Travel highlights from 2023 and the best countries to visit in 2024

In the second part of Travel’s Top Trips of 2023, we look back at the year that was – when normality returned to the travel industry, tourism flourished and the world became accessible once again.
Here are some of our highlights and tips for 2024.

2023 was the year I finally marked continent number 7: Antarctica. It’s a place I’ve been obsessed with for years. (Listen to the podcast Herald Detour: Antarctica, for the backstory!) Even if you don’t go to Antarctica for the completeness and count of the country alone. Go see the last great white desert on Earth. Go kayaking near glaciers and camp on the ice. Penguins. I’m going to tick off a list of once-in-a-lifetime experiences on a trip aboard Hurtigruten’s MV Fridtjof Nansen, alongside 334 other adventurous passengers. Next year, an expanded cruise schedule at Puerto Williams in Chile is expected to lower prices for around 100,000 tourists to Antarctica in the 2024/25 season. Why not join them?

— Thomas Bywater

If tacos and tequila aren’t enough to entice you, then the golden sand beaches and warm azure waters of the Caribbean Sea should prompt you to put Cancun, Mexico on your bucket list. Steeped in culture, the area is much more than its party reputation. A visit to Tulum, one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Mayan people allows you to walk through the ancient ruins. Swimming in crystal clear turquoise waters in an underground cenote is truly a once in a lifetime experience. And a day trip to Isla Mujeres gives you the opportunity to relax on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

-Stacey Hunt

Located in the remote heart of the Yasawa Island group, and home to just 14 couples at a time, self-sustaining Turtle Island prides itself on its exclusivity and service. Although it can be easy to get caught up in the beauty of the island itself – and rightly so, its private white sand beaches and expansive coral reefs are breathtaking – the true magic of the island lies in the so people From the second the seaplane landed on the dock we were welcomed by a warmth and a level of service that is truly unparalleled and introduced to our Bure Mama. His role was to make sure every part of our stay was perfect, from the private islands we dined on to the coffees waiting at the bedside when we woke up. And while yes, the price of Turtle Island packs a 19k punch, it is far and above the most relaxing and amazing resort I have ever experienced.

– Jenny Mortimer

Located in a safe bay on the Riveria d’Italia, it is a destination so breathtaking, that when you arrive it is as if you have entered a work of art. If I could travel to Italy again, I would make a beeline for Portufino, and, warmed by the Mediterranean sun, sit in a cafe next to the marina to enjoy a coffee and pastry. Despite being a popular tourist destination, the pace of life was marked and relaxation was easy. It is a bay that many people arrive by boat and then discover calmly on foot. There is a distinct absence of vehicles on the narrow cobbled streets and no one rushes anywhere – and a must-see for any European holiday in 2024.

– Lynley Ward

Strolls in the sea in the sun, freshly shucked oysters in front of the Harbor Bridge, colorful art galleries, emotional musicals and the most luxurious hotel I have ever stayed in. This year, I spent three days in Sydney, Australia, soaking up the art, culture and food scene. And to anyone who says Melbourne does this better, I politely argue. You can sit in the sun with wine, cheese and oysters for lunch outside the Opera House before going on an afternoon coastal walk from Coogee to Bondi. In the evening, you can indulge in a two-course pre-theatre menu followed by delicious desserts before heading to a show. And if you need any more convincing, Sydney has had 20°C weather in July – something you’d only be lucky to have in New Zealand.

– Megan Wilson

Some say it means “great pebble”. Some say it comes from the Yankunytjatjara words for “cries” and “shadows”. Some say there is no English translation for “Uluru”. Just don’t call it Ayers Rock. Typical of the colonialist attitudes of the time, this imposing red sandstone monolith – thought to be around 150 million years old – was renamed in the 19th century by an early British explorer in honor of an obscure Australian politician who had never put foot near place. The original name was restored in the 1990s. Uluru is a magnificent sight, constantly changing with the play of light and shadow on its painted surface. Book a sunrise tour, then return after dark for Wintjiri Wiru’s new sound and light show, where hundreds of automated drones bring an ancient origin story to life in the sky.

