42 of the best bucket list trips - Times Travel (2024)

Some trips are the stuff of dreams — holidays that will stay with you for a lifetime. Whether you’re jetting off to a far-flung destination or travelling closer to home, what these bucket list breaks have in common is the stories and memories you’ll bring back. Whether you want to see the wonders of the world, explore remote rainforests or bask in luxury, there is plenty to choose from. Here we list the very best trips and experiences to tick off on your travel bucket list.

Main photo: the Mekong River in Moc Hoa District, Vietnam (Getty Images)

1. Dreamy Maldives

Best for ocean engagement
Seen from a banking seaplane, Milaidhoo appears an archetypal Maldivian resort — a crescent of bungalows over blue waters, with little swimming pools shaded by listing palms. Look out for surprising touches, such as an overwater restaurant shaped like a traditional Maldivian boat, with glass floors to watch the sea life through (as you scoff their fishy cousins).

Best overwater villas in the Maldives

Best hotels in the Maldives

2. South Africa’s big hits

Best forbrilliant variety
Is this the year to see the rainbow nation at its most colourful? The holiday spans some of South Africa’s greatest hits: the lofty summit of Table Mountain, the waddling penguins of Boulders Beach and the craggy shores of the Garden Route. Toast the end of your trip amid the sun-flecked vineyards surrounding Stellenbosch, where mountains rise over quivering vines and whitewashed farms.

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3. Low-season Thailand

Best for top-drawer relaxation
The name may be a bit of a mouthful, but in most other respects the Dusit Thani Laguna phu*ket promises a masterclass in relaxation: a five-star resort with doors opening to a white-sand beach, plus a spa where you can be pummelled and exfoliated into a state of priestly calm.

Best beaches in Thailand

Best hotels in Thailand

4. Petra with the experts

Best for history in close-up
The lost city of Petra, where Indiana Jones searched for the Holy Grail, is more revealing when seen in the company of a real-life bona fide archaeologist. This guided historical group tour of Jordan takes in the “Rose City”, but instead of whips, fedoras and car chases you get erudite historical insights on Roman temples, Byzantine mosaics and Crusader castles.

5. Luxury Dubai

Best for luxury on a budget
In the shadow of the world’s tallest ferris wheel, Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai ticks all the boxes for a luxury hotel in the emirate — an oversized swimming pool, palatial rooms, a spa in which to hide from the furnace-like heat and a prime position on the seafront. Fortunately you won’t need the bank balance of a sheikh: British Airways Holidays offers great deals that can include a stay here.

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Best hotels in Dubai

6. Winter sun in Antigua

Best for stretching out by the sea
Although it may not have the soaring mountains of St Lucia or the fame of Barbados, what Antigua does have is beaches by the bucket-load — supposedly one for every day of the year. One particularly fine specimen is to be found at Blue Waters, a veteran resort on the north coast of the island with about 100 dapper whitewashed rooms set among tropical gardens.

Best villas in Antigua

Best things to do on Antigua

7. Safari and beach in Tanzania

Best forwildlife thrills and ocean bliss
Tanzania’s national parks and Zanzibar’s beaches are east Africa’s classic double act. Start at the Roho ya Selous safari camp in Nyerere National Park, tracking elusive African wild dogs at dawn and trying to sleep as lions roar after dark. Then you can doze uninterrupted by apex predators at Matemwe Lodge on Zanzibar’s northeast coast; its thatched chalets come with hammocks swaying beside the Indian Ocean.

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8. Wellness in Bali

Best for splashing out on serenity
A luxury resort sprawled over forested hills near Ubud, the Como Shambhala Estate has a resident yoga teacher, dietician and Ayurvedic doctor carefully scrutinising guests’ welfare, billing itself as a “retreat for change”. It is one of Bali’s priciest hotels, so you might not be left with much “change” in that sense after a stay.

