Best of the World: Dream Now, Go Later

With the publication of its new “Best of the World 2021” list, National Geographic announces the 25 extraordinary destinations that will define our future itineraries and inspire readers to “dream now, go later.” Profiling inspiring places, communities and innovations, the list provides an optimistic dose of escapism, as would-be travelers navigate pandemic precautions around the world.

Framed by five categories—Nature, Adventure, Culture, Sustainability and Family—each inclusion honors a superlative destination with a relevant story to tell for the year ahead. From the exploration of “Africa’s last Eden” in Gabon and the environmental efforts of Denver, Colorado, to the nearly completed England Coast Path (the world’s longest seafront walking trail) and so much more, the 2021 list profiles conservation successes, preservation achievements, cultural resilience, and tales of communities overcoming daunting obstacles to thrive despite the pandemic.

The list was created, researched, reported and written in collaboration with National Geographic Traveler’s international editorial teams, which serve millions of readers across their magazines and websites in more than a dozen offices around the world.

The “Best of the World 2021” list is available online now at NatGeo.com/BestOfTheWorld, where readers will be transported to each place through spectacular photography and vivid reporting.

“While the pandemic has brought journeys to a standstill, it’s not quieted our curiosity,” says George Stone, executive editor of National Geographic Travel. “The world is full of wonders—even when they’re hard to reach. Now is the perfect time to discover something new about an extraordinary place or culture in our world and perhaps dream up your next journey, for when that time comes. Ahead of a new year—with the hope of a return to travel—we’re excited to share these 25 timely tales of timeless places that will define our future itineraries.”

With the publication of its new “Best of the World 2021” list, National Geographic announces the 25 extraordinary destinations that will define our future itineraries and inspire readers to “dream now, go later.” Profiling inspiring places, communities and innovations, the list provides an optimistic dose of escapism, as would-be travelers navigate pandemic precautions around the world.

Framed by five categories—Nature, Adventure, Culture, Sustainability and Family—each inclusion honors a superlative destination with a relevant story to tell for the year ahead. From the exploration of “Africa’s last Eden” in Gabon and the environmental efforts of Denver, Colorado, to the nearly completed England Coast Path (the world’s longest seafront walking trail) and so much more, the 2021 list profiles conservation successes, preservation achievements, cultural resilience, and tales of communities overcoming daunting obstacles to thrive despite the pandemic.

The list was created, researched, reported and written in collaboration with National Geographic Traveler’s international editorial teams, which serve millions of readers across their magazines and websites in more than a dozen offices around the world.

The “Best of the World 2021” list is available online now at NatGeo.com/BestOfTheWorld, where readers will be transported to each place through spectacular photography and vivid reporting.

“While the pandemic has brought journeys to a standstill, it’s not quieted our curiosity,” says George Stone, executive editor of National Geographic Travel. “The world is full of wonders—even when they’re hard to reach. Now is the perfect time to discover something new about an extraordinary place or culture in our world and perhaps dream up your next journey, for when that time comes. Ahead of a new year—with the hope of a return to travel—we’re excited to share these 25 timely tales of timeless places that will define our future itineraries.”

National Geographic’s “Best of the World 2021“ list:

SUSTAINABILITY STARS
Alonissos, Greece (nominated by National Geographic Traveler India)
Copenhagen, Denmark (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Italy)
New Caledonia (nominated by National Geographic Traveler France)
Freiburg, Germany (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Germany)
Gabon, Africa (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Netherlands)
Denver, Colorado, U.S. (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)

FAMILY JOURNEYS
England Coast Path (nominated by National Geographic Traveller UK)
Transylvania, Romania (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Romania)
Space Coast, Florida, U.S. (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Russia)
Hortobágy, Hungary (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Hungary)
Indigenous British Columbia, Canada (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)

ULTIMATE ADVENTURES
Dominica (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)
Svaneti Region, Georgia (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Poland)
Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Latin America)
Katmai National Park & Preserve (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)

WILD BEAUTIFUL PLACES
Isle Royale, Michigan, U.S. (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Czechia)
Cerrado, Brazil (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)
Lord Howe Island, Australia (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)

CULTURE & HISTORY
Guam (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)
Pueblo Nations, New Mexico, U.S. (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)
Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Spain)
Gyeongju, South Korea (nominated by National Geographic Traveler Korea)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. (nominated by National Geographic Travel U.S.)
Tonglu, Zhejiang Province, China (nominated by National Geographic Traveler China)

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Media Contacts

Anna Kukelhaus, anna.kukelhaus@natgeo.com, (202) 258-8020