Travel is probably on everybody’s checklist now. The pandemic has changed how and when and where we can travel but National Geographic claimed that now we should start to reclaim the privilege of traveling around the world. From the next great safari destination in Namibia to the dark sky preserves of northern Minnesota and the new saint river bike trail in France, National Geographic has the cure to all that wanderlust that had been stuck up due to the pandemic. They have released the best of the world’s 2022 list which consists of National Geographic’s 25 wonders of the world. George Stone from National geographic said that two straight years off the road has given people the chance to ponder upon how they want to be better travelers when they return to the world. Just as more international restrictions are lifting, George Stone, executive editor of National Geographic revealed their list of national geographic the world’s most beautiful places which comprised 25 of the most extraordinary destinations. He said that they are specific and they are important and they are uniquely rewarding travelers in 2022.
The 25 Top World Destinations To Visit In 2022 According To National Geographic
The list has been broken down into five distinct categories:
- Nature
- Adventure
- Culture and History
- Family
- Sustainability
Nature:
1. The Caprivi Strip in Namibia
George Stone’s favorite place on the list is the jungle Safari along the Caprivi strip in Namibia because it is said to have the most incredible landscapes. It represents a narrow strip of green land along the extreme north and east of the country which is a rich wildlife zone and an ideal place for several animal species to cohabit.
2. Lake Baikal, Russia
Lake Baikal is one of the biggest and largest lakes, so big that it could easily resemble a sea. However, it is also severely endangered at this point, as announced by UNESCO due to the severe pollution it witnesses and the weak government protection laws applied to the region.
3. Northern Minnesota
Several thousands of stars sparkle in the sky because the pollution is so less in this remote region of Minnesota which is a region that borders the Northern province of Ontario. It has very little pollution and people are hell-bent to keep it that way
4. Belize Maya Forest Reserve
Recently the Nature Conservancy bought about 235 thousand acres of tropical forest along the northwestern region of Belize, which has led to the creation of Belize Maya Forest Reserve. It has become a huge part of the drive to preserve the remaining tropical rainforests.
5. Victoria, Australia
In 2019 and 2020 the bush fires led to the demolition of about seven thousand miles of land and almost a billion animals however a drive along the Great Ocean Road would still reveal beautiful greenery.
Adventure
6. Seine River Bike Trail, France
A stretch of almost 300 miles from Paris to sea road, this biking trail was opened in the month of October in 2020. It also offers relatively unknown masterpieces such as the vibrant street art of the Canal Saint-Denis in Paris. There are fifteen stages through the biking trail where bikers pass through reserved natural areas which includes places like Normandy’s Grande Noé Bird Reserve which is located along a big migratory flight path.
7. Nepisiguit Trail, New Brunswick, Canada
It runs for ninety miles along the Nepisiguit River. The rough Sentier Nepisiguit Mi’gmaq Trail runs through ancient portage pathways which used to be the go-to for the nomadic Mi’gmaq. There is a turtle-shaped rock situated near Nepisiguit Falls near the Canadian province of New Brunswick. It tells the legend that once there was a turtle named Egomoqaseg, which meant ‘rock like a moving ship’. It is said that once it is completely out of the water, it will be an apocalypse for the local people.
8. Costa Rica
The Camino de Costa Rica which stretches across Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean is 175 miles long. It serves as a window to life far away from the tourist path. The hiking route has sixteen stages and goes through remote towns and villages, protected natural areas, and the indigenous Cabecar islands. The trail had been designed to initiate economic activity in rural districts.
9. Palau
Eighty percent of the national waters which have been recognized by the national geographic’s pristine seas project serve as one of the richest marine ecosystems globally. This area is preserved under the Palau national marine sanctuary. Visitors get to swim with sharks and have the adventure of their lives.
10. Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
A climbing route is known as the Arapahoe Basin’s “iron way”. It comprises cables and metal rungs. It begins near the base of granite Rocky Mountain cliffs and goes on till about 1,200 feet in height and a 13,000-foot summit.
Culture And History
11. Hokkaido, Japan:
Japan’s wildly scenic and northernmost main island Ainu is known for its indigenous people from the northern region of the archipelago. Two recent museums shall attempt to educate the visitors on the same indigenous culture. Japan’s Ainu was marginalized since the 1800s, and it has recently received legal protections in the year 2019.
12. Jingmai Mountain, Yunnan, China:
It is located in the remote southwestern corner of China’s Yunnan Province and is probably famed for the perfect cup of tea that it offers. The region served as an initiation point to the famous Ancient Tea Horse Road which happens to be one of the most ancient cultural landscapes that the country boasts of. It could also be added to the UNESCO world heritage site list as a new spot in the year 2022.
