As the green shoots of travel turn into tall, towering oaks, the year 2022 offers us an opportunity to reconnect with the best vacation spots in a more meaningful, authentic way. We’ll be reminded frequently of why we travel; those embers of curiosity and adventure will be fanned to roaring flames, and as travel gradually returns to our lives, we’ll cherish every moment. We’ve chosen places that will appeal to a wide range of travelers based on recommendations from locals, such as surfers, food truck vendors, and museum curators. From north-east Australia to the best places to visit in Europe, the list includes destinations with a wide range of character and geography.
Evergreen destinations like Edinburgh and Thailand will be singing louder than ever, while others, like Jersey and New Orleans, will be shedding light on their own hidden histories. Big global events like the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games will undoubtedly hold sway, but there will also be quieter stories to tell, such as family-run farms with a real foodie punch and festivals dedicated to the Earth’s healing properties.
Best for culture lovers
Oslo, Norway
Oslo, which was once known for plundering and philanthropy due to its Viking history and lofty Nobel Peace Center, has spent the last two decades carving out a niche as a city that is demonstrably committed to a greener future.
Nestled at the head of the Oslofjord on Norway’s south coast, the capital has been working tirelessly to transform its waterways and neighborhoods into a truly sustainable eco-haven. It is not content with small steps, and the entire city has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050. It was recently dubbed the “Electric Vehicle Capital of the World.”
But it’s not just the compact capital’s environmental credentials that make it a must-see. The new National Museum of Art and Design, which will open on Universitetsgata in June 2022 and house over 5,000 objects, will be the largest gallery in the Nordic region. There will be a large collection of Edvard Munch works on display, including the rock-star painting The Scream and a wide range of arts and crafts ranging from Chinese imperial porcelain to contemporary conceptual pieces.
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Sustainability tip:
This low-carbon city is verbosely eco when it comes to planning how it ticks. Get more information from plannay travel, surrounded by green forest and with toes dipped in the clear fjord waters. The Scandi capital values its close ties to the natural world to the nth degree. As simple as driving an electric car is here, they also promote Bilfritt by liv — car-free city living — by substituting bike lanes and benches for parking to encourage walking and cycling.
Where to stay in Oslo, Norway:
The Thief hotel is located on the Tjuvholmen waterfront and features gold trim and tactile textures and an underground tunnel that leads to the spa and heron’s-eye views of the harbor.
New Orleans
After years of painstaking reconstruction following Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was once again thwarted by Ida in 2021. But this is not a city whose soul is easily silenced, and its lion-hearted citizens emerge from the ruins with lofty goals and a steely gaze.
Multiple much-missed events will return next year, not least the energizing spectacle of Mardi Gras, which leaves the streets littered with doubloons, masks, and rainbow-colored beads. The Heritage Festival will make sweet music in late April; the Essence Festival will celebrate the best of Black culture in the summer; and the Bayou Bacchanal will pay homage to all things the Caribbean once again in November, with soca beats, pounding dancehall, and delectable fusion cuisine.
The city’s renaissance is also allowing important Black-owned businesses to re-establish themselves. Foodie hotspots like Dooky Chase, which has fed countless civil rights activists and revolutionaries over the years, can expect to draw large crowds, while many NOLA restaurants are participating in fundraising efforts for isolated bayou communities.
Sustainability tip:
NOLA is one of the most liveable cities in the country, and we can take the streetcar to Canal Street, Uptown, and the Garden District. Keep those refillable bottles handy because the tap water is perfectly drinkable. You can also eat like a vegetarian by grazing on cajan and creole at places like Seed and Two Chicks Café, which are both vegetarian-friendly.
Where to stay in New Orleans:
Peter and Paul is a vibrant hotel with unique rooms set in a deconsecrated Catholic church-school complex that retains a homey intimacy just blocks from the Arts District and the Quarter.
Egypt
Nearly a century ago, the world was enthralled by news of a remarkable archaeological find. On November 26, 1922, British Egyptologist Howard Carter used the chisel his grandmother had given him for his 17th birthday to chip open the door to Tutankhamun’s hidden tomb, giving the world the most important and best-preserved pharaonic tomb ever discovered in the Valley of the Kings. Jean-François Champollion had announced his breakthrough in deciphering the mysterious Rosetta Stone almost 100 years before, laying the groundwork for our modern understanding of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
The Grand Egyptian Museum, set to become the world’s largest archaeological museum, will commemorate these two major historic milestones across the country next year. The release in February of Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie romp Death on the Nile will bolster the country’s allure, with intrepid travelers boarding the plush small-capacity boats that meander in luxury along the world’s most famous river.
