(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Publishing the list of the World’s Greatest Places of 2022, TIME magazine has included Kerala and Ahmedabad among the 50 amazing places to visit. In India, these are two of the top tourist locations and are visited by lakhs of visitors every day from all over the world.
The magazine called Kerala “God’s own country” and described Ahmedabad as a centre for “high learning”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah was among those who shared the news.
“Matter of immense pride for every Indian, especially the people of Gujarat that India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, Ahmedabad has now been included in the list of “World’s 50 Greatest Places of 2022″ by Time Magazine.
Congratulations to everyone!” he tweeted.
Introducing the World’s Greatest Places of 2022 in an article published on July 12, TIME magazine wrote, “As persistent as the challenges of life in 2022 is the hope that understanding and human connection can be found through travel. So, with much of the global population now vaccinated against COVID-19, world travellers are again hitting the road—and the skies. The hospitality industry is reopening and excited to safely welcome them and revitalise local communities.”
To compile this list of the world’s greatest places, the magazine said that it asked its global network of reporters and contributors for suggestions of locations, “with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences,” for the best destinations to visit this year.
Since this list was released, everyone has been talking about it all around the world. Many people are trying to figure out what makes these cities so special, especially these two Indian cities. Both cities have eventually become centres of attraction. So, let’s find out what makes them so special that they eventually caught TIME magazine’s attention.
WHAT MAKES KERALA SO SPECIAL?
TIME magazine stated in a feature that on the southwest coast of India, Kerala is among India’s most beautiful states. It called Kerala “God’s own country” for a good reason… because of its magnificent beaches, verdant backwaters, temples, and palaces.
Kerala was listed in the magazine as an ecotourism hot spot. It said, “This year, Kerala is boosting motor-home tourism in India to inspire a new pas de deux of exploration and accommodation.”
The feature also talked about Kerala’s first caravan park, which is located in the picturesque hill town of Vagamon, and the park’s name is Karavan Meadows.
According to the article, “In the wake of the state’s success with houseboat cruising, caravans are expected to follow suit with a similar promise of sustainable tourism,” noting that over 1,000 campers have already started to travel the area, offering a novel and distinctive approach to exploring Kerala’s beaches and lush plantations.
The TIME story makes specific mention of Amal Tamara, a new Ayurvedic resort that offers meditation, yoga practices, ayurvedic treatments, and tailored food.
WHAT MAKES AHMEDABAD SO SPECIAL?
TIME magazine described Gujarat’s capital city as a centre for “high learning.”
According to the article, Ahmedabad, which is “India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City,” boasts both ancient monuments and modern developments that make it “a mecca for cultural tourism.”
It also highlighted the Navratri festival, a colourful nine-day festival hailed as “the longest festival in the world.”
It described places of interest like Gujarat Science City, which is a “sprawling entertainment center and theme park,” and the Gandhi Ashram, which “sits on 36 acres on the banks of the Sabarmati River.”
The article also said that the Gujarat Science City unveiled 3 key landmarks last year, which included a 20-acre nature park to educate the masses on local flora and also provide new venues for playing games and practising yoga, among other things.
Apart from the park, it also mentions that Science City’s new aquarium “showcases aquatic species from around the globe” and is now India’s largest. After this, it said that there is a “new interactive robot gallery” that highlights progress in robotics and contains “a towering replica of a Transformer.”
The Hillock Ahmedabad, which provides classic elegance with antique furniture and gold chandeliers, and the opulent 18-story ITC Narmada, with designs and woodwork inspired by Gujarat’s fabled stepwells, are two new hotels mentioned in the article.
Apart from these two Indian cities, Ras Al Khaimah from the United Arab Emirates; Park City from Utah; Seoul City from South Korea; Buahan from Bali, Indonesia; The Great Barrier Reef from Australia; The icy landscapes of the Arctic; the Trans Bhutan Trail from Bhutan; the International Space Station from the outside of the earth; Istanbul from Turkey are other locations from all different parts of the world that are mentioned among the “50 extraordinary destinations to explore” around the world.
(india news network)