13. Tin Pan Alley, London:
This place was once dotted with recording studios, music publishers, dimly lit clubs, and rehearsal rooms. It also had the little street which was given the nickname of Tin Pan Alley of London. It is important because it launched the English punk rock generation and gave rise to legends such as Elton John, David Bowie, and The Rolling Stones.
14. Procida, Italy
Procida, Italy is located about forty minutes via a turbo ferry along the southwest of Naples. The city authorities have planned to use this year of recognition to highlight and show the importance of the city’s culture amidst the uncertain times that it has witnessed.
15. Atlanta, Georgia
This American city has been famously known for being the birth seat of Coca-Cola and several of the civil rights movements. It has also given birth to the hip-hop culture, thereby making it a socially and culturally important site to pay a visit to.
Sustainability
16. Parque Nacional Yasuni, Ecuador:
The 4,000-square-mile park, home to mahogany trees, sweet guavas, anthuriums, palms, and hypnotizingly green ferns, is the first of five pilot sites in the French-funded TerrAmaz program, a four-year initiative launched in late 2020 to support 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.
17. Ruhr Valley, Germany:
Ruhr Valley in Germany was once known for its steel production and mining. It is therefore a densely populated state on the west of North-Rhine Westphalia. The region today is devoted more to the repurposing of former slag heaps or in simple words, heaps of waste produced from mining. It has also turned wasteful and damaged industrial sites into open-air cultural spaces and parks.
18. Łódź, Poland:
Lodz in Poland is known as the City of Film by UNESCO since the year 2017 because of the rich film culture it inherits for decades. The city which boasts a population of seven hundred thousand people was initially a major manufacturer of textiles in the early nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Nicknamed as Poland’s Hollywood it is now devoted to changing its industrial history into a greener future.
19. National Columbia Gorge Scenic Area, Oregon/Washington:
It is probably the biggest National Scenic Area in the United States which includes the regions of Oregon and Washington as well as its border. It comprises almost 300 thousand acres of land, which are both public and private, especially along the River Gorge of Columbia. The area sees a footfall of more than two million travelers every year.
20. Chimanimani National Park, Mozambique:
It is one of Mozambique’s most recent national parks, which was established as late as October 2020. It has been roped into the conservation process because it was once filled with lush green flora and densely populated with animals like lions and elephants. These images can be seen engraved on the rock art of the area by the ancient San population.
Family
21. Danube River Cruise:
If you happen to boat through the river of Danube, it may feel like traveling through a realm of fairy tales. The cruise would provide you with a view of towering castles, stately palaces, and medieval towns that has helped in bringing European history to life.
22. Granada, Spain
The history of Granda in Spain tells us that it was built as a palace city by thirteenth-century Nasrid sultans. R these sultans were the rulers of the renowned Muslim dynasty which went on for decades in the Iberian Peninsula. The Moorish architectural splendor from Europe, the red fort or Alhambra comes from this place. — the Alhambra (“red fort”) is considered the Moorish architectural jewel of Europe. This UNESCO heritage city is considered one of the most picturesque places in Spain and is well-worth a guide-led educational trip to Spain to discover more.
23. Bonaire
Bathed in dazzling sunlight, a turquoise sea, palm trees, white beaches, and a laid-back atmosphere, Bonaire is a marvelous tropical destination that fits the telltale stereotype of tropical beaches that have turquoise blue sea, tall palm trees, stunning white beaches, bathed in golden sunlight and a peaceful laid back ambiance. The population of Bonnaire is however still pretty unexplored and wild.
24. Lycia, Turkey:
The Yörüks live an almost nomadic life in the historically important region of Lycia in southwest Anatolia, Teke Peninsula. They live in their tents, amongst their herds, kilim rugs, shepherd dogs, and follow transhumant traditions. Their habitat is set against a rugged Mediterranean backdrop filled with mountains and olive trees.
25. Eastern Shore, Maryland
This is the place where the secret network’s secret passageways formed in the form of underground railways. The history of these rail passages makes its way through every wetland, every waterway, every swamp of the county of Dorchester on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It is known for Harriet Tubman, the famed ‘conductor’ who was born as a slave but grew up free.
Conclusion:
There really is something for everyone, every age, every demographic but also every price point. Stone said that travel should not be out of reach for people. The dream isn’t to have everyone hop on a plane and fly halfway across the world. The idea is to choose a place that is special to them and just enjoy the privilege of traveling again.
