The places we loved in 2023 ... and our hotlist for the year ahead

BEST DESTINATION 2023: Slow travel is well and good but FOMO pushed us to pack our itinerary with Argentina's many "can't misses". From the brilliantly hued houses and sultry beats of cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to the glacial beauty of Patagonia, the country's size and divergent landscape enable seminal experiences for every type of traveller. We rode horses across the pampas, tried wines from the country's most famous grape, accompanied by massive platters of barbecued meat; and trekked to the iconic Fitz Roy. Vast, it might be, but we found Argentina easy enough to navigate independently. argentina.travel

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Memorable dining experiences don't always have to involve starched white linen and polished silverware. Mother Nature provides the luxury at Noosa's Little Cove Beach, a crescent bay fringed by the Noosa National Park, the destination for our fashionably boho picnic. The generous Noosa Forager grazing board had Mooloolaba prawns, local cheeses, and bread and homemade dips. We feasted lounging on cushions facing the sea, toasting sunset and the surfers' balletic grace with a glass of champagne. thenoosaforager.com.au

BEST STAY: It's not often that a hotel manages to feel so very international and so utterly of place simultaneously. The hillside villas at Raffles Bali overlook a pristine little swathe of beach, the restaurant is Michelin-worthy and service, including your own personal butler, offers an exemplar of quiet luxury. Yet Raffles doesn't isolate itself from Balinese tradition - a local priest will give you a blessing, another will guide you through a fire-cleansing ceremony and you can visit a neighbour's home to learn more about local customs. raffles.com/bali

HOTLIST 2024: Georgia seems to be popping up on lots of Australian travellers' wish lists of late. I'm keen to explore the birthplace of winemaking, see the architecture of the well-preserved capital, Tbilisi, and UNESCO-listed villages, and have been reliably informed that the natural beauty of Svaneti mountains is jaw-dropping. If you're usure about DIY, it's worth checking out a small group tour operator like Crooked Compass. crooked-compass.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: Everybody knows about the sadness of the beaches at Gallipoli, but nobody talks much about the loveliness and liveliness of the town of Canakkale on the Asian side of the Dardanelles, the departure point for the ferry to Eceabat and battlefield tours. The strait itself is wondrously scenic. The cafes lining the waterfront are scattered with old men who look like they've been sitting over the same cup of sticky coffee since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The bars bustle with friendly young people, and Eceabat's marvellous 15th-century castle looks so much better from the sea. Add monuments, museums and great fresh local produce, and you've got my new favourite place in Turkey. canakkale.goturkiye.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: The greatest desserts in the world are Black Forest gateau and chocolate ice cream. At Gaston Chocolat, an artisan chocolatier in Port Villa, Vanuatu, you can taste the love child of the two: Black Forest gateau ice cream. It gave me my most mouth-pleasing moment of the year, made even better because it was my birthday. The locally produced chocolate bars are a revelation, too. gastonchocolat.com

BEST STAY: The Warders Hotel, Fremantle, WA, is beautifully restored boutique accommodation where walls weep with history. Prison officers from Fremantle Jail used to lodge here in limestone cottages, but there is no hint of hardship in hotel rooms featuring generously stocked, complimentary minibars and fizzy mineral water literally on tap. The Asian-inspired Emily Taylor restaurant offers robustly spiced, well-priced meals and outdoor dining in a large and vibrant courtyard. wardershotel.com.au

HOTLIST 2024: I want to go to Lhasa and finally see the temples, palaces and monasteries of Tibet. I want Tibetans to greet me traditionally, by waving their tongues. And I want to eat momos for every meal, because I bloody love them. I'd love to visit the mountain kingdom of Bhutan, too. So, it's an all-Himalaya hotlist for me. tibettravel.org

BEST DESTINATION 2023: It's what every traveller longs for: the feeling of standing in a new place, astonished at how extraordinary it is. In Saudi Arabia, it happens every day: exploring the winding lanes of Jeddah's old town; in front of the Nabatean sandstone tombs at Hegra glowing golden in the morning sun; watching thousands of worshippers pouring out of Medina's main mosque; standing in the lush palm-filled Wadi Al Disah oasis. The country is four times the size of France, so let an experienced operator such as EXO Travel Saudi Arabia handle the logistics. Even more exhilarating: meeting locals so excited about their new freedoms - particularly women. visitsaudi.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Dinner at the two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, UK, is always an event, but I reckon breakfast at this luxury retreat is even better. The patisseries are exquisite - the glossy tiger-striped chocolate and coffee brioche is the best thing I've eaten all year - and the view over chef Raymond Blanc's extraordinary gardens is entrancing. belmond.com

