COUNTRIES
1 Bahamas
In 1973, the Bahamas finally gained independence from the British Empire; 50 years on, it is celebrating as only the islands know how: wildly. The usual festivities go longer and harder this year, with Junkanoo at the heart of things. The festival takes place across the Caribbean but is thought to have originated in the Bahamas, when West African slaves began donning homemade masks on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. The modern-day equivalent is a colourful riot of music, costumes, dancing and parades, and is also set to take over the streets on July's National Day this year. For more context, Nassau's informative Pompey Museum elaborates on the horrors that preceded the party. Elsewhere, events will span the 16 main islands year-round (bahamas.com); and from March, for the first time ever, daily flights from the UK ensure that there is no excuse not to join in, so get ready to dig out your best party clothes.
2 Czech Republic
On 1 January 1993, what was formerly Czechoslovakia split into two – one half became Slovakia; the other turned into the Czech Republic. When we think how familiar Prague's cobbled maze of Gothic spires and Baroque libraries have become, it's amazing to think they were still locked behind the Iron Curtain around the time Wanderlust was starting up. However, while the bulk of the festivities take place in the well-trodden capital, where the National Museum is a good place to brush up on history, travelling deeper lets you see just how much has changed here. The longest pedestrian bridge in the world – the spectacular Sky Bridge 721 – opened to the public in 2022 at Králický Sněžník, and the revival of ‘timber rafting’ (an old method for transporting wood) in Český Krumlov now lets you drift its waters in peace. Add to that the Pilsners and underground labyrinth of Bohemian Plzeň, the wineries of Moravia and the rise of the ‘peat spa’ in the north-west town of Třeboň. Na zdraví.
3 Guyana
Direct flights between the UK and Guyana begin for the first time on 27 March 2023. For years, South America's only English-speaking nation was not only difficult to reach, but once there, a lack of infrastructure meant penetrating the jungle that makes up 87% of its interior was just as tricky. Travelling deep into its forests still isn't easy, but trips via riverboat, 4WD or light plane are opening up one of the world's last great wildernesses, where 800 bird species scatter pristine jungle bursting with jaguars, giant otters and a species of frog smaller than a fingernail that lives its entire life inside a single flower. From the charming wooden buildings of capital Georgetown to the thundering waters of the single-drop Kaieteur Falls, there's plenty to see and a new wave of facilities making it easier than ever for travellers to do so.
4 Argentina
Since British Airways, dance floors and necropolises. Just seeing how its streets filled with revellers after the country's recent success at the World Cup only added fuel to the fire. However, the travel spotlight looks to be shifting this year from Buenos Aires to Argentina's second city, Córdoba, as it celebrates its 450th anniversary. Festivities aside, the city has long lived in the shadow of the capital despite its youthful vibe and a horde of architectural wonders, including its truly grand Spanish Baroque cathedral. It is also the gateway to a region filled with Jesuit monasteries and the majesty of the Sierras de Córdoba mountain range, where condors soar over the peaks. We also recommend paying a visit to the rather unexpected sight of the German Alpine-style town of Villa General Belgrano, where you'll never go short of a strudel.
