The top 25 destinations to visit in 2023, according to National Geographic

Need inspiration for next year’s travels? Nat Geo has named its up and coming destinations, with a responsible travel slant

Switzerland’s Train des Vignes, which runs through vineyards from Vevey to Puidoux (Marcus Gyger/Switzerland Tourism)

National Geographic Traveller has named its top 25 destinations to explore in 2023.

The brand described the places that made the list as “filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems”.

Breaking them down into five categories - Community, Nature, Culture, Family, and Adventure - the team compiled the list based on votes by its global editors.

The Community list was headed up by the Greek island of Karpathos, in the Dodecanese archipelago, in which it says “women-led ventures are leading the charge in sustainable tourism”.

Also noted for their community spirit were Milwaukee in Wisconsin, Alberta in Canada, Laos and Ghana. A “new high-speed train that makes lesser known regions accessible to tourists” was just one reason to go to Laos.

In the Nature category was Prince Harry’s choice of safari destination, Botswana, where he took Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, after just two dates.

Colombia’s colourful architecture provided inspiration for family movie ‘Encanto' (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Also namechecked for their natural beauty were Slovenia and the Azores, as well as the UK’s own Scottish Highlands, included for “a rewilding movement [that is] aiming to restore the original landscape and native flora and fauna”.

Egypt, especially Cairo, led the way for Culture and Heritage on the list, with Busan, Korea and Charleston, South Carolina also applauded for their range of cultural experiences.

The team also tips readers off about “a pilgrimage through history along Italy’s Appian Way,” running from central Rome to southern Brindisi, which is described as “Europe’s ancient ‘superhighway’”.

Families are recommended to go to Switzerland, to “ride the rails to quaint Alpine towns for chocolate, hiking, and skiing,” among other pursuits.

One pop cuture choice on the list is Colombia for families, top of mind after starring in the animated Pixar movie that spawned a thousand TikToks - Encanto.

Divers are recommended Mexico’s Revillagigedo National Park (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Meanwhile, Nat Geo’s top picks for the adventure crowd include a trek to Choquequirao, Peru; getting off the beaten track in Utah, US; and Revillagigedo National Park in Mexico, with the NG team saying its “protected waters hold one of the largest aggregations of sharks and manta rays in the world”.

Need inspiration for next year? Here’s the list in full.

National Geographic’s Best of the World 2023

Community

1. Karpathos, Greece
2. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
3. Alberta, Canada
4. Laos
5. Ghana

Nature

1. Botswana
2. Slovenia
3. Scottish Highlands
4. Big Bend National Park, Texas
5. The Azores islands, Portugal

Culture

1. Egypt (including Cairo)
2. Busan, South Korea
3. Appian Way, Italy
4. Charleston, South Carolina
5. Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China

Family

1. Switzerland
2. Trinidad and Tobago
3. San Francisco, California
4. Colombia
5. Manchester, UK

Adventure

1. Choquequirao, Peru
2. New Zealand
3. Utah, US
4. Austria
5. Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico