National Geographic names best places to travel to in 2021

Few tourists go here, but this island paradise has been recognised on a prestigious list of the best places for people to travel to after the pandemic.

Adventure awaits, post-pandemic.

Overseas travel plans may be cancelled in 2020 because of coronavirus, but National Geographic’s “Best of the World 2021” list will transport jet setters to dreamy escapes they can book when the time is right.

The list features 25 awe-inspiring destinations for post-pandemic travel encouraging readers to “Dream now, go later”.

“While the pandemic has brought our journeys to a standstill, it has not quieted our curiosity,” National Geographic editors said. “Ahead of a new year – with the promise of a return to travel – we are eager to share these 25 timely tales of timeless places that will define our future itineraries.”

The list highlights places across Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America and island paradises Australian travellers may not have considered visiting before: Katmai National Park in Alaska, mountains and beaches in the Caribbean’s Dominica; hiking in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park and Spain’s Vitoria – also known by its Basque name, Gasteiz – to take in the sounds of emerging jazz artists.

There is one spot on the list that’s very well known to us: our very own Lord Howe Island, east of NSW, which is described by Nat Geo as a “last paradise in the Tasman Sea”.

Nat Geo’s roster of destinations is separated by five different categories including Adventure, Nature, Culture, Sustainability and Family.

Australia’s own Lord Howe Island made the prestigious list.

RELATED: Aussie island destinations you cannot miss

The 2021 list features a special focus on cities and nations that are reportedly experiencing a racial reckoning and moving the needle on diversity and inclusion efforts.

Among them is Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the city is introducing Greenwood Rising, its new “Black Wall Street” history centre that will be a hub for speakers and events in the city’s Historic Greenwood District that was devastated by racial violence.

In no particular order, the destinations are:

Katmai National Park, Alaska: A vast icy wilderness in the shadow of a volcano

Dominica: A Caribbean island that’s a thrillseeker’s dream

Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina: A subantarctic forest where ice masses are actually growing

The Caribbean nation of Dominia is known for natural hot springs and tropical rainforests. Picture: iStock

Svaneti Region, Georgia: A remote village famous for its warm hospitality

Tulsa, Oklahoma: A vibrant city reckoning with its racist past

Pueblo Nations, New Mexico: Where you’ll find the only Native American site designated as both a UNESCO World Heritage site and US National Historic Landmark

Guam: A US territory in the Pacific with a unique Indigenous identity

Gyeongju, Republic of Korea: An ancient kingdom packed with glittering artefacts

Gyeongju is filled with treasures.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain: One of Spain’s greenest cities with a rich culture of jazz music

Tonglu, China: A picturesque countryside along a river that’s inspired countless paintings

Isle Royale, Michigan: A lesser-known US national park where wolves and moose roam free

Cerrado, Brazil: South America’s largest savanna that’s considered the closest thing to a real-life Jurassic Park

Lord Howe Island, Australia: One of the world’s most isolated ecosystems that’s home to hundreds of marine species

Yellowknife is one of the best places to behold the Northern Lights.

Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada: Where you can see the Northern Lights shine 240 nights a year

Indigenous British Columbia, Canada: Where you can learn about more than 45 Indigenous nations dating back 10,000 years

Space Coast, Florida: Every would-be space explorer’s dream

England Coast Path, UK: At 4500km, this is the world’s longest seafront walking track

Hortobágy, Hungary: A cowboy capital in the Great Hungarian Plain

Transylvania, Romania: An old-Europe city that’s more warm and charming than the Dracula legend would have us believe

Immortalised in story and legend, Transylvania is genuinely worth your visit. Picture: iStock

Denver, Colorado: A forward-thinking city that’s championing clean energy

Alonissos, Greece: A Mediterranean haven for seals and famous for an ancient shipwreck

Gabon: “Africa’s last Eden” where elephants and hippos stroll along the beach

New Caledonia: Many Aussies already know this is home to one of the most extensive reef systems in the world

Copenhagen, Denmark: A picturesque city where there are five times more bicycles than cars

Freiburg, Germany: A vibrant university town surrounded by lush woodland.

A version of this article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission