On January 7, 2021, the New York Times announced a list of 52 destinations for 2021 after selecting and consulting readers from more than 2,000 different suggestions. No longer the luxurious destinations as every year, this year's list is considered very different.
2021 is a year of limited travel, so the New York Times' reviews are mainly based on news, updates on restaurants, hotels, museums... and cultural characteristics of the destinations.
Con Dao
Of the 52 names, Southeast Asia only has two locations: Con Dao (Vietnam) and Tagaytay (Philippines). Each destination is introduced by a person chosen by the New York Times to experience. For Con Dao, the person chosen is Thang Dac Luong, a lawyer and writer living in Sydney, Australia.
Mr. Thang Dac Luong shared: "My father was a journalist who was imprisoned in Con Dao from 1961 to 1963. He was imprisoned in a 'tiger cage' only 1.5x2.7m wide but had 5 or 6 prisoners. He died in 2006 abroad, and I chose to return to Con Dao to learn about my father's past, visit relatives' graves and travel. Con Dao has a very developed sea turtle conservation area. On the last day of swimming, the feeling of immersing myself in the warm and clear blue water made me cry. Having a place to return to and remember deceased relatives is very important, one day I will definitely bring my children back to Con Dao so they can understand more about their grandfather."
Tagaytay
In addition, countryside and wilderness areas dominate this year's 52 destinations, which have become more popular amid Covid-19. Many destinations that are considered "too modest" and "too dangerous" every year are also on the list, such as parks in southern England, Haiti, and Lake Michigan in the US...
