Amazing holiday destinations for 2023
As 2022 speeds to its end, 2023 beckons invitingly with untold adventures and holiday destinations awaiting the enterprising traveler. Why not make this the year that you visit delightful new places, experience interesting new cultures, and tick a few more items off your bucket list? The wonderful world of travel is calling your name, and we have some amazing destinations for you to consider:
Surprising Sicily
Sicily, the ‘ball’ in front of Italy’s ‘boot’, is the largest Mediterranean island and an unbeatable holiday destination. Its active volcano, Mount Etna, adds to Sicily’s dramatic appeal, and the island is known for its superb luxury hotels, particularly in delightful Taormina. It’s likewise famed for its varied scenery, lush tropical gardens, rocky coastlines, stunning beaches, and activities like day-tripping, snorkeling, and walking.
Sicily contains a wealth of historical sites like the well-preserved ruins of several Greek Doric temples in the Valley of the Temples, as well as Palermo’s stunning 12th-century Cappella Palatina, with its Byzantine mosaics. Art lovers will revel in Sicily’s breathtaking Baroque paintings, and foodies will delight in some of Italy’s best wine and seafood.
Intriguing Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Ever since naturalist Charles Darwin, the Galápagos Islands have fired the world’s imagination. And this pristine, spectacular, and isolated world does indeed offer visitors extraordinary landscapes and unique wildlife. Its endemic giant tortoises and marine iguanas are world-famous, and other species found here include sea turtles, lava lizards, geckos, snakes, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and Galápagos sharks. Many species have evolved specifically to survive this harsh environment, making the islands known as a ‘Laboratory of Evolution.
Amazingly, the Galápagos wildlife has no fear of humans, ensuring extraordinary sightings as visitors wander through the volcanic landscapes, island-hop and enjoy the crystal-clear waters. Visitors have a wide range of delightful accommodation options, as well as plenty of venues to enjoy fresh seafood and other local delicacies like its famous Arroz Marinero.
Marvelous Mexico
To list Mexico’s marvels is impossible; there are simply too many. But if you want cenotes, cushy accommodations, cantinas, culture, and unrivaled cuisine, Mexico has that, and more!
Mexico City is abuzz with art, music, theater, fashion, shops, and restaurants. Diving off the coral reefs near Cabo Pulmo is breathtaking, as is a rail trip on the Copper Canyon railway and exploring historic and vibrant Oaxaca. Visiting a quiet fishing village offers something very different, as is the sight of millions of orange monarch butterflies covering whole hillsides in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. A Mayan temple in Tulum, cathedrals in Guadalajara, a sunset on an Espiritu Santo beach, the snow-capped peak of Pico de Orizaba, and the pyramid at Chichen Itza … Mexico is pure magic.
South Africa
South Africa has become one of the world’s premier holiday destinations with diverse landscapes and cultures, stunning scenery, friendly people, and a wonderful climate. Vibrant cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Durban, Pretoria, and Port Elizabeth offer visitors a treasure trove of attractions.
However, South Africa’s undisputed ‘jewel’ in its tourist crown is the superb Kruger National Park and the Greater Kruger which encompasses a vast protected wildlife area. It comprises 344,000 hectares that cover no fewer than nine different biomes that support a wealth of wildlife. This includes the Big Five and various rare and endangered species like the pangolin, the lappet-faced vulture, wild dogs, and three wild-roaming white lions! With many superb lodges and luxury camps abounding in the area, this is the ultimate spot for luxury safaris for Americans in the Kruger National Park.
Peru
Housing part of the Amazon rainforest, as well as the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu high in the Andes mountains, Peru is a rewarding tourist destination. The area around Machu Picchu abounds with archaeological sites. Its capital, historic and bustling Lima, has extraordinary pre-Columbian art collections and features a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, is a must-see, as is the Basilica Cathedral in Arequipa, or the White City, considered one of the most beautiful cities in South America. The Cañon del Colca is an overwhelming sight at twice the depth of the Grand Canyon! The Nazca desert is another unique attraction with its inexplicable Nazca lines. Nature lovers will adore the Reserva Nacional Tambopata, a gateway to the rainforest, and the Kuélap Stone Fortress will intrigue all archaeologists. And adventurous souls simply must go paragliding in Miraflores!
Mallorca
There are many reasons why Mallorca, the largest of Spain’s beautiful Balearic Islands, is such a sought-after holiday destination. It has bustling beach resorts, secluded coves, rugged limestone mountains, and fascinating Roman and Moorish ruins. Its capital Palma offers visitors a vibrant nightlife, superb restaurants, and a plethora of shops.
Architecture buffs will love historic buildings like the 13th-century cathedral, the royal palace, and the art galleries. Picturesque stone-built and hillside villages nestle in unbelievably fragrant citrus groves.
Activities include bus tours, day trips, sporting activities, and cruises. You can wander through the fascinating streets and farmers’ markets, indulge yourself with a lunch cruise, or. If you’re adventurous you can go rock climbing, mountain biking, or kayaking, or book a hot air balloon ride! Or just relax on one of the stunning beaches, why don’t you?
With the world’s far-flung destinations welcoming you with open arms again, it would be a shame not to explore them, don’t you think?
Thanks For Reading
More Read On Forbes Magazine
