Best holiday destinations for 2023

New York is always a great place to go, with some of the most iconic sights in the world, great shops, hotels and restaurants. Rates are cheapest in January and February, which is great if you want to save your dollars for the January sales on 5th Avenue. Or time your trip around NYC Broadway week℠, NYC Restaurant® week or NYC Must-See℠ week.

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With both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Parks & Resorts vying for your attention, Orlando is the perfect playground for all ages. First-timers and the young at heart should start with Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom and its iconic castle. For science and culture endeavours Epcot will delight, or you can relive classic movies at Hollywood Studios – including Star Wars land and Toy Story Land. Universal Orlando is the only place in the world where you can experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at two parks connected by the wonderful Hogwarts™ Express.

Despite the saying, everyone knows what happens in Vegas is too good to stay secret. The city is a revolving door of entertainment: blackjack tables, nightclubs, 24-hour dining and stage shows from the Cirque du Soleil to Celine Dion. It’s possible to spend the nights in a neon twilight – but don’t think the fun’s only for grown-ups. High-tail it out of the city in a hire car and you’ll be able to swap mojitos for the Mojave Desert. Road-trippers can be at the Grand Canyon in half a day.

At its most romantic, Dubai can offer pale red deserts, at its most traditional, it can show you an old creek running through its heart. At its most decadent, Dubai shows off the Burj al Arab: a hotel plastered in gold leaf. It’s the kind of city that needs to be seen to be believed, but even if you’ve been before, there’s always something new happening. The Museum of Illusions has just opened and next year the future will arrive – or a museum of it, at least. The Museum of the Future has been greatly anticipated, and its unique design has already got architects talking.

Barbados is the quintessential Caribbean destination. The sandy beaches in the east are so beautiful they’ll make your eyes water and the rocky western shores are well worth an expedition. When Happy Hour – which normally rolls into Happy Evening – comes around, enjoy Planter’s Punch sundowners and calypso music. Soon you’ll be swaying like a palm tree.

Cancun enjoys one of the best situations in the Caribbean Sea. The city’s Hotel Zone is truly enormous – stretching far along the coast to make the most of 14 miles of sandy beaches. There’s nightlife, wildlife, and world-famous Mayan ruins just outside the resort area. Chichén Itzá is worth a day trip away from the beach to see the archaeological site’s star attraction: a famous step pyramid. South of the city you’ll find the Riviera Maya, a coastline known for its All Inclusive resorts. Now, who’s mixing your margaritas?

This fairy-ring of islands remains chronically under-explored. With mountainous jungle interiors and freshly-milled white sand beaches, each island is a variation on a tropical theme. Mahé is the biggest, pretty Praslin has hiking trails and La Digue is the relaxed one where everyone goes barefoot. Anse Source D'Argent, arguably La Digue’s most famous beach, has those gorgeous granite boulders – the ones you’ll find on the posters of nearly every Seychelles tourism campaign.

South Africa’s cities often come with great beaches and Durban’s might be the best of the lot. Set on the Indian Ocean, its promisingly-named ‘Golden Mile’ delivers excellent surfing conditions and warm waters. But to stay on the coast would be remiss. Durban makes a fantastic gateway into South Africa’s hinterland: just hire a car. The Kwa-Zulu national park is awash with historic battlefields and dotted with gorgeous wildlife parks. The supreme Drakensberg mountains are a hiker’s paradise, warranting at least a few extra days exploration.

Marrakech: hot, dusty, busy – and yet stirringly romantic; it’s a treat for the senses. Make 2020 the year you visit. Set in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, Morocco’s red-walled city was once an ancient fort, but now its central Medina is a tourist’s playground. Explore the area’s French history with a stroll in Yves Saint Laurent’s shady Majorelle Gardens, or delve into the souk-lined streets, resurfacing with a fistful of treasures – a vial of argan oil or a handcrafted leather belt.

The world’s most populous megacity has the most Michelin stars, and a culture that sits on a knife’s edge: with traditional tea houses and shrines on one side, and a high-tech future on the other. Don’t get so swept up in the city that you forget to browse: stopping in a Manga café or a unique boutique might be the highlight of your trip.

The Canaries are their own little world swept off the coast of Africa. Tenerife, the central island, is dominated by Mount Teide, a massive, dramatic volcano. Near enough to be an easy, inexpensive trip for visiting Europeans, southerly enough to be pleasantly warm all year around, it’s no wonder Tenerife is set to be a top destination. Plus, its high-altitude Mount Teide national park is great for cyclists – it’s where Olympic teams train. Tenerife is also fantastic for stargazing. If you visit in summer next year you might be around for the spectacular meteor showers.