the waterside attractions, this stretch of the upper Midwest and Canada has long been off the cruise-industry map. Soon, those tides will turn.

In spring 2022, Viking’s posh new Octantis expedition ship will sail from Milwaukee, Wisconsin , to Toronto and Thunder Bay, Ontario, meandering by Great Lakes gems such as Mackinac Island and Sleeping Bear Dunes. The vessel, crafted for Viking’s new Antarctic voyages, welcomes up to 378 guests; it’s the largest Great Lakes cruise option to date.

For something more intimate, French cruise operator Ponant and partner Smithsonian Journeys will unveil their own Great Lakes voyages in fall 2022. Itineraries on ships like the 184-guest Le Bellot run from Toronto to Milwaukee, with a stop at Niagara Falls along the way. Ponant and Viking will share these waterways with small-ship cruise outfitters like Pearl Seas Cruises (pictured), Hapag-Lloyd Cruises , and Plantours Cruises .

Thanks to new infrastructure and accommodations, Great Lakes port cities stand ready to host disembarking guests. Milwaukee will debut several new hotels in 2022, including the Kinn Guesthouse MKE Downtown and The Adams Hotel , while Canada cruise hub Toronto has eight new openings on the docket, including a W Hotel . —Stephanie Vermillion

Kyushu, Japan

The southernmost of Japan’s four major islands, Kyushu is known for its vibrant food culture, abundance of historical sites , subtropical climate, and laid-back reputation.

Despite its seemingly remote location, Kyushu is surprisingly accessible, both by air via Japan’s many domestic carriers and by Shinkansen (bullet train). A flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest city, clocks in at just under two hours, while a train trip from Shin-Osaka Station to Fukuoka’s Hakata Station takes roughly two and a half.

Kyushu’s rail network will receive a notable boost when the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, connecting the historic port city of Nagasaki with Takeo Onsen in Saga prefecture, opens in the fall. Foreigners can take advantage of highly discounted rail passes throughout Kyushu, with unlimited rides on all trains operated by the JR Kyushu Railway Company .

Onsen lovers have plenty to choose from in Kyushu as well—hot springs are dotted everywhere from the famed black sand beaches of Ibusuki in Kagoshima prefecture to the rural enclave of Yufuin in Oita. In the summer, Hoshino Resorts will open Kai Yufuin , a luxury property designed by famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, featuring 45 guest rooms in the remote onsen town.

Those looking for a bit more adventure should head to the city of Sasebo in Nagasaki prefecture for a luxury catamaran cruise around the Kujuku Islands. Some packages include meals, but there’s also the option to seek out a Sasebo Burger , a popular item whose influence is traced back in part to the large number of American service members who arrived in the city after World War II. —Kat Bee

2021 marked Uzbekistan’s 30th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union, just as a slew of new projects set the foundation for the country to be more accessible than ever.

The new airport terminal at Samarkand, opening this month, is a beautiful introduction to the Islamic architecture style found throughout Uzbekistan. The center of the airport is shaped like an open book in a nod to the work of astronomer Mirzo Ulugbek. The high-speed train network, which opened in 2012, is being extended to the ancient Silk Road town of Khiva in 2022, so visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site from the capital city of Tashkent no longer requires hours in a car weaving through desert dunes. A number of exciting openings and events are also set to take place next year, with the unveiling of the Silk Road Samarkand Complex . It will house restaurants, cafes, and boutique hotels including the 22-story Samarkand Regency Hotel, the country’s first five-star stay, in the first half of 2022. The first-ever Silk Road Literary Festival will also take place there in the fall, as well as the grand reopening of the renovated State Museum of Arts , designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. —Michelle Tchea

In Gabon , where dense rainforests spill onto serene tropical coasts, tourism has barely made a whisper. But adventure seekers, nature lovers, and environmental advocates who visit will find incredible biodiversity, and a country determined to put critical conservation and eco-tourism projects in place before the masses arrive.

With over 70 percent of its territory covered in forest, Gabon has already made its mark in the world of conservation. Over the last two decades, the government has secured 15 percent of its land as protected areas and established 13 national parks , nine marine parks, and 11 aquatic reserves, safeguarding the country’s magnificent wildlife and habitats. With the launch of the African Ecotourism Safari project in March 2021 and the anticipated opening of Petit Loango Lodge in early 2022—the first of the African Conservation Development Group ’s sustainable luxury lodges—the equatorial African nation’s exquisite landscapes are gradually becoming more accessible to adventurous travelers.

Beyond the reaches of Loango, find leatherback turtles nesting in sand dunes along the shores of Pongara National Park, spot whales spouting among crashing blue waves in Mayumba, climb verdant mountains and staggering cliffs in Bateke Plateau, explore historic caves and savanna in Birougou, and marvel over waterfalls plunging into the rapids of the blackwater rivers in Ivindo National Park. You’ll also find low-impact tented camps throughout the country, everywhere from Moabi Tented Camp amid the rolling savanna of Lope National Park, to Pongara Lodge on the pristine beaches and mangrove swamps of the namesake national park on the Atlantic Coast. —Alicia Erickson

Sicily, Italy

Last year, the buzz around Italy's largest island was the opening of two flashy resorts: Villa Igiea in Palermo and the Four Seasons on the east coast. Both are spectacular, but you’d be missing the point of a trip to Sicily if you spent the entire time holed up there. Consider the properties as bookends to a trip exploring the core of the region, where slow-living traditions hum on—and are becoming increasingly dependent on outside visitors to survive. United's long-awaited direct flight from Newark to Palermo may finally launch this year, making the destination easier for Americans to reach than ever before.

South of the Four Seasons in the beautiful, Baroque town of Noto , the regal Seven Rooms is where to stay after dinners of fettuccine ai funghi at Manna and a late night passeggiata with locals past the grand cathedrals. This coming summer, its team will open a small retreat on the nearby seaside (the exact location is yet to be announced). A 15-minute drive away in Ragusa, the cheerful Maria Guastella is one of the only sfilato Siciliano embroiderers keeping what was once a grand Sicilian artform alive, and her workshop is open for visitors. Just down the hill is Rosso Cinabro, the last artisan carettiere (cart maker) whose hand-carved and -painted wagons tell a story of the destination centuries ago.

Heading west, the millenia-old temples at Agrigento are also unmissable. Base yourself nearby in Fontes Episcopi , a divine eco-retreat with an ivy-draped courtyard and a lively farm kitchen; in February, it will open three new stand-alone suites with skylights and terraces just behind the pool and orchards. Closer to Palermo, the men in rainboots working the salt flats by Trapani showcase a tradition increasingly threatened by industrial engineering. Watching them work is extraordinary—like so many of the experiences in Sicily, it is a reminder that often the most important reason to go somewhere is to preserve what has always been there. —Erin Florio

For years, Singapore has attracted those at the forefront of finance, technology, and business. Now, a 10-year push to transform the republic into a sustainable city promises to lure more eco-explorers—especially now that vaccinated U.S. travelers no longer have to quarantine upon arrival. Efforts are already underway: At the new ABC Waters at Jurong Lake in Singapore’s west, visitors can discover 12,000 square feet of man-made wetlands via sleek wooden walkways that wend toward expansive views of the lake and the occasional glimpse of otters, Malayan water lizards, and jewel-hued tropical birds. Meanwhile, the Rail Corridor—a cross-country rewilding project and nature trail—recently saw the launch of a central 2.5-mile stretch dotted with relics like the hauntingly solitary Bukit Timah Railway Station office, built in 1932 and abandoned in 2011 when the line was decommissioned.

The plushest beds in town will be at the Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa when it opens in 2022, 135 years after the original Raffles Hotel was established. An all-villa sanctuary, it will house 61 butlered villas amid more than a million square feet of tropical gardens. But there are other options for a fresh green perspective, like the new wellness-focused Oasia Resort (pictured), where you can dine on locally farmed barramundi and get a massage with recycled coffee grounds. And those seeking a getaway that’s even more embedded in nature will soon be able to set up camp at Singapore’s first off-grid accommodation by Sentosa Development Corporation on the uninhabited southern Islands. —Audrey Phoon

Tropical Honduras , an under-the-radar divers ’ and bird-watchers ’ paradise, is fast becoming a hot spot for eco-conscious travelers.

The Cayos Cochinos Foundation —a nonprofit based in its namesake archipelago off Honduras's Caribbean coast—is one of the many sustainability organizations prioritizing the protection of Honduras's rainforests and barrier reefs . The archipelago is already famous for its cerulean waters, white-sand beaches, and spectacular freediving, but in 2022 the Foundation will launch eco-tours allowing travelers to participate in reef cleanup, spot pink boas on hikes, and join scientists in monitoring turtles.

Back on the mainland, zip-line through 400 acres of pristine rainforest in Rawacala Eco Park , which will launch two new hiking trails and bird-watching platforms alongside a revamp of their zip-line systems in 2022. After exploring Copán’s Mayan ruins , visit the nearby Paseo de los Girasoles , a sunflower plantation put in to improve grazing conditions. Visitors will soon be able to enjoy its new farm-to-table café, pergolas, and hammocks—just try to visit before everyone on Instagram catches wind of this photo-friendly spot.

For eco-friendly accommodations, try Rawacala Eco Park’s sister property, Paraiso Rainforest & Beach Hotel , or its new venture, Paraiso Boutique Hotel, opening in 2022 on Utila . The property—which will offer eco-tours through the Cayos Cochinos Foundation—will employ solar panels and recycle rainwater, in addition to reducing plastic waste by favoring local produce. The Grand Roatán Resort will also reopen as a Kimpton mid-2022 with living green walls, a reverse osmosis water generation plant, and a new spa. —Eva Sandoval

Seemingly little more than a few specks on a map of the Adriatic, the island nation of Malta has felt like a well-kept secret among European travelers—it’s accessible, just an hour by plane or ferry from Sicily, and its crystalline waters, surrounded by fossil-studded limestone cliffs, are prime for summer sunbathing and year-round scuba diving. Along the coast, there are a whopping 80 wrecks to dive, and the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit is dedicated to maintaining them. There’s a cultural draw, too, as Arabic, Italian, French, British, and Norman influences intertwine in ancient fortified cities, with a cuisine, traditions, and language unlike any other in the region. The island was first inhabited prior to 5000 B.C., after all, with ancient megalithic temples—like Ġgantija and Ħaġar Qim—where visitors can see its storied past.

This might just be the year the destination becomes less of a secret. In 2021, Viking Cruises launched three new itineraries departing from Malta that sailed the Adriatic and Mediterranean, and the cruise line plans to add additional sailings from Malta in 2023. On land—yet still close to the water—three notable properties have opened, including a Hyatt Regency and Marriott Hotel & Spa in the beach town of St. Julian’s, and the decadent Iniala Harbour House in the capital city of Valletta. New transportation, including a recently launched speed ferry, makes it easier than ever to get from the island of Valletta to Gozo. And as for the food scene? Two more Malta restaurants were added to the Michelin Guide in 2021, including ION at Iniala, for a total of five in the country of less than 500,000 lucky residents. —Megan Spurrell

Copa Airlines’ popular Panama Stopover program is back, allowing travelers to add a one- to seven-day stopover en route to 36 destinations in South America at no extra cost. There are fewer Americans here than in neighboring Costa Rica, and with hundreds of islands on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides, you won’t be fighting for beach real estate. Make like the mammals and freshwater fauna of the Pliocene era, who migrated between North and South America when the isthmus of Panama formed, and linger awhile to explore Panama’s biodiverse jungles and beaches.

Bocas del Toro is a must-visit, with sprawling beaches that never feel too crowded and turquoise waters home to 95 percent of the coral species found in the Caribbean Sea. Memorable wildlife encounters include nighttime snorkeling in bioluminescent waters and exploring the subterranean lakes of Nivida Bat Cave with the help of headlamps and a knowledgeable guide from Hello Travel Panama .

The mountainous region of Chiriquí is equally enchanting, between its beaches and highlands, where active Volcán Barú looms large. Check in at the new 10-room boutique hotel Finca El Oasis and leave at midnight to hike the summit by daybreak for a panoramic sunrise above the clouds. Fuel your hike with locally grown coffee that you can’t find back home, like Chiriquí’s highly valued Geisha coffee. If a hike sounds too intense, there are off-road tours to the top of the volcano too, and canopy zip-lining right on the property. —Amber Gibson

Sumba, Indonesia

With millions of tourists Eat Pray Love -ing their way around Bali every year, it has become increasingly difficult to find a quiet beach or a waterfall without a gaggle of snap-happy travelers nearby. If you’re after a post-pandemic trip of quietude and untamed wilderness, you’re better off hopping on a 50-minute turboprop flight headed east from Bali, to Sumba.

About twice Bali’s size with only a fraction of its crowds, this rugged island is often compared to Bali before its tourism boom. Here, you’re more likely to share sugar-white beaches with grazing sandalwood ponies, and nosy dolphins will often be the only creatures you’re riding a wave with. And there’s more to love: hike through frozen-in-time hilltop villages bookended by ancient stone megaliths, swim in glassy lagoons, and bear witness to pasola, a boisterous ceremonial spear fighting competition (not for the faint of heart), typically scheduled between February and mid-March.

Though Nihi Sumba put the island on the map for deep-pocketed surfers back in 2012, a new crop of boutique resorts now make a five-star visit slightly more affordable. Opened in April 2020, Alamayah combines six rattan-wrapped suites with an Ayurvedic spa and Turkish hammam, plus a restaurant where plant-based dishes and remedial potions by an in-house herbalist take center stage. Mid-2022, Cap Karoso will open a small village of 47 suites and 20 beachfront villas on Sumba’s western tip. Its design melds the French owners’ Parisian flair with Sumbanese ikat and carved wood panels, while the resort’s organic farm will double as an agricultural school and artist atelier. With these hotels making efforts towards sustainable tourism development (Cap Karoso partnered with southwest Sumba’s governor for a 2022 launch of the Kodi Reserve, a coral restoration and reforestation program), the island is unlikely to follow in Bali’s trampled footsteps anytime soon. —Chris Schalkx

West Virginia

Our collective obsession with the outdoors this past year turned out to be fortuitous timing for West Virginia: Last December’s $2.3 trillion stimulus package redesignated the New River Gorge as America’s newest—and the state’s first—national park and preserve in an effort to promote tourism. Comprising some 73,000 acres, the park features 1,000-foot-high sandstone cliffs for climbing, 53 miles of river for whitewater rafting, and the iconic New River Gorge Bridge, which you can traverse on a guided trek across its 24-inch-wide catwalk.

But it’s not just national parks that benefited: West Virginia state parks are on track to hit a record 10 million visitors this year, and lawmakers approved $42 million in budget surplus for infrastructure improvements, including 20 new cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest and 25 new tree house cabins at Beech Fork State Park. Meanwhile, the new Elk River Rail Trail in central West Virginia is transforming an old railroad line once used to transport coal into a hiking and biking path that, at an eventual 74 miles, will be one of the longest trails east of the Mississippi.

If you need a little more comfort during your stay, the Hotel Morgan recently reopened in Morgantown. The space dates back to 1925 and has hosted the likes of Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt. Next up is the new Schoolhouse Hotel in White Sulphur Springs, which will open in the town’s 1912 high school building. Financed by the Disability Opportunity Fund, the boutique property is being hailed as the world’s first fully accessible hotel, with each of the 30 rooms and suites designed to accommodate wheelchair users. —N.D.

