Where to in 2023?

Sri Lanka

It’s been a tough few years for tourism to Sri Lanka, but the island’s tourism industry is doing all it can to encourage foreign visitors to return.

And for SA travellers there’s perhaps never been a better time to visit. The Sri Lankan rupee is at its weakest against the rand in more than 20 years, making an already value-driven destination even more affordable. That also means you can afford to splurge a little more: the past few years of turmoil have also hit arrival numbers, which means better hotel availability, lower rates and shorter queues at the main sights.

But beyond the practicalities, Sri Lanka is one of the most remarkable destinations the Indian Ocean has to offer. Begin with the colour and bustle of Colombo, from the crowded Pettah Market to promenading along Galle Face Green. Don’t miss out on an architecture tour to discover the work of Geoffrey Bawa. Inland, find the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, and the mountaintop citadel of Sigiriya, while the southern reaches promise leopard-spotting in Yala National Park. Here for the beaches? Head east for the famed surf breaks of Arugam Bay.

Bhutan

You won’t find any beaches in Bhutan, but rather the world’s most dramatic mountain scenery in a country where progress is measured according to an index of Gross National Happiness. And you’ll certainly be smiling when you lace up for the Trans-Bhutan trail, which was inaugurated in September 2022.

This remarkable new walking trail stretches 403km — from the western city of Haa, to Trashigang in the east — and traces a route used for centuries by royal messengers, pilgrims, monks and traders. Today it’s high-end tourists that are stepping out, passing through fortress-monasteries and far-flung villages beneath a backdrop of remarkable Himalayan peaks.

The full route takes more than a month to complete, but it’s easy to walk shorter sections for a taste of the trail. Bookend your adventure with a stay at Six Senses Thimpu, set amid apple orchards and pine forests with remarkable views across pristine valleys to the famous Buddha Dordenma statue.

Egypt

If ancient monuments are your thing, then look no further than Egypt for your 2023 travels.

After more than 20 years in planning and construction, and a price tag of $1bn, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Cairo is finally set to open on a site just 2km from the Pyramids of Giza. As much a statement of national pride as it is a museum, the numbers for the GEM are staggering: about 50,000m² of floor space, across 12 exhibition halls, holding more than 100,000 artefacts.

The museum will display all of the 5,000 treasures found alongside King Tutankhamen. While the official opening is only slated for an unconfirmed date in 2023, the museum has already begun welcoming limited numbers of visitors. For a longer stay, book a river cruise aboard the brand-new Viking Osiris, which brings an understated Nordic aesthetic to luxury cruises on the Nile.

Svalbard

Cruises are also the best way to discover the Svalbard archipelago, a new frontier for adventurous eco-tourists. This cluster of islands between mainland Norway and the North Pole is one of the most remote settlements on the planet; a wild landscape bathed by the Northern Lights in winter and the Midnight Sun in summer.

Beyond the main town of Longyearbyen, you’ll find dog-sledding adventures and Arctic treks, with the chance to see polar bears a regular highlight. But to truly explore the archipelago hop aboard a Hurtigruten cruise. This storied Norwegian company offers a range of itineraries, but the finest is the 10-day circumnavigation that will, weather permitting, take you north of the Arctic Circle.

Japan

Thanks to pandemic closures it was only in October 2022 that Japan finally reopened its borders to international travellers. After more than two years of isolation now’s the time to return; whether it’s for the cherry blossom festivities in April, or the frenetic energy of Tokyo pretty much any day of the year.

But I’d put Kyoto at the top of the list. The former Japanese capital is renowned for its historic architecture and cultural landscape, and this year sees the return of the city’s famed Gion festival. The festival dates back more than 1,000 years and features ornate floats in vibrant street parades, and hundreds of food stalls to the Shijō-Karasuma area on special “yoiyama” nights.

Kyoto also hosts myriad other festivals throughout the year, and with a clutch of new luxury hotel openings there’s no shortage of choices for where to lay your head.