These days you can bag a cheap flight just about anywhere – from the wilds of Africa to the pristine beaches of Asia, canyonlands of America and the Australian Outback.
The world has become our (travel) oyster. But with so much choice, where’s best to go?
Here leading travel experts offer their ‘bucket list’ destinations…
There are many Thai islands to choose from but Phuket is a favourite because of its magnificent beaches and the locals are always so friendly. We have stayed at a resort just north of Bang Tao Bay several times.
Chosen by: Sir Michael Gooley CBE, founder and executive chairman of Trailfinders.
Namibian dreams
The Namib desert runs up the length of South-West Africa, a 1,000-mile strip of stark ochre loveliness flanked by the Atlantic. This is the so-called Skeleton Coast, whose misty bays are littered with shipwrecks and stalked by hyenas. Inland, mountainous dunes give way to exquisite rock lands with rhinos, elephants and mountain zebra. Sensational.
Chosen by: Benedict Allen, explorer and author of Into The Abyss.
Ecuador for all
Ecuador is incredibly bio-diverse – home to rainforest, the Andes, a Pacific coastline and the Galapagos Islands. Hike up volcanoes, stay in haciendas, shop in indigenous markets, take an Amazon River tour… then walk among blue-footed boobies or snorkel with turtles in the Galapagos.
Chosen by: Lyn Hughes, founding editor of Wanderlust magazine.
Superb Siberian train
At its southern end, the breathtaking Belgrade-Bar railway crosses what was once the world’s highest bridge, and snakes through mountains to the Adriatic coast. For €22 (£18) or so, it has to be one of Europe’s great travel bargains.
Chosen by: Mark Smith, founder of seat61.com.
Moroccan marvel
Exploring the markets in Marrakech
My favourite place is Necker Island [in the British Virgin Islands], I’m so lucky to call it home. But another spot that keeps calling me back is Morocco. The people are so warm and friendly, it feels like spending time with extended family. The cycling and hiking in the Atlas Mountains is challenging but the views across the valleys are spectacular.
Chosen by: Richard Branson, Virgin CEO.
Brilliant Bequia
There’s nothing flashy about this Caribbean island – and it’s a mere seven square miles with a population of fewer than 5,000. It’s a life-enhancer and we can all do with some of that. Lower Bay and Princess Margaret Beach are glorious – as is the Anglican church (with its powder-blue shutters and stained-glass windows) in the capital Port Elizabeth. Bob Dylan loves the island, too.
Chosen by: Mark Palmer, travel editor of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.
Serene in Japan
A temple in Kyoto
Japan is where tradition and innovation coexist effortlessly. I love how every corner offers something unexpected: the serene temples of Kyoto, the energy of Tokyo’s buzzing streets. I recommend exploring Japan’s north island, Hokkaido, as well as Karuizawa national park, where you can meditate by waterfalls.
Chosen by: Tamara Lohan, CEO of Mr & Mrs Smith.
Splendid Seychelles
Alphonse Island is one of the best places to go saltwater fly fishing. There’s a marine sanctuary with strict angling rules, including a religiously observed ‘catch and release’ policy. The island interior is lush tropical forest.
Chosen by: Robin Hutson, founder of The PIG Hotels group.
Intense in India
The majestic Taj Mahal in Agra
India, for its magical assault on the senses. The noise, crowds, traffic and heat fill you with exhilaration. From witnessing the majestic Taj Mahal, walking around Jaipur’s forts, to awakening your tastebuds with street food, India stays with you.
Chosen by: John Constable, chief executive at Saga Travel Group.
Greek myths (and more)
I’ve been lucky to visit many incredible places, but some stand out from the rest. The Greek island of Ithaca feels like stepping into a myth. The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a true wilderness, where you’re completely immersed in nature. Tajikistan’s Panorama Highway is one of the most dramatic drives, surrounded by jaw-dropping mountains.
Chosen by: Levison Wood, author of Walking The Nile.
Make it Montreal
The city’s snowy but often bright winter days pair well with Christmas shopping as well as with Montreal’s cosy cafe culture. It may also be the best city in the world for Nordic skiing.
Chosen by: Mark Vanhoenacker, British Airways captain and author of Skyfaring.
Wizard in Aus
Sunrise at Manly Beach in Sydney
I love the mix of experiences in Sydney: city and beach life, wandering around the harbour and finding little private coves for a swim.
Chosen by: Lisa Fitzell, managing director at Elegant Resorts.
Heart and Seoul
Korean culture has taken the world by storm, and Seoul offers some of the world’s best food. Think incredible at-table barbecues, delicious noodles, and best of all, the fried chicken. There are gorgeous parks with amazing hiking, too.
Chosen by: Nicky Kelvin, editor at large at travel website thepointsguy.com.
Anyone for Mauritania?
The Sahara desert in Mauritania is virtually untouched, with only nomadic tribes and wandering camels. It’s home to the ‘Eye of the Sahara’, where the Lost City of Atlantis is said to be found. It’s one of the world’s least visited places.
Chosen by: Johnny Ward, blogger, who’s visited every country in the world, at OneStep4Ward.com.
Amazing Antarctica
Sailing into the ice kingdom of Antarctica on an expedition ship is otherworldly. With an endless sky, sea and icy mountains, the silence is broken only by the splash of a whale’s fluke, penguins launching into the water and the ‘snap, crackle and pop’ of dazzling icebergs.
Chosen by: Lesley Bellew, Daily Mail cruise expert.
I first drove a Land Rover from Kenya to Bechuanaland [as Botswana was known when a British protectorate] in 1965 and was captivated by this wonderful wilderness. With both deserts and delta, it draws vast elephant herds and large lion prides, and has its own zebra migration.