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10 of the Best Destinations to Travel to in 2022

Matt Moffitt

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Travel in 2021 has been characterized by a focus on domestic trips and some (limited) international excursions. As we look to 2022 with the pandemic (hopefully) fading into the distance, many popular tourism destinations are starting to reopen, offering intrepid travelers a great opportunity to explore them before mass tourism returns. Here are the 10 best destinations to visit in 2022. 

All of the destinations in this list are either already open, or expected to open in 2022, to fully vaccinated tourists from the US. However, given the fast-changing dynamic of the pandemic, it is recommended that you check official sources for information on entry requirements both when booking and closer to your departure date.

Australia & New Zealand

These two far-flung countries have been closed to foreign travelers for almost two years. Now that they have abandoned their ‘COVID-zero approach’ to the pandemic, they will soon be welcoming to their shores tourists from abroad.

Australia, being almost the same size as the 48 contiguous U.S. states, offers an array of travel experiences, from cosmopolitan city stays in Sydney and Melbourne, to yachting out to the Great Barrier Reef, and excursions through the vast outback.

If you are visiting between April and October, it’s best to focus your adventures on the northern part of the country (Queensland and the Northern Territory), which enjoy warm temperatures but little rain at this time of year. Conversely, if you’re heading there during southern summer months (broadly November through March), then New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania are the best places to be.

New Zealand is only a three-hour flight from the east coast of Australia, and so can be combined on the same trip. Wellington, the capital, is an underrated tourist destination, with world-class food and museums.

Then head south to one of the adventure capitals of the world, Queenstown. And tack on a visit to Wanaka, located one hour north of Queenstown, less busy, and full of beautiful nature and snowfields. 

Singapore is a mecca for tourists, offering incredible food from many different cultures (be sure to check out the world-famous hawker centers), as well as shop-till-you-drop adventures on Orchard Road, the city’s busiest commercial street.

Bucket list items: a visit to Gardens By The Bay (Singapore’s top-rated activity on TripAdvisor), a drink by the rooftop pool at the unique Marina Bay Sands Hotel, and a visit to Sentosa Island.

It’s easy to get around Singapore on public transport. Plus, English is widely spoken and public safety is high.

United Kingdom

There is a lot of pent-up travel demand from both Americans wanting to visit the U.K. and Brits wanting to visit us too.

Get in early and beat the crowds with a visit to London, one of the most dynamic cities on this planet. Be sure to catch a show on the West End, and take a daytrip to Bath to visit the old Roman baths and ruins (it’s only 90 mins away by train).

If you’re looking to get out of the metropolis, then Manchester is a good bet, famous for its free museums, extensive sporting history, and fun nightlife. 

Then why not head further north to Edinburgh, visiting the famed Edinburgh Castle, and perhaps even enjoying a hike in the Scottish Highlands?

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Georgia & Armenia

For those who like up-and-coming travel destinations, look no further. Georgia offers delicious food, beautiful mountain towns, gorgeous hiking in the Caucasus Mountains, and wine country to rival Napa and Sonoma (dry red wine is the most popular variety here).

Neighboring Armenia is known for its early Christian history, pristine nature, and hospitable locals, and is somewhat still unspoiled by mass tourism.

These two neighboring countries sit east of the Black Sea, wedged between Turkey and Russia. You can visit both on the same trip, with a suggestion to spend 7-10 days in each country.

The Lakes District (to the south of Santiago) features towering volcanoes, pristine lakes, and lush greenery. It’s an awe-inspiring place and a great option during the (southern) summer.

Heading further south, you’ll reach Puerto Montt, the jumpoff point for excursions to Patagonia. It’s best to come here between December and February, when there is less snow cover and you can enjoy more open hiking trails.

This land of ancient ruins and beautiful islands was a popular destination in the summer of 2021, and 2022 is set be similar—but on a larger scale.

This country sells itself—with idyllic coasts, food to make you salivate, and a whole lot of nightlife and dancing.

If you’re interested in visiting in 2022, book flights and accommodation early. You might want to consider traveling in June or September, when the weather and sea temperatures are warm but crowds thinner.

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Speaking of ancient wonders, there are few destinations in the world like Egypt. Built around the mighty Nile River, the most populous country in the Arab world is home to one of the world’s earliest and greatest civilizations, offering travelers a rich history, majestic monuments, and golden sand beaches.

The best times to visit Egypt are during the shoulder months of April-May and October-November, when you’ll get a reprieve from the scorching summer temperatures.

This sultanate, located on the far eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula, has been creeping onto travelers’ radars over the past few years.

Known for its ecotourism, travelers to Oman can take excursions through its many wadis (river valleys), palm-fringed oases, and white sandy beaches. The most comfortable months to visit  weatherwise are between November and March.

This South Pacific island nation is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists, offering miles of palm-lined beaches, luxurious private resorts and spas, and warm hospitality thrown in for good measure. Families will be happy as Fijians are known for their love of children.

Nonstop flights are available from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu, making this heavenly destination a top choice for those on the West Coast.

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There’s a reason the Land of Smiles is the most visited country in Southeast Asia. It combines warm hospitality, mouth-watering food, and stunning beaches and mountains.

Be sure to carve out some time to visit bustling Bangkok, with unrivaled shopping and nightlife, and Chiang Mai in the north, offering a contrast with its lush mountains and popular nature attractions.

The country reopened to fully-vaccinated tourists on November 1. Best to get there before tourists swarm its pristine beaches again.

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Newfound glory

N early 10 years after Detroit filed for bankruptcy, travelers can now play a role in the city’s vibrant economic recovery by simply driving through. Detroit was recently selected as home of the USA’s first electric-vehicle charging road, solidifying its title once again as the Motor City—but for the modern age.

The revitalized city has plans for lots of new offerings, especially for food and drink. Some of the best: Midnight Temple , an Indian gastropub near Eastern Market; Rosemary, chef Maxcel Hardy’s rosemary-filled café and accompanying cigar lounge called Byrd; What’s Crackin’, a seafood-boil restaurant serving up Great Lakes–caught fish; and Basan , a Japanese robata restaurant.

Over 500 new hotel rooms are currently in development for lodging. Cambria Hotel , a 158-room downtown hotel featuring Bluetooth mirrors, golf simulators, and the Detroit Taco Company Bodega, will open in late 2022. ROOST Apartment Hotel is preparing to open early next year in Book Tower—just one of Detroit’s iconic buildings currently being restored to its former glory. Visitors shouldn’t miss the summer opening of Phase 2 of the historic $55 million Motown Museum expansion, featuring an outdoor plaza and performance space.

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The 21 Best Beaches in Hawaii

These gorgeous Hawaii beaches are perfect whether you love surfing, snorkeling or tropical views.

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The islands that make up Hawaii's archipelago are known for their unique culture, their stunning tropical foliage and their laid-back vibe. Hawaiian beaches are also some of the most beautiful in the world thanks to the tall, swaying palm trees and the dramatic mountain scenery that surrounds them.

Which beaches in Hawaii are worth a visit? Practically all of them, but some feature better scenery or waters for surfing or snorkeling than others. As you start planning your next trip to the gorgeous Hawaiian islands , consider adding a stop to these Hawaiian beaches for a few hours … or a few days.

Poipu Beach: Kauai

The island of Kauai is popular due to its mountainous terrain, its verdant and lush landscapes, and its accessible waterfalls. However, the golden sand beaches are also a sight to behold. Once named "America's Best Beach" by the Travel Channel, Poipu Beach is located on the south shore of the island and features a natural ocean wading pool perfect for snorkeling and swimming.

Big Beach (Makena Beach): Maui

Maui 's Big Beach (also called Makena Beach ) is long, beautiful and wide, with rough waters and stunning mountain views. Visitors can spread out and enjoy plenty of space thanks to the sheer size of the beach, and its shorebreak brings huge swells perfect for surfing, extreme boogie boarding and other water sports.

Read: The Best Maui Helicopter Tours

Hanauma Bay: Oahu

Located within the city of Honolulu , Hanauma Bay is home to an array of tropical fish and other marine life, making it an ideal place for learning about the area's delicate underwater ecosystem via a snorkeling excursion. This nature preserve is so important to locals that tour buses are no longer permitted inside. However, individual travelers can still make the journey to admire this gorgeous stretch of coastline.

Hulopoe Beach: Lanai

Hulopoe Beach is located in front of the Four Seasons Resort Lanai , one of the premier luxury resorts in all of Hawaii . In addition to its incredible scenery, this beach offers some of the best snorkeling and swimming waters off the coast of Lanai. Large tidal pools on the eastern side of the bay also create ideal swimming and exploring opportunities for children.

Polihale Beach: Kauai

Polihale Beach is located within Kauai's Polihale State Park, and it's known for its amazing sunsets and jaw-dropping views of the famous Napali Coast . This stretch of coastline is perfect for families who want to enjoy a picnic or relax in a remarkably natural setting. Plus, swimming is possible when ocean conditions are calm.

Kahalu'u Beach: Big Island

Located on the Kona coast near the town center of Kailua-Kona, Kahalu'u Beach boasts an array of marine animals that range from sea turtles to tropical fish. This makes the beach ideal for snorkeling and learning about the ocean, although rocks near the shore necessitate water shoes. Rougher waters not far from the shore also make this beach a popular spot for surfers.

Ko Olina Beach: Oahu

Ko Olina Beach is home to several resorts, including the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina and Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, and is made up of four different lagoons that are ideal for swimming and snorkeling. While the beaches here are privately owned, travelers can visit and daily parking is available. Many activities like scuba diving and surfing are prohibited, but the beach is worth a visit thanks to its ample ocean wildlife and clear waters.

Pa'iloa Beach: Maui

Maui's Pa'iloa Beach (also known as Honokalani Beach) is located along the Road to Hana within Waianapanapa State Park , and is only accessible with park reservations. However, the trip will be worth it thanks to the beach's startling black sand and clear turquoise waters. This stretch of sand even boasts a natural lava arch in the water, which creates the perfect backdrop for your Instagram-worthy photos.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Maui

Polihua Beach: Lanai

Located on the northern shore of Lanai, secluded Polihua Beach is harder to reach than some of the other top beaches in Hawaii (accessing it requires a four-wheel drive vehicle or a professional guide). However, this beach is 2 miles long and blissfully empty, making it perfect for sunbathing or enjoying the views without any crowds. Strong ocean currents make the waters along Polihua Beach too dangerous for swimming, but it's still a great place to get away from it all.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Lanai

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach: Big Island

If you're eager to see a unique black sand beach, the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach on the island of Hawaii should be on your radar. This beach is located between the towns of Pahala and Naalehu in Kau, so it's easily accessible. While not ideal for swimming, the stark contrast of the black sand and clear waters makes this beach unforgettable. You may even see protected sea turtles relaxing on the shores or swimming directly off the coast.

Hanalei Bay: Kauai

Kauai's Hanalei Bay is known for its incredible surf and proximity to the gorgeous Napali Coast, as well as the many luxury resorts located in nearby Princeville, including The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas . There are actually three different beaches within Hanalei – Waioli Beach Park, Hanalei Beach Park and Black Pot Beach. Each one is dotted with lifeguards, and swimming is possible when the waters are calm.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Kauai

Wailea Beach: Maui

Wailea Beach features soft white sand and calm waters that beg visitors to jump right in. Known for drawing in lots of tourists, this stretch of coastline boasts many upscale eateries featuring gourmet cuisine and fresh seafood. This beach is also home to an array of popular resorts, from the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort to the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea .

Waimanalo Beach: Oahu

Waimanalo Beach is not very popular with tourists, but it's not due to a lack of beauty. This beach on the island's southeastern shore is a sight to behold thanks to its powder white sand, mountainous backdrop and azure ocean waters. There aren't any amenities here, but what the beach lacks in facilities it more than makes up for in its peaceful atmosphere.

Makalawena Beach: Big Island

The Big Island's Makalawena Beach is popular with hikers, and it's easy to see why. As part of Kekaha Kai State Park, this beach is not accessible by car, meaning it's less frequented by tourists. If you do decide to make the 4.5-mile trek to the beach along the Ala Kahakai Trail, you'll be rewarded with a palm-lined shoreline, plenty of shade trees and astonishing natural beauty in every direction.

Read: The Best Things to Do on the Big Island

Lanikai Beach: Oahu

Oahu's Lanikai Beach is located 15 miles northeast of downtown Honolulu, so it's not that difficult to reach. Travelers who make the journey will find a tranquil beach that's a mile long with lighter crowds than nearby Waikiki Beach . While parking can be limited, the calm waters found here make this beach a family-friendly gem.

Read: The Best Things to Do in Honolulu - Oahu

Kalapaki Beach: Kauai

Kalapaki Beach sits behind a protected break wall directly next to Marriott's Kaua'i Beach Club , making it convenient for hotel guests who don't want to drive. This beach is ideal for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and learning to surf, yet you'll also find visitors sunbathing and playing beach volleyball.

Sunset Beach: Oahu

Oahu's Sunset Beach is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it's perfect for active vacationers who want to take part in water sports like surfing and boogie boarding. This North Shore beach is also easy to visit by car thanks to its location near the town of Haleiwa south of Waimea Bay. Parking is available across the street from the beach, as well as basic facilities like restrooms and showers.

Hapuna Beach: Big Island

Hapuna Beach is located within Hapuna Beach State Park on the Big Island, and it's one of the area's largest white sand treasures. This postcard-perfect beach tends to offer excellent conditions for swimming, as well as calm water activities like stand-up paddleboarding and snorkeling. You can even see whales migrating along the coast during part of the year (most often from January to March), and amenities like food vendors, restrooms and showers will make your visit more comfortable.

Papohaku Beach: Molokai

Papohaku Beach is located on the island of Molokai, and it's one of the longest and widest white sand beaches in all of Hawaii. Families love to camp along the broad expanse of this beach year-round, and picnic and restroom facilities are found on-site. While swimming is safe for part of the year, visitors should avoid getting in the water here from October through March.

Papakolea Beach: Big Island

After you've visited a few of Hawaii's black sand beaches Papakolea Beach, also known as Green Sand Beach, should be next on your list. While this unique shore on Hawaii's Big Island offers no amenities and often experiences a strong surf that makes for dangerous swimming conditions, it's worth a visit just to view the stark contrast of the green sand, which is made that way by a common mineral called olivine. Note that reaching the shoreline requires a hike from the parking lot and that there is little to no shade along the way.

Waikiki Beach: Oahu

Waikiki Beach is located along the south shore of Honolulu, which boasts many of Oahu's most fabulous hotels and resorts, including Halekulani and The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki . This means you'll share the sand with thousands of tourists in the area, but that you'll also be able to find dining and entertainment with ease. Not only does Waikiki Beach stand in the shadows of the beautiful Diamond Head landmark, but it's also an ideal spot for swimming, snorkeling and surfing lessons for beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hawaii has more than 100 beaches across all of its different islands. Some of the best beaches in Hawaii include:

• Poipu Beach
• Makena Beach
• Hulopoe Beach
• Wailea Beach
• Polihua Beach

See more of the best beaches in Hawaii .

The Big Island and Maui both have several black sand beaches. Some of the top black sand beaches in Hawaii are:

• Punaluu Beach (Big Island)
• Kehena Beach (Big Island)
• Kaimu Beach (Big Island)
• Honokalani Beach at Pailoa Bay, located in Waianapanapa State Park (Maui)
• Oneuli Beach (Maui)

See more great beaches in Hawaii, plus photos .