Best luxury villas in Bali

The best hotels in Bali

9. Bequia beckons

Best for island enchantment
Bequia is the Caribbean island from which Blackbeard supposedly launched piratical attacks. It’s doubtful that he’d have bothered to leave port had he checked in at the Bequia Beach Hotel, by a crescent-shaped sweep of sand on this seven-mile-long Grenadine island. Handsome rooms feature model yachts, vintage travel posters and balconies from which to watch lapping tides. Take a stroll to the north shore, where you’ll find bars lining Lower Bay and Princess Margaret beaches.

10. Kenya with the kids

Best fora blast on the beach
From Mombasa a long, arrow-straight strip of sand stretches south towards the Tanzanian borderlands. The beach reaches its grand finale near Kinondo Kwetu, a family-friendly resort run by relatives of Baron Blixen-Finecke (the husband of Karen Blixen, of Out of Africa fame) that features Swahili-inspired cottages set in secluded gardens. Kids spend their stay snorkelling or encountering local chameleons; parents might seize the moment to recreate some Redford-Streep romance on the private beach.

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11. Vietnam by rail

Best for exclusive opulence
GWR and others take note: the Vietage is a new luxury railway service for just 12 blessed passengers, offering an inspired combination of massages, gourmet lunches and complimentary booze as it rattles along Vietnam’s scenic north-south railway. It’s on the programme for Bamboo Travel’s central Vietnam tour and you can start with a crash course in local gastronomy in the storied port of Hoi An, before trundling south along the rails to your stay in Qui Nhon.

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12. Costa Rica’s wildlife

Best forcreature cruising
Eleven days in Costa Rica yields a Noah’s Ark’s worth of animal sightings: turtles off Caribbean beaches, crocodiles lurking in the rivers, sloths in the canopy and insects buzzing adoringly about the rainforest. More surprising episodes include watching leaf-cutter ants at work in Sarapiqui, and listening for howler monkeys as you trace old lava flows beneath the Arenal volcano.

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13. Luxury Mauritius

Best forpalatial splendour
Royal Palm is one of the most regal addresses on the island, with palatial suites segueing to ivory sands, plus a boathouse with paddleboards and snorkelling kit for aquatic adventures. It’s also ideally poised for sunset strolls around the lagoon at Grand Baie and out to Pointe Aux Canonniers.

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14. Dominican delight

Best forlazing in the sun
Savvy travellers know July is the month to visit the Dominican Republic: the days are sunny with only short, sharp showers; storms are still a good few weeks away; the sea is as warm as a bathtub — and prices are low too. Try an all-inclusive stay at the exuberantly coloured Caribe Deluxe Princess resort, a short distance north of Punta Cana. Lose lazy days napping by the giant pool and spend evenings sipping rum co*cktails beside the Atlantic.

Best hotels in the Dominican Republic

Best things to do in the Dominican Republic

15. Gorillas in Rwanda

Best for a super safari
Rwanda is home to some of the world’s largest primates — mountain gorillas — and is increasingly home to some of the world’s most lavish safaris. Helicopters shuttle guests about the country, with stops in the wetlands of Akagera National Park to see elephants, the Nyungwe Forest for chimpanzees and Volcanoes National Park to spy gorillas munching on the foliage.

16. Cast away in Cambodia

Best forsustainable tranquillity
Grow a beard and invite Wilson the volleyball — you’ll welcome being marooned at the sublime Song Saa. Spread over two jungly Cambodian islets, this sustainability-focused resort features bungalows looking out across a pocket marine reserve. Serene days can include meditation, yoga, blessing ceremonies in the company of Buddhist monks or snorkelling with the local seahorses.

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17. Iceland adventure

Best for long winter days
If you’re glum at the prospect of long winter nights, book a midsummer break in Iceland to look forward to — it’s a time of year when the sun always stays up past bedtime, and sometimes barely grazes the horizon. Consider staying at Hotel Husafell, 50 miles northeast of Reykjavik. With plenty of daylight hours to fill you might embark on an expedition westwards to the cliffs of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, or east to the Langjokull glacier.

