National Geographic reveals its top destinations for 2022

(CNN) — While the pandemic is far from over, many of us are hopeful that 2022 is the year we’ll finally be able to broaden our travel horizons again.

And now — in as much a year-end tradition as Thanksgiving turkey or putting up the tree — travel publishers are releasing their annual recommendations of where to travel in the year ahead.

For its 2022 list, National Geographic’s editorial teams around the world have selected 25 “must see” destinations. These are spread across five categories — nature, adventure, culture, sustainability and family — with a focus on national parks and wildlife, outdoor activities and experience, green travel and multigenerational trips.

‘Reflect and regroup’

“In many ways, the pandemic provided a moment for travelers and communities around the world to reflect and regroup on how we explore the world,” says George Stone, executive editor of National Geographic Travel.

“With this year’s list, Nat Geo takes a look at what’s different, new, and inspiring — from the new Seine River bike trail in France to Chimanimani National Park, a new national park in Mozambique that signals the country’s environmental commitment.”

In the culture category, Procida, a little island off the coast of Naples, is an Italian Capital of Culture for 2022, while London’s legendary music hub Tin Pan Alley has had a recent resurgence, with the opening of three new music venues.

Getting the nature nod, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip is an up-and-coming safari destination. Once off limits due to the long border war that plagued this region, safari camps and lodges are now sprouting up. Visitors can enjoy several large national parks, plenty of navigable waterways, and an impressively high ratio of wildlife to human residents.

Sun and adventure

Adventure seekers are recommended to try the new 420-kilometer-long La Seine à Vélo bike route which runs from Paris to the Normandy sea. Or if hiking is more your thing, there’s the 147-kilometer-long Sentier Nepisiguit Mi’gmaq wilderness trail in New Brunswick, Canada. It follows the Nepisiguit River from Daly Point’s Nature Reserve to Mount Carleton Provincial Park.

Skiers and snowboarders should make their way instead to Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin, a high-elevation resort with runs for experts as well as beginners.

For family trips with loved ones, National Geographic’s picks include Turkey’s sweeping southwest coastline, a lesser known Mediterranean delight which was known in ancient times as Lycia. Sailing is the perfect way to explore its secluded bays and coves.

Another sun-seeking option is Bonaire — known, along with Aruba and Curaçao, as one of the ABC islands — which is close to South America and a little outside of what’s considered the hurricane belt. The snorkeling and diving is particularly good in its pristine waters, where underwater visibility can exceed 30 meters, allowing wonderful views of coral reef and forgotten shipwrecks.

National Geographic’s ‘Best of the World 2022’ list:

CULTURE

Jingmai Mountain, Yunnan, China

Tin Pan Alley, London

Hokkaido, Japan

Procida, Italy

Atlanta, Georgia

SUSTAINABILITY

Ruhr Valley, Germany

Parque Nacional Yasuni, Ecuador

Łódź, Poland

National Columbia Gorge Scenic Area, Oregon/Washington

Chimanimani National Park, Mozambique

NATURE

Caprivi Strip, Namibia

Northern Minnesota

Lake Baikal, Russia

Belize Maya Forest Reserve

Victoria, Australia

ADVENTURE

Seine River Bike Trail, France

Costa Rica

Nepisiguit Mi’gmaq Trail, New Brunswick, Canada

Palau

Arapahoe Basin, Colorado

FAMILY

Danube River Cruise

Lycia, Turkey

Granada, Spain

Bonaire

Eastern Shore, Maryland