Lonely Planet has just published Best in Travel once again, its particular annual ranking of travel trends for the coming year. The selection includes the ten countries, the ten regions and the ten cities that travelers must visit in 2022, before they are fodder for the crowds.
The choice of destinations with the most optimal value for money, in which authors, publishers and the traveler community have participated, has opted for the best sustainable experiences, fleeing from overcrowded places and ensuring that the impact of those who visit them is positive. In addition to their commitment to the practice of sustainable tourism, each of them has been selected for their current interest, for the experiences they offer and for their ability to surprise.
Authors, editors and the traveler community have participated in the choice of destinations
On this occasion, the lists made by the prestigious guide are especially relevant, taking into account that, after months of the pandemic, the desire to rediscover the world does not stop growing. If you are thinking of traveling in 2022, we recommend that you take them into account.
the best countries
The Cook Islands, located between Hawaii and New Zealand, in the South Pacific, form an archipelago of 15 islands scattered over an area of ​​240 km² with Ratonga as its capital. In 2017, it created the Marae Moana Marine Park, the largest protected area on the planet. The beauty of its landscapes -with wonders such as the Aitutaki lagoon or the island of Mauke- its culture and the possibilities of discovering it as a true adventurer make this corner of Polynesia the most recommended country in 2022 according to Lonely Planet experts.
Preikestolen or Pulpit, in the Lysefjord, Rogaland (Norway)
Getty
Norway is in second place. And it is that this Scandinavian country that does not reach 5.5 million inhabitants has its main asset in nature. Fjords, glaciers, heart-stopping rock formations, such as Preikestolen (popularly known as El Púlpito), incomparable highways and fairy-tale cities surprise and amaze everyone who travels through this country that occupies the first position in the human development index or, in other words, It is the best place to live on Earth.
The podium of countries is completed by Mauritius, a paradise of transparent waters surrounded by coral reefs in the middle of the Indian Ocean, ideal for disconnecting from the world. Like the Cook Islands and Norway, nature manifests itself in all its splendor. The Black River Gorges or the Chamarel waterfall; the capital, Port Louis, with a lively commercial life; the temples, or the practice of water sports such as fishing are compelling arguments to consider a trip.
‘Top ten’ of the best countries
- cook islands
- Norway
- Mauricio
- Belize
- Slovenia
- Eel
- Oman
- Nepal
- malawi
- Egypt
The best regions
The list of the most recommended regions can be a particularly interesting source of inspiration for all those willing to live an adventure in some original and little-known place. The top three destinations for next year are the Westfjords of Iceland, known as Westfjords; West Virginia, and the Chinese prefecture of Xishuangbanna.
In Dynjandi the water falls in seven waterfalls
Getty Images/iStockphoto
The Westfjords, the most unexplored region of the country, are an astonishing and authentic appendix of some 10,000 km2, whose thousand-year-old villages are still self-sufficient today. In Isafjordur, the capital of just 2,600 inhabitants, foreigners can learn about the way of life of the past through its ethnographic museums. Among the natural wonders of the region, forged over 16 million years, we find mountains and waterfalls, such as Dynjandi, the most unique in the country, beaches such as Rauðisandur or the Hornstrandir nature reserve.
West Virginia, the second most recommended region of this unique ranking, is a quiet state, with virgin mountains, where you live without crowds. It is, without a doubt, an ideal destination for fans of adventure sports: trails on abandoned railway routes, an immense network of caves ideal for caving and unexplored parks and forests will delight all of them.
Shwedagon Pagoda in Xishuangbanna, China
guiyongnian
Knowing the third best region in the world to explore in 2022 forces us to travel to Xishuangbanna, in southwestern China, a territory of remote villages that, in recent times, is experiencing a certain opening. And it is that its hiking trails, its gastronomy and its culture are an authentic pearl not only for national tourism but also for foreigners, which has led to the creation of an incipient tourist infrastructure.
‘Top ten’ of the best regions
- Westfjords, Iceland
- West Virginia, United States
- Xishuang Banna, China
- Kent Downs and the Heritage Coast, UK
- Puerto Rico
- Shikoku, Japan
- Atacama Desert, Chile
- Scenic Rim, Australia
- Vancouver Island, Canada
- Burgundy, France
best cities
The third of the rankings recently published by the prestigious guide is that of the best cities in the world. The three most recommended cities correspond to three different continents: Oceania, Asia and Europe.
Auckland from Devonport
sebastien cote
Auckland, New Zealand’s great multicultural city, is nestled on the narrowest point of the North Island, home to 53 volcanoes, more than 50 islands, three wine regions and countless beaches. Although it is at the top of the list of the best cities to visit, the truth is that, paradoxically, it is currently temporarily closed due to a covid outbreak. To get to know the town and its surroundings, it is necessary to visit its geothermal springs, its beaches and its wineries.
read also
It is followed by Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, which combines Chinese, Japanese, indigenous and Western influences of modernity and tradition like few others. Constructions such as the Longshan temple or the Nung monastery, exponents of its mixture of religions; famous buildings such as the Taipei 101 skyscraper, the undisputed symbol of the capital’s skyline; the gastronomy of its night markets, or the surprising nature that surrounds it make it a privileged destination.
The capital of the Black Forest, one of the most recognized in Germany for its sustainable policies, completes the podium. And it is that Freiburg is a postcard city whose delicious center, rebuilt after the Second World War according to the medieval layout, lacks road traffic. The cathedral, in whose surroundings a colorful market is held daily, is undoubtedly the most emblematic building, without forgetting its crystal-clear water canals that cross the streets of the historic center.
‘Top ten’ of the best cities
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Freiburg, Germany
- Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Nicosia, Cyprus
- Dublin, Ireland
- Merida, Mexico
- Florence, Italy
- Gyeongju, South Korea