– Joanna Wane

It was not the first time he had been to Singapore. But it was the first time I really, really enjoyed it. And while Marina Bay gets all the attention with its Marina Bay Sands hotel and Gardens by the Bay, the Orchard Road area is worth the same time. A shopper’s paradise, with mall after mall offering a mix of affordable outlet stores, department store stalwarts and chic boutiques. ION Orchard has 400 stores and services, while nearby Paragon includes luxury brands such as Gucci and Prada, as well as its own art gallery. If you want to support the local, Design Orchard makes space for Singaporean designers to share their latest offerings. And when all that walking leaves you in need of refueling, take the short drive up to Dempsey Hill, where restaurants range from Peruvian to Thai to French and beyond.

– Cherie Howie

Fiji’s Vomo Island was one of the best places I’ve been lucky enough to visit this year, nestled between the beautiful group of Mamanuca and Yasawa islands. An easy 45-minute boat ride from Port Denarau in Nadi, once you’re on the island you’ll never want to leave. It is well maintained but not too manicured. Bring hiking boots, because you won’t want to miss the sunrise at the top of Mt. Vomo, where you can even greet the sun at a specially designed yoga platform. Most of what I liked about staying here was its tranquility and sense of quiet privacy, and it is a great example of a resort where adults and families with children can coexist peacefully.

– Dan Ahwa

I know I would have to say that my favorite trip of 2023 was to return to the UK – the motherland – after five long years, three of which were caught in the throes of Covid, especially as I got married while he was there. But I find myself looking at pictures of me hugging Minnie Mouse as part of a Disney Wonder Cruise, more than those where I hugged my husband post-nuptials. I haven’t been a die-hard Disney fan since I was 8 years old, but with my young son in tow, the character meet and greets, themed dinners, and attention to detail that Disney is famous for, I I came back cheated. Disney Wonder is returning to New Zealand in November 2024 and I highly recommend it.

– Anna Sarjeant

The Wild Atlantic Way is a trademark for the Irish coast, but it’s also perfectly suited. The way is very wild, especially at the Cliffs of Moher, famous for its abundant birdlife – puffin parents push the young from the cliff and it’s literally fly or die – and for the fierce weather that formed the cliffs 300 m high for millennia. The destination encapsulates Ireland’s many attractions: natural beauty, wildlife, history and legends. The green and rolling landscapes of the country are speckled with the quirky, like the abbey where the resident nuns finance their way of life by making and selling chocolate and soap; the mythical: the evil English general who tried to send a group of his soldiers to certain death, but was foiled, and who is still said to haunt the corridors of King John’s Castle. And for Kiwi visitors, the familiar: salmon and oysters, mountain sheep, world-class surf breaks, green farmland and four seasons in one day. And, of course, legendary Irish jokes over a pint of Guinness.

– Derek Cheng

French Polynesia is perhaps the most acute example of a holiday destination: crystal clear waters where you can see your feet, endless white sand beaches, tropical heat. It’s a destination that’s easy to love because it’s entirely beautiful, not least because of the palm-fringed mountain ranges that counterbalance all that water. However, this group of islands and atolls offers much more than good. In Moorea, a dreamscape with a main road, you can stand on sandbars while blacktip reef sharks circle your ankles, swim with turtles on a day trip by canoe, and eat mangoes of street – sweet, crunchy – as it stains your fingers red with Chinese plum spice, a local delicacy. I would recommend staying in a house, where, if you are lucky, like I was, you will go to a private waterfall and pick gold (or bread) from a tree for lunch.

– Julia Gessler

We hope your travel experiences in 2023 were just as memorable. Here’s to a wonderful NZ summer and another fantastic year of travel in 2024.