Waikiki Beach is in Honolulu, about 9 miles east of Honolulu International Airport. It's situated on the southeastern coast of the island of Oahu.

Learn more about Waikiki Beach .

Hapuna Beach is on the Big Island. It's located on the western coast of the island, about 30 miles north of Kailua-Kona and 25 miles north of Kona International Airport.

Find out more about Hapuna Beach .

You might also be interested in:

• The Best Hawaii Tours
• All-Inclusive Resorts in Hawaii: Hotels With Awesome Amenities
• The Top Beach Resorts Around the World
• The Top Overwater Bungalows Around the World
• The Best Beach Bags

Tags: Travel , Hawaii Vacations , Beach Vacations , US Vacations

World's Best Places To Visit

• # 1 South Island, New Zealand
• # 4 Bora Bora

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Where to go in 2024: The best places to visit

Editor’s note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter . Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay.

So many places to see in the world. So many people eager to see them.

International tourism reached about 90% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, and the United States issued a record number of  passports . And if you visited any popular destination over the summer, you’d probably argue it was more crowded than ever.

So maybe it’s time to look at places that are still largely undiscovered, or alluring in the offseason, or frequently overlooked for their larger first cities or neighbors. Maybe it’s time to head to places that are making it easier for tourists to visit and those that pay close attention to encouraging tourism that’s sustainable.

With those things in mind, CNN Travel chose 24 places to consider as you make your 2024 plans:

Sumba, Indonesia

For those looking for a beach destination that prioritizes community consciousness and sustainability, the Indonesian island of Sumba delivers.

With its remote villages, untouched forests, ancient rituals and world-class surf breaks, Sumba is the perfect antidote to the crowds of Bali, which is just an hour’s flight away. It might not be internationally famous yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s small. Sumba is more than 4,000 square miles in size (more than 10,000 square kilometers) – twice the size of Bali.

It was the  Nihi Sumba  resort that brought this island into luxury seekers’ sights when it first opened in 2012. More than a decade on, Sumba has welcomed several new luxury eco-resorts. These include  The Sanubari,  a series of beachfront villas that opened in 2022, and  Cap Karoso , located on the island’s southwest.  —Karla Cripps

Turkey’s Black Sea coast

Far less known than the Mediterranean yacht-magnet resorts of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the  Black Sea region, also known as Karadeniz,  offers a very different side of the country. Less touristed and with a cooler, damper climate that produces verdant scenery and  delicious black tea , the region has historic towns and villages as well as beaches and adrenaline-producing activities.

In summer, it’s a refreshing escape from Turkey’s more sweltering regions. Visitors can explore ancient streets that still echo to the clang of blacksmith hammers in Safranbolu, soak up beach life in Amasra and climb to where one of the world’s oldest monasteries clings to a cliff at Sumela.

For thrill-seekers, there’s white water rafting, and when winter brings heavy snowfalls, the region’s eastern Kaçkar Mountains transform into a  heli-skiing paradise .  —Barry Neild

Tartu, Estonia

Pucker up. Tartu, in southern Estonia, has been named a European Capital of Culture for 2024 — with  special attention paid to kissing . One of this university city’s most celebrated sights is its statue of two students locked in a passionate embrace, but here in the “City of Good Thoughts,” the love-in is more high-minded than carnal.

Tartu is renowned as Estonia’s intellectual center, home to its oldest university as well as the must-visit Estonian National Museum and the impressive Science Centre AHHAA, the largest science museum in the Baltics.

The Old Town is the perfect place to base yourself, but just north of the city center on the banks of the Emajõgi River, Supilinn (“Soup Town”) is also worth a visit. This historic neighborhood filled with pretty, wooden houses was formerly a slum but is now becoming one of the city’s most desirable addresses.  —Maureen O’Hare

Tainan, Taiwan

Celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2024, Tainan has become a Taiwan hotspot on the international stage. This southern city has surpassed the capital, Taipei, to boast the highest overall hotel occupancy rate in Taiwan in the past two years.

What makes it so special? Tainan is considered the street food capital of Taiwan and is loved for its beef soups and oyster omelets, otherworldly natural landscapes (check out Tsao Shan Moon World), scenic sunsets over salt farms, colorful old temples and cool new museums.

It was also listed among Booking.com’s top 10 sustainable tourism destinations in 2023.  —Maggie Hiufu Wong

Northwest Michigan

Refreshing, unsalty Lake Michigan lures boatloads of tourists in summer, but the shoreline, quaint towns and rolling countryside of Northwest Michigan have plenty to offer year-round.

On Grand Traverse Bay, Traverse City makes a great home base for exploring wineries on the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas or picking cherries or apples in season. Then fall’s foliage is ripe for peeping, followed by winter’s inviting blankets of snow.

From Traverse City, the scenic M-22 highway winds up the Leelanau Peninsula and hooks back down through Leland, home to a  historic fishing village  and a collection of interesting  shops and galleries .

Glen Arbor is another town worth perusing on the way to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , where off M-109 an all-sand, 3.5-mile hike over massive dunes to the Great Lake and back preps hardy hikers for a delicious dinner.

Farm Club , a farm-restaurant hybrid seven miles from downtown Traverse City, serves beautifully prepared dishes showcasing the region’s ingredients — many grown on site — in a minimalist, barnlike space that spills outdoors.  —Marnie Hunter

Trans Dinarica Cycle Route, Balkans

Launching in 2024, the Trans Dinarica Cycle Route will be the first and only bike route to link all eight countries of the Western Balkans. The 100-stage trail is designed for cyclists of all abilities and its 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) is made up of quiet asphalt roads, forest trails and bike paths.

Riders can enjoy Albania and Croatia’s spectacular coastlines, Kosovo’s national parks, Montenegro’s rugged mountains and lush woodland and sparkling rivers throughout Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Riders can get more information and sign up for news of route updates, maps, accommodation and services at  transdinarica.com .   —MO

Culebra, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is large and makes for a great island escape. But what if you want an escape from your great island escape? That’s where little Culebra comes in. It’s about 20 miles (32 kilometers) off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico and world away from  San Juan’s noisy, rum-soaked nightlife .

The emphasis here is on outdoor activities and unwinding. Be sure to check out  Flamenco Beach , curving for about a mile around a sheltered bay. It has little in the way of waves, making it a superb spot for snorkeling and swimming. And a graffitied tank — a US military relic — offers a striking photo op.

Much of the island is  a natural refuge , and you can also go hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and fishing. Take  a day trip  or  stay over  and make it your main destination.  —Forrest Brown

This southern African nation is trying hard to make a break on the tourism scene, having recently introduced a  quick-approval tourism e-visa . While major tourism infrastructure might not be up to speed yet, it’s a chance to explore a country still off the travel radar.

The capital of Luanda has a reputation as a pricey party city, but out in the wide-open spaces beyond, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. Second city  Lubango  offers Portuguese colonial architecture, an impressive Rio-style Christ the King hilltop statue and access to the Tundavala Gap, a giddying plunge from cool tablelands into shimmering dusty plains.

Also worth a look: the dramatic 1,300-foot-wide (396 meters) Calendula Falls and Atlantic coastline surfing paradises such as Barra do Kwanza and Cabo Ledo.  —BN

Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada

Not to be confused with St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, Saint John is located in New Brunswick — also on Canada’s east coast. This charming little city is an excellent base from which to enjoy the nearby  Bay of Fundy , famed for having the world’s highest tides.

The city itself is filled with historic architecture, including the  Saint John City Market , a National Historic Site of Canada. Built from 1874 to 1876, it’s filled with shops and food venues. A five-minute walk away is the  Saint John Arts Centre . Set in the city’s historic Carnegie Building, it’s the only former Carnegie Library in eastern Canada.

In terms of accommodation, there are seaside cottages, hotels, motels, campgrounds, historic inns and B&Bs. Food here is as excellent as you’d expect from a maritime city in Canada, with a broad range from cheap eats to fine dining.  —KC

South Korea

With word that “Squid Game” — still the most-watched show on Netflix — is set to return with a new season in 2024, it’s time once again to embrace the K-wave.

Thankfully, travel to the country is easier than ever before. The government is waiving its K-ETA requirement — the electronic travel visa for South Korea — for travelers from  22 countries  till the end of 2024 as part of its Visit Korea Year campaign.

This is a country that truly has it all. After exploring futuristic cities such as Seoul and Busan, the cultural and historic side of old Korea awaits at Andong, dubbed the “Spirit of South Korea,” or the seven cemeteries of the ancient  Gaya Tumuli , newly inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023.  —MHW

Sandwiched on the Adriatic coast between Greece and Montenegro, it’s astonishing that Albania wasn’t more popular as a beach destination before. But its wallet-friendly prices have seen tourism boom here over the past few years — so much so that in 2023, record numbers of Italians flocked across the Adriatic for their bargain summer breaks.

2024 sees the opening of a new airport at Vlorë, on the coast, which will make those beach trips easier. But there’s far more to Albania than its coast. The country has a rich culture, including Christian and Muslim history, with historical centers in towns such as Berat and Gjirokastër, as well as jaw-dropping mountain landscapes (Theth is the most popular).

In 2023, Albania got Europe’s first wild river national park, around the 168-mile (270-kilometer)  Vjosa River  — or to go really off the beaten track book a self-drive tour with  Drive Albania .  —Julia Buckley

Stretching about 2,700 miles from top to toe, long and slim Chile offers a little something for everyone.  In the north, spectacular landscapes simulate  Mars on Earth  in the Atacama Desert, where the 51-room  Our Habitas Atacama  emphasizes sustainability.  The new hotel is a good fit for the “world’s leading green destination,” a title Chile just picked up at the World Travel Awards for the second year in a row.

The natural world puts its best foot forward all over the country: Thousands of miles of Pacific coastline to the west, the towering Andes in the east and lakes, volcanoes and wild Patagonia in the south.

World-class skiing in July and August — a welcome break from the sweltering Northern Hemisphere — is two hours or less from the capital, Santiago. And the new high-altitude Parque Nacional Glaciares near the city protects land in the country’s most populous and  historically little-protected  area.  —MH

Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia

Every year there’s another installment in the soap opera surrounding the Great Barrier Reef — will it be de-listed by UNESCO? Has the coral regrowth gone well this season?

For tourists who’d rather not wade into the situation, there’s another way to experience some of Australia’s gorgeous underwater bounty. About 37 miles (60 kilometers) off the coast of Western Australia, the lesser-known  Abrolhos Islands  are home to some of the most beautiful scenery of the country’s Coral Coast, above and below the water.

Humpback whales pass through in the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, and lucky travelers may catch a glimpse of Australian Sea Lions. There are no hotels on the islands, so intrepid visitors can either overnight in the town of Geraldton or splash out for a liveaboard boat, which provides opportunities to watch brilliant sunsets over the Indian Ocean and scuba dive in the early hours when the fish are at their most active.  —Lilit Marcus

Macedonia, Greece

Athens and the islands get more crowded every year, but in northern Greece, the region of Macedonia is relatively free from overtourism. Yet it has everything visitors flock elsewhere in Greece to see: archaeological sites, history-rich towns and beaches galore.

This was the land of Alexander the Great. His father, Philip II of Macedon, is buried at Vergina, where his tomb has been turned into a world-class  subterranean museum  displaying the finds. Nearby, there are Byzantine remains in the hilltop city Veria, and superb wineries such as  Kir-Yianni  in the rolling hills around Naousa.

Thessaloniki — the region’s capital and Greece’s second city — is a gastro hub as well as a mishmash of architectural and archaeological eras. Near the city are the sandy beaches of Halkidiki; toward the border with Thrace are archaeological spots like ancient Philippi, and the city of Kavala, whose Ottoman past shows in every building . —JB

It may be most famous for the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal, but this Central American country is so much more than a transit destination.

Not only does Panama have a vibrant capital city with a historic old quarter that’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the country also holds over a dozen national parks, including Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, the highest point in Panama.

Panama City is also the only world capital with a tropical rainforest within its city limits. Visitors keen to delve further into Panama’s cultural landscape in a sustainable way can book community-based tourist adventures through a digital portal called  SOSTUR Network , which connects travelers with rural communities and tourism businesses.  —Tamara Hardingham-Gill

Galicia, Spain

Empty beaches bordered by the wild Atlantic Ocean and framed by the rugged landscape of the  Islas Atlánticas National Park . Mouth-watering seafood. And a historic city forever entwined with the famed  Camino de Santiago.  Welcome to Galicia, an autonomous region in the northwest tip of Spain.

Galicia’s regional capital city,  Santiago de Compostela , has long been on the tourist map thanks to its striking 12 th -century cathedral, which is the endpoint for the hundreds of thousands of walkers who  embark on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage  each year. But even if you weren’t planning on packing your walking boots, bustling Santiago should be on your radar.

And for spectacular views, head to  Cabo Fisterra , a rocky peninsula home to the picturesque Finisterre lighthouse. The former lighthouse residence is the  Hotel O Semáforo de Fisterra . Lighthouses are a bit of a theme in Galicia — there are 19 in total, including the UNESCO-protected 1st-century  Tower of Hercules , believed to be the world’s oldest surviving Roman lighthouse.  —Francesca Street

Singapore’s offshore islands

The city-state of Singapore shows urbanism at its finest: biophilic skyscrapers, neon-lit supertrees and six-star hotels all outdoing each other to redefine “luxury.” But venturing off the peninsula is quickly becoming a more interesting option.

Singapore is developing some of its smaller, uninhabited islands by, well, not developing them. Just a ferry ride away from the mainland, Lazarus Island is now home to a few rentable tiny houses made with reconstituted wood and powered by solar energy. Nearby, Sisters’ Island will open the country’s first marine park — including a sea turtle hatchery and coral protection area — in 2024.

Already open for exploring is St. John’s Island, where a 1.7-mile trail highlights native plants and flowers while shining a light on the island’s colorful history, which included a period as a quarantine center during a cholera outbreak. It’s a fitting place to think about life after a pandemic.  —LM

Mérida, Mexico

The Yucatán Peninsula is best known for its tropical beaches, but venture inland, and you’re in for an unexpected urban treat.

“Mérida’s uniqueness comes from a blend of Mayan and colonial heritage,” said David Casanova, who has a  real estate YouTube channel  on Yucatán state’s capital city with his wife, Megan Sequeira Casanova. “The city’s excitement starts with its diverse cuisine and friendly locals and expands to its year-long favorable weather.”

In town, Paseo de Montejo is lined with historic mansions, museums, art galleries and local vendors. The Casanovas tout the city’s boutique hotels, including  Kuka y Naranjo . For nearby getaways, there’s Progreso Beach (less than an hour away), fascinating Mayan ruins and underground water caves called cenotes.

If you’re concerned about personal safety in Mexico, the  US State Department  rates Yucatán and Campache states as the two safest as of December.  —FB

A longtime travel favorite thanks to its diverse landscape and spectacular architecture, Morocco has bounced back determinedly after a devastating earthquake this past September.

While visitors tend to congregate in popular cities such as Marrakech, Rabat and Fes, the country certainly isn’t short of less crowded spots that are arguably just as alluring. Standouts include Tétouan, the city near the first  Regis Hotels and Resorts Morocco property , and the historic Meknes, which is among the country’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Morocco is proving to be a world leader when it comes to sustainable tourism, with the launch of various initiatives to boost its renewable energy generation. The country is also home to a number of significant eco-friendly hotels, including the Berber-run  Kasbah du Toubkal , located at the base of the spectacular High Atlas Mountains.  —THG

Florida’s freshwater springs

How would you like to immerse in water clear as gin any day of the year? You can do that in some of the 1,000 or more recognized  fresh-water springs  scattered around northern and central Florida.

These  pristine natural pools  provide stable temps and visibility for swimming, tubing, snorkeling, diving, wildlife viewing and more. Here are a few of the best:

Wakulla Springs  has a swimming area in 70 F (21 C) degree water, and the state park offers a boat ride tour. The  depth at the vent  is about 185 feet (56 meters).  Rainbow Springs  is considered one of the most beautiful in the state.  Ginnie Springs , a privately owned site, is renowned for its diving and cavern.  —FB

Texas Hill Country

In the heart of Texas, Hill Country boasts its own natural springs. One prime spot,  Krause Springs  in Spicewood, lures visitors with more than its spring-fed pool and natural swimming hole — there’s also a butterfly garden full of magical wind chimes. And the  Blue Bonnet Cafe  — home to some of the world’s most divine cream pies — is just a short drive away in Marble Falls .

Meanderers will also find rolling hills and hiking trails, winding rivers,  wineries , barbecue, music and dance halls, plus an explosion of wildflowers in March and April. And in 2024, April also brings a celestial spectacle to Hill Country — the total solar eclipse on April 8.

Gruene Hall  in New Braunfels is legendary among Texas’  historic dance halls , and Luckenbach, a tiny hamlet outside the larger German-influenced town of Fredericksburg, has a dance hall and regular pickers’ circles under the oak trees.  —MH

One of the smaller and lesser-known emirates of the United Arab Emirates, Fujairah is as mellow as it is beautiful. Filled with spectacular mountain ranges and pristine beaches, it’s significantly less developed than the likes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, offering an authentic and tranquil vibe that’s hard to beat.

Fujairah has a cooler climate compared with the other emirates because of its mountainous setting, but the winter months are definitely the most pleasant time to visit.

Snoopy Island, a snorkeling spot that looks like the famous cartoon dog lying on his back, is a top draw thanks to its crystal-clear waters and coral reefs, while the cascading waterfalls of the Wadi Wurayah National Park are another must-see.  —THG

The jaw-dropping landscapes of Greenland — an autonomous territory of Denmark situated northeast of Canada — are set to get a little more accessible for international travelers this year.

New international airports are opening in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, and the coastal city of Ilulissat. These aviation hubs promise longer runways that will be able to handle larger commercial aircraft. The climate crisis is a visible, real threat in Greenland, and investment in the tourism sphere is increasing as changing climates  pose roadblocks to traditional industries.

Learn more about how Greeenland is adapting, and the stories of the Inuit people who’ve lived in the region for thousands of years at the  Icefjord Centre  in Ilulissat on the West Coast. Colorful Ilulissat is also home to the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord, which offers the staggering sight of a bay filled with floating icebergs. In general, nature is the main event in Greenland, with other highlights including whale watching, dog sledding and Aurora Borealis sightings.   —FS

Before the pandemic, Uzbekistan was poised to be the  next big thing  in travel thanks to a series of ambitious reforms to transform the country into a world-class destination.

Now, its time has finally come.

Offering visa-free access to citizens of 86 countries, Uzbekistan’s untouched landscapes and well-preserved architecture are ready and waiting to awe visitors.

For greater insights into Uzbekistan’s position at the heart of the fabled Silk Road, a historic trade route that ran from China and India to the Mediterranean, the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva await. Meanwhile, the mountainous Uzbek village of Sentob — about 3.5 hours from Samarkand — was added to UNESCO’s list of “ Best Tourism Villages ” in 2023. It’s been cited for its commitment to sustainable development, with a focus on nature, organic food and eco and mountain tourism.

Getting around the country is easy thanks to the high-speed Afrosiyob Express train, connecting capital Tashkent with Samarkand and Bukhara.  —KC

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The 22 best places to travel in 2022, according to ovation travel group.

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Camel tourists caravan walking on sunset desert near Dubai skyline.

Looking for the best place to travel in 2022? Make sure you have a passport.

According to an exclusive survey by Ovation Travel Group's agents, only two of the top destinations are in the United States. The others are in far-flung locations many American travelers have never heard of. 

Paul Metselaar, the CEO of Ovation Travel Group, says the list of 22 best places to travel in 2022 reflects a historic desire to cross borders and have a new experience. 

"We're seeing high levels of pent-up demand for international travel," he says. "Certainly the most since 2019." 

These are the 22 best places to visit in 2022

Here are the 22 best places to travel in 2022, according to Ovation's list of the top leisure destinations compiled exclusively for Forbes.

1. Taormina, Italy

3. Santa Fe, New Mexico

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5. Anguilla

6. Ljubljana, Slovenia

7. Faroe Islands

8. Ischia, Italy

9. banff, canada, 10. galapagos islands, 11. majorca, spain, 12. porto, portugal.

13. Bodrum, Turkey 

14. Seychelles

15. napa valley, calif..

16. Quito, Ecuador

17. San Sebastian, Spain

18. yucatan, mexico, 19. pink granite coast, france, 20. namibia.

21. Chefchaouen, Morocco

22. Paro, Bhutan

Why should you see the 22 best places to visit in 2022.

Why go to these 22 best places in 2022? Here's what experts had to say:

Belvedere of Taormina and San Giuseppe church on the square Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina.

Why visit? Set up on a hill, the town of Taormina is vibrant and charming, with views of the famous Mt. Etna and its postcard-perfect beaches. Travel experts say its friendly climate and people make it the number-one destination on this list of the 22 best places to travel in 2022. 

Who should go : Couples and families looking for five-star stays. Both Four Seasons and Belmond have beautiful resorts in Taormina.

Don’t miss : A day-trip to Mt. Etna. “Hike and explore the lava craters and learn the history of the volcano and its eruptions,” says Jill Fischbarg, a luxury travel consultant with Ovation Travel Group. “End your day with a visit to one of the area's wineries to taste the region's famous Etna Rosso and Bianco.”

Westminster and the Big Ben clocktower by the Thames river in London, United Kingdom, just after ... [+] sunset.

Why visit? “ London is truly one of the world’s greatest cities, and it’s shining brighter than it has in years,” says Andrew Steinberg, a luxury travel concierge at Modern Travel, an affiliate of Ovation Travel Group. “London blends the old and new, making it relevant to all travelers, young and old.” 

Who should go: Theater lovers, foodies (dining to compete on a global scale), shopaholics (shopping is a sport in this city), history lovers (Winston Churchill’s war room is a must), and those with an insatiable appetite for British royalty.

Don't miss: Claridge’s newly renovated rooms and all their restaurants, but especially Davies and Brook (from Daniel Humm); the Connaught bar, which is the top in Mayfair, and the new Red Bar (featuring red artwork from top female artists including Louise Bourgeois).

Downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico at dusk. Santa Fe is the capital of the state of New Mexico. Santa Fe ... [+] is the oldest capital city in the United States and the oldest city in New Mexico.

3. Santa Fe, N.M.

Why visit? Santa Fe is one of the most historically significant cities in North America. It's also the highest-rated American destination on this list of the 22 best places to travel in 2022. “With a historic downtown, art galleries, Native American culture and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Santa Fe has much to offer any traveler,” says Jessica Levy, a luxury travel consultant at Ovation Travel Group. 

Who should go : Couples, multigenerational families, and groups of friends.

Don't miss : The Santa Fe Opera and the Auberge hotel, Bishop’s Lodge.

Burj Al Arab Hotel with Dubai Skyline, Dubai.

4. Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Why: Dubai has all the glitz and glamour, with its world-renowned restaurants and sunny beaches. “Dubai has the culture of the Middle East and the desert topography, giving it a unique quality that is hard to find elsewhere in the world,” says Sylvia Lebovitch, president and founder of SL Travel Advisors , an affiliate of Ovation Travel Group. “Guests can dine in a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant or at a Michelin Star restaurant run by a celebrity chef. The anticipated opening of Atlantis the Royal promises to be one of the most impressive projects of the year.” 

Who should go: Couples, families and singles. There is something for everyone, from the indoor ski park to the beaches.

Don't miss: Spending the day enjoying a local pastime, dune bashing and sandboarding the desert. 

Anguilla is one of the top 22 destinations of 2022.

5. Anguilla 

Why visit? The powder-white sands glisten alongside the crystal-clear turquoise waters, painting for the picture-perfect shoreline, says Aanchal Gandhi, vice president of leisure and independent advisors at Ovation Travel Group. 

"Anguilla has incredible soul that is glorified by the locals while maintaining humbling hospitality," she says. "You feel this from the moment you step onto Anguilla. The island offers delectable award-winning dining experiences and also beachside shacks that serve up some of the best jerk-style meats. You can immerse yourself into the local island life and simultaneously enjoy the mesmerizing luxury. Anguilla is one of the favorite Caribbean destinations that vacationers always return to."

Who should go: Beach lovers. Anguilla has 33 uncrowded beaches to discover. Also, snorkeling enthusiasts can enjoy huge coral gardens on Dog Island or Shoal Bay. 

Don't miss: Exploring the island on a Moke, an open-air rental vehicle. Or take a five-minute boat ride for the fresh seafood on Scilly Cay. Make sure to introduce yourself to Alexander, who has taken over his family business and serves one of the best rum punches on the island. 

The franciscan Church of Annunciation and the Triple Bridge at dusk.

6. Ljubljana, Slovenia 

Why visit? Ljubljana is the picturesque capital of Slovenia, a small country rich in culture, gastronomy and natural wonders. “Not far from the capital, you can enjoy snow-capped peaks, turquoise rivers and a Venetian style coastline,” says Laurie Robinson, luxury travel advisor for Ovation Travel Group. “Castles and gorgeous landscapes are moderately priced compared to other European countries.”   

Who should go: Romantics, history and gastronomy buffs, as well as outdoor activists. 

Don't miss : Ljubljana’s many bridges, its castle and funicular with its setting on the river providing an engaging café scene and compelling art venues. 

Faroe Islands, one of the remotest destinations on the list of top places to visit in 2022.

7. Faroe Islands 

Why visit?  The Faroe Islands, an 18-island archipelago north of Scotland, lying between Iceland and Norway, are a place of rustic beauty and spectacular landscapes. It may be one of the most remote destinations on this list of the 22 best places to travel in 2022. “The terrain is rugged, but the experience is beautiful and exciting,” says Elaine Esposito, a luxury travel advisor for Ovation Travel Group. “It is a destination waiting to be explored and definitely a vacation with bragging rights.” 

Who should go: Foodies and anyone who enjoys nature, hiking, fresh ocean air, puffins, sheep, and Faroese salmon.  

Don't miss: The ferry ride to Mykines Island. The journey takes you past Drangarnir Arch, the “sea stack” rock formation with a hole in the middle. And the hike to the Mykines lighthouse is unforgettable. 

Castello Aragonese in Ischia Ponte, on Ischia island near Naples, Italy. Many little boats in the ... [+] sea.

Why visit?  Ischia, the island often referred to as Capri’s big sister, is located in the Gulf of Naples and is only accessible by private boat, ferry or hydrofoil. “This gives the island a cachet of exclusivity and privilege. While jet setters make their pilgrimage to Capri, those in the know have flocked to Ischia for decades,” says Barbara Hammer, president of BH Travel Group, an affiliate of Ovation Travel Group. 

Who should go:  Ischia is the perfect destination for those who have visited the more mainstream resorts like Capri and Positano. It is also a destination for families and couples who are looking for an activity-filled Italian getaway.

Don't miss : A meal at Ristorante Emanuela, located on Maronti Beach, which is famous for cooking their fresh fish and local meats cooked in the ground using volcanic properties.

Hiking to the top of Moraine Lake in Banff National Park.

Why visit? Banff was established as Canada’s first national park in 1885. "And to many, it represents the essence of what Canada is all about," says Andrew Williams, managing director of Travel at Will , an Ovation Travel Group affiliate. "Banff is an easily accessible wilderness that seamlessly caters experiences for travelers of all types. Untamed wilderness meets modern urban development lures in everyone from rugged mountaineers to busloads of sightseeing senior citizens."

Who should go: Nature lovers, fisherman and active travelers.

Don't miss: Nature is the main attraction here. In warmer months, don’t miss a hike in the Canadian Rockies or kayaking on Lake Minnewanka. In the winter, hit the slopes at one of the local ski resorts.

Diver viewing endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas agassisi), resting in reef, Galapagos ... [+] Islands, Ecuador.

Why visit? ” The Galapagos Islands are like no other place with unique wildlife up close and primeval immersion in nature,” says Marcella Rappoport, president of MR Journeys, an affiliate of Ovation Travel Group.

Who should go:  Nature lovers, science geeks and even those looking for romance.

Don’t miss : Snorkeling with sea lions, swimming with turtles, and scouting for whales.

Cala Figuera, Mallorca, Spain.

Why visit? Majorca offers an air of authenticity from its natural beauty to its thriving artist community across the island, as well as organic olive groves and ancient stone villages. “From the freshly grated tomatoes with olive oil for your toast in the morning, to the scent of orange blossoms in the air, authenticity is the feeling Majorca gives you,” says Fiona Bayne, luxury travel advisor, Ovation Travel Group.

Who should go: Couples and families. 

Don't miss: The austere splendor and luxurious privacy at Cap Rocat, an ancient fort perched on the edge of the sea. Try one of the suites with a private pool carved from the rock.

Porto, Portugal old town skyline from across the Douro River.

Why visit?  In a region considered the birthplace of Portugal, Porto offers great culinary and wine experiences, fabulous boutique hotels and great value. “Be sure to dine at Casa de Cha da Boa Nova. Built on the rocks, overlooking the sea, this restaurant in Leca da Palmeira has received two Michelin stars,”says Ashley Diamond, a luxury travel consultant affiliated with Ovation Travel Group. And Portugal currently has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.

Who should go:  Couples, friends, adults, history buffs, oenophiles and those looking for a different corner of Europe to explore.

Don't miss: Wine tasting in the Douro Valley and exploring the region by boat down the Douro River. From Porto you can also explore World Heritage sites such as Guimaraes. 

Bodrum castle and harbor in Bodrum, Turkey.

13. Bodrum, Turkey

Why visit?  Bodrum is one of the hottest up-and-coming destinations, with many new luxury hotels opening. “It offers a gorgeous seaside with incredible food,” says Lebovitch. “There are trendy ‘see and be seen’ beach clubs as well as more remote beach clubs.” 

Who should go:  Trend-seekers, sunbathers and foodies. Bodrum appeals to anyone looking for a beach vacation alongside culture.

Do not miss:  Charter a yacht from Bodrum’s harbor and explore the rocky Bodrum peninsula.

Baie Beau Vallon, a tropical beach on island Mahe in Seychelles.

Why visit? The Seychelles offer an idyllic place to travel as home to some of the world's best beaches, with picturesque turquoise waters and breathtaking coral reefs. “The word ‘paradise’ was likely created as a tribute to these majestic islands,” says Kherri Jean, CEO of Full of Wander Travel , an Ovation Travel Group affiliate. “There are also tons of five-star hotels like the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles that specialize in creating unparalleled luxury experiences for their guests.”

