I get the feeling 2019 is going to be a good year—for travel, adventure and newness.
If you’re planning on more travel this year but haven’t yet settled on where you’re headed, Travel + Leisure has done us all the favor of drawing on their own expertise and info at hand to deliver a list of what are expected to be the 50 best places to travel in 2019.
Here’s a look at my favorite 10, the places high on my bucket list to explore.
Nairobi, Kenya
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If you’re looking for cool and culture all rolled into one African city that’s only just starting to get the credit it deserves, add Nairobi to your list. The city is fully establishing itself as a creative hub of art, fashion and film. Kenya Airways just launched a direct flight to Nairobi from New York in October, too, so now it’s even easier to get there, soak up the vibes, get your safari on and try some ugali, Kenya’s staple cornmeal porridge, often served alongside meats, veggies and stews.
The Grenadines
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There’s something about the Caribbean, where the latter half of a two-island nation gets no love. That’s been the case with The Grenadines, as in St. Vincent and The Grenadines. The Grenadines, itself made up of dozens of islands, including Bequia (if you haven’t read this yet, you very likely just pronounced that wrong), has its eye on tourism right now. New hotels are popping up all over the islands and a new airport in St. Vincent means direct flights from New York and Miami.
Egypt
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Egypt is one of the most majestic places I’ve ever been. Just to experience a civilization so ancient and ingenious is a wonder of the world itself. And the upcoming movie adaption of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile is expected to kick off a new wave of interest in Egypt. If you’re going to go, here are my tips on five places to hit in Cairo. If it’s not in the cards for you this year, 2020 will see the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, which will be a treasure trove of finds if there ever was one.
Guatemala
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Guatemala may be one of the most beautiful countries in Central America, but you wouldn’t know it if you didn’t know it. The country is quietly cool, rich with Mayan ruins, indigenous culture and color in the form of buildings lining the streets of Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage town. The gem of the country is easily Lake Atitlan, which is marked by volcanoes making for a dreamy backdrop to a quaint area.
Hoi An, Vietnam
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There’s so much to see and do around Vietnam, from junk boat rides on Ha Long Bay, rice paddies to take photos in front of, temples to traverse—but Hoi An may be the new not-to-be-missed city. With new hotels and restaurants re-embracing the city’s spice trade history, Hoi An is getting a contemporary update, and it’s expected to get even more popular in the coming years.
Israel
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Israel is starting to marry ancient with modern in the best ways possible. The holy land has a new high-speed train connecting the main airport to cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in less than half an hour. And there’s new boutique hotels popping up, as well as beach front properties along the Dead Sea. Plus, a promenade connecting one beach to the next is forthcoming, which means even more convenient basking. All the newness has the country expecting new records of travelers, so it will be wise to go before things get out of hand, per usual with tourism.
Langkawi, Malaysia
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If you’ve adopted “more beach time” as a goal of your own from this list of 19 travel goals for 2019, why not make it happen in Malaysia? According to T+L, the 99-isle archipelago that is Langkawi is about to make Malaysia “the next beach-lover’s paradise.” The airport at Langkawi was just renovated, tripling capacity, so there’s even more opportunity for you to grab a roti canai, pass the rice paddies and situate yourself on a secluded stretch of pristine beach.
Matera, Italy
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OK, I may be mildly obsessed with Milan, but now Matera has my attention. Matera is famed for its Sassi houses dug into limestone, where humans are said to have settled as early as 7,000 B.C. The UNESCO heritage area is also a 2019 European Capital of Culture, a designation doled out to a new historically cool city each year. Duck into ancient caves, sample fresh ricotta and embrace getting lost among the uncommon landscape.
Namibia
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If you’ve ever dreamt of getting lost in a beautiful abyss of desert for as far as the eye can see, Namibia is the place to do it. Head to the Namib Desert to be struck by nature’s glory, venture out to track lions, elephants and giraffes in their element, then sleep under the stars in glamping style setups.
Singapore
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If you saw Crazy Rich Asians last year, it likely sparked or renewed your interest in exploring Singapore. New flights and hotels are welcoming even more visitors, and the movie is likely to further fuel the flood. Hit up the famed Newton Food Centre the cast dined at for all manner of street food finds, and either partake in or marvel at the glamour of the place if you aren’t of the crazy rich ilk.