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18. Winter sun in Madeira

Best for subtropical skies
As turgid January weather stews over the British Isles, Madeira’s subtropical airs become instantly alluring. Start things off on the right note with a stay at the Cliff Bay Hotel, where understated rooms and a two-Michelin-starred restaurant teeter on a cliff edge, with Atlantic waves foaming furiously below. It’s a half-hour walk down the hill to the cobbled streets and mustard-coloured houses of Funchal’s old town.

Best villas in Madeira

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19. Walking in Spain

Best for stretching your legs
If the last few years have left you in need of divine reassurance, ask Father Christmas for walking boots and take the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Although the Spanish leg of the camino covers about 500 miles, you can cheat with a guided group walking tour that covers the last 60 miles — so you get all the glory and none of the blisters.

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20. Cretan coves

Best forbayside beauty
Daios Cove has everything you’d expect from a luxury resort in Crete: infinity pools, swanky restaurants and private balconies looking down from on high over a shimmering bay. Plus it has a secret weapon: a miniature funicular — faintly reminiscent of something from a Bond villain’s lair — that transports guests from their villas on the hillside down to a sandy cove (and back after a few rakis).

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21. Moorish break in southern Spain

Best for arabesque ambience
Holidays in Andalusia may feel like a lifetime ago — all the more reason to plot your triumphal return, by playing at being a sultan in Las Palmeras del Califa. Set around a 14th-century Moorish courtyard in Vejer de la Frontera, you’ll be able to relax amid arabesque interiors, adorned with wrought-iron lanterns, woven rugs and views over the rooftops of Vejer to the sea.

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22. Dunes and souks in Morocco

Best fordesert diversity
Intrepid is offering an action-packed group tour in Morocco centred on the ancient cities of Fes and Marrakesh, and travelling the diverse Maghrebi landscapes in between. Highlights might include scaling the dunes at Merzouga or storming ancient kasbahs south of the High Atlas — and keep your eyes closed as the driver swerves to avoid oncoming goats on the hair-raising Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass.

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23. Fairytale Germany

Best forrelaxing by rail
The Harz mountains are the Germany of Brothers Grimm books: dense woods, higgledy-piggledy towns and forbidding castles. Take a week-long group rail tour to this glorious corner of the country, whooshing on high-speed rail to Cologne before chuffing on steam trains through the fairytale forests of the Harz.

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24. Mountains and wolves in Romania

Best for room to roam
The Carpathian Mountains are the perfect antidote after claustrophobic months indoors — their wide-open spaces roamed by lynx, bears, wolves and walkers on guided group tours. Staying in remote mountain huts, participants ramble among waterfalls and monasteries, and will also climb Moldoveanu, Romania’s highest summit. It’s back down to earth in the lively town of Brasov, and at Bran, aka “Dracula Castle”, which is a short trip from there.

25. Wild Galapagos

Best for amazing wildlife
The diversity of wildlife in Galapagos — and the way it has evolved in isolation from the rest of the world — is unparalleled. Behind every rock, beneath every wave, exotic creatures can be found contributing to this extraordinary ecosystem: a dancing sea lion, a sunbathing iguana, a stalking shark. The abundance is staggering. To witness the spectacle is a red-letter day for nature lovers, who also gain fascinating insights into the work of Charles Darwin, who developed his theory of evolution there.

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Best Galapagos tours

26. Argentina waterfalls

Best for waterfall wonderment
The Iguazu Falls straddle the border between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The biggest waterfall system in the world, it’s 2.7km wide and pours 1,750 m3of water per second down a drop of 82 metres. The roar of the water coupled with its sheer size and spray make the falls more than worth a day trip.

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27. Northern lights in Lapland

Best for the ultimate light show
Watching the aurora borealis do her thing is one of life’s great pleasures — and an experience made all the sweeter by her famed elusiveness. Canada, Alaska and Iceland all offer ringside seats but the otherworldly landscapes of Lapland make it perhaps the best place to see the phenomenon, which occurs when charged particles from the sun become trapped in the Earth’s magnetic field. The result is a dazzling display of colour that produces the greatest light show on earth.