Who should go : Couples looking for a luxury retreat or nature lovers in search of their next rare find.

Don't miss : A visit to Aldabra Atoll to meet their famous residents, the giant tortoises, who are known as the oldest living creatures on earth.

Napa Valley wine country mountain hillside vineyard growing crops for grape harvest and winery ... [+] winemaking. Rows of lush, green grapevines ripen in cultivated agricultural farm fields glowing in sunset.

  Why visit? Napa is close to home with private residences that are in favor today – a perfect long weekend getaway to recharge and refuel while experiencing some of the top food and beverage in the country. “After a devastating loss from fire, the valley is thriving with top chefs at the French Laundry remaining a favorite,” says Steinberg. “Plus, the wines are better than ever and more activities are being offered within five star resorts. With the new Four Seasons Napa, new Montage property and a few Auberge properties slated to open in 2022, the buzz is loud.”

Who should go: A great place for couples to celebrate alone or with friends of any age.

Don't miss : Naturally, don’t miss wine and olive oil tastings. Don’t miss French Laundry for dinner, or the Four Seasons Napa and Montage Hotel for accommodations.

Night scene of Plaza Grande (Plaza de la Independencia) in Quito, Ecuador featuring Carondelet ... [+] Palace (Palacio de Carondelet), the seat of Ecuador government.

16. Quito, Ecuador 

Why visit? Quito has Spanish Colonial architecture and cobblestoned streets, while the area surrounding the city features lush hills, volcanic mountains and snow-capped peaks. “Quito is astonishingly beautiful,” says Williams. “It was one of the first two World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in 1978. The Old Town is the least altered, best preserved and largest in the Americas.”

Who should go : History buffs, xenophiles and antiquarians.

Don't miss : When visiting Quito, take in the Old Town with a historical tour of the grand cathedrals on the edge of town and the well-preserved Spanish Colonial houses in La Ronda.

Typical Pintxos, tapas, on a bar counter in San Sebastian, Donostia, Basque region, Spain.

Why visit?   You'll find several renowned Michelin-star restaurants in this village on the north coast of Spain. “Famously home to Basque cuisine and pintxo bars that define how locals socialize,” says Gandhi. “San Sebastian also offers a city beach to lounge and laze during the day for a siesta.” For the art and history lovers there is architecture, with emblematic edifices dating back centuries.

Who should go : Food lovers. Bar hopping from one pintxo bar to another speaks to the variety of endless tapas. 

Don't miss : A roller coaster ride on top of Mount Igueldo to see the breathtaking panorama views of Concha Bay and San Sebastian. Also don’t forget to eat a slice of a burnt Basque cheesecake from La Vina; it’s the best way to end the day.

Pink Lake in Yucatán, Mexico.

Why visit? Rich in Mayan history and immersed in lush tropical jungle, Mexico’s Yucatan is a destination where nature, wellness and culture are fused together. “It is great for visiting Mayan ruins and exploring colonial towns,” says Levy. 

Who should go : Ideal for those seeking relaxation or those looking for unique and distinctive experience.

Don't miss : The tequila tasting at the Chable Yucatan. 

Lighthouse of L'Ile Louet as seen from Pointe de Penn-al-Lann, Brittany.

Why visit? The Pink Granite Coast is wild and beautiful, full of extraordinary pink rock formations that stretch over tiny islands and inlets, perfect for hiking, cycling and exploring.  “Perros Guirrec and Tregastel have great hotels – Castel Beau Site and Manoir Lan Kerellec,” says Robinson. “Plus, the area has amazing cuisine.”  

Who should go: Adventurers, boaters and anyone looking for a really authentic outdoor experience.

Don't miss: Paimpol beach and the car-free Brehat. Sept Isles National Park is home to a huge colony of puffins and cormorants. Walk from Tregastel Beach to Ploumanac’h to see the rock formations. 

The road to Little Kulala Lodge in Namibia.

Why visit?  For those craving the uncrowded outdoors, Namibia offers access to nature, wilderness and wildlife in abundance. “After the extended period in lockdown, Namibia offers wide-open spaces,” says Robinson.

Who should go:  Anyone who enjoys wild, open spaces, deserts, and the road less-traveled, including those seeking luxurious accommodations with few other people around.

Don’ miss:  Spitzkoppe offers breathtaking landscapes of an outcrop of granite peaks rising from the desert. Stay for sunset or camp under the stars.  

Blue coloured medina in Chefchaouen, Morocco.

 21. Chefchaouen, Morocco

  Why visit? Known as the Blue City, Chefchaouen has retained Andalusian-influenced soul; this town is the most Hispano-Moorish influenced of Moroccan cities. “With houses built into the mountainside, narrow, winding streets and a haunting blue light that washes over the city, Chefchaouen feels like a dream,” says Diamond. “This enchanting provincial capital lends itself to strolls, which are perfect for discovering its rich heritage, admiring the architectural treasures that populate its alleys, and meeting the people who live and work there.”  

Who should go: Culture seekers and travelers looking for authentic experiences. 

Don't miss: Getting lost in Chefchaouen’s medina.

Tiger's Nest Monastery (Taktshang) in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Why visit?  Bhutan is an otherworldly destination shrouded in mystery, where a traditional Buddhist culture gradually embraces global progress. “Still one of the most unknown and unexplored countries in the world, Bhutan fascinates visitors because of its spectacular scenery and unmatched cultural prosperity,” says Williams. “In Paro, you can’t help but find serenity surrounded by magnificent mountains coddled in the welcoming embrace of the locals’ hospitality. Bhutan’s philosophy of Gross National Happiness permeates every aspect of daily life.”

Who should go: Wellness travelers (physical or mental), xenophiles and historians.

Do not miss: Take the hike up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Travelers with mobility challenges can make part of the journey on horseback.

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100 Cool Tech Gadgets We Recommend in 2024

There’s something for everyone.

If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

It's hard to stay up to date with the ever-growing, forever-changing tech space. But luckily for you, that's where we come in. We're constantly testing new products, researching recent trends in the tech space, and updating our list of cool gadgets accordingly.

We feel that tech gadgets are all about making your life easier and more enjoyable. For this list, we reviewed new product releases from leading makers in countless tech and gadget categories, as well as revisited long-term favorites to see if they still make the cut.

From true wireless earbuds to smart home appliances to tech products for parents, here are the coolest gadgets available right now. In addition to great personal upgrades, all these products double as foolproof tech gifts for friends and family members.

Ekster RFID Blocking Leather Wallet

The Ekster Parliament is a smart bifold wallet with RFID coating (to protect against identity theft) and a patented mechanism that ejects cards from its aluminum storage pocket with the press of a button. It has space for at least ten cards, as well as a strap for carrying cash and receipts.

Ekster has crafted the wallet from high-quality leather that comes in a multitude of colors. An optional Bluetooth tracker for the wallet is also available — this ultra-thin gadget has a maximum range of 200 feet, and it is powered by light, so it never needs a battery.

More: The Best iPhone Wallet Cases

OXO Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner

I’ve been swearing by this tiny laptop accessory by OXO to keep my laptop spotless since I impulsively bought one more than a year ago. The affordable gadget packs a microfiber pad and a retractable soft brush.

The microfiber pad mentioned above is handy for removing smudges from the screen of a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone, or any other gadget. On the other hand, the brush makes cleaning a keyboard fast and effortless.

More: A Closer Look at the OXO Sweep & Swipe Laptop Cleaner

Meural Canvas II Smart Art Frame

The Meural Canvas II smart art frame can display iconic artworks from museums around the world or family memories via a sophisticated display with a matte finish. The screen makes the connected gadget look like a real picture, not a tech device, ensuring it can instantly fit into any home decor arrangement. You or the giftee can choose the content to display via a companion app.

You can order the Meural Canvas II is two sizes and various frame colors. The latter include black, white, or wood finishes.

Anker Prime 6-in-1 Charging Station

This charging station by Anker is the best I have experienced yet because it's sleek, compact, and incredibly versatile. It packs a duo of AC outlets, a pair of fast USB-C ports, and two USB-A ports. Such an abundance of outputs ensures the accessory can power up just about any gadget you or the giftee own — from a desktop computer to a smartphone and tablet, all the way to smaller gadgets.

One of my favorite bits about the charging station is its built-in color display for keeping tabs on the charging process of its USB ports. With a slim profile and a removable cable, the accessory is also a perfect travel companion.

Anker Prime 20K Power Bank

Remarkably, the Prime 20K Power Bank by Anker can charge two laptops via a pair of fast USB-C connectors with a maximum power output of 140 watts. It has a battery pack with ample capacity and, rather impressively, a color screen to help you keep tabs on the charging process. The accessory rocks a USB-A connector, so you can simultaneously charge up to three devices.

Peak Design Tech Pouch

The Peak Design Tech Pouch is a stylish and exceptionally made accessory that's a must-have for frequent travelers. It has enough pockets and compartments for small gadgets, charging cables, memory cards, and any other accessories you might own.

Peak Design crafted the exterior of this tech pouch using recycled nylon with a weatherproof finish. Every tech pouch has a sturdy zipper closure for its main storage compartment and a couple of additional pockets.

Anker AnkerMake M5 3D Printer

The AnkerMake M5 is our top 3D printer recommendation for most consumers because it can crank out complex objects at best-in-class speed, including elaborate ones that use multiple filament materials. The splurgeworthy product is also elegant and easy to operate via a touchscreen and a companion app.

Other noteworthy features of the AnkerMake M5 include a built-in camera for keeping an eye on the progress of your prints and a die-cast aluminum structure that’s sleek and sturdy in equal measure.

More: The Best 3D Printers of the Year

Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker

The all-new Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker is a follow-up to a bona fide legend and an instant challenger for the best products in its class. In addition to the compulsory sound upgrades over the past iteration, the new Pill brings a water- and dustproof build with an IP67 rating and longer battery life (up to 20 hours).

Like the brand's excellent Studio Buds + wireless earbuds, the Beats Pill speaker is equally great for iPhone and Android users. Remarkably, the gadget is compatible with both Apple and Google object tracking services, so you or the giftee can always keep tabs on its whereabouts.

Hatch Restore 2 Smart Alarm Clock

The Hatch Restore 2 alarm clock is a high-tech nightstand upgrade we vouch for. The nifty gadget’s built-in light can simulate a sunrise for gentle wake-ups and deliver relaxing ambient sounds alongside a sunset-like glow to aid in falling asleep. The device can even help you get a deeper sleep by masking ambient sounds with white noise.

Integrated touch controls are handy for browsing a rich selection of lighting and sound experiences. Being a smart clock, the Restore 2 has an intuitive companion app for managing its features and settings.

Logitech Casa Pop Up Desk

The Casa pop-up desk by Logitech is an awesome new laptop accessory that's tailor-made for space-starved remote workers and on-the-go professionals. The do-everything accessory consists of a stand that will lift the laptop to eye level to optimize comfort, as well as a wireless keyboard and touchpad. Combined, the accessories will allow you or a giftee to create a full-blown workstation just about anywhere.

Impressively, the keyboard and trackpad have dedicated storage slots in the laptop stand. When folded, the Casa pop-up desk is about the size of a large notepad.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Android Smartphone

The Pixel 9 Pro is a monumental addition to Google's smartphone lineup—and the entire Android realm—because it's available in two different screen sizes. Unlike past Pixel Pro iterations, which were big screen-only, the latest one is available with a smaller 6.3-inch screen. The smaller panel, in addition to being more pocket-friendly, makes the phone easier to handle with one hand.

Like every Google Pixel, the 9 Pro offers a sleek and durable design, top-tier hardware and performance, an outstanding camera setup, a best-in-class Android experience with AI tools, and many years of guaranteed updates. A Pixel 9 Pro XL with a massive 6.8-inch display is also available.

Razer Kishi Ultra Mobile Gaming Controller

By offering full-size grips, customizable RGB lighting, customizable buttons and switches with amazing tactility, and optional haptic feedback, the Razer Kishi Ultra controller took my iPhone and Android gameplay to a higher level. It's the best controller of its kind and worth its hefty price tag.

The gaming accessory is compatible with the latest iPhones and Android hardware, as well as compact tablets like the iPad mini. It can even accommodate devices with reasonably bulky protective cases.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD (1TB)

The Samsung T7 portable SSD is our favorite in its category, thanks to its compact and rugged design and the ability to reach fast data read and write speeds. The accessory is compatible with Mac, PC, and mobile devices.

If you need more memory, Samsung offers the T9 with up to 4TB of storage . A robust five-year warranty covers every product.

Anker Prime USB-C Cable

The Anker Prime USB-C charging cable is the best third-party option for charging any compatible gadget today. It is incredibly elegant, just as durable, sustainably crafted, and, thanks to support for 240W power output, capable of delivering incredibly fast charging speeds to all devices. You can order the accessory in two lengths — 3 and 6 feet.

Amazon Echo Spot (2024) Smart Alarm Clock

The all-new Amazon Echo Spot smart alarm clock successfully merges a colorful screen with a surprisingly powerful speaker, so it can do a whole lot more to help you fall asleep and reliably wake you up. Available in black, white, and blue, the gadget can display relevant information like weather, timers, and smart home controls, among others. It can even make calls to other users with compatible Alexa hardware.

Nomad Stand One Max

The updated Stand One Max 3-in-1 wireless charger by Nomad is the multi-device MagSafe charger for Apple owners. The accessory can simultaneously charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch at full speed, as well as a set of AirPods. Compatible with the latest Qi2 wireless charging standard, it's futureproof, too.

Available in carbide or white colors, the One Max has a beautiful design and outstanding build quality. It is crafted from metal and glass, so it looks and feels like a bona fide luxury object.

Ridge Bolt Action Pen

This ballpoint pen by Ridge may be an analog technology, but it's no less useful. Made of brass, the writing instrument will help you take a break from the screen in the coolest possible fashion.

I really like the pen's addictive bolt action for retracting its cartridge. There are many additional metal finishes to pick from — from flashy and high-tech all the way to low-key.

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 Wireless Headphones

I've always advised upgraders with around $300 to spend on a new set of noise-canceling headphones to consider Bose, Beats, JBL, or Sony offerings, as these brands have consistently delivered stellar products over the years. However, by providing me with elegant design, supreme comfort, exceptional wired and wireless sound, strong noise cancellation, and insane battery life, the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 wireless headphones changed this state of affairs. You should absolutely consider them over sets that cost much more.

Cambridge Audio has been making audiophile-grade speakers and components for over half a century, so you can rest assured that you are spending big on a set of cans from a brand with a sterling reputation among audio nerds. You can order the headphones in black or white with a matching hardshell case and braided cables.

URBAN ARMOR GEAR Rugged 10K Wireless Power Bank with Stand

There are many great compact battery packs on the market, but none of them can match this UAG offering in terms of sheer toughness and versatility. Like the brand's excellent phone cases , the essential gadget has a rugged exterior that exceeds military-grade durability standards, USB ports with covers, and an IP6 rating for water resistance.

The accessory can attach magnetically to an iPhone and other phones (via a case) and deliver fast charging speeds. A built-in metal kickstand ensures you can view content in landscape or portrait mode while powering up. Using its USB-C port brings even faster charging.

Troubadour Apex Backpack 3.0

The Troubadour Apex Backpack 3.0 is a must-have for on-the-go gearheads with a beautiful design and ample storage space with plenty of compartments. With a maximum capacity of 25 liters, the backpack has enough space for a big-screen laptop (there’s a dedicated compartment) alongside a tablet and many other everyday items.

