Welcome to Best in Travel 2024

We are thrilled to unveil Best in Travel 2024. Fifty destinations chosen by a travel-obsessed team that promise to inspire and awe, delight and excite, charm and captivate.

Among them, bustling cities, spectacular deserts, captivating histories, beaches edged by jungle and vast landscapes that stretch to the horizon.

Our world is not just about dreaming, it’s about doing. And our choices reflect the spirit of a grateful and energized traveler who always comes home with the best stories and who can’t stop adding to the list of places they’re tingling to see next.

As we know too well, the world changes every day too: natural disasters, public health scares and the ravages of terrorism, conflict and war. At Lonely Planet, these somber realities humble us because we believe travel builds empathy and gives us all a greater understanding of the people, cultures and perspectives that make up this fascinating world. And that we are made kinder, more inclusive and more open-minded through the experience of travel.

Why our list is the actual best

In a time marked by listicles and AI, what makes our selections unique is our people. We have real human beings on the ground all over the world discovering what’s new and evaluating old favorites, who are dedicated to making sure you have the guidance and recommendations you need to get you where you want to go.

Our panel of travel experts gathered early in the year to review the nominations of Lonely Planet’s global network. Those hundreds of recommendations were discussed and debated, ranked for the topicality and uniqueness that makes them unmissable for Best in Travel 2024 during Lonely Planet’s 50^th anniversary year.

Those fifty destinations made their way to the hands of a talented and dedicated group of storytellers on the Lonely Planet team – writers, editors, producers, product managers, designers, engineers – who brought our annual Best in Travel list to life in incredible detail: through immersive video, powerful photography and the kind of recommendations you can’t get anywhere else.

Decades of experience, countless experiences

For fifty years, Lonely Planet has helped people take life-changing journeys. We believe deeply and passionately in the power of travel to transform and connect us in ways big and small.

We can’t wait to hear how Best in Travel 2024 inspires you. Be sure to let us know where it takes you and what you did when you got there – tag @LonelyPlanet when you share your pics and videos of your adventures on TikTok and Instagram. And sign up for a Lonely Planet profile while you’re here, we have big things coming and want you to be the first to know.

Sincerely,