WHAT an action-packed year 2015 has been.
We have travelled the world to bring you the best new and emerging
destinations – and we can’t wait to do it all again in 2016. Here, LISA
MINOT, PETE BELL and MATTHEW HAMPTON reveal their top
destinations of the year – and where their next adventures will take them.
Lisa’s picks
1. Nashville
FROM the three bands playing Tootsies at 9am, through the recording studios on
Music Row to the intimate improv session at the Bluebird Cafe nearing
midnight, Nashville is a place that lives, eats, sleeps and breathes music.
Take a stroll down Broadway and music spills from every honky-tonk bar.
At the nearby Ryman Auditorium, the stars of country perform on the world’s
longest-running live radio show, the Grand Ole Opry. And in Nashville, when
you’re not listening to live music you’re learning about it.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a gargantuan tribute to the genre
and you could easily spend a day discovering the history and its stars.
The small but perfectly formed Johnny Cash museum is also a delight.
Over on Music Row, head to Studio B where Elvis recorded 262 tracks in 13
years and everyone from Roy Orbison to Dolly Parton laid down hit after hit.
Everywhere you go, that Southern hospitality shines through.
From the spit and sawdust honky-tonks to the new, emerging high-end restaurant
scene, Nashville welcomes everyone with a smile.
I just wish that I’d had more time to enjoy it – plan it into any US fly-drive
holiday and then allow at least three days to see it all. See .
2. Carnival Cruise
FROM the flash mob-style line dancing on deck as we sailed away to possibly
the best burger I’ve ever eaten, my first sailing on Carnival Breeze blew
away every pre-conception I had about the American line.
This really is cruising for the new generation. Carnival has a reputation for
being the fun line and it definitely is loud, adrenaline-charged and
informal. But I was surprised just how classy the ship was too. I loved our
Cloud 9 Spa balcony cabin – sleeping up to four on the top deck of the ship,
it is right next to the spa itself and you’ll get posh toiletries, bathrobes
and access to the spa thrown in.
The kids adored the water park and main pool but we loved the relaxed vibe on
Deck 5 where for most of the cruise, we had aft of the ship to ourselves.
This was a truly relaxed cruise – two nights we didn’t even bother with
dinner, just grazed on the poolside food while watching movies under the
stars.
Fantastic value for money, it would suit families up for fun.
See .
3. Greece
I’M ashamed to say I’d never heard of the Costa Navarino resort in the Greek
Peloponnese. But having visited in October for travel association Abta’s
annual conference, I’m kicking myself for not discovering it earlier.
This luxury coastal resort, an hour’s drive from Kalamata airport, consists of
two resorts – the 5★ Westin and the 5★ Romanos –
and boasts direct access to the beach and two 18-hole golf courses. The
Westin is a great, family-friendly option with all rooms featuring terraces
or balconies. Many ground-floor rooms have private infinity pools and, as
well as the beautiful beach, there are pools and even a water park for the
little ones.
The Romanos seems better suited for couples and ramps up the luxe factor.
Between the two resorts there are 12 restaurants serving everything from
steaks and fish to Greek, Italian, Japanese and Middle Eastern specialities.
My favourite was Bar Bouni right on the beach serving up freshly caught fish
and salads. See .
Kit I’d never be without: A DECENT phone is now as
essential as your passport or wallet. But not just any phone.
Despite dalliances with others, Apple remains my go-to brand. My iPhone 6 has
replaced my camera and has taken some of my best shots this year.
Plus it’s essential for finding my way around unfamiliar places. But all that
use comes at a cost.
Battery life may be better than previous iPhones but still won’t last me on a
12-hour day in a new destination. So a portable charger is vital.
I’ve gone through a lot of these – some barely deliver when it comes to a
decent, quick, recharge.
So the Zendure A2 is my pick. At £25, it is not too expensive, recharges
quickly, is robust but small enough to pop in a pocket and doesn’t take too
long to recharge. Available from Amazon.
ON THE LIST FOR 2015:
1. I’m packing red wellies and a blue coat for BA’s new flight to Lima, Peru.
2. My love affair with the Deep South continues as I visit New Orleans.
3. My own lovely caravan in the South of France for no-frills chilling.
4. The high-octane thrills of Ferrari World in UAE capital Abu Dhabi.
5. Discovering closer to home, with Wales in my sights for coastal fun.
Pete’s picks
1. Copenhagen
HIPSTERS may be much-maligned, but I sort of like them.
Not the ones selling bowls of cereal for a fiver, but those who care about
providing good-quality food and know what you need to make a good bar.
Copenhagen has loads of cool hipsters and they make it a brilliant city.
I stayed at Nimb Hotel on the edge of the city’s crazy theme
park/theatre/gardens combo Tivoli.
Built in the style of a fantasy Moorish castle, the boutique hotel has 17
rooms and suites, plus five bars and restaurants.
With all that to cope with, and the distractions of Tivoli, I’m amazed I
managed to see much of the city, but I did. A boat trip was a fantastic way
to get to know the city and I ate at Geist, one of its experimental,
brilliant hip restaurants.
I’ve been a long-time fan of Amsterdam, but Copenhagen may have taken its
place in the “cool northern European city” part of my affections.
For more information .
2. Malaysia
THERE are places I’ve always wanted to visit because of the exoticism of their
names. Timbuktu, for example. And Azerbaijan.
Kuala Lumpur was another and now I’ve been there. It’s a fantastic city,
beautifully futuristic looking and it works very well.