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28. Central Asia Silk Road

Best for a trek into history
Less a road, more a dusty web of caravan trails, this ancient trade route joins the dots between middle-of-nowhere cities, lush oases and countless cultural treasures. Unpicking its mysteries brings into focus the economic, religious and cultural forces that have shaped our world today. As well as a lesson in geopolitics, a journey along the Silk Road serves up a tantalising mix of Islamic architecture, crumbling ruins and east-meets-west cuisine, not to mention heartwarming hospitality.

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29. Golden Triangle, India

Best for spectacular scenes
The Taj Mahal may be the headline attraction but this monument to love and loss is just one tip of the glorious Golden Triangle, which joins the dots between Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Encompassing some of India’s most spectacular landscapes — from dusty deserts to tiger-filled forests — the region is replete with pristine palaces, Buddhist temples and magnificent mosques. To explore its dusty bazaars, ride its rickety tuk-tuks and taste its fiery cuisine is to experience India at its most flamboyant.

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30. Machu Picchu, Peru

Best for feeling on top of the world
South America’s headline attraction, Machu Picchu makes you work for its charms: the Inca Trail hike up is rewarding yet challenging — but it’s all worth it to gaze upon this wondrous Unesco world heritage site. Don’t fancy tackling the Inca Trail? Then let the train take the strain as it climbs, in magnificent fashion, from Cusco to Machu Picchu — leaving you with a short walk or (even shorter) bus trip to the ruins.

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31. Canada wildlife

Best for polar bears
A remote and somewhat lonely town on the edge of the Hudson Bay, Churchill is the self-proclaimed ‘polar bear capital of the world’. No prizes for guessing, then, how must people come to spend a day. You don’t always have to look very far— the beasts can often be spotted wandering through the town (locals keep cars and houses unlocked should anyone need to hide)— but it’s on the windswept tundra where the best sightings of these fearsome creatures are to be had.

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32. Mekong cruise

Best for an epic river voyage
The lifeblood of Southeast Asia, the mighty Mekong has supported dynasties, shaped cultures and influenced local cuisine for centuries. A cruise up this epic waterway — which meanders through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam — takes you on a journey through ancient kingdoms, sultry cities and some of the region’s most photogenic scenery. The river also supports a dizzying diversity of wildlife, from endangered Irrawaddy dolphins to freshwater stingrays, so pack your binoculars.

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33. Australia’s Uluru

Best for a spiritual stay
A sacred site for Aborigines, Uluru has a captivating, spiritual energy. The beating heart of Australia’s Red Centre, the immense ochre-red rock is the scene of exquisite sunsets and provides a stunning backdrop to learning about Aboriginal culture. Nearby Alice Springs, meanwhile — a surprisingly cosmopolitan town considering its isolation — serves up impressive indigenous art and is the gateway to the rocky gorges and limpid waterholes of the West MacDonnell Ranges.

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34. Exploring the Great Barrier Reef

Best for kaleidoscopic coral
Diving in the Great Barrier Reef is up there with swimming with penguins in the Galapagos Islands for aquatic bucket list experiences. Half the size of Texas, this natural wonder of the world is made up of 2,900 kaleidoscopic coral reefs and can be seen from outer space. Clip on your snorkel and swim in waters shared by over thirty species of whales, dolphins and porpoises, along with 1,500 different types of tropically-tinted fish.

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35. Antarctic cruise

Best for awesome beauty
Amid the savage beauty of Antarctica, hardy creatures endure. Penguins, whales and seabirds all call this inhospitable continent home, flourishing in an environment that claimed even the toughest explorers. This land was the final frontier for so long, but now more and more people are experiencing the awe-inspiring beauty of Antarctica: Staring open-mouthed at giant icebergs, glistening glaciers and towering mountains. They follow in the footsteps of the greats — Shackleton, Scott, Amundsen — who’d surely marvel at the idea of Antarctic tourism.