Chosen by: Geoffrey Kent, founder and chairman emeritus Abercrombie & Kent.
Skiing in Zermat
Zermatt in Switzerland has magical scenery, a huge high-altitude piste network extending into Italy, a massively impressive lift system, exciting off-piste, the world’s best mountain restaurants, and a smart but traditional car-free village with bars and restaurants suiting everyone.
Chosen by: Chris Gill, editor of the Where To Ski guides (editors.co.uk).
Zeal for New Zealand
The beautiful Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown
New Zealand’s South Island is hard to beat for natural beauty, friendliness, farm-to-table living and of course, wine! Queenstown is such a delightful city, with easy access to Milford Sound.
Chosen by: Gilbert Ott, director of partnerships at point.me.
Pacific Coast calling
I love a good USA West Coast driving holiday – winding along the Pacific and exploring cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles always feels the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. I like the freedom to explore at your own pace.
Chosen by: Neil Swanson, managing director TUI UK.
On a Swiss roll
Switzerland in summertime is heaven, with hikes into the Alps, trail cycling, and swimming in lakes and fast-flowing rivers. High grassy pastures are covered with colourful flowers, views stretching up to snow-covered mountaintops.
Chosen by: Tom Hall, vice president at Lonely Planet.
Magnificent Malta
St Paul’s Cathedral in Valletta, Malta
Malta offers year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches, buildings, history and café culture. It’s also become synonymous with tolerance and inclusivity, with great buses. So it’s straightforward for solo female travellers to navigate, and becoming easier for disabled travellers.
Chosen by: Alessandra Alonso, managing director and founder of Women In Travel.
Happy in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Harbour is spectacular. Take an evening walk along the Avenue of Stars on the Kowloon side followed by a cocktail at the Regent Hotel. Before you is a living theatre set, as red-sailed junks and sturdy Star ferries chug to the outlying islands.
Chosen by: Mark Jones, travel writer and former editor of BA’s High Life magazine.
Idyllic Kenyan isle
There’s nowhere like Lamu. This old trading port on the island of the same name is one of the last authentic remnants of the Swahili civilisation. I’ve spent hours watching life go by, feeling the town’s rhythm swing through its well-worn cycles.
Chosen by: Richard Trillo author of The Rough Guide to Kenya and East Africa manager at Expert Africa.
Northumbrian beauty
The impressive Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland
Northumberland has the beauty of its wide sandy beaches and wild dunes, and it’s home to some of our most impressive castles including Bamburgh. You won’t find a better smoked kipper than in Craster or a more impressive wildlife haven than the Farne Islands.
Chosen by: Jane Anderson, co-author of Slow Travel Family Breaks.
Secret Greek island
A few years ago, I jumped on a ferry in Athens, ended up on Sifnos, and stayed for six weeks, renting a room above a shop. It’s not the most beautiful or glamorous Greek island, but there is the hum of real, working life beyond the beaches.
Chosen by: Lucy Lethbridge, author of Tourists: How The British Went Abroad To Find Themselves.
Peloponnese, please
On the Messininan coast of the Peloponnese in Greece, the village of Petalidi faces the Taygetus mountains. It’s just an ordinary Greek village. Its square, with its freshly painted church, hasn’t changed in 35 years. Sit at a cafe, surrounded by the ever hopeful cats, and watch the sunrise.
Chosen by: Noel Josephides, ex-chairman of ABTA and chairman of Sunvil Holidays.
Cool Iceland
I was blown away by Iceland – and Reykjavik’s hotels have come on hugely in recent years. Nipping out at night to watch the Northern Lights by the city’s harbour is amazing. Seeing an active volcano as you fly is great too.
Chosen by: Rob Burgess, editor of headforpoints.com.
Active in France
There’s so much to do in the Dordogne Valley, from canoeing, to walking the Chemin d’Amadour’s pilgrimage trails, and visiting Lascaux’s prehistoric cave art. I go by train on the high-speed Paris-Bordeaux line, then it’s a short local ride.
Chosen by: Richard Hammond, founder of greentraveller.co.uk.
Glory of the Gambia
Ngala Lodge is just one destination in the Gambia
Famous for peanuts, chimpanzees, birdlife and magnificent beaches, the Gambia is enchanting. Roughly the size of East Anglia, the country sprawls inland along a gigantic West African river. Split your time between the luxurious Ngala Lodge on the coast, and an upriver adventure.
Chosen by: John Gimlette, author of The Gardens Of Mars: Madagascar, An Island Story.
Scottish Highlands
I spent a month alone at the Cairngorms National Park, immersing myself in its vast scenery and nature. There are gentle trails to walk, or peaks to climb, and deep blue lochs with small beaches, perfect for swimming or camping.
Chosen by: Elise Wortley, adventurer, writer and presenter.
Lovely in Ladakh
As a tour leader in my 20s I led trips to India and met my wife in Rajasthan. Ladakh, in the north on the Tibetan plateau, stands out for me, with its high-altitude desert scenery, spectacular peaks and Tibetan gompas, or monasteries.
Chosen by: Ashley Toft, managing director of KE Adventures.
The Silk Road
Covering dozens of nations, the Silk Road takes the number one spot on my list. Named after a network of routes from East Asia to the Mediterranean, it’s rich in history, and bookmarked by remote oases, vast deserts and imposing mountain ranges.
Chosen by: Michael Edwards, Explore managing director.
Peak Morocco
Mount Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains is my favourite place. Leave for the top at 4am when it’s pitch black and freezing, then clamber up as the sun explodes over the first ridge in a glorious ball of orange. The peak, North Africa’s highest, is at 4,167m.
Chosen by: Adventurer and TV presenter Alice Morrison, author of Walking With Nomads.
