Time Magazine recently released its list of World’s Greatest Places 2019 which included the Quranic Park in Dubai, UAE.
The world’s first Quran-inspired park opened in April and it features plants mentioned in the Quran and the sunna – such as pomegranate and olive trees – as well as a lake split by a stone pathway, symbolizing the parting of the Red Sea.
The gardens there are based on stories from Islam’s sacred text.
“How does one measure the greatness of a place—in miles covered, dollars spent, or visitors captivated? Such metrics can play a part, but also important is something that many travelers aspire to experience: the sense that one has stumbled upon the extraordinary,” Time wrote.
They solicited nominations across a variety of categories – including museums, parks, restaurants, and hotels – from their editors and correspondents around the world including industry experts.
“Then we evaluated each one based on key factors, including quality, originality, sustainability, innovation, and influence,” Time said in their release on Aug. 22.
Other areas to visit in the Middle East included in the list are Red Sea Mountain Trail in Egypt, The National Museum of Qatar in Doha, Troy Museum in Tevfikiye, Turkey, and Hyatt Regency Aqaba Ayla Resort in Jordan.
Also in the list is the Statue of Unity in India, Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, 80/20 restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, Azerai La Residence Hue in Vietnam, Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu in Japan, Soho House in Mumbai, India, Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia, The Datai Langkawi in Malaysia, Rosewood in Hong Kong, Moji Hotel Ginza in Japan, Mori Building and Digital Art in Japan and Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland in China.
