A world of natural wonders to check out in 2023

The beauty and spectacle of nature never ceases to awe and inspire. As the world is finally coming back alive and travel is fully operating again, there’s no better time than now to start making your getaway plans for 2023. Here are some stunning experiences our writers from around the world recommend for you to explore in 2023 to reconnect with nature.

Be a responsible steward of nature and protect wildlife

Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand

It’s 2023 – it’s time to embrace a regenerative approach to tourism, to be more mindful of our impact on the places that we visit and to actively protect wildlife and the environment. Don’t be the tourist who still rides elephants; help them thrive instead. In October of 2022, the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai was bestowed the Best Animal Welfare Award at the Responsible Thailand Awards 2022 from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). This animal rescue sanctuary and rehabilitation center first came up in 1996 and now has over 100 elephants in their care, as well as other rescued animals such as buffaloes, dogs, cats, horses, goats and birds.

The sanctuary lets visitors feed and observe these majestic giants playing, feeding, bathing and interacting in their natural surroundings. The chance to wander alongside these humungous creatures amid a beautiful jungle scenery can be a very relaxing, educational and deeply meaningful experience. Volunteer at the park where you can actively participate in the animals’ healing and conservation. When you do visit, stay the night, as the park’s accommodations have just gotten a post-Covid renovation.
—Parisa Pichitmarn

Behold the top of the world

Location: Kathmandu, Nepal

Could this be the year you embark on an Everest quest? Not yet? Perhaps seeing the world’s highest peak, whose Nepali name is Sagarmatha, might inspire the adventure of a lifetime. But the magnificent mountain isn’t the only main draw. With its many UNESCO listed medieval darbar squares adorned with gilded temples, signature Newari architecture, and stupas, juxtaposed against a dreamy backdrop of the majestic Himalayas, the city of Kathmandu is a repository of bygones and mystic beauty.

If the daunting sea of humans, congested alleys and crowded marketplaces get too overwhelming, a short trip out of the city provides unbeatable experiences. You’ll be rewarded with a panoramic view of snow capped peaks, terraced paddy fields and misty valleys nestled between the mountains. Ride or drive around 15 km west of Kathmandu to reach Thankot village. From here, get into a 2.5 km ride on a cable car, and traverse through lush wilderness to Chandragiri hillock.

At 2,547 metres above sea-level, the view tower at Chandragiri Hill offers an unobstructed 180-degree view of the snow-capped Himalayas — from the Annapurna ranges to Mt.Everest, while a dip in the infinity pool at its namesake resort leaves one awe-struck. While here, pay obeisance to the Hindu god Shiva at the nearby Bhaleshwor Mahadev temple, and get to know its interesting Hindu legend and Nepali architecture from the temple’s affable priest.

If you’re on a lookout for other places to view Everest, drive 28 km east towards Nagarkot village. Perched on a hillock, it’s a little further from Bhaktapur city, a UNESCO world heritage site. Or even better, travel in luxury and stay at Hotel Everest View — the world’s highest placed hotel at 13,000 ft that offers a spectacular 360-degree view of the Himalayan range, including the Everest. The hotel arranges for helicopter rides from Kathmandu at a price. —Meenakshi J

Hike and sleep at the 130-million-year-old rainforest in Taman Negara

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Living history doesn’t get more alive than Malaysia’s oldest, and largest, protected rainforest. The lushness of Taman Negara (Malay for national park) sprawls for more than 4,000 square kilometers across three states and is home to wild boar, tigers and the rare and endangered Malaysian Tapir. Intrepid botanists might also find the world’s largest flower, the spectacular Rafflesia, whose blooms can grow up to 3-feet across. 

The park’s beauty is best observed from the world’s longest canopy walk, a series of 10 precarious rope bridges hanging 40-metres above the jungle floor where boisterous macaques swing and hornbills are just out of reach. The canopy walk is located a 30-minute hike from the park’s headquarters in Kuala Tahan, which is also where you’ll find the trailhead for some of the park’s more adventurous hikes. For a truly immersive Malaysian jungle experience, hire a guide for the Keniam Trail, a 35 km multi-day trek via Gua Kepayang, a bat-filled limestone cave the size of an aircraft hangar where you can set up camp for the night. This cavern is also home to porcupine and cave racer snakes, so beware!

Kuala Tahan is just over three hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur. Travel and guiding can be arranged in advance from companies like Taman Negara Travel. —Sharon Crowther 

Scuba dive in Jeddah’s Red Sea Coast

Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

With Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry about to go through the roof, 2023 might be the last chance to see this country before everybody else does. The historic city of Jeddah, is not only the gateway to the Holy City of Makkah, but also to the Red Sea, which offers some of the world’s best scuba diving sites.

A year-round scuba destination, the Red Sea off Jeddah offers diving experiences ranging from coastal dives to wrecks, fabulous reef diving, and depths ranging from shallow down to 500m. Marine life in the Red Sea is varied, covering the small reef fish, such as clownfish, to shoals of barracuda, sharks, and, if you are lucky, whale sharks, which can be spotted between March and June.  

While there is plenty of scuba diving around Jeddah, making it a perfect destination for a city-slash-adventure break, dedicated scuba divers should also look to places further north, in and around the city of Yanbu.
—Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey

Make your way to Swedish Lapland for the Northern Lights

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

The events of the last few years have left many travellers searching for remote escapes and unique natural sights. To fulfil both of these wishes in one go, head to the wilderness of Swedish Lapland, a vast, wild, snow-covered expanse of land in Sweden’s northwest, to witness the Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights. There are no guarantees, but the best place on earth to see this unique phenomenon is at the Aurora Sky Station in Abisko National Park. Located 195 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle and surrounded by mountains, the park is famous for its clear skies that, between September and March, draw visitors from all over the world hoping to witness the spectacular streaks of purple, pink and green. 

Daily flights depart Stockholm Arlanda Airport for Kiruna, from where you can take a shuttle transfer to the National Park. For a more adventurous alternative, take the night train from Stockholm Central, which leaves twice a day and stops at the park’s own train station. The closest accommodation to the sky station includes the hotel, hostel, and cabins at STF Abisko Turist Station. —Christie Dietz

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