The Most Stunning Destinations to Add to Your Travel Bucket List for 2022
PUBLISHED January 20th, 2022 05:00 am | UPDATED August 28th, 2023 06:26 pm
With travel taking flight, it’s starting to feel like the world is our oyster once more – or at least, that slice of the world which has Vaccinated Travel Lanes with Singapore. After building up a miles-long travel bucket list during lockdown, 2022 might just be the year we can kickstart the adventure once more (at least once VTL suspensions are lifted this January). Here’s our pick of the best destinations to plunge into next year.
The Scenic Rim, Australia
A lush slice of hinterland in Queensland, The Scenic Rim has been steadily drawing in nature lovers and wine connoisseurs alike. It’s the only Australian destination to star in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel’ list for 2022, and for good reason. Its six National Parks are home to ancient trees dating back to the age of dinosaurs and rare fauna like the Albert’s Lyrebird, not to mention treetop villas with spa baths for glamping. It doesn’t hurt that you’ll find plenty of liquid refreshment along the Scenic Rim Wine Trail. Drink your way through over 40 vineyards and cellar doors, including one with a glow worm cave and another with its own lavender farm.
Abruzzo, Italy
Steeped in history and rich with nature, Abruzzo is a central Italian region that’s only just stepping into the limelight. It’s been called the ‘green lung of Italy’, thanks to numerous national parks and reserves blanketing nearly half its territory in green. Chief among them is the breathtaking Gran Sasso National Park, with its Roman-age temples and fortresses nestled amidst old forests and mountain chains. Abruzzo’s storied history has also left its mark in dozens of dreamy castles dotted through the landscape. One of them, Roccascalegna, is even open to public stays – dubbed the ‘castle in the sky’, this medieval fortress perches high on a cliff edge.
Menorca, Spain
Looking for a laidback beach escape? Set in the Balearic Islands, Menorca might be the petite and lower-key little sister of party animals Mallorca and Ibiza, but it’s got more miles of coastline than the two put together. Think powder white sands fringed by pine-swathed cliffs on one side and turquoise waves on the other, with few enough sunbathers that you can stake out your own private patch. With its strong winds year round, windsurfing is also popular on the island. The fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down either. Menorca has its share of nightlife thrills, including the spectacular Cova d’en Xoroi – a bar set in a cliffside cave.
Aarhus, Denmark
Denmark’s second city of Aarhus often tops world happiness surveys, and its artistic and culinary buzz is infectious. Its heritage comes alive at attractions like Den Gamle By, an immersive museum with 75 authentic buildings from five centuries of Danish history and its own cast of olde worlde characters. But the city packs its share of cutting-edge art too. One of Europe’s largest art museums, ARoS is famed for its ‘rainbow panorama’ – a circular rooftop walkway paneled in all shades of the rainbow. Speaking of cutting-edge, Aarhus is also a haven of New Nordic cuisine. There’s the Michelin-starred Restaurant Gastromé, which grows most of its own seasonal produce – including rearing its own honeybees.
Gyeongju, South Korea
If you’re looking for a dash of historical romance, there’s no better spot to be than Gyeongju. Fondly dubbed Korea’s ‘museum without walls’, this ancient capital of the Silla dynasty is more like an open trove of National Treasures – 31, to be exact. Have a romantic stroll through Donggung Palace, once the Crown Prince’s residence, or take a heritage hike up Namsan, a myth-rich mountain carved with dozens of Buddha sculptures. With so many Silla-age marvels to boast of, it’s almost unfair that Gyeongju is rich in natural beauty too. Head down in April to catch cherry blossom season, when masses of cherry trees around Bomun Lake will burst into bloom.
Devon, England
Train travel is back in vogue on the heels of slow travel trends, and all the better to bless our eyes with. After all, the picturesque English countryside of Devon looks its best framed in a railway window – from the rolling green fields and charming villages of the Tamar Valley Line to the postcard-perfect coastal views of the Riviera Line. Once you’re in the county proper, there’s plenty to do and see – soak up the English seaside at the award-winning Woolacombe Beach, make your own cider, check out Agatha Christie’s holiday home, or wander through the pastel-coloured houses of Salcombe.
Rovaniemi, Finland
The official hometown of Santa Claus, Rovaniemi is the definition of a winter wonderland. It’s best known, of course, for being the gateway to the Northern Lights – between September and March, the night skies over Lapland come alive with shimmering, dancing lights. During the day, there’s plenty of wintry thrills to be head – reindeer sled rides, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. For animal lovers, getting up close with snowy owls and Arctic foxes at Ranua Wildlife Park is a must. Don’t forget the year-round Santa Claus village with its slew of unique restaurants, including an ice bar and a traditional salmon spot.
Dijon, France
It’s no secret that Dijon is a heaven for the tastebuds. After all, it’s the place that gave the world coq au vin, beef bourguignon, escargots slathered in garlic butter, and countless regional cheeses. The city also sits at the start of the Route des Grands Crus – an ancient wine route that winds through many of Burgundy’s famed vineyards. But come spring 2022, Dijon is set to become even more scrumptious with the opening of the International City of Gastronomy and Wine – one of four planned in France. Spread over 6.5 hectares, the Cité will house restaurants and personalized tastings, a wine cellar, and the Ferrandi Cooking School.
Cappadocia, Turkey
You’ve likely seen Cappadocia often enough in pictures, but the beauty of the real thing is a once-in-a-lifetime sight. The region’s rugged, honey-hued landscape is famed for its mystical rock pinnacles dubbed ‘fairy chimneys’, often captured against a sunrise dotted with dozens of hot-air balloons. Just as otherworldly is the Red and Rose Valley formed by volcanic explosion. The dreamy valley undulates with red, pink, and yellow rock faces – as though sunset had stained the rocks. Supplementing nature with is architectural marvels like the Göreme Open-Air Museum, a complex of chapels with colourful mid-Byzantine frescoes carved directly into rock.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
Forget the powder white beaches of Bali – Komodo Island’s pink sands will have you living la vie en rose. This rosy hue is the result of Foraminifera – microorganisms that naturally produce soft pink pigments on coral reefs. The pigments then wash up on the white sand and result in one unique sunbathing experience. When you can bear to get up off your mat, delve into the crystal waters and you’ll find a snorkelling paradise. Colourful coral gardens teem with reef fish like cuttlefish, manta rays, and sea turtles, and even beginners can count on plenty to see in the shallows.
Basel, Switzerland
Basel isn’t the first place that comes to mind for exploring Switzerland, but this modern city thrums with creative energy. Set on the banks of the Rhine, Basel sees connoisseurs flood in for the Art Basel each year – an international art fair that showcases thousands of contemporary artists. Besides its first-rate Theater Basel, the city boasts a stellar clutch of avant-garde museums, from the Kunstmuseum which houses Van Gogh originals to the Vitra Design Museum with its futuristic furniture pieces. Also worth catching is the long tradition of the Basler Fasnacht – an annual 72-hour carnival where thousands of costumed participants take over the streets, staging parades and tossing confetti.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Is it really a bucket list if there’s no bungee jumping involved? After being safely cooped up for so long, the adventure playground of Chiang Mai is enough to get adrenaline junkies’ hearts racing. There’s the well-known Flight of the Gibbon, a course of 18 ziplines set in dense rainforest. Whizz across Asia’s longest zipline at 800 metres, abseil down tall trees, or teeter your way down rope bridges high in the trees. For more heights thrills, X-Centre’s bungy jump offers a 50-metre-high leap of faith towards the lush Mae Rim landscape.
Top Image: Daniela Cuevas on Unsplash
