The New York Times recently named Canada the number one place to explore in 2017. That’s right, all 10 million-square-kilometres of it.
Their list, which was published online on Wednesday, described Canada as “a world unto itself, with cosmopolitan cities, barely explored natural wonders and everything in between.”
The interactive feature opens with a stunning overhead video of Vancouver Island’s famous surf town, Tofino. Stunning, yes, but it’s hardly the only place in the country worth exploring. As the second-largest country by area, Canada is also incredibly diverse, just as The Times suggests: “from the turquoise lakes and mountain peaks of Banff in Alberta to the rolling dunes and red sandstone cliffs of Prince Edward Island along the Atlantic Coast to the newest reserve, the glacial-rounded Mealy Mountains in Labrador.”
Following Canada were destinations like the Atacama Desert in Chile, Agra in India, Zermatt in Switzerland, Botswana, and Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The designation comes only months after travel giant Lonely Planet named Canada one of its top travel destinations for 2017.
Like Lonely Planet, The New York Times cited the country’s 150th year as one of the main reasons to visit. To celebrate Canada sesquicentennial birthday, the government is offering free admission to the country’s more than 200 national parks and historic sites.
But if that weren’t enough, there’s always the weak Loonie to draw travellers to the country for 2017.