Like all products from Troubadour , the sustainably crafted Troubadour Apex Backpack 3.0 has exceptional craftsmanship and tactility. Choose from two sizes and several colors to best suit your style and needs.

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USA TODAY 10Best

Planning a family vacation? Check out these 10 amazing resorts across the US

Best Family Resort (2024) August 14, 2024

These 10 resorts — selected by an expert panel and voted as the best in the United States by readers — cater to families with a host of awesome amenities. That includes kids' programs, gourmet dining with kids' menus, roomy accommodations, and a wealth of activities that the entire family can enjoy.

No. 10: C Lazy U Ranch - Granby, Colorado

At this luxury guest ranch in Colorado, families can enjoy an American West experience all year-round. Choose from 38 guest accommodations of varying sizes, from individual rooms to a selection of cabins. And when you're not lounging in your cozy space, activities at C Lazy U Ranch include horseback riding, practicing cattle pushing, hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

No. 9: French Lick Resort - French Lick, Indiana

A world of leisure unto itself, French Lick Resort encompasses two historic hotels, a newer accommodations tower, plus outdoor activities from golf to horseback riding. Specifically for the kids, there's an Activities Center for crafts and games, as well special events, like movies on the lawn, pool parties, and circus performances.

No. 8: Barnsley Resort - Adairsville, Georgia

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 3,000-acre resort has space for families to get outside and tackle some adventures together. Horseback riding, hiking, and boat rides on the lake fill fun days for the whole family, while activities like archery and ax-throwing keep things exciting for older kids.

No. 7: The Hotel Hershey - Hershey, Pennsylvania

With a name like Hershey, families can expect the sweetest stay including free admission to some of Hershey's chocolate-y attractions and best pricing on others. A full range of outdoor activities plus crafts and fun and games (chocolate bingo, anyone?) are also available. A selection of guest rooms, suites, and villas ensures there's plenty of space for your family.

No. 6: Mohonk Mountain House - New Paltz, New York

Staying in a castle is only the beginning of the fantasy vacation that families can fashion at the all-inclusive Mohonk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley. Most outdoor activities are included in the rates, and the Kids Club and buffet-style dining at breakfast are just two of a number of things that make this an ideal spot for the entire family.

No. 5: Flathead Lake Lodge - Bigfork, Montana

For families looking for some room to sprawl out and decompress, the 2,000 acres of Montana countryside at the Flathead Lake Lodge is a top choice. An extensive list of activities for the kids give parents a break while engaging children in hours of fun, and resort activities like horseback riding, kayaking, and mountain biking scratch that itch for big adventures.

No. 4: LEGOLAND Hotel at LEGOLAND California Resort - Carlsbad, California

LEGOLAND California Resort is a vibrant and playful destination that promises an unforgettable experience for families. With free daily breakfast, themed rooms, and family-friendly entertainment at LEGOLAND Hotel, there’s little chance to be bored. LEGOLAND guests also get early access to the adjacent theme park to beat the crowds and fit in as much fun as possible.

No. 3: 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa - Eureka Springs, Arkansas

The historic Victorian grandeur of the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa crowns Eureka Springs, which families love for its trail hiking and biking in the warmer months and ice skating during the cold season. Daily programs range from a ghost tour and grotto cave exploration to s'mores and family games on the back porch.

No. 2: Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu, Autograph Collection - Koloa, Hawaii

Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu emerges as a family paradise with its vast array of amenities and activities that cater to every family member's needs. From the spacious multi-bedroom villas to the three inviting resort pools, including a 350,000-gallon main pool, the resort ensures a comfortable and luxurious stay. In addition to its incredible water features, the resort charms families with a putting green, volleyball court, poolside dining with a children's menu, and complimentary s'mores.

No. 1: Woodloch Resort - Hawley, Pennsylvania

The Woodloch Resort welcomes families to the Poconos with accommodations ranging from single rooms to two-bedroom suites. If you need more space, vacation rentals are also available. Meal plans mean all-inclusive family dining, and guests enjoy access to a range of activities daily, with amenities like a rock-climbing wall, indoor and outdoor pools, go-karts, bumper cars and boats, kayaking, and snow tubing (in the winter).

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Allison tibaldi.

Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based...   Read More

Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.

Dennis Malcolm "Ale" Sharpton

Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a...   Read More

Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger ( AleSharpton.com ), photographer, event planner, host, speaker and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover everything from automobiles to culinary scenes, celebrity profiles, sports, hotel destinations, art, and what he terms “the world’s best beverage,” Ale has contributed to more than 30 magazines and websites combined. His current media outlets include USAToday , Thrillist.com , Craft Beer & Brewing , CraftBeer.com , Theinfatuation.com , ButterATL.com , James Beard Foundation , Atlanta Magazine , and others. Along with being featured in various publications, on the web, radio, podcasts, television, beer fests, conferences, and ongoing Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’ video series, Ale utilizes his Cornell University School of Hotel Administration education and vast work experience to consult in the culinary industry as well. Forbes , Smithsonian Institution, UNTAPPD, Good Beer Hunting , and numerous others have showcased Ale’s accomplishments. In a collaboration going on six years with brewing giant New Belgium, Ale has produced a beer he conceptualized called Piano Keys—a chocolate vanilla imperial stout—geared to support diversity and racial equality. This project with New Belgium also spawned his initiative, BrewGether , which raises funds to support nonprofits embracing the same mission as Piano Keys.  Ale proudly owns AllWays Open Creative Solutions, an agency specializing in creative direction, logo design, branding, web design, video production, photography, consulting, and social media. Although a native New Yorker, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram ( @realalesharpton ).

Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50...   Read More

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 50 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry-on-only. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].

Jenny Peters

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los...   Read More

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).

Joanne and Tony DiBona

Travel memories may fade over time, but...   Read More

Travel memories may fade over time, but photographs recall those magical moments.

Katie McElveen

Writer Katie McElveen began her travel career when...   Read More

Writer Katie McElveen began her travel career when a wrong turn on the way to a family vacation took her on an eleven hour odyssey that she thoroughly enjoyed. Today, more than 40 countries later, her work has appeared in Real Simple, Southern Living, Global Traveler, Fodor’s, Virtuoso, Bride’s, Islands, Reader’s Digest, AFAR and other publications.

Marla Cimini

Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music...   Read More

Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to  Fodor’s Hawaii  guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on  Instagram  and  Twitter  and read her travel tips and adventures on  her website .

Meg St-Esprit

Meg St-Esprit (she/her) is a freelance writer...   Read More

Meg St-Esprit (she/her) is a freelance writer chasing down and covering the most interesting and quirky ideas about parenting, home design, education and travel. She lives with her husband, four kids and way too many pets in Pittsburgh. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, Romper, Fodor's, and more. Meg studied counseling and human development during her higher education journey, and applies that knowledge and expertise to her writing as well. When she's not writing, she's definitely camping.

Melanie Reffes

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in...   Read More

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers  the Caribbean for a variety of publications  including  USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com.  A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started  young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico.   An avid fan of spicy food,   Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She  holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto. 

Melissa Curtin

At age 20 Melissa Curtin traveled around the world...   Read More

At age 20 Melissa Curtin traveled around the world on Semester at Sea, igniting her passion for globetrotting and learning about new cultures. She is a longtime educator, a Fora travel advisor, and has been a freelance travel and food writer for over 10 years - published in Lonely Planet, Fodor's, Insider, MSN, AAA World, Travel Awaits, and many more. Raised in Connecticut, she has joyfully lived in California the last 17 years splitting her time between Malibu and Palm Springs.

Tamara Gane

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best...   Read More

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. She's based in Reno/Lake Tahoe and in addition to USA Today 10Best, her work has been published in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Washington Post, SF Gate, Houston Chronicle, Lonely Planet, and more.

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

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• Winter Vacations

15 Best Warm Places to Travel to This Winter

Leave the cold behind with a trip to one of these warm-weather destinations.

Sure, the winter months have their perks — skiing, sledding, snowman building, and the holidays, of course. But the cold! Oh, the cold. It digs deep under your skin, straight to your bones, chilling everything from your toes to your chattering teeth. Fortunately, several year-round, warm-weather destinations can offer a much-needed respite from the frigid air.

From island getaways to sizzling cities, here are the best warm-weather places to visit in December, January, and February.

• Best tourist destination: The Bahamas
• Underrated hidden gem: Panama Highlands
• Best for families: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Best for couples: Rangiroa, French Polynesia
• Best for solo travelers: Bangkok

Read on for our full list of recommendations for places to travel to this winter.

The Bahamas

Per Breiehagen / Getty Images

Sometimes, you just need to get away from the cold and not think about a single thing. And that's exactly what you can do in The Bahamas , an island chain that's about a three-hour flight from New York City. There are several beautiful destinations to choose from — New Providence Island, Grand Bahama Island, and the Exumas (and their famous swimming pigs) come to mind. Many of the archipelago's inhabited islands are home to some of the country's best all-inclusive resorts , making it an ideal winter getaway for families, couples, or solo travelers.

Panama Highlands

Cavan Images / Getty Images

While Panama has its share of splendid coastlines, the country's vast interior should not be overlooked, especially for a winter vacation. Temperatures in the highlands are generally in the 60s and 70s year-round, creating ideal conditions for outdoor adventures. Visitor-favorite activities here include bird-watching and, for more adventurous types, crisscrossing the verdant mountains via the famous hanging bridges of Boquete. The region is also home to a stellar coffee scene worth exploring. Book a stay at The Haven , an adults-only wellness resort that makes a great base if you're looking to do a local coffee tour.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Taylor McIntyre / Travel + Leisure

If you want to blend some time under the sun with some cultural enrichment, look no further than the capital city of Puerto Rico , which has long stretches of white-sand beaches, and historic attractions like the famous Castillo San Felipe del Morro fort. Visitors will also find lots of places to sample delicious Puerto Rican food — make a reservation at Cocina Abierta and thank us later. In San Juan, it's best to go boutique, so check into the O:LV Fifty Five hotel, which features a rooftop pool and bar offering the best views in town.

Rangiroa, French Polynesia

Mlenny / Getty Images

Though more than a hundred islands comprise French Polynesia, just a handful of them (like Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Moorea) get most of the attention. If you prefer to visit somewhere a little less crowded, try the quiet, sparsely developed atoll of Rangiroa. Located about an hour from Tahiti by air, the island has plenty of pristine beaches and a massive lagoon brimming with sea life. Stay at the Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa , which boasts stunning overwater bungalows and villas with private plunge pools.

Pakin Songmor / Getty Images

Winter happens to be the best time to visit Thailand , especially its capital city, Bangkok. The weather is balmy year-round thanks to the country's tropical location, but the winter months offer slightly more comfortable temperatures, with highs rarely exceeding 90 degrees. To get the most out of this massive city, it's best to book a lengthy visit or hire a local guide — there are tons of tour options available through Airbnb Experiences , for instance, that focus on food, culture, and photography. Don't miss out on the city's canals, either, which you can tour on a long-tail boat. Make your home base the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok , a long-running honoree in Travel + Leisure 's World's Best Awards .

Ambergris Caye, Belize 

With nonstop flights available from several U.S. cities — including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, and Miami — getting to the Central American nation of Belize is easier than you think. And while the country's interior is filled with lush, verdant landscapes home to ancient temples, monkeys, and even a few rare jaguars, the real star is the coast.

To experience the white-sand beaches at their best, make your way to Ambergris Caye. Belize's largest island is known for its water sports, including diving and snorkeling around the nearby Belize Barrier Reef and its famous Great Blue Hole . For a luxe visit, book a few nights at Alaia Belize , which provides easy access to the beach as well as a swimming pool that's suspended six stories above the main access corridor, with portholes in the bottom that offer aerial views of the property.

Mexico City 

Jorge Castro / Travel + Leisure

Though winter in Mexico City won't have the tropical heat you might expect from the rest of the country — temperatures tend to top out in the upper 60s or lower 70s this time of year — it still provides a balmy alternative to snowy U.S. locales. The capital is flush with cultural attractions , including first-rate museums like the stunning Museo Frida Kahlo , incredible shopping at both high-end stores and local markets, and some of the best restaurants in the world (we're looking at you, Pujol ). Make your home base Las Alcobas , a luxury hotel offering lavish guest rooms and a tranquil spa, perfect for relaxing in after a day of urban exploration.

Key West, Florida

NAPA74 / Getty Images

Key West is a true delight during the winter months, as the average high temperature never really falls below 75 degrees. It's the perfect place for fruity cocktails on the sand, sunset strolls down lively shopping streets, and slice after slice of tangy Key lime pie. Make the most of your time here by booking a stay at the historic Casa Marina Key West , a Curio Collection by Hilton property that just finished an extensive renovation in spring 2024. Through the hotel, you can book local food tours, golf outings, and sailboat cruises, or simply sit by the pool and soak in all that Florida Keys sun.

Martin Harvey / Getty Images

If you're seeking an African safari this winter without the crowds of a classic destination like Kenya , try the less-traveled terrain of Namibia . Located on Africa's southwest coast, the country offers seclusion, otherworldly landscapes, and near-guaranteed warm weather. It's also the perfect place to see animals like lions, elephants, leopards, and rhinos in their natural environment. There are several outfitters to choose from, but Natural Selection is top-notch, offering numerous safari camp options, including the famed Shipwreck Lodge on the Skeleton Coast.

Jorg Greuel / Getty Images

When the first cold snap hits, book a flight to Dubai . The desert oasis offers not just warm weather but a mind-boggling array of things to do, from swimming in the Persian Gulf to shopping at some of the world's most luxurious stores and dining at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. Don't forget to visit the Burj Khalifa , the tallest building in the world at over 160 stories, while you're here, via an elevator that travels at an ear-popping 33 feet per second. Try Atlantis, The Palm — or Atlantis Dubai's latest addition Atlantis, The Royal — for your overnight stays, each property a veritable playground for those looking to indulge in the finer things in life.

Art Wager / Getty Images

Pick an island, any island — or make it a multi-island trip . Start on Oahu , home of the vibrant capital city, Honolulu, and Waikiki Beach. For a tropical, relaxed vibe, head to Kauai for scenic hiking and kayaking adventures. Hawaii Island offers the chance to view active volcanoes up close at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, while Maui is where you'll find some of the poshest resorts on the islands, complete with luxury spas and fancy restaurants. On each island, the Malama Hawaii program connects visitors with volunteer opportunities so you can give back to the local community. Some resorts will even offer special rates and discounts to those who participate, like third-, fourth-, or fifth-night free deals or packages with food and beverage credits.

Matteo Colombo / Getty Images

Just because Queenstown is New Zealand's most popular ski town doesn't mean it's not worth visiting when the weather is warmer. It's a great time to take on one of the area's popular hikes, check out the local wineries, or spend some time strolling lakeside in Queenstown Gardens. A scenic trip up the Skyline Queenstown gondola is definitely in order, as is a bungee jump or two if you're feeling brave enough (no pressure!). Whether you choose to indulge in a luxurious stay at one of Queenstown's top resorts — Eichardt's , Rosewood Matakauri , and The Carlin are among the best — or the city is just part of a larger adventure around New Zealand, the weather will be between 68 and 86 degrees from December through February.

