TIME The World’s Greatest Places 2023
TIME | Tuesday, March 21st, 2023
The World’s Greatest Places of 2023: 50 extraordinary destinations to explore
March 27 / April 3, 2023
TIME asked where people should travel and explore in 2023. My extraordinary destination picks? Medellín, Colombia and Luang Prabang, Laos.
Medellín, Colombia
Colombia’s Creative Capital
time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2023/6261784/medellin-colombia/
By Cindy Fan
Today, nearly 30 years after Pablo Escobar’s death, visitors to Colombia’s second largest city enjoy trendy cafés and vibrant nightlife in upscale neighborhoods El Poblado and Laureles. They take in street art, break dancing, and freestyle rap in district Comuna 13, the former epicenter of violent gang warfare. Medellín’s radical turnaround (during Escobar’s reign, news outlets labeled it “the most dangerous city in the world”) into one of Latin America’s most innovative cities is often described as miraculous.
It’s been a long time coming. In 2004, a “social urbanism” strategy launched by Mayor Sergio Fajardo invested in infrastructure, services, and architecture to connect the poor, isolated informal settlements on the steep hillsides to the city’s economic center. For visitors, this story of renewal is part of the experience. For about $0.65, join locals on the public cable-car system soaring through the Aburrá Valley for stunning bird’s-eye views of the sprawling metropolis. It boasts six lines and seamlessly integrates with an efficient 19.4-mile metro.
At boutique 902 Showroom, shop an eclectic collection of traditional handicraft and modern furniture by emerging local artisans and designers.
Educational tours help visitors dive deeper. With Zippy Tours, guides (the majority of whom were born and raised in Comuna 13) explain how its “library park,” a multipurpose learning/community/recreation center, plus 384 m of public outdoor escalators, were pivotal in revitalizing the infamous district into a safe, creative hub—now one of Medellín’s most popular attractions. Real City Tours take inquisitive travelers to a comuna not frequented by tourists, providing unique insight into modern-day Colombia and its ongoing transformation.
Luang Prabang, Laos
A hidden paradise
time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2023/6261821/luang-prabang-laos/
By Cindy Fan
Turquoise waterfalls, Buddhist temples, and sunset boat trips on the Mekong are just a few of Luang Prabang’s highlights. Despite its remote location in the jungled mountains of Laos, the former royal capital is not just for backpackers.
After a two-year border closure, a new $6 billion high-speed railway from China to Thailand now runs from the Chinese city of Kunming to the Laotian capital, Vientiane. The train turns the once 12-hour bus ride from Vientiane to Luang Prabang into a scenic two hour trip.
The town boasts luxurious boutique hotels; some, like Amantaka and Sofitel Luang Prabang, are housed in historic French colonial buildings. At Tamarind Cooking School, discover why Gordan Ramsay named Laos as one of the top food destinations in the world. (After mastering sticky rice, learn to grow it at The Living Land Farm.) Then visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center, a museum dedicated to the country’s 50 ethnic groups and 160 ethnic subgroups, and tour the Free the Bears wildlife sanctuaries, a haven to over 100 moon and sun bears rescued from poaching.
Full list of TIME World’s Greatest Places of 2023
time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2023/