BEST STAY: It's not hard to feel rejuvenated at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, UK. Just breathe deep as you wander through the 177-hectare estate, or tuck into the farm fresh organic food at the two excellent restaurants. The highlight is the 1500-square metre nature-centred spa, The Bothy, entered via a walled garden. The space is serene, the practitioners are world-class, and even the fitness class is held in the woods: think squats against a tree trunk and balancing on logs. heckfieldplace.com

HOTLIST 2024: There is a new airport opening on the Caribbean coast, and the launch of the new long-distance Maya Train, but the best reason to visit Mexico is still its beguiling kaleidoscope of experiences. What to explore first? Mighty Mayan ruins, rich tribal cultures, the majesty of Copper Canyon or the magnificent marine life of Baja California? The country's 33 World Heritage sites include the dazzling Mexico City, packed with bars and museums, galleries and Aztec ruins. Throw in an incredible food scene and it's no wonder I can't wait to get back. visitmexico.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: To make a quick trip to Seattle more of an adventure, I travelled to Washington's San Juan Islands. Many of the 400 tiny dots of land and rock in the archipelago are uninhabited, with three of the larger isles - San Juan, Orcas and Lummi islands - accessed by ferry. The drawcard here is the marine life, with three resident orca pods living in the surrounding waters. On a moody afternoon, we observed them as they went about their business. Along the way, we spotted a humpback, bald eagles and harbour seals. On land, it's nature at its best - towering fir forests, rocky bays, sandy beaches - with untold opportunities to hike, cycle, kayak and breathe in that sea air. visitsanjuans.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: The Pacific Northwest is known for incredible seafood, and it was all on show at Port Angeles' 23rd Annual Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival in October. The piece de resistance? The crab dinner. At tables under a setting sun, we cracked through whole Dungeness crabs served with melted butter, a cob of corn and a mound of coleslaw. At $US40 ($60) a crab, it's an absolute bargain. crabfestival.org

BEST STAY: A pretty art deco building, cosy rooms decorated with hand-painted murals, a walk across Pyrmont Bridge into Sydney's CBD... what's not to love? Aiden Darling Harbour is a boutique hotel that gets it just right without draining the wallet. aidendarlingharbour.com.au

HOTLIST 2024: Forget Norway. Next year, the much closer South Island of New Zealand - specifically Fiordland - is on my radar for its dramatic landscape carved by glaciers. While plenty of people hike Milford Sound, there are far fewer visitors further south. An overnight cruise to some of the more isolated fiords and hiking around alpine lakes, past waterfalls and through fairy-tale forests are all on the itinerary in this pristine part of the world. fiordland.org.nz

BEST DESTINATION 2023: My shoulders start to relax on the flight to Honolulu, lulled by soft ukulele music and island flavours. I know I'll be greeted by the warm aloha spirit when I land. Hawaii is a soul-food destination for everyone from solo travellers to honeymooners, families and friends. I return to Hawaii again and again - three times this year alone - as much for the natural beauty, gentle waves and scrumptious regional cuisine as for the kindness of the local people. Visitors can repay some of that kindness by holidaying on Maui and supporting local businesses there. The island has fully reopened after the tragic Lahaina fire and needs tourists to return. gohawaii.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: You should try to nab a coveted reservation at Mama's Fish House before you book flights to Maui, not the other way around. There's a six-month wait-list for dinner. It was fresh, delicious and so local the menu lists the names of the fishermen who hauled in that day's catch, and I savoured the taste of authentic Hawaii in every bite. mamasfishhouse.com

BEST STAY: If the walls of Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon could talk, they'd speak of 1950s Portugal, of artists who created enduring works of beauty under a repressive regime. The hotel's astonishing collection of mid-century art would rival some of the best galleries in the world and, pausing for afternoon tea in the Almada Negreiros Lounge, the namesake artist's grand-scale tapestries were there for the admiring. fourseasons.com

