UNLOCKING THE WORLD IN 2022

CNN: 1/3/2021

Travel is more challenging now than it has been in a long time. Borders tentatively reopen only to slam shut again. A once-simple visa on entry is replaced with piles of paperwork. And the whole world is brushing up on the Greek alphabet whenever a new variant makes headlines.

Still, though, amid all the darkness that has defined the pandemic, there are some glimmers of hope.

Perhaps the lesson travelers can take into 2022 is that exploring the world is a privilege, not a right. This year’s crop of dream places to visit reflect that mindset — from national parks to remote islands to lesser visited spots, mindfulness and respect for the Earth are part of the journey.

When Orville and Wilbur Wright first got their small plane aloft in 1903, it seems unlikely they would have imagined a world of scores of jetliners a day connecting the world’s great cities or an eyeball scan replacing a paper passport.

When we look back on how far we’ve come, it makes us more grateful for where we are.

Let’s all try to channel a sense of wonder if and when we’re able to travel in 2022 and beyond.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Not only is the twin-island nation blessed with miles and miles of pristine white and pink sands — Antigua famously has a beach for every day of the year — its also lays claims to the longest running Sunday party in the Caribbean, which takes place at restored military lookout Shirley Heights.

Barbuda, the smaller of the two islands, was famously one of Princess Diana’s favorite vacation spots, while veteran actor Robert De Niro co-owns a resort in the area with Australian billionaire James Packer.

Cricket is a massive deal here, so the England Tests, which are being held in Antigua in 2022, are one of the most anticipated events of the year. The official test match between England and the West Indies will take place at the stadium named after Antiguan cricketing legend Vivian Richards in March.

Antigua and Barbuda has been gaining recognition for its sustainability efforts in recent years thanks to a number of successful green initiatives. Single-use plastics are banned, while the “Green Corridor,” a collection of environmentally friendly hotels, resorts and businesses has been established across the southwest coast of Antigua. — Tamara Hardingham-Gill

COLOMBO

Colombo is usually misunderstood from the beginning.

Despite being Sri Lanka’s biggest city, it isn’t the capital (that would be Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, which is a great fact to break out at your next pub quiz), and many travelers skip it over in favor of the island’s gorgeous beaches and tea farms.

But in 2022 it’s time to pay attention to the city’s underrated design destinations, including late architect Geoffrey Bawa’s home, which is now a mini museum and guest house called Number Eleven. The next year is bringing a spate of promising new hotels to the city, including properties by Amari, Grand Hyatt, Marriott, Sheraton and ITC.

Sri Lanka does have its share of delicious curries, but don’t assume that the food is the same as in neighboring India.

Start the day by filling up on egg hoppers heaped with coconut sambal at the Palmyrah’s lush breakfast banquet, head to the Pettah Floating Market to stock up on bananas in nearly every color of the rainbow, and end the day watching the beach sunset at the Galle Face Hotel sipping a grapefruit-infused take on a Negroni at the aptly named Traveller’s Bar. Everything tastes better paired with the island’s own ceylon teas.

Tour company Urban Adventures provides necessary historical context on the country’s Sinhalese, Tamil and Malay cultures alongside the eats. — Lilit Marcus