National Geographic, one of the world’s most widely read feature magazines, has named Laos one of its top 25 travel destinations for 2023.

Laos is the only ASEAN country to feature in the magazine’s list of stunning places and experiences for 2023.

The annual list of exceptional destinations is divided into five categories: community, nature, culture, family and adventure.

Laos is listed in the Community category as a place where conservation benefits everyone.

According to National Geographic, the Southeast Asian country known for its emerald views of the upper Mekong has benefited from an increase in domestic travel thanks to the inauguration of the Laos-China railway in December 2021, which will link the Laotian capital to the Chinese Border.

“Climb aboard a new bullet train that will open up lesser-known parts of Laos to tourists and economic opportunities to locals,” reads the magazine.

Traveling through 75 tunnels and under 167 bridges in mountainous terrain, the high-speed train allows travel times to be reduced and the country’s diverse heritage, including the heritage-listed former capital Luang Prabang Unesco World, to be explored with ease.

The magazine introduced a new, broader category of “community” to this year’s list, replacing “sustainability.”

“It’s about putting the spotlight on the people who strive to create sustainable travel destinations and the different ways that that manifests itself, whether it’s making travel more accessible or supporting local businesses,” said Amy Alipio, Editor-in-Chief by National Geographic Travel. quoted by the Egypt Independent news agency.

Egypt is the only Arab nation to make the list of most recommended travel destinations.

National Geographic’s top destinations for 2023 are:

The Community category includes Laos, the Dodecanese Islands in Greece, Ghana, Milwaukee in Wisconsin, USA, and Alberta in Canada.

The Adventure category is assigned to Utah, Choquequirao in Peru, the Austrian Alps, Revillagigedo National Park in Mexico and New Zealand.

The Nature category includes the Azores, Big Bend National Park in Texas, Botswana, Slovenia and the Scottish Highlands.

The Family category includes Switzerland, Colombia, San Francisco in California, Manchester in the UK and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Culture category includes the Appian Way in Italy, Busan in South Korea, Egypt, Charleston in South Carolina and the Longmen Grottoes in Henan Province, China.