HOTLIST 2024: Give me exquisite turquoise water to dive into, give me a fish fry dinner under the stars, give me rum cocktails and colourful festivals. Give me more of the Caribbean in 2024. I've enjoyed dipping my toes in the beauty of the Bahamas, Aruba, Bonaire, Martinique, Cuba and the US Virgin Islands, learning along the way about the region's fascinating history and rich cultures. Next on my wish list: Turks and Caicos, an island paradise just a two-and-a-half hour flight from New York City, with exceptional beaches and the best of Caribbean cuisine. visittci.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: There are no cars on Tasmania's Maria Island; just as well too because the island's an animal sanctuary. It's home to the healthiest populations of Tasmanian devils on Earth - at night, out here in the bush, I feel like I'm close to every one of them. I took a four-day walk through its best bits, staying in wilderness camps in national parks where my guides prepared meals we ate outside on timber decks overlooking the beach. I showered outside; it's private enough, except for a row of kookaburras laughing at what they saw. There's a bit of everything here: from mountains and deserted beaches to historic ruins in a World Heritage-listed former convict settlement. Though it's just a 20-minute boat ride off the Tassie coast, I spent four days wondering where everybody was. mariaislandwalk.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Sometimes all the stars align and magic happens. That's Alpino Vino, one of North America's highest restaurants. You'll have to ski there (it's at Telluride Ski Resort) and you can't book. But time it right, and you'll get a soft seat on lambs' wool on an outside deck with Disney-like snowy mountain views that render even the lobster flown in this morning from New England obsolete. tellurideskiresort.com

BEST STAY: Travel all across America and you won't find another frontier town like Silverton, Colorado. And you won't stay in a hotel like the Wyman Hotel. Here's a 121-year-old building repurposed into a modern boutique hotel, but the best part is still its big open cowboy bar downstairs where everyone's your new best friend. Surrounded by 4000-metre-high mountains, you can see them from every window. thewyman.com

HOTLIST 2024: There's no hotter ticket for 2024 if you're a diver or snorkeller; or even if you just like the sea: a West Papua cruise (or a flight) from the top of Australia will take you to the best spot for marine biodiversity on Earth, Raja Ampat. There are more than 1500 islands here, more than 75 per cent of the world's corals, and almost 2000 species of fish. I can't wait to spend days exploring waters home to some of our most prized (and rarest) creatures, like dugong, leatherback turtles, orca and whale sharks. aquaexpeditions.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: The stats show that South Australia has had a record tourism year - and for good reason. It's a pumped-up food and drinks destination for all tastes, with so many great wineries, but also distilleries, breweries, bars, cafes and restaurants ranging from hole-in-the-wall, hard-to-find establishments to renowned long-lunch venues. Adelaide Hills is just 40 kilometres from Adelaide but a complete reset, especially once you check into the stunning Sequoia Lodge, which seems to sit in the treetops of Mount Lofty. Nepenthe winery's multimillion-dollar refurb and lengthy wine list is worth allocating a lot of time, as are the historic villages of Hahndorf, Aldgate, Woodside and Crafers. tourism.sa.gov.au

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Japan was one of the final destinations to open up to travellers, post-COVID-19, and it was a thrill to be there to experience their famous service after a long hospitality hiatus. The Snow Country Gastronomy at the Ryugon hotel in Niigata was a delicious example of this: course after course of precisely prepared and presented traditional dishes made from local ingredients with ancient recipes. We wore traditional silk kimonos in the private dining room of the hotel - a meticulously modernised old ryokan, set in a winter wonderland. ryugon.co.jp

BEST STAY: What a view from my balcony, looking down on little Penguins perched on icebergs in a clear blue sea as far as the eye can see. My room? A spacious, luxurious Silversea suite with a cosy king bed, well stocked cafe/mini bar and oodles of storage. Antarctica is a bucket-list destination, but the journey exceeded my high expectations. The juxtaposition between the harshness of the continent and the luxury of our accommodation was an experience I'll never forget. silversea.com

HOTLIST 2024: Despite hectic geopolitical happenings, and much of the Middle East off limits, we still want to go off the beaten track and stay safe - which is why I predict Morocco will be huge for 2024 and beyond. I've booked an Intrepid family tour with my teenage kids and can't wait to witness their surprise and delight at the colours and culture of that wonderful country, from camel trekking through the Sahara to eating our way around the famous markets of Marrakech. intrepidtravel.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: Travel is at its best when there's an element of surprise. And the moment that knocked my socks off was arriving in Monte Carlo, on a Mediterranean voyage with Viking Cruises. The hedonistic heart of Monaco, best known for casinos and motor racing, was never on my bucket list. In fact, I was so blasé about it, I wasn't even looking out my stateroom window as the ship began to dock. But what a surprise it was when I finally laid eyes on the stunning city cascading down a hill, glowing golden in the early-morning sun. And the rest of the day didn't disappoint either. I have never seen harbours so picture-perfect, roads so clean, lawns so perfectly manicured and buildings that look like they belong in storybooks. vikingcruises.com.au

BEST FOOD MOMENT: I was never big on Vietnamese food, but that changed the minute I landed in Hanoi and had my first taste of the green papaya salad. The flavours, the ingredients and the freshness of the thinly sliced papaya and carrot was next-level. I had this salad everywhere - at restaurants, on a cruise and once even as part of a breakfast buffet. And it was consistently excellent.