There’s enough of the old city left to give a sense of the history of the
place and enough of the new to utterly thrill you. I ate in the oldest of
locals’ diners and the flashiest of high-rise restaurants. I went up the
Petronas Towers – the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers – and drank cocktails
on a helipad high above the city.
And I went in the Batu Caves, a baffling yet awe-inspiring set of cave shrines
in a mountain guarded by a 14ft golden statue of Hindu deity Murugan. Then,
as if Kuala Lumpur wasn’t enough, I went to another part of the country,
Pangkor Laut.
It’s a private spa island where I ate at sunset on the beach, had one of the
best massages of my life and stayed in a chalet on stilts in the sea. See .
3. Canary Islands
LA Gomera was a revelation. It’s not that the other Canary Islands lack
culture and natural beauty . . . you just have to look a lot harder for them.
Driving around the island is an enjoyable challenge. A 20-mile trip as the
crow flies takes hours. Wherever you go, you have to drive round the coast.
The roads hug the sea and climb the peaks in a succession of hairpin bends
with crash barriers. This took a fair amount of getting used to for a man
scared of heights. But eventually I lost the fear enough to drive normally,
much to the relief of the drivers stretched out patiently behind.
I ran up and down mountains, relaxed on deserted beaches, ate great food, went
whale-watching (no whales but a few dolphins) and saw the trees of
high-altitude tropical forest through the clouds.
But the highlight was my stay at the Parador La Gomera, a beautiful
Twenties-built hotel overlooking the harbour of San Sebastián. I read that
it was the perfect base from which to explore the island. In fact, it was
just perfect. More info at .
Kit I’d never be without:THE most useful thing I take away with
me is impossible to forget. Because it’s my suitcase.
My gold Samsonite Cosmolite should be more battered, but it’s designed to
regain its shape after even the most vigorous luggage handler has done his
worst.
Its wheels still work after 60-plus trips. And while its colour may be a
little flamboyant for some, I can see it on the luggage carousel out of the
corner of my eye from 100yds.
ON THE LIST FOR 2015:
1. China’s now even more accessible and I’ve yet to go.
2. Closer relations with the US make this the year to visit Cuba.
3. Watching TV’s Narcos has turned me on to Colombia
4. More British seaside resorts.
5. Memphis, again. For the soul, the blues and Elvis.
Matt’s picks
1. Scotland
SUNNY skies above and snow beneath my skis . . . heaven. And a lot closer to
home than you might think.
In January, I ticked a long-standing dream off my bucket list – skiing in
Scotland.
The snow was sketchy and the wind almost blew off my beard.
But a day with the kids at the Lecht was as good as one in Val d’Isere, as far
as I was concerned.
Choose your moment carefully if you want to ski north of the border.
Get lucky and you may be rewarded with Alpine conditions.
Bujt more likely, you will end up doing as we did – clattering over rocks and
ice in bashed-up rental gear with a grin as wide as a snowboard.
They say that if you can ski here, you can ski anywhere.
And now I see why.
It was a day I will treasure forever.
See .
2. France
I HAD another cracker a few months later. From a scratching of snow up in the
Cairngorms to an absolute bucketload in the Alps, La Plagne in France saw my
season out with a bang.
This high-altitude resort is part of the giant Paradiski area, which has
invested millions in one of the widest networks of lifts in the world.
But I was turning my back on all of them with a day out on touring skis. These
fat skis with a free heel binding literally let you walk up a slope. After
fitting a pair of sticky “skins” underneath, my instructor Jean Mark pointed
us uphill with the promise of a deep powder descent.
He was good to his word – but first came the matter of the climb. We trudged
all morning up to 2,600m and a snowy peak I barely thought possible.
The views were astounding . . . and the trip down? Wow.
Nothing can describe the sensation of carving wide turns through fresh powder
with not another soul in sight.
And as I left for the airport, it started to rain. Perfect timing! For
details, check out .
3. Morocco
I COULDN’T escape the rain forever.
You would think the edge of the Sahara in May is pretty dry.
But it was chucking it down as we arrived at Kasbah du Toubkal in the
foothills of the Atlas Mountains.
I first stayed here with a girlfriend several years ago.
She is now my wife and we couldn’t wait to show the kids.
But you could barely see your hand in front of your face when we arrived.
I wondered how long it would take to get back to the coast but we woke the
next morning to clear blue skies. Elation.
I have always said this was the best place I have ever stayed and it still is.
Rustic and real, it has won plenty of awards – and deservedly so.
It won’t be for everyone but if you like the mountains, it is close to heaven.
I already want to go back but first I must stop worrying so much about the
weather. For more information, head to .
Kit I’d never be without:I LOVE travelling but it does mean a lot
of time sitting doing nothing.
So the first thing I do when I arrive anywhere is go for a swim – it’s a
lovely way to stretch out.
But different countries have different rules: Italians won’t let you swim
without a hat, Japanese pools usually ban tattoos, and in France, it’s
budgie smugglers only for blokes.
No board shorts, no baggy trunks and definitely no cut-offs.
And that’s fine by me – they’re easier to fit in your luggage. So, Speedos,
goggles and a swim hat – you’ll never find me on a trip without them.
Get the lot for under £25 at wiggle.com. I nick a towel from the hotel.
ON THE LIST FOR 2015:
1. Somewhere hot – Oman maybe.
2. Ethiopia – I’d love to see the Coptic churches
3. Italy’s Aosta Valley. There’s a new ski lift in Courmayeur – and a lot of
good restaurants, I’ve heard.
4. The French Pyrenees – and a stay at the Pic du Midi.
5. And Scotland forever, by bike, on foot or on skis.