HOLS HEAVEN
The top destinations we visited in 2024, according to the Sun travel experts
Scroll down to read how you can beat the crowds in Amsterdam
IT’S been a hell of a year for travel.
The Sun team has ventured all over the globe, hunting out the best bargain getaways that will save our readers dosh, ticking off the lesser-known attractions that are loved by locals and sailing on record-breaking ships.
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We share our favourite moments of 2024 . . .
LISA MINOT Head of Travel
ICON OF THE SEAS
WHILE my last trip of the year was a lazy few days in Lanzarote, the start of 2024 saw me clock up 13,000 steps in just eight hours as I explored the world’s biggest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas.
Heading to the luxury liner’s home port of Miami, I was among the first to experience this leviathan of a ship.
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Longer than the Shard or Eiffel Tower are tall, at full capacity it can accommodate 7,600 guests and 2,350 crew across 20 dazzling decks.
The $2billion giant has seven pools — including the largest at sea — as well as 40 places to eat and drink spread across eight distinct neighbourhoods.
New is the AquaDome, sitting proud at the front of the ship.
This multi-deck glass marvel is a tranquil oasis by day, with floor-to-ceiling ocean views and a 55ft waterfall tumbling into a pool that by night features aerial acrobatics and daring dives.
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But the highlight of my visit was the Crown’s Edge — a terrifying walk-the-plank adventure where you’re strapped in and then step out 16 decks above the ocean across a series of tiny platforms, before reaching the final spot where the floor gives way and you’re flying over the sea and back on board.
While the ship has been sailing the Caribbean in 2024, it will be joined by sister liner Star of the Seas in August next year, giving cruisers yet more to enjoy.
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Exploring the UK's Natural Wonderlands: Top 5 National Parks
SOPHIE SWIETOCHOWSKI Assistant Travel Editor
DEVON
THIS may surprise some readers but my most cherished trips this year were not on my bucket list – although an oyster-fuelled adventure along Australia’s eastern coast was epic.
Instead, they were the ones that didn’t involve hopping on a plane.
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The South West of England, with its jaw-dropping coastlines, is where I can truly unwind.
No airport stress. No time-strict schedule. No “where shall we go for dinner tonight?”.
Just a cosy self-catered stay in a quiet seaside village where you can snuggle down with a book, potter to the local chippy or whip up a feast of fresh seafood caught by the local fishermen early that morning.
I’m in this neck of the woods at least once or twice a year (partly thanks to local friends) but hadn’t ever visited the peaceful town of Lynton on the Exmoor coast until a few months ago.
It’s got buckets of charm and the dog-friendly apartments at Tors Park offer unbeatable views of a windswept bay.
I took up running earlier this year and my dog Dora and I relished the chance to explore some of the most scenic coastal paths in the UK – with a few pub pit-stops along the way, too, of course.
For those planning to visit Cornwall, the 18-mile Camel Trail is a must.
If you’re not a runner, walk it or hire a bike from one of the rental stores in Wade-bridge, close to the trail.
CAROLINE McGUIRE Head of Travel (Digital)
PARIS
IT has been a few years since I paid a visit to Paris and after a weekend break this August, I’m delighted to say the city is more exciting than it has been in years.
Yes, the traditional hotels and brasseries are still there, but so are many cool and innovative new bars, shops and more.
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Staying in the Molitor on the outskirts of town was a prime example — it’s a posh place but not old-school-Paris stuffy, with an amazing art deco pool and a lively rooftop bar and restaurant.
We were there to attend the annual summer music festival Rock En Seine, with the UK producer Fred Again headlining on the night we attended, and the buzz of the twenty and thirty-something Parisians was that of a city that knows it has its mojo back.
Following some of their recommendations, we headed into the previously overlooked 11th and 18th arrondissements on our second night — the cool, Shoreditch-like parts of the city.
We dined on fusion tapas at Pantobaguette where the DJ is as good as the food, and Bambino, a chic restaurant-cocktail bar where records line the walls.
We topped off our trip with a visit to one of Paris’s legendary flea markets on the edge of the city, Marche aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves, for extremely affordable vintage jewellery and homeware, that, thanks to the Eurostar, we could lug back home without extra baggage charges.
HOPE BROTHERTON Travel Reporter
THAILAND
I SPENT most of 2024 stomping through European cities such as Stockholm, Vienna, Ljubljana and Florence.
But while Europe has my heart, I also left a slice in Khao Sok National Park after a dream trip to Thailand with TUI in March.
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Specifically, I’ll never forget the moment I came face to face with an elephant at Elephant Hills.
The luxury tented jungle camp has its own elephant sanctuary where holidaymakers can meet these magnificent creatures in a safe and protected environment.
Visitors prepare a medley of snacks such as bananas, sugar canes and pineapple wedges for the elephants to eat before watching them bathe and lounge in the safety of the sanctuary.
The whole experience feels almost otherworldly.
Elephant Hills puts on other activities, too, such as a jungle trek, a kayak tour along the Sok River and an excursion to Cheow Lan Lake to visit the Lake Camp, where you can paddleboard, kayak and swim.
And nothing felt strenuous because I spent my free time relaxing in a rather bougie glamping tent.
It had an outside porch with a hammock and wicker rocking chairs as well as an en-suite bathroom.
There was also a huge dining area where guests gathered to eat meals and a small pool to cool off in the heat.
Put simply, my trip was heaven on earth and I don’t think it will be topped for a long while.
KARA GODFREY Deputy Travel Editor
AMSTERDAM
FOR me, 2024 was a mix of long-awaited bucket-list destinations — and revisiting old favourites.
In South Korea, I stocked up on skincare and make-up by Renowned brand K-beauty, while on safari in Kenya I got up close with lion cubs, and in Hawaii I marvelled at the beaches.
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But one destination where I was reminded of how fantastic the place is was Amsterdam.
Returning to the Dutch city after ten years, I escaped the crowds by checking out its Noord district, which is a quick, free ferry ride from the main train station.
It’s here that I found a fantastic bar scene — set to be the next big thing, or so I’m told — as well as a thriving art community and even the neighbourhood’s own “beach” behind a trendy warehouse restaurant.
Dubbed the Brooklyn of Amsterdam, this is a place that makes you feel cooler than you really are, while surrounded by red-brick galleries and giant murals.
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And you don’t even have to brave the airport in order to get there.
It has become my favourite lesser-known place to suggest friends visit.
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