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.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
Mobile phone packages comparison
