There are total 50 positions in the list

Time magazine has released its annual list of ‘World’s Greatest Places’ for the year 2023 and two Indian places have made it to the list. The magazine said, “The travel industry is in full swing in 2023, but not without notable changes in how and where we travel. Rising costs and growing interest in sustainability and authenticity are reshaping the landscape.”

The list of 50 places includes two Indian places – Mayurbhanj and Ladakh, chosen for their rare tigers and ancient temples and adventure and food, respectively. Time Magazine has created profile pages for Ladakh and Mayubhanj where it highlights the reasons why these places are part of its prestigious list.

Ladakh:

“With its stunning alpine landscape and Tibetan Buddhist culture, Ladakh – in the most remote part of northern India – is marvel enough to warrant multiple visits.” magazine said.

In 2023, India designated its first dark sky reserve in the village of Hanle, about 168 miles southeast of Leh, the capital of Ladakh. The village has about 270 clear nights a year, making it ideal for astronomical splendour.

Time Magazine also recommended sustainable properties to stay in when in Ladakh – Kayagar Hotel in Nubra Valley, Shell Ladakh and Dolkhar in Leh.

Mayubhanj:

Famous for its lush green landscape, rich cultural heritage and ancient temples, Mayurbhanj in Odisha is the second Indian destination in the list. Talking about Mayurbhanj, the magazine said that it is the only place on earth to spot the extremely rare black tiger. Apart from the famous Similipal National Park, there is a lot more that you can do in this district.

”This April, Mayurbhanj Chhau, a captivating dance festival included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list will take place on a much bigger scale after a pandemic hiatus. The bespoke Chhau performance that combines ancient martial arts and folk dance is set at the Belgadia Palace, an elegant boutique hotel and royal residence,” said Time magazine.

”Stunning biodiversity and endless heritage continue throughout the state. In the capital Bhubaneswar, Odisha Walks, a new guided walking tour series, explores ancient cultural sites, monolithic rock edicts and remarkable temple architecture.

Here is the full list of ‘extraordinary places to explore’ in 2023:

1. Tampa, Florida

2. Willamette Valley, Oregon

3. Rio Grande, PR

4. Tucson, Arizona

5. Yosemite National Park, California

6. Bozeman, Montana

7. Washington, DC

8. Vancouver

9. Churchill, Manitoba

10. Dijon, France

11. Pantelleria, Italy

12. Naples, Italy

13. Aarhus, Denmark

14. St. Moritz, Switzerland

15. Barcelona

16. Timisoara, Romania

17. Sylt, Germany

18. Berat, Albania

19. Budapest

20. Vienna

21. Brisbane, Australia

22. Kangaroo Island, Australia

23. Dominica

24. Mexico City

25. Guadalajara, Mexico

26. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

27. Pantanal, Brazil

28. Medellin, Colombia

29. Ollantaytambo, Peru

30. Roatan, Honduras

31. Ladakh, India

32. Mayurbhanj, India

33. Kyoto

34. Nagoya, Japan

35. Isan, Thailand

36. Phuket, Thailand

37. Jeju Island, South Korea

38. Luang Prabang, Laos

39. Giza and Saqqara, Egypt

40. Chulu Hills, Kenya

41. Musanze, Rwanda

42. Rabat, Morocco

43. Dakar, Senegal

44. Longo National Park, Gabon

45. Freetown Peninsula, Sierra Leone

46. ​​Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

47. Aqaba, Jordan

48. Jerusalem

49. Sharjah, UAE

50. Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia

”The list we’ve chosen reflects some of the big trends in travel right now: sustainability and authenticity. Many of the places on this list are finding ways for tourists to travel with more limited environmental impact. And many have responded to travelers’ desire for unique, local experiences by offering indigenous-led tours or curated homestays,” Emma Barker Bonomo, a senior editor at Time, told CNN Travel.

To compile this list of the world’s greatest places, the magazine solicited nominations of places from its international network of correspondents and contributors, “looking out for those providing new and exciting experiences”.

Last year, Kerala and Ahmedabad were Indian destinations in Time’s ‘World’s Greatest Places of 2022’.