There will be no shortage of fascinating places to visit in 2024. I know because I’m on his 365-day journey, and in 2023 I traveled to several destinations that I can personally recommend.
I don’t just parachute into these places for a few days with a reporter’s notepad. I spent several weeks in almost every city on my list. We shopped at the market, explored the city, and made friends with the locals. Occasionally, I would take my college-age sons along on the adventures.
You might be wondering, “What is your favorite destination?” That would be the question people ask me most often, but it’s not. (I’ll share the top questions soon.)
To get you started, here’s a list of the 12 best places to see in 2024 and the best time to visit.
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January: Antarctica
During the Southern Hemisphere summer, you’ll want to take a boat trip to Antarctica. Temperatures are relatively mild, and the normally turbulent Drake Passage remains calm. I flew to Ushuaia, Argentina, and in late December embarked on a 10-day cruise to Antarctica aboard Hurtigruten Expedition’s MS Fridtjof Nansen, arriving on the White Continent just before the New Year. It was spectacular. Although it looks a little dangerous, don’t miss the hike on the ice to see the penguins. If you’re really brave, try polar diving into sub-zero water. Unfortunately, we missed our chance to dive into Antarctica as the glacier broke and a large slab of ice crashed into the water. Go see it before it’s gone.
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February: Doha, Qatar
Qatar is one of the most underrated destinations in the world. The weather in late winter is nearly perfect, with warm days and cool nights. My sons and I spent some time wandering around the world-famous Souq Waqif, a crowded market where you can buy almost anything, but the main activities were drinking coffee and smoking vanilla-scented hookahs. (We tried the coffee but decided against the hookah). Highlights of our visit included an afternoon spent at the Qatar National Museum, which explains where this glittering metropolis came from, and a trip to the desert to see American sculptor Richard Serra’s monolith It was.
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March: Christchurch, New Zealand
Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island, feels like another planet. March is early autumn in the southern hemisphere, but the hills still retain their vibrant green hue. If you’ve seen the Lord of the Rings movies, this place will look familiar, but there’s more to it than just the impressive cinematic scenery. Christchurch is a welcoming city with great coffee shops (my favorite being Espresso Studio in Fusongxuan) and great budget-friendly eateries. I spent many days walking around Hagley Park in the middle of town and admiring the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. Get out of town and hike into the mountains. You don’t have to love Middle-earth to enjoy New Zealand’s South Island.
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April: Kyoto, Japan
If you can go to Kyoto in April, you should. Cherry blossoms bloom in mid-March and are usually at their best in early April. Even if you miss the cherry blossom season, this is a place you should definitely visit. The former capital of Japan is full of old temples and shrines. It’s also a great place to learn how to make sushi from a Kyoto sushi master, or find a place that serves authentic ramen when you’re struggling to adjust to a new time zone. My sons and I have frequented Kyoto Engine Ramen, tucked away in a narrow alley and always crowded with jet-lagged foreigners.
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May: Hoi An, Vietnam
The biggest surprise of my 2023 trip was Vietnam. I spent a long weekend in Hoi An, in the central part of the country, and I’m still sorting through the natural beauty of the place, including its rugged green mountains and postcard-perfect beaches. Hoi An is an ancient city with many temples and a rich history influenced by various cultures such as China and France. Be sure to go down to the market and onto the Thu Bon River at dusk, when boats carrying colorful lanterns float downstream. Enjoy Pho for dinner at Anantara Hoi An Resort.
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June: Fukuoka Prefecture
If you’re looking for something different in Japan outside of Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo, check out Fukuoka. It’s definitely the friendliest city I’ve visited in Japan. If you are visiting Japan for the second time, I highly recommend going by Shinkansen, which boasts amazing technology. Fukuoka also has plenty of shopping options. We stocked up on green tea before heading back to the US. If you can catch a hydrofoil to Iki Island, it’s well worth it. If you go, don’t miss dinner at Iki Retreat. It’s worth going.
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July: Santiago, Chile
Chile has some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world, and there’s no better time to visit than in the depths of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Some of the top resorts, such as Portillo, are just a short drive from Santiago. Visit Chile in the summer, and you’ll still be able to admire the snow-capped Andes and think about the world-class skiing of the southern hemisphere.
August: Seoul, South Korea
As strange as it may sound, one of the best parts of my visit to Seoul was taking long walks at Gyeonggui Line Forest Park, a 3-mile-long city park that used to be a railroad track. As you tour some of Seoul’s famous districts, you’ll find countless diverse coffee shops and restaurants where you can stop and enjoy the view. Indeed, there are some fascinating cultural spots, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Jogyesa Temple. But I always remember Seoul’s vibrant coffee shop culture and friendly people.
September: Los Angeles
I returned to the US for a few weeks this fall. I stayed in Marina del Rey, California, but also spent some time along the beaches in Venice and Santa Monica. There’s one thing you can take away from talking to store owners and tour operators. The really best time to visit LA is early fall. Hotel rates tend to drop during the shoulder season, especially in tourist areas. I love LA in early fall. If you’re near the beach, be sure to check out Santa Monica’s Pier History Tour, which tells the story behind this iconic tourist attraction. And who doesn’t love an old merry-go-round?
October: Chiang Rai, Thailand
The Golden Triangle region, where Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet, was once known for its opium trade. Today we will talk about tourism. Although the rainy season is over, it is still not very crowded here. This means you’ll have virtually all the temples to yourself and can take long walks through the rainforest and along rice fields without having to dodge busloads of tourists. There’s an elephant here. There’s no better place to see elephants than Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort. From here you can also enjoy dramatic views of the Luwak River and beyond to Myanmar and Laos.
November: Siem Reap, Cambodia
It’s hard to describe in words the experience of watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. A historic building of breathtaking scale that is being swallowed up by the jungle. I have never seen anything like it and probably never will. Go to the main temple before dawn and watch the sun rise. Thanks to the new international airport, getting to Siem Reap is much easier, and there are plenty of things to do in the city. But this destination is all about temples. It will take at least three days to get a feel for the scale of Angkor Wat, but it will be something you will never forget.
December: Hobart, Tasmania
There may be no better place to spend the holidays than Hobart, Australia. It is the peak of summer in the southern hemisphere, and Hobart is one of Australia’s coolest cities to enjoy the summer. You can also watch the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Races from the outskirts of Battery Point or take the ferry to the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) to admire one of the strangest museums in the world . If you can get out of town, why not visit Cradle Mountain and meet Tasmanian devils at Devils at Cradle Sanctuary?
So, do you have an answer to the question, “What is your favorite destination?” There are so many to see that it’s hard to choose just one favorite. I love all these places.
However, this is not the most frequently asked question. My friends stopped asking me how I was doing. Now they ask where I am. That’s a fair question considering the fact that I don’t have a permanent home.
So where am I now? We spent the next few days in Santiago, Chile, then headed to Uruguay. By the way, you can follow all my adventures and listen to the podcast in my free newsletter “Elliott Confidential”. I can’t wait to see where 2024 takes me. If you have any South American destinations you’d like to recommend, please email me (my address is chris@elliott.org). We would love to hear your thoughts.
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and Elliott Report, a customer service news site. If you need help with a consumer issue, you can contact him here or email chris@elliott.org.
