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31 January, 2022

Virtuoso premiers its top 10 destinations for 2022 and Tassie has taken a top spot

aerial view of a sloop under full sails sailing through the Caribbean

By James Harrison

Virtuoso, the luxury global network of agencies, has announced its top ten global destinations for 2022 which aims to welcome “the joyful renaissance of epic journeys.”

The list goes far and wide, covering the trails of Tasmania all the way to the sights of Colombian mountains. The only problem about the list is not having enough time and money to explore all the destinations.

Check out of Virtuoso’s top picks below:

Secret Slovenia

The first spot on the map is the soaring alpine playground of Slovenia.

Beautiful sea-side villages and day-hikes alongside Triglav National Park make Slovenia an incredible area to explore nature, but it’s the wine regions that make this destination so incredible.

“Knock on tasting-room doors to meet vintners face-to-face – it’s like hopping a time machine to explore Tuscany before the rest of the world was in on the secret,” the article’s author, Jen Rose Smith wrote.

Vineyard in Jeruzalem, Slovenia (iStock/SimonSkafar)

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s rich array of coffee plantations, riding trails, and astonishing biodiversity secure the countries spot on Virtuoso’s list.

Rose Smith plans out holiday goers exploration of nature by suggesting: “after waking to a dawn bird chorus in Arenal Volcano National Park, visitors might then make the drive around Lake Arenal and to the south, for instance, to hike upward into the Monteverde cloud forest, then head to the coast to settle in for a sunset or two on a Guanacaste surf beach.”

Arenal volcano (iStock/Janusz Kubow)

Tasmanian Trails

Even a spot of Australia manages to make the list, with the mountain-bike trails at St Helens and the Bay of Fires cementing Tasmania’s status as an up-and-coming adventure hub.

Virtuoso travel advisor and lifelong resident Robyn Sinfield said, “Tasmania is blessed by nature. We have sea cliffs, rugged coastline, and stunning beaches.”

Take in the broad wealth of wildlife that Tassie has to offer as visitors can track the world’s tiniest “fairy” penguins from a lookout on Bruny Island Neck, while hikers watch for elusive Tasmanian devils in Cradle Mountain’s wilderness.

The Overland Track at Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania (iStock/timstarkey)

Colombian Cool

Colombia is a whole lot more than coffee and well, that other thing it’s known for, as it’s natural beauty and vibrant culture cement it’s spot on this list.

“From the mountains to the sea, Colombia is just breathtaking,” said travel advisor Misty Jones, naming Bogotá’s street art, desert off-roading, and coffee country as her favourite experiences.

La Candelaria district in Bogota, Colombia (iStock/Starcevic)

Saudi Arabia

While some may think of desert for days when they think of Saudi Arabia, but those swaybacked dunes silhouette modernist sculptures, jewel-toned reefs, and an archaeological treasure chest.

“Because the area is only now opening up for the world to see, the sites are virtually untouched,” says advisor Jay Johnson of the Nabatean ruins surrounding cultural hub Al ’Ula.

The region is quite new for tourists, especially considering the political climate of the region. Outside major cities, most Saudi women wear veils though foreigners aren’t expected to, except at religious sites.

Summer in the Dolomites

The winter wonderland of Italy blooms into an alpine dreamscape during the warmer months.

Get your hiking gear for the alpine escapes teeter on passes with operatic views.

Local cuisine that is a beautiful mix of Italian and German heritage, that will keep even the hungriest hiker full all day.

Mountain in Alps (iStock/TomasSereda)

The Islands of Haida Gwaii

Check out the archipelago of 150 rocky islands off the northern Pacific coast of Canada.

The islands are a rich mix of biodiversity and a human landscape. Totem poles flank village sites and the shoreline and Marc Telio, president of Virtuoso on-site tour connection Entrée Canada & Alaska, said “the draw is a stunning blend of the land and sharing of culture with the Haida people in their traditional territory.”

Haida totem pole in Masset, British Columbia, Canada (iStock/ranplett)

Hop on a Caribbean yacht

With an island for every mood, a Caribbean yacht tour takes travellers to regions where undeveloped archipelagos still dot the map.

There are places off the coast of Panama where nature thrives and you can meet Indigenous Guna people on islands with just enough space for a thatched hut and a cool breeze.

Or, travellers can take themselves from the shores of Saint-Martin to Anguilla, where highball hedonism prevails.

Gorilla trek in Rwanda

Last but not least on the list is an area where you can find endangered mountain gorillas in a rain forest at the edge of the Congo Basin, a gorilla trek in Rwanda.

Five rain-forest summits mark the spot at Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park where visitors come face to face with the gorillas and then venture over to volcanoes.

Mountain gorilla in Rwanda Volcanoes National Park (iStock/Dennis Stogsdill)

Featured image: Yacht sailing through the Caribbean (iStock/cdwheatley)

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archipelago Arenal Volcano National Park Bay of Fires bike trails Bogotá Bruny Island Neck canada caribbean colombia Costa Rica Dolomites Entrée Canada & Alaska Haida Gwaii italy Jay Johnson Jen Rose Smith Marc Telio Misty Jones panama Robyn Sinfield saudi arabia slovenia St Helens tasmania top ten global destinations for 2022 Totem poles Triglav National Park virtuoso Volcanoes National Park