Five Destinations to consider for 2022

My name is Ariane, I'm a Travel Advisor based in the Vancouver area. I'm so excited Leesa asked me to share monthly tips and travel trends here in her newsletter. Are you starting to ponder booking your vacations for this year? Here are five destinations that I think you need to look into and plan your next trip to in 2022: 

1) Budapest - If you’ve never visited Budapest, you need to go. This city is absolutely beautiful at night. Prices of Budapest are still much more reasonable than London, Paris and Rome, but the architecture, beauty and shopping, rivals them all. Not to mention the culinary scene here is now thriving, putting Budapest on any foodie’s bucket list. Budapest also has some amazing wellness options including the thermal baths, which I highly recommend checking at least one out during your visit, it’s a cultural experience in itself. Do you love wine? Hungary has several different wine regions and produces some great vintages that you won’t see here in Canada.

2) Egypt - If Egypt has been on your list, make sure to plan your visit in November 2022 or onwards, as the brand new, highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum (The GEM) is slated to open then. This museum will host a literal “treasure trove” of “never seen before” historical items, including some from Ramses II era. Some river cruise lines have also built brand new river ships specifically for the Nile River, so there are now many new ways to experience ancient Egypt in style.

3) Sardinia - A stunning island off the coast of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea with beaches that rival some of the most stunning beaches in the Caribbean (yes, flamingos included). Sardinia’s scenic rocky coastline and bright turquoise waters, paired with some of the best traditional Italian cuisine is the perfect place to spend a week in the sun. 

4) Svalbard - Move over Iceland, Svalbard is next level. Unfortunately you won’t find a “Blue Lagoon” here, but the Polar Bear and other animal sighting experiences you’ll have will be incredibly memorable. One of the northernmost inhabited islands, in the Summer you’ll experience 24 hours of sun during the day and in the Winter, experience “Polar Nights” which bring 24 hours of complete darkness with only the moon, stars and the amazing northern lights to light the skies.

5) Bali - This place has a renewed sense of magic, with many new villas and hotels being built since 2019. Still currently somewhat closed to tourists, Bali’s anticipated reopening this Spring will be a place you should highly consider visiting if you’re looking for a “wellness focused” vacation. Bali caters to all different types of culinary options and it’s extremely vegan friendly. Also be sure to check out some stunning neighbouring islands such as Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. If you’re into wine, stop in at Sababay Winery (yes, they now grow grapes on Bali) near Sanur, where a couple from France now have an incredible winery.