Siripong Kaewla-iad / Getty Images

Lest we forget, it's summer down under, too, between December and February, with Sydney temperatures hovering around the 65-to-78 degrees mark. Translation: It's beach time! Pack your swimsuit and head to Bondi Beach to see the surfers do their thing or go for a swim at the famous Bondi Icebergs ocean pools (pictured above). If it's too crowded, try the Bronte Baths or Wylie's Baths a few suburbs south in Bronte Beach and Coogee Beach, respectively. Treat yourself to a luxury stay downtown at The Langham, Sydney , or the Park Hyatt Sydney , both located in the historic "The Rocks" neighborhood and within walking distance of Sydney Harbour.

Buenos Aires

Robert Frerck / Getty Images

If you've been waiting for an excuse to learn to tango in Buenos Aires , winter is a wonderful time to head south, with temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees. There's no shortage of dance clubs if you'd like to try out your moves — or tango shows if you'd prefer to leave it to the professionals. Besides dancing, the city is known for its food and wine scene, with shops and tasting rooms selling bottles from Argentina's best vineyards. Stay in the super-luxe Faena Hotel Buenos Aires , home of the popular Rojo Tango dinner show , or Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires , just a 10-minute walk from Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Perón (Evita) was laid to rest.

iStockphoto / Getty Images

Another southern hemisphere spot known for its wine regions is Cape Town , where winter (well, summer) temperatures tend to be between 68 and 78 degrees during the day. Head 40 minutes out of the city to the Stellenbosch wine region, home of Babylonstoren , a hidden gem favorite of area locals for its vineyards, garden cafe, and other agri-tourism efforts. Then, retreat to a luxury stay at The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa in Camps Bay, where you can indulge in a relaxing treatment or two and enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean.

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9 Best Portable Oxygen Concentrators in August 2024: Our Expert Picks

• Portable concentrators offer a refill-free alternative to oxygen tanks.
• Portable oxygen concentrators require a prescription from a doctor, who can recommend the appropriate oxygen output and flow type.
• The price of portable oxygen concentrators ranges from $2,000–$4,000, but Medicare and private insurance may cover part of the cost.
• The Inogen Rove 6 is lightweight and quiet with a long battery life, making it our pick for the best portable oxygen concentrator overall.

Our Reviews Team recommends products and services we believe provide value in the lives of our readers. We’ve spent more than 1,000 hours carrying out in-depth research on each oxygen concentrator to give you the most accurate review. To make our selections, we:

• Engaged in independent research
• Consulted with geriatric care and respiratory medicine experts
• Mystery shopped more than 15 brands and 30 models of oxygen machines
• Surveyed 600 oxygen machine users and caregivers of oxygen machine users
• Reviewed academic research into the efficacy of portable oxygen concentrators
• Read real reviews from verified customers on trusted third party websites, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot

Our methodology was informed by published research and interviews with medical experts. We consulted geriatric and respiratory care professionals, such as Betty Lyda , RRT, Amber Snow , MSN, and Jenny Sanford , PCNP, who also medically reviewed our content.Read more about our oxygen machine review methodology .

If your doctor has prescribed supplemental oxygen, you may choose a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) or a home oxygen concentrator (HOC), depending on your doctor’s recommendation. A POC, also called a portable oxygen machine, provides safe, effective delivery of oxygen to people with low oxygen levels while they are away from home, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You may use a POC while running errands, traveling, or doing other activities outside the house.

Finding the best portable oxygen concentrator for your needs can be confusing—especially if you’re buying one for the first time. Our Reviews Team researched the best POCs on the market to help you choose. We dug into information on pricing, features, battery life, and more to help you find the best model for you.

Our top picks: researched and expert-approved

A quick look at the best portable oxygen concentrators in 2024

• Inogen Rove 6 : Most Discreet
• CAIRE Freestyle Comfort : Best Battery Life
• Oxlife Liberty2 : Best Continuous and Pulse Flow
• Inogen One G4 : Most Portable
• CAIRE SeQual Eclipse 5 : Highest Oxygen Output
• Precision Medical EasyPulse 5-Liter : Best Warranty
• Invacare Platinum Mobile : Most Durable
• Precision Medical Live Active Five : Most Comfortable to Carry

Best portable oxygen concentrators in 2024

The Inogen Rove 6 is a small, lightweight device with a long battery life. This machine can be worn with a shoulder strap as you walk to and from your flight and is easily stored underneath your seat or by your side on the plane. It is also approved for use on planes by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as is every POC we reviewed.

Generally, the lower the oxygen output and the longer the battery life, the better the POC is for air travel. If you use a double battery for your Rove 6, you’ll have up to 13 hours of power on Setting 1 and nine hours on Setting 2 . The Rove 6 also has a maximum oxygen output of 1.26 liters per minute (LPM) and six different flow settings to suit your oxygen needs.

The free Inogen Connect app is a bonus feature to connect the Rove 6 to your smartphone. You can check the battery life and change your concentrator settings on the app instead of pressing buttons on the machine itself.

A customer review on the Oxygen Concentrator Store said, “I’ve used it one day so far, and all is well with the G5. I chose it because of the longer battery life it has. I was tired of feeling like a prisoner in my home. I wasn’t able to be out for more than 2 hours without carrying extra tanks with me. Now I can do more things with the Rove 6.”

Inogen has an additional brand called OxyGo , selling the same machines under a different name. The Inogen Rove 6 is the same machine as the OxyGo Next . The cost is the same; the only difference is the OxyGo Next comes with a five-year warranty, and the Rove 6 comes with a three-year warranty.

Earlier this year, Inogen rebranded the One G5 to the Rove 6 to comply with European regulations. While the product is the same, the name has changed. You can still rent the One G5, but only the Rove 6 is available for purchase.

Read our full Inogen review .

Customer service

The Inogen Rove 6 is available for purchase from medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store’s customer service hours, ways to reach them, and our Reviews Team’s experience with the customer service department.

The CAIRE Freestyle Comfort delivers oxygen for up to 16 hours between charges (with an extended battery), surpassing most other models on the market. This is why our Reviews Team named it “Best Battery Life.” If you enjoy long outings, this unit may be a great fit.

Extended batteries add an additional cost to your purchase, but offer longer battery life. With the Freestyle Comfort, it costs an additional $589 for the 16-cell battery. If you purchase the machine and the extended battery, the total cost adds up to $3,584.

A feature making the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort unique is its leading technology. It has ultra-sensitive breath detection, automatically changing the flow to match your breathing rate.

CAIRE’s Comfort Zone service program also sets the brand apart. Comfort Zone includes the following features:

• Live online orientation with a CAIRE representative to help you set up your machine
• Customer support seven days a week
• A replacement POC will be sent to your home within three business days if yours malfunctions

The last point is unique among portable oxygen concentrator companies; no other brand we’ve reviewed provides this type of warranty or service. The replacement device will become your new unit, and the warranty from your older device will transfer over. Comfort Zone is included with the purchase of a CAIRE Freestyle Comfort unit at no extra cost.

The CAIRE Freestyle Comfort can also be purchased as the ARYA Portable Oxygen Concentrator . The machines are the same but sold under different brand names and prices. The Arya POC costs $3,495, while the Freestyle Comfort costs $2,995.

A customer review on the Oxygen Concentrator Store page said, “After spending two days researching for a concentrator replacement with the right balance between weight and battery run time, choosing the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort was easy. And it was a pleasant experience talking to the representative. I now have a smaller unit that easily fits into my walker’s seat compartment and has five output flow levels. Very pleased.”

The Freestyle Comfort is a good device if you don’t want to worry about changing batteries every few hours while out and about. Explore more in our full CAIRE review .

The CAIRE Freestyle Comfort is available for purchase from medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store’s customer service hours, ways to reach them, and our Reviews Team’s experience with the customer service department.

Oxygen needs can change, and you may want a device to accommodate those changes. The Oxlife Liberty2 offers both up to 2 LPM oxygen in the continuous flow setting as well as nine pulse settings. This portable oxygen concentrator boasts the highest pulse dose compared to all other POCs. This range gives users flexibility in their oxygen flow if their doctor recommends a change in dose.

The Oxlife Liberty2 is a portable oxygen concentrator that offers both pulse-delivered and continuous flow. It comes with nine pulse settings and a high maximum oxygen output of 2 LPM on continuous flow. This is a lightweight device that weighs just over 6 pounds and comes with a carry case.

The Oxlife Liberty2 is great for someone who needs continuous flow oxygen while they sleep, as this model has a rechargeable battery that can be charged while in use on every setting.

The Oxlife Liberty2 is the highest portable oxygen concentrator at $3,594, but it is regularly discounted by 17 percent. One downside of this model is that a warranty isn’t included with purchase, but must be added at an additional cost.

The Oxlife Liberty2 is available for purchase on the Apria Direct website, which requires a valid prescription from a doctor. The customer service department is open daily from 8am to 10pm eastern time. You can contact customer service by phone at 800-780-1508.

The Inogen One G4 (also sold as the OxyGo Fit ) is smaller and lighter than almost every other POC on the market, making it our Reviews Team’s pick for the “Most Portable Oxygen Concentrator.” If you’re often on the go and need something easy to carry, this model may be an ideal option.

Because it’s so small, the G4 is less powerful than other models, with a maximum oxygen output of only 0.63 LPM. The other Inogen model on this list, the Inogen One G5, has an output of 1.26 LPM.

The G4 single battery lasts only about 2 hours and 40 minutes , depending on the setting. If you’re heading out for more than a quick errand, you’ll want to have the double battery or bring an extra one for backup. You also have the option to charge your machine in the car between errands.

You can connect the G4 to your smartphone using the free Inogen Connect app . The app allows you to use your phone to check the battery status and change device settings.

Some customer reviews from the Oxygen Concentrator Store and Trustpilot reported the device can overheat. When our Reviews Team asked a representative at the Oxygen Concentrator Store about this, they said POCs can be susceptible to overheating when the vent is covered up, which can happen if the machine is placed in the carry bag incorrectly or placed too close to another object for a long time. Overheating prevents it from functioning properly, and it may damage the machine. When you place the machine down or in the carry bag, ensure the vent isn’t covered.

Our Reviews Team found most customer reviews from the Oxygen Concentrator Store and Trustpilot on this product were positive. Reviewers praised the device’s light weight, which allows them to run errands with ease. One reviewer from the Oxygen Concentrator Store said, “Within 24 hours, I had the unit in hand, and I was just so excited. I had my freedom again! It has kept my oxygen consistent. I am already looking to get a smaller battery for extra time while I’m out. Being a small person, I don’t think I could carry a much heavier machine.”

Read more about this oxygen concentrator in our detailed Inogen review .

The Inogen One G4 is available for purchase from local medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. See below for details on the Oxygen Concentrator Store’s customer service hours, ways to reach them, and our Reviews Team’s experience with the customer service department.

The CAIRE SeQual Eclipse 5 has the highest oxygen output of all the portable oxygen concentrators we reviewed. The oxygen output on this machine can go up to 1.92 LPM on pulse flow and 3 LPM on continuous flow , so it can be used while sleeping. It also has nine different settings for pulse flow, allowing users to adjust to their specific dosage.

Since this concentrator has a high oxygen output, it is bigger and heavier than other devices and cannot be carried in a bag. The SeQual Eclipse 5 is 19.3 inches tall, 12.3 inches wide, 7.1 inches deep, and weighs 18.4 pounds . The device comes with a wheeled cart to make it easier to move around. Some customer reviews on the Oxygen Concentrator Store reported they prefer this machine as they can roll it around on a cart instead of one carried in a shoulder bag.

Customer reviews vary when it comes to the machine’s noisiness: some reported the machine is louder than expected, while others reported it is quieter than other machines they’ve used. The noise level of the SeQual Eclipse 5 varies based on its setting. At 3 LPM on continuous flow, the noise level is 48 decibels— comparable to the noise level of the average office. [2] International Noise Awareness Day. Common noise levels – how loud is too loud? Found on the internet at https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/common-noise-levels/ At the pulse dose setting of 3, the noise level is 40 decibels—comparable to background noise in a library. [2] International Noise Awareness Day. Common noise levels – how loud is too loud? Found on the internet at https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/common-noise-levels/

A customer reviewer on the Oxygen Concentrator Store wrote, “I had another high oxygen unit that did not work for me, and I returned it. The other high-flow oxygen machine was extremely noisy, but this one is quiet. When I take it shopping, I put it in the cart. It is heavy to lift, but I can still do it. I like this machine, and this is much easier after using big oxygen tanks to go out. The [SeQual Eclipse 5] has allowed me the freedom to go on trips again.”

The CAIRE SeQual Eclipse 5 is available for purchase from local medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store’s customer service hours, ways to reach them, and our Reviews Team’s experience with the customer service department.

When purchasing an oxygen concentrator, you want a reliable machine able to work for years to come. Even though there’s no way to know for sure how long a device will last, you can ensure the POC you purchase has a warranty covering any damage or issues. The Precision Medical EasyPulse comes with a five-year warranty (the other POCs we reviewed come with three-year warranties). The EasyPulse is a great choice for those looking for extra protection to cover their POC.

The EasyPulse has a user-friendly design with large, easy-to-read buttons and a top handle to move it from place to place when not in its carrying case. The maximum oxygen output is 0.78 LPM , which is lower than other machines on this list.

This machine is the heaviest pulse dose machine in our review, weighing 6.6 pounds . If you are looking for a smaller device, the EasyPulse is available in a 3-liter option weighing 4.9 pounds and ranges in cost from $975 to $1,118. The cost varies with either machine depending on if you purchase a backpack or an external battery.

The 3-liter machine has three pulse settings, while the 5-liter machine has five settings. The 5-liter machine is quieter than the 3-liter machine (40.6 decibels compared to 42 decibels). On Setting 1, the 3-liter device has a battery life of 5.5 hours , and the 5-liter machine has 4.7 hours .

The EasyPulse POC is available for purchase online through the Precision Medical website . Precision Medical doesn’t have any reviews on Trustpilot or BBB. Our Reviews Team found it very difficult to reach customer service. When we contacted them through the contact form, we never received a reply.

You can contact Precision Medical customer service using the following methods:

• Contact form
• Phone (800-272-7285)

Our Reviews Team chose the Invacare Platinum Mobile as our “Most Durable” POC because this solid machine can resist impact and endure accidental falls. The Platinum Mobile is encased in shock-resistant foam with reinforced bumpers for added protection. In addition to being water resistant, the machine can tolerate temperatures from 41 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit and altitudes up to 10,000 feet.

One of the benefits of the Invacare Platinum Mobile is the carrying bag, which can convert into a backpack, messenger bag, or purse. The machine is also lightweight, weighing 4.8 pounds .

The battery compartment is located at the top of the device, making it easy to access on the go without having to remove it from the carrying case. The Invacare Platinum Mobile comes with a single battery, providing up to four hours of charge. If you anticipate being out of the house for longer than four hours, you can purchase an additional battery, giving you eight hours of running time on Setting 1.

A customer review on the Oxygen Concentrator Store stated, “I travel a lot internationally, and a year ago, I realized I had been suffering from high-altitude pulmonary edema for years. Now, with my oxygen concentrator, I get off a long flight feeling great and ready to go. No more international doctor visits. It’s never overheated, and some airlines let me plug in. It’s been awesome.”

The Invacare Platinum Mobile is available for purchase from local medical equipment suppliers such as the Oxygen Concentrator Store. See below for details on Oxygen Concentrator Store’s customer service hours, ways to reach them, and our Reviews Team’s experience with the customer service department.