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36. America’s Grand Canyon

Best for sheer size
Cast aside the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles and the mighty gorge of the Grand Canyon is undeniably one of America’s most recognisable landmarks. And, unsurprisingly, it’s said no matter how many photographs you see of it, nothing really prepares you for the sight of the real thing. The best way to explore its iconic ridges? Stay in a hotel on the rim of the canyon and take a guided tour to walk the lesser-trodden paths that wrap their way around its curves.

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37. San Francisco cycle

Best for two-wheeled thrills
There’s no morning more magical than watching an enchanting haze of cloud-tickling fog drape itself over the Golden Gate Bridge. The city’s most iconic structure, built in 1937, stretches over the Bay and is best experienced on two wheels — rent a bike and cycle across it. Pair this ride with a trip to San Francisco’s row of candy coloured Painted Ladies.

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38. Bolivia’s salt flats

Best for super shots
Salar de Uyuniis the world’s largest salt flat, spanning a whopping 4,000 miles in total. Considered to be one of the most remarkable vistas in the world, its mirror-like surface is perfect for photographers who want to play around with depth and perspective. The key to the perfect shot here? Get your camera low to the ground and close to the prop.

39. Chile’s Marble Cathedral

Best for splendid isolation
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the iridescent blue swirls in this rock are part of a sci-fi film set, but Patagonia’s shimmering marble caves are a real-life phenomenon millions of years in the making. Located in General Carrera Lake, bordering Argentina deep in southern Chile, three ornate formations — the Catherdral, the Chapel and the Cave — stand in otherworldly isolation. It’s true that getting here requires almost the same level of logistical planning as a space mission, with two flights, a 200km dirt-road drive and a boat trip before you arrive at the site. But as you watch that crisp sunlight bounce around inside these Kubrick-esque, spotless white labyrinths, tinted blue by the lakes glacial meltwater, you’ll be glad there’s no “Scotty” to beam you up. We love stays atAlto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spawhich blends beautifully into the surrounding desert and offers six pools, an amazing spa and the chance to watch birds swooping over the magical Lake Tilo.

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40. Turkey’s Blue Mosque

Best for blue beauty
Didn’t you hear? Pink’s the new blue. At least it is in this sunrise over Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, which has tinted the whole scene the shade of rose-petal tea. In fact, it’s only by stepping inside the monumental structure, built by Sultan Ahmed I in the 17th century to reassert Ottoman power, that you understand where it gets its name. Adorning almost every bit of the soaring columns, arches and domes are tiles depicting the sultan’s favourite motifs of tulips, fruits and roses, hand-painted in varying shades, from the pale huge of a winter sky, to the deep, inky blue of the Bosphorus. There’s no better time to see them than on a bright December morning, as the rising sun pours in through the great stained-glass windows and splinters into a thousand dancing stars when it hits the chandeliers. We love boutique stays atBebek Hotel, a riverside hideaway in Istanbul’s ritziest neighbourhood.

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41. Giza’s pyramids

Best for a monumental experience
From a distance, they’re precision-honed, geometry-class cut-outs set against a blistering sky, alien spaceships in an endless sea of sand. But journey closer and you begin to comprehend the brutal human muscle required to build the pyramids — myriad hand-cut stone blocks, quarried chiselled and lifted into place by 100,000 seasonal workers. Now, nearly 5,000 years after construction, the crisp edges have been buffed by millennia of sandstorms and centuries of grave-robbers and tourists. Arrive early to cheat the heat. Without crowds, entering the dark passages is slightly less claustrophobic, with only the pharaohs’ ghosts for company.

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42. Parks and bridges in Germany

Best for riveting rocks
Soaring higher than any of the buildings in nearby Dresden, skyscraping towers of stone the Bastei date back to the Cretaceous period, the result of water erosion about 100 million years ago. In more recent history, the rock formations became one of the region’s first tourist attractions, and in 1851 a sandstone bridge was built to accommodate the increasing stream of visitors. Both the rocks and their connecting bridge have also inspired numerous artists, including the painter Caspar David Friedrich. You’ll find his dramatic 1822 rendition of the scene on an official park board, just before you on step on the Bastei bridge.

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