The Best Places To Travel This Year, According To Travel Experts

Want to book a holiday but not sure where to start? We asked travel experts for some travel inspiration.

Travel Inspiration: Where To Go On Holiday In 2025

Where can I go for a castaway Crusoe, off-grid feel?

Suzy Higgs at Turquoise Holidays 

With 118 islands, there are places in Polynesia most people would struggle to pin on a map. They fall between five very different archipelagos; only the most intrepid journey far south to the last two but island hopping between the other three – the Society Islands, the Tuamotus and the Marquesas – is paradise. Tahiti is the gateway to the Society Islands – but skip Bora Bora and the Brando, where Obama wrote his memoirs; head instead to either Mo’orea – half an hour on the ferry, a little catamaran with locals on board – or buy an air pass and fly to Taha’a.

Flights in Polynesia are regular and quick – to tiny landing strips between ocean and lagoon – it’s as easy as catching a bus. The Societys are Moana-esque, mountainous and lush, and Taha’a is like Bora Bora was 30 years ago, stunning and authentic. Hop to the Tuamotus, two idyllic sandy, palm covered atolls with overwater villas. The lagoons are vast, one so big you can see it from space. Days here are for pink sand beaches, shallow lagoons with mantas cruising knee-deep, reef sharks circling, turtles.

The Marquesas, further north, are very dramatic – with waterfalls dropping into the ocean, wild horses running free, black sand beaches. They have their own time zone, language, culture. Only two of the six islands have an airport, so the best way to experience them is on the Aranui, a fabulous former freight ship with four-star cabins and super fun crew.

People ask how Polynesia is different to other island escapes. Holidays here come with a price tag because you’re in the middle of the South Pacific, but you can’t beat the Polynesian feeling, the history and culture. Plus we pick special local hotels that are luxurious and elegant but quietly so. There’s some WiFi, but not masses. It’s proper barefoot stuff. turquoiseholidays.co.uk

Is there a multi-generational holiday that delivers more than fly and flop?

Roxy Dukes, Canada specialist, Steppes Travel

If you want to switch up the traditional villa week, where granny sits on a sun lounger while the kids play in the pool, a holiday sailing Desolation Sound on the Pacific Yellowfin private yacht promises an unforgettable adventure. Here, the beauty of nature sweeps you off the grid and into the heart of Western Canada’s untamed wilderness.

Far from the distractions of daily life, each day reveals something new and awe-inspiring. Towering mountains rise dramatically from the deep fjordlands, and the older generations can fish for Dungeness crab on deck and spot orca and humpbacks gliding beneath the surface while the young bloods mess about with an inflatable slide, kayaks, water trampolines, and wakeboards, or head off with a guide in find bears in ancient forests, untouched by time. On board, the elegant cabins are a cosy sanctuary where the family can play games and kick back while they journey through one of the most breathtaking places on earth. It’s a chance to create memories that will last a lifetime. steppestravel.com

I want to visit Europe this summer but where can I avoid scorching heat?

Hannah Ingle, senior Europe specialist at Scott Dunn

Some areas of Spain and Greece were uncomfortably hot last July and more and more clients are deciding to put down their beach towels and embracing an adventure-based summer holiday in the Nordics instead. Last year, we saw an incredible 350 percent rise in enquiries for Finland and a 20 percent jump in summer bookings for Norway.

Countries like these provide perfect travel inspiration, since they come alive in summer. The snow melts to reveal remote mountain trails, sparkling lakes and coastal villages still relatively untouched by modern life. These cooler – in every sense of the word – places are much less explored than southern Europe; there’s an element of bragging rights if you go somewhere few of your friends have been to.

Swing from cool city break to an awesome train journey through amazing landscapes or hiking in the fjords, sleeping in waterside cabins and exploring on a RIB. Guests can really connect with local people, sharing stories after an epic hike in the home of a local guide or spending a day working on a cider farm. It really humbles you and allows you to disconnect from day-to-day life. scottdunn.com

How can I convince my teens to come on a family sightseeing trip?

Nick Davies, managing director at Cookson Adventures

Cookson Adventures

Imagine visiting the temples of Luxor after dark for a live and immersive re-staging of 1920s Egypt. With the help of professional actors, guests will be transported back in time, the adventure beginning onboard their luxury dahabiya, where they will receive a telegram from famous British archaeologist Howard Carter, enlisting their help with the excavation of a lifetime. The dramatic evening unfolds after-hours at an iconic temple – set against a cinematic score created by a local musician – where the group undertake a mission to banish a secret curse. As they unlock the mystery in each room, the magnificent temple is slowly lit to reveal a celebratory feast. It’s an experience they will never forget and a completely different way to engage with history. cooksonadventures.com

Is it possible to explore the Arctic in a sustainable way?

Sophie Galvagnon, Arctic captain and CEO of Selar

Yes! Because we have built the first fully sustainable luxury Polar ship. I’ve been a captain in the Arctic for 10 years, and I’ve seen the negative impact we’ve made – the glacier retreat, changes in polar bear behaviour and so on. My twin passions are ice navigation and discovering uncharted areas in the region but I felt increasingly uncomfortable with the part I was playing in the problem. I decided to start a business, bringing my expertise to building a new ship showcasing what’s possible. This ship has to be close to zero carbon and we are lucky at sea we have two big natural energy sources: wind and sun. My team has collaborated with a Swedish naval architect to build our 35m patented sails – covered in 20,000 sq/ft solar panels – at a specialist shipyard. Natural energy will power the ship and the ‘hotel load’, and we will have biodiesel in reserve for emergencies. There will be no fossil fuels involved, which is a first for the industry, so the ship will be silent and have no smell – vital for the wildlife.

Selar

We have also done a lot of work on lowering our load and have a zero waste policy on board. Today, 90 percent of cruise ships carry 200 passengers or more – we will carry 36 guests in 18 cabins on a super adapted ship, and we will tread lightly but go deeper. Selar has two goals: rethinking the ship and rethinking its use; only by considering both do we effect proper change. We have no fixed itineraries, which is disruptive in the industry and fits perfectly with the spirit of adventure. I’m a Polar geek and I’ve studied the original explorers, who used simple ships to make much bolder expeditions. We’re also offering logistics support to the remote research station and will take local volunteers to collect plastic waste – washed in from Northern Europe – between cruises. I can’t say we will leave no trace at all; all human living leaves some prints in the world. But by showing what’s possible, we hopefully will accelerate the shift to sustainability across the industry. selar.cc