Here, too, there are quiet, powerful stories gaining traction. The annual Guardians of the Nile festival, founded by Nubian woman Koma Waidi, continues to empower marginalized communities by holding boat races to preserve and commemorate Nubian heritage.
The Aswan International Women Film Festival, which is still growing, will be slightly louder. Women’s issues will be highlighted in the participating works, which will showcase the talent of female screenwriters and filmmakers from Egypt and beyond.
Sustainability tip:
To be honest, this North African country hasn’t always been the most environmentally conscious; however, while they’re working to improve their practices, being a responsible traveler here necessitates a few considerations. Avoid all-inclusive vacation packages and make an effort to support local businesses. Dahab is a better option than Sharm if you want to go diving because it is less developed. Only go dolphin spotting with true animal-protection advocates; only scuba with reputable, responsible organizations run by those sensitive to the welfare of wildlife.
Where to stay in Egypt:
The Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh is a Moorish-style resort with towers, arabesques, and moucharabies overlooking the Sinai Peninsula and one of Egypt’s best beachfront hotels.
Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica’s beating heart has long been overlooked by tourists, not least due to its rough-around-the-edges reputation. But the vivacious capital is shrugging off its seedy reputation, claiming a new identity as a vibrant cultural hub brimming with multicultural restaurants, world-class galleries, and carnivals to rival Rio’s.
And 2022 is a particularly good year for Jamaica, as it will be the country’s 60th anniversary of independence. There will be celebrations on the island all year long, with the Jamaica Carnival (Bacchanal) in August bringing feather headdresses, floats, and rumbling steelpan drums to the streets.
Kingston’s surf beaches are also attracting early-bird visitors. Avoid the no-longer-golden Hellshire Beach to the west and the crowded Bull Bay to the east, and instead, join the locals on the fine-milled sands that line the north coast. Runaway Bay, near the tourist resort town of Ocho Rios, is a good spot for intermediate surfers, and Makka Beach, which hosts the island’s only pro surfing contest, has world-class tubes if you can navigate the obnoxious corals and urchins. If that sounds too mundane, visit the lesser-known ‘DNA’ nearby. Here, the reef break creates steep, hollow waves. It’s exciting to watch, but as a TOAD beach (take off and die), experienced surfers should only attempt it.
Sustainability tip:
Authentic cultural experiences are a great way to positively impact your travels, so head to Rastafari Indigenous Village, a cultural center just outside of Montego Bay. Close to Blue Mountain, the Alligator Head Foundation protects fish stocks, restores habitats, and revitalizes local economies. The farm-to-table restaurant at Jakes Hotel is one of our favorites.
Where to stay in Kingston, Jamaica:
Strawberry Hill’s spectacular infinity pool, located just outside of town in the Blue Mountains, overlooks the city with views stretching for more than 50 miles.
Menorca
In summer 2021, Swiss art magnates Hauser & Wirth planted their flag on Menorca’s historic Isla del Rey, giving the island the kind of heavyweight credentials that have made the island’s existing outposts cultural lodestones.
The new art center, which has exhibitions in repurposed outbuildings of a former naval hospital, also has an outdoor sculpture trail that carefully navigates the archaeological remains of a sixth-century basilica. Despite their experience in restoring centuries-old treasures, the gallerists faced difficult terrain, a lack of electricity, and a slew of building regulations. However, the result is a secluded arty idyll that will entice legions of aesthetically inclined visitors to the UNESCO Bisophere Reserve.
Sustainability tip:
Menorca’s virtues as a sustainable destination include the preservation of its natural environment and the fact that it gets 85 percent of its energy from renewable sources, which is fantastic news. The soft sandy beaches in the south have an added allure in that they are mostly only accessible by foot. This means taking in unspoiled landscapes like those found at Cala Macarelleta, not only away from the crowds but also knowing you’re leaving less of a footprint.
Where to stay in Menorca:
Torralbenc is a country retreat with whitewashed farmhouse buildings, dry-stone walls, and tumbling bougainvillaea.
