New sites, new sights: 10 new must-visit destinations for your next trip

The world never stopped turning – but it isn’t quite the same as we left it. Wherever you’ve been during the last three years, you’ll likely have missed the pioneering new museums, stratospheric towers, quirky theme parks and delicious dining destinations which have sprung up. In case your wanderlust isn’t already in overdrive, we’ve rounded up 10 reasons to plan some real adventures again. 

1. Yanqing Olympic Zone, Beijing, China  

Opened: April 2022  

If you watched free ski prodigy Eileen Gu rack up medals at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, you’ll already know the Yanqing Olympic Zone. Constructed for the skiing, luge, skeleton and bobsleigh competitions, the new winter sports facility on Haituo Mountain is now open as a year-round destination. In the summer, enjoy the cool mountain air while hiking, cycling and camping. Come winter, test your mettle at the National Alpine Sliding and Skiing Centres, then take a 30-minute cable car ride to the Olympic Village, where you can explore the accommodations and dine like an Olympian. Complete your visit to Yanqing County with a trip to the Great Wall nearby or a dip at one of the area’s famous hot springs resorts for a winning adventure. 

2. Senja Hawker Centre, Singapore  

Opened: December 2022  

The sound of sizzling seafood. The irresistible aroma of chicken rice. The vibrant hues of fried carrot cakes, laksa and pork rib soup. If you’ve been dreaming of a Singaporean feast (and who hasn’t?), we have great news: the two-storey Senja Hawker Centre recently opened its doors in the Bukit Panjang district, northwest of Marina Bay near the Singapore Zoo, offering 28 stalls brimming with affordable and delicious bites. Look for ultra-tender braised duck from Heng Gi Goose and Duck Rice, spicy sambal stingray from Jiao Cai Seafood and silky char siu rice rolls from Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun – all Michelin-recommended stalls serving dishes for just a few Singapore dollars.  

3. Museum of the future, Dubai, United Arab Emirates  

Opened: February 2022  

“The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it and execute it. It isn’t something you await, but rather create,” reads a quote in Arabic script etched on the facade of the Museum of The Future. Housed in a gravity-defying, hollow steel structure, Dubai’s trailblazing new museum celebrates next-generation technology and the revolutionary ideas shaping our future. Organised into five “chapters”, the museum offers an array of immersive experiences, from space shuttle simulations to a DNA library where you can discover thousands of species, a journey into the Amazon Rainforest, “sensory rooms” that soothe the mind, and even a futuristic play space for kids. 

4. The Tunnel at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada  

Opened: July 2022  

Formed by melting glaciers over 12,000 years ago, Niagara Falls is one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders. But many don’t realise it’s also home to an engineering marvel . Built in 1905, the pioneering Niagara hydropower station generated electricity from the mighty cascades for over a century. And thanks to an ambitious renovation project, you can now see the plant’s fascinating subterranean operations up close. After exploring the main generating floor, take a glass- panelled elevator into the depths of the plant, past six levels of machinery to reach a colossal 670m tunnel, which was painstakingly excavated in 1901 to release spent rapids back into the river. Follow the sound of thundering water, and you’ll be rewarded with unprecedented views of the Horseshoe and American Falls from a new viewing platform on the river’s edge. 

5. Sydney Modern Project, Australia 

Opened: November 2022  

Not since the Sydney Opera House opened in 1973 has Australia welcomed such a high-profile cultural landmark. Designed by Tokyo-based firm SANAA, the new harbourside Sydney Modern Project comprises three parts: an enormous art museum, an art garden and the revitalisation of the 19th-century neoclassical Art Gallery of New South Wales. When it comes to art, three new glass pavilions effectively double the original exhibition space and offer a wonderland of styles, from a gallery devoted to historical and contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork to immersive videos and VR experiences, interactive installations, and whimsical bronze figures. 

6. Brooklyn Tower, NYC, USA  

Completion: Spring 2023  

New York is a city of iconic buildings, but this one raises the bar. As Brooklyn’s first and only supertall tower (defined as any building over 300m), the suitably named Brooklyn Tower exudes glamour. Inspired by the adjacent Dime Savings Bank, a neo- classical structure built in 1908, the skyscraper’s neo-Art Deco hexagonal form and contrasting copper and steel facade feel at once modern and historic, cinematic and understated. Naturally, there are soaring views of the harbour and surrounding cityscape – that is, if you know someone who lives in one of the luxury residences. No luck? It’s still worth a trip to Brooklyn to crane your neck at this modern wonder, then explore the chic new shopping centre inside the restored bank next door. 

7. M+ Museum, Hong Kong  

Opened: November 2021  

Pioneering digital art. Kaleidoscopic graphic design. Experimental film installations. Influential architecture. As Asia’s first museum devoted to contemporary visual culture, the long-awaited M+ museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District has quickly distinguished itself as a must-visit destination for art- and design-lovers. Easily identifiable on the skyline (thanks in part to a facade that doubles as an LED art screen), the 65,000sqm museum is home to roughly 8,000 works spread across 33 galleries and several moving image experiences, including the three-theatre M+ Cinema and Mediatheque. In this gallery-slash-lounge, you can screen more than 250 videos and films on demand. The entire area is given over to cultural attractions: don’t miss the nearby Hong Kong Palace Museum, Freespace theatre and the Xiqu Centre for Chinese opera. 

8. Super Nintendo World, Osaka, Japan  

Opened: March 2021  

Spin! Hammer! Fire! Jump! From the moment you enter Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan via a giant green pipe, you’ll feel immersed in Mario’s magical Mushroom Kingdom. Explore Princess Peach’s Castle, devour a Super Mushroom pizza bowl at Kinopio’s Café, get lost in an underground maze, shoot turtle shells in an augmented-reality Mario Kart ride, and, of course, meet Mario and Luigi in person. Wahoo! 

9. The Playground Market, Johannesburg, South Africa  

Opened: January 2021  

When Johannesburg’s beloved Saturday Neighbourgoods Market closed in 2020, it left a void in the city. But last year, a buzzing new hub of creativity took its place: enter The Playground Market . Located in the same building in the Braamfontein neighbourhood, known for its nightlife and music venues, this new Saturday destination is home to more than 30 different food stalls, where you’ll find everything from dumplings to shawarma, flatbreads and burgers to gourmet desserts and cocktails. Don’t miss the live music, gorgeous murals, ‘Paint & Sip’ art workshops and pop-up fashion shops showcasing up-and-coming South African designers. 

10. Humboldt Forum, Berlin, Germany

Opened: July 2021  

Step into the grand Humboldt Forum , a new baroque- style palace built in the same place and style as the Hohenzollern dynasty’s original Berliner Palace, and you’ll understand the clamour around the museum’s opening. After 20 years under construction, this 40,000sqm arts destination has unveiled its vast collection of artwork, artefacts and cultural heritage items. Among the six inaugural exhibitions, you’ll find more than 20,000 pieces of ancient art and objects from African, Pacific, Asian and indigenous North American communities, which invite discussions about cultural power dynamics and colonial-era injustices. Meanwhile, the many cutting-edge multimedia installations bridge the past and present for a whirlwind international arts experience.