The Precision Medical Live Active Five has a unique curved design, separating it from other POCs we reviewed. Some POCs are designed with a curve to fit around your body in the carry bag. But the Live Active Five is curved on both sides of the machine, so you can carry it on either side of your body. The device is lightweight, but if it does become too heavy for one shoulder, you can switch it over to the other.

In addition to the curved features, the Live Active Five has a simple design with few buttons and an easily read LCD screen featuring large text. You can access the battery from the top of the device, so you do not need to take it out of the carrying case when changing the batteries.

As a bonus feature, you can also connect the machine to a computer or smartphone through Bluetooth to troubleshoot the unit if you encounter any problems. The Live Active Five has audible and visual alarms if there are problems like:

• Low battery
• Blocked cannula
• Low oxygen purity
• No breath detected
• High breath rate
• External power failure

If the machine doesn’t detect your breath, it will automatically deliver a pulse of oxygen. The Live Active Five also has five pulse settings and a maximum oxygen output of 1 LPM .

The Precision Medical Live Active Five is sold through the Precision Medical website and online distributors like Vitality Medical .

Vitality Medical has a good score on Trustpilot —4.4 out of 5 stars based on over 35,000 reviews. On BBB , Vitality Medical has an A+ rating and 1.4 out of 5 stars based on 46 customer reviews. Reviewers reported the buying experience was quick and easy, and customer service representatives were prompt, professional, and friendly.

You can contact Vitality Medical through one of the following methods:

• Phone (800-397-5899) , available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT
• Email ( [email protected] )

You can pay for your machine with a credit card (American Express, Visa, Mastercard, or Discover), Diners Club International, PayPal, or Google Pay.

Oxygen Concentrator Store customer service

Some of the oxygen concentrators in this review are available through the online retailer Oxygen Concentrator Store. Pricing estimates are subject to change. You can contact the customer service department in the following ways:

• 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. MT Monday through Friday
• 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT Saturday
• 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT Sunday
• Email: ( [email protected] )
• Online chat: On the OCS support page
• Contact form : Submit an online ticket on the contact form, and a representative will respond within one business day.

The Oxygen Concentrator Store website also has a detailed product support page with information on cleaning, maintenance, and use of portable oxygen concentrators.

Our Reviews Team’s customer service experience

A member of our Reviews Team called the Oxygen Concentrator Store to learn more about the brands and models in this list. It took less than 30 seconds to get a representative on the line. He was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about every model we asked about.

He informed us all portable oxygen machines sold through the Oxygen Concentrator Store come with a free seven-day trial period. If you find the unit you’ve purchased has mechanical problems, is hard to use, or just isn’t a good fit for you, simply call the store to receive a shipping label. Then, you can send the unit back (at your own cost) and exchange it for a different one.

Shipping takes about three to five business days, but Oxygen Concentrator Store also offers two-day and overnight shipping for an additional cost.

After sharing details of the various models over the phone, the representative offered to email us the information and gave us his direct phone number for any future questions. He also said even if we didn’t buy a unit from the Oxygen Concentrator Store, he would be happy to answer questions and provide help in the future. We were very pleased with the customer service experience; it felt like we were learning about portable oxygen concentrators rather than enduring a high-pressure sales call.

What is a portable oxygen concentrator?

People with lung issues, such as sleep apnea, COPD, and cystic fibrosis, may use a portable oxygen concentrator as a means of inhaling supplementary oxygen when they are away from home. These machines are typically lightweight and small, making them easy to transport.

Portable oxygen concentrators provide supplemental oxygen by removing oxygen from the air, compressing it, and removing the nitrogen. After that, the oxygen is stored in a tank where it can be delivered through a tube for breathing.

How does a portable oxygen concentrator work?

Oxygen concentrators take in air from the environment, filter out nitrogen, and deliver oxygen to the person using the device. [1] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators: What to know about at-home oxygen therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/pulse-oximeters-and-oxygen-concentrators-what-know-about-home-oxygen-therapy The oxygen is usually delivered through a cannula sitting beneath the nose. These devices are different from oxygen tanks because oxygen concentrators use electrical pumps to concentrate oxygen from outside, according to an article in the journal Breathe . In contrast, oxygen tanks have a set amount of oxygen stored inside the container requiring the tanks to be replaced with another filled container when empty. [3] Hardavella G, et al. Breathe. September 2019. Oxygen Devices and Delivery Systems. Found on the internet at https://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/15/3/e108

For more information on POCs, the American Lung Association has a webpage with helpful videos showing how to use your device. [4] American Lung Association. Getting started with a portable oxygen concentrator. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy/getting-started-portable-oxygen-concentrator

Oxygen flow types

Portable oxygen concentrators deliver either a continuous flow of oxygen, measured in liters per minute, or a pulse flow (also called intermittent flow). Pulse flow delivery systems give a puff of oxygen every time you breathe.

Some concentrators can deliver oxygen by both pulse or continuous flow, depending on the setting your doctor prescribes. Other devices only provide one type of flow. Most portable concentrators offer only pulse flow settings.

When buying a portable oxygen machine, it’s important to know which type of flow you need and the amount of oxygen (in LPM) you’re prescribed. If you’re unsure of these details, check with your health care provider.

Who should use a portable oxygen concentrator?

If you need supplemental oxygen—also known as oxygen therapy—you’re not alone. The American Thoracic Society estimates 1.5 million adults in the United States use oxygen therapy. [5] Jacobs SS, et al. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. December 2018. Optimizing Home Oxygen Therapy: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report. Found on the internet at https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201809-627WS

People with a variety of conditions may benefit from supplemental oxygen. According to the American Lung Association, these conditions include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, asthma, cystic fibrosis, and sleep apnea . [6] American Lung Association. Oxygen therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy

If you need extra oxygen, you may enjoy the freedom a portable unit can give you. Being able to go out with friends and family, travel, and enjoy activities outside of the house are all possible with POCs.

Staying active and connecting with people is important for our health and well-being. According to a study published in the Journal of Gerontology , socially active older adults have better physical health and emotional well-being. [7] Fingerman KL, et al. The Journals of Gerontology. Jan. 18, 2019. Variety is the Spice of Late Life: Social Integration and Daily Activity. Found on the internet at https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/75/2/377/5292329 A portable oxygen concentrator can help you keep in touch with friends and family by allowing you to leave the house and socialize.

POCs may not suit every person’s oxygen needs. Before you purchase an oxygen machine, talk to your health care provider. They will tell you what type of machine you need and what to look for.

Things to consider before you purchase a portable oxygen machine

Before you purchase a POC, you should consider different factors to decide which model is the best for your needs.

• Your current and future oxygen needs: Check your prescription to see what your doctor has written for oxygen amount and flow type. You may also want a machine with an adjustable oxygen output in case your oxygen needs change.
• Battery life: Consider how long you’ll need to use your POC when you leave the house or if you plan to go on long trips.
• Warranty length and type of coverage: Warranties vary among manufacturers of portable oxygen concentrators, both in terms of length and what they cover. Make sure you find out specific information on the warranty before you purchase.
• Size and weight: You may need a small, lightweight machine if you can only carry a few pounds at a time. While most machines come with a carry bag or rolling cart, you may need to move it without the bag or cart from time to time.
• Noise level: All POCs create sound as they convert air to medical-grade oxygen. Typically, the noise level is about the same as a room with background noise, around 45-50 decibels. But some oxygen concentrators are quieter than others. For instance, the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort only emits about 38 decibels of sound.
• Buying vs. renting: Determining whether you should buy or rent your POC depends on your needs. Those who only temporarily require oxygen therapy or don’t want to deal with maintenance or repair costs may benefit from renting their device. While buying may be the best option for long-term needs.
• Cleaning and maintenance: All POCs should be wiped down daily as part of a regular care routine. Some devices need more maintenance than others, requiring regular filter changes or deeper cleaning. Before purchasing, look into your device’s maintenance guidelines to determine if you can keep up with its care.

If you see over-the-counter oxygen concentrators in your search, the American Lung Association warns these machines may not meet your oxygen needs. They are not FDA-approved, don’t require a prescription, and may not fit your specific prescription. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure if the oxygen machine is right for you. [4] American Lung Association. Getting started with a portable oxygen concentrator. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy/getting-started-portable-oxygen-concentrator

How much do portable oxygen concentrators cost?

In this review, the portable oxygen concentrators range in cost from $2,125–$3,200. This is about the average price range you can expect when purchasing a new POC.

Online retailers, like the Oxygen Concentrator Store, may have financing and “buy now, pay later” options through services like CareCredit , PayPal , or Affirm , allowing you to pay off your purchase over time. Oxygen Concentrator Store pricing estimates shared in this article are subject to change.

You can also reduce the cost by purchasing a used oxygen machine through the Oxygen Concentrator Store. Speak with a customer service representative to find out what used machines are available.

Are portable oxygen concentrators covered by insurance?

Some private insurance companies will pay for part or all of the costs of oxygen concentrators, but plans vary quite a bit. Contact your insurance provider to understand what your plan covers.

Oxygen equipment, including portable oxygen concentrators, is also eligible for reimbursement if you have a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA).

Are portable oxygen concentrators covered by Medicare?

Oxygen concentrators are considered durable medical equipment (DME) ⓘ Durable medical equipment (DME): Medical equipment expected to last at least three years, prescribed for in-home use for a medical reason. , and a rental device may be partially covered under Medicare Part B . Medicare will cover part of the cost of renting in-home oxygen equipment and accessories if you have a prescription from a doctor, a diagnosis of low blood oxygen levels, and other measures to raise your blood oxygen levels were unsuccessful. [8] Medicare.gov. Oxygen equipment and accessories. Found on the internet at https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/oxygen-equipment-accessories

If you do purchase a portable oxygen concentrator, Medicare will help pay for certain oxygen-related supplies and services such as tubing, masks, nasal cannulas, maintenance, and repairs. See Medicare.gov for more information. [8] Medicare.gov. Oxygen equipment and accessories. Found on the internet at https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/oxygen-equipment-accessories

Are Amazon portable oxygen concentrators safe?

Portable oxygen concentrators are used to treat medical conditions, so it’s a purchase you should make with a reputable medical supply retailer, not on Amazon. Amazon sellers cannot sell medical-grade oxygen concentrators, both portable and for at-home use, because they can’t sell items requiring a prescription. Doctors stress that it’s unsafe to make this kind of purchase on Amazon. If you’re looking for a portable oxygen concentrator on Amazon to save money, consider a certified pre-owned unit from a reputable retailer instead.

Traveling with portable oxygen machines

Traveling with an oxygen machine requires careful preparation for your health and safety. Below are some tips to keep in mind before you go.

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Table 2, Comparison of the best portable oxygen concentrators

*Last updated August 2024 **Can vary depending on flow setting and use of single- or double-battery

How we chose the best oxygen concentrators

Our Reviews Team consulted with geriatric care experts to learn more about portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) and how they can enhance users’ quality of life. Based on our expert consultations, user survey, and own research, we determined the following factors to be important for our readers when shopping for a POC unit:

• Ease of use
• Oxygen delivery method
• Number of settings
• Battery life
• Time to recharge battery
• Availability (all devices available online or in brick-and-mortar stores)

We had all of our selections medically reviewed by an expert in the field to ensure each brand and model is appropriate for our readers’ needs.

Bottom line

Supplemental oxygen is sometimes necessary to relieve respiratory or cardiac disease symptoms and improve a person’s quality of life. If you need oxygen therapy, it doesn’t mean your normal activities have to end. A portable oxygen concentrator can allow you to move freely around your house, visit friends and family, travel, run errands, or do any other activity you normally do.

If you love traveling and need a device with decent battery life, you may opt for the Inogen Rove 6 or the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort.

POCs can go a long way in helping you continue to enjoy outings with your family and friends. Ultimately, the best portable oxygen concentrator for you depends on your preferences, price point, and specific oxygen needs.

Frequently asked questions

According to the Oxygen Concentrator Store, most portable oxygen concentrators last four to seven years before needing to be replaced. The better you maintain your machine, the longer it will last.

Yes, you need a prescription from your doctor to use and purchase a portable oxygen concentrator. You should not use an oxygen machine if you haven’t received a prescription from your doctor because it may cause serious health effects.

A new portable oxygen concentrator may range from $2,000 to $4,000. The portable oxygen concentrators in this review range from $2,081.52 to $3,200. The cost may be lower if you decide to purchase a used machine.

The most reliable portable oxygen concentrator is the CAIRE Freestyle Comfort because we found it to have the best battery life. Depending on the battery used and the setting chosen, this model lasts between 8 and 16 hours.

A portable oxygen concentrator and a portable oxygen machine are one and the same. Both names describe a device providing oxygen therapy through a concentrated flow of oxygen.

We have found that less expensive oxygen concentrators have fewer features than more expensive options. In general, cheaper machines are also less powerful. Recently, concerns have been raised about machines sold online costing only a few hundred dollars, with the COPD Foundation warning that many of the claims being made by over-the-counter machines were not evaluated by the FDA.

The best portable oxygen concentrator for you depends on your preferences, tolerability, and oxygen needs. Talk to your health care provider about which type of machine to look for.

Portable oxygen concentrators are considered durable medical equipment. If you’re renting a device and you have a prescription from a doctor, a diagnosis of low blood oxygen levels, and other measures to raise your blood oxygen levels weren’t successful, it may be partially covered under Medicare Part B.

If you purchase a portable oxygen concentrator, Medicare will help pay for specific supplies and services, including tubing, masks, nasal cannulas, maintenance, and repairs. Visit Medicare.gov to learn more.

POCs may be available to purchase on Amazon, but doctors advise against it. Amazon sellers can’t sell medical-grade oxygen concentrators, both portable and for at-home use, because they can’t sell items requiring a prescription. If you’re looking for a portable oxygen concentrator on Amazon to save money, consider a certified pre-owned unit from a reputable retailer instead.

Have questions about this review? Email us at [email protected] .

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Pulse oximeters and oxygen concentrators: What to know about at-home oxygen therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/pulse-oximeters-and-oxygen-concentrators-what-know-about-home-oxygen-therapy
• International Noise Awareness Day. Common noise levels – how loud is too loud? Found on the internet at https://noiseawareness.org/info-center/common-noise-levels/
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• American Lung Association. Getting started with a portable oxygen concentrator. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy/getting-started-portable-oxygen-concentrator
• Jacobs SS, et al. Annals of the American Thoracic Society. December 2018. Optimizing Home Oxygen Therapy: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report. Found on the internet at https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201809-627WS
• American Lung Association. Oxygen therapy. Found on the internet at https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-procedures-and-tests/oxygen-therapy
• Fingerman KL, et al. The Journals of Gerontology. Jan. 18, 2019. Variety is the Spice of Late Life: Social Integration and Daily Activity. Found on the internet at https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article/75/2/377/5292329
• Medicare.gov. Oxygen equipment and accessories. Found on the internet at https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/oxygen-equipment-accessories
• Do Over-The-Counter Portable Oxygen Concentrators Actually Work? The Results of a COPD Foundation Study. COPD Foundation. Found on the internet at: https://www.copdfoundation.org/COPD360social/Community/COPD-Digest/Article/1839/Do-Over-The-Counter-Portable-Oxygen-Concentrators-Actually-Work-The-Results-of.aspx