Lonely Planet has named its top destinations to travel to in 2022.
The travel guide book experts have crowned the Cook Islands in the South Pacific as the number one country to visit next year.
The remote island nation is followed on the list by Norway, known for its dramatic glaciers and home to the world’s first energy-producing hotel. Ranking in third is Indian Ocean holiday hot spot Mauritius, which recently reopened to international travellers.
Regionally, Oman was the top-rated country, ranking in seventh place on Lonely Planet's list. The sultanate is lauded for its natural beauty, Bedouin values and a rich heritage.
Egypt also comes highly recommended by the guide book publisher. The country squeezed into the final position on the top 10 list of the best countries in the world and is known for its ancient ruins, historical sites and captivating marine life in the Red Sea.
The top 10 countries to visit in 2022
- The Cook Islands
- Norway
- Mauritius
- Belize
- Slovenia
- Anguilla
- Oman
- Nepal
- Malawi
- Egypt
The tiny Cook Islands archipelago was crowned the top country to visit in 2022, winning praise for eco-initiatives including the Marae Moana, the world’s largest marine protected area. Lying half way between New Zealand and Hawaii, the country also offers travellers amazing diversity across all 15 of its islands.
Lonely Planet said that its “diverse landscapes framed by the remote expanses of the world's biggest ocean promise active adventure, cultural interaction and culinary delights”.
As travel slowly starts to recover from restrictions put in place during the global pandemic, next year could be a big one for those struggling to contain their wanderlust.
Top 10 cities in the world: Auckland is No 1
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Taipei, Taiwan, province of China
- Freiburg, Germany
- Atlanta, US
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Lefkosia, Cyprus
- Dublin, Ireland
- Merida, Mexico
- Florence, Italy
- Gyeongju, South Korea
For anyone craving a city break, Lonely Planet has also named the top 10 cities in the world with New Zealand's Auckland ranking in the No 1 spot.
Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, a ranked in second place, while Germany’s Freiburg in the Black Forest ranked third.
Iceland's best-kept secret leads top 10 regions
When it comes to the best regions to travel to, Iceland’s Westfjords, which is home to coastal cliffs, red-sand beaches and thundering waterfalls, took the top spot.
This was followed by West Virginia in the US and Xishuangbanna, a prefecture in China’s Yunnan Province known for its nature.
The UK made it into the top 10 regions list with Kent's Heritage Coast ranking fourth, and the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico was listed in fifth.
'Lonely Planet's top 10 regions for 2022
1. Westfjords, Iceland
2. West Virginia, US
3. Xishuangbanna, China
4. Kent’s Heritage Coast, UK
5. Puerto Rico
6. Shikoku, Japan
7. The Atacama Desert, Chile
8. The Scenic Rim, Australia
9. Vancouver Island, Canada
10. Burgundy, France
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel lists are formed by whittling down hundreds of nominations from staff, contributors, bloggers and publishing partners, which are then debated and chosen by a panel of travel experts.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
'Top Gun: Maverick'
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Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Specs
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THREE
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