BEST STAY: Saffire Freycinet in Tasmania's Freycinet National Park is so much more than just a luxury lodge. It's the start of some truly unique experiences you can only have in this part of the world. The suites were super luxe and the food was incredible, but most unforgettable were the kunzeas that were bursting with honey-scented white flowers when I stayed here in mid-November. saffire-freycinet.com.au

HOTLIST 2024: A sustainable way to travel, rail journeys are having a moment. And it's never been more important to make sure our wildlife encounters are ethical. I'm ticking both those boxes next year with Rovos Rail's 15-day rail journey from Cape Town in South Africa to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, stopping along the way at some of Africa's most incredible national parks for animal encounters that don't adversely affect the flora and fauna. rovos.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: The Flinders Ranges in South Australia is the ultimate accessible outback and currently bidding for World Heritage status. I bumped my little Kia through the rugged beauty of Parachilna Gorge and had a truly enlightening experience exploring petroglyphs with local Adnyamathanha man Kristian Coulthard and his inspiring Wadna business. I hopped on a fossil tour in Nilpena Ediacara National Park to see and touch some of the world's oldest animal fossils, and shared top tucker and craft beer with Jane and Ross Fargher at their super-friendly outback oasis, the Prairie Hotel. southaustralia.com; prairiehotel.com.au; wadna.com.au

BEST STAY: Bawah Reserve is a small, sublime, barefoot-luxury tropical resort in Indonesia with serious eco-credentials including a turtle hatchery, coral nursery and Indonesia's largest marine solar farm. I snorkelled with turtles over pristine reefs and kayaked to empty beaches to swim with baby reef sharks. Bawah is the eco-paradise I have been searching for. bawahreserve.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: New Year's Day in Kyoto and almost everything was closed. I was resigning myself to a vending machine dinner on a cold park bench when a red lantern drew me to a restaurant down Pontocho alley near Shijo Ohashi Bridge. After much bowing and many apologies from me for my lack of Japanese, the staff produced warm sake and a cavalcade of spectacular dishes. Best Japanese cuisine ever. I only learned the restaurant's name later - Ponto. No website, but it's on Google maps.

HOTLIST 2024: Japan is the perfect year-round destination, from spring cherry blossoms in Kyoto and summer snorkelling in the Izu Islands to autumn hikes in Kanazawa and winter skiing in Hokkaido. It's red hot with Aussies, with dozens of direct flights each week. I fell in love with Japan on my first visit this year, and am returning to discover some off-beat destinations. www.japan.travel

BEST DESTINATION 2023: In a moment that exceeded all my expectations of one of the world's most photographed places, the view from the white-washed town of Oia, on the Greek island of Santorini, opened out before me as I emerged onto the town square ... and blew my mind. Gazing across the deep blue expanse of the Aegean, you understand in an instant why this place is a beloved - even overloved - destination. I was there off the Norwegian Jade cruise ship, for just a few hours, and made plans in my head to return for a much longer stay. You can visit vineyards and ancient ruins, hike, swim and sail, and watch endless sunsets over the caldera. And simply wander, as I did this day, with the spectacular panorama as a constant companion. visitgreece.gr

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Our travels are so often designed to catch up with friends and Peppina, in The Tasman hotel on the Hobart waterfront, proved a fine place to do it. With the restaurant's ethos of big-hearted Italian hospitality, our table was soon groaning under dishes such as pork and beef meatballs doused in rich tomato sauce, and paccheri pasta beneath wagyu shin and pork belly ragu. Three old friends, we talked the legs off said table, and none of us could say no to the tiramisu. peppinarestaurant.com

BEST STAY: Dairy Flat Lodge is an extension of the Lake House in Victoria's Daylesford, run by hospitality legends the Wolf-Tasker family. Set on a 15-hectare regenerative farm, it's designed to bring groups of friends and family together, with a concierge to prepare breakfasts and help plan your days. There's even a bakehouse on site - you can stop by for a croissant on your morning walk on a property that has orchards, olive groves, beehives and cows. It's flat-out luxury meets bucolic bliss. dairyflatfarmdaylesford.com.au

HOTLIST 2024: As if Paris could be any more popular, the City of Light will welcome millions when it plays host to the Olympic Games - the opening ceremony on July 26 taking place not in a stadium, but along the river Seine, and just days after the conclusion of another momentous event, the annual Tour de France. My family plans to follow the great cycling race for a week or so, over hills and mountains and through towns and villages like Macon, Dijon and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. We'll be gone before the Games begin, having done our share of making memories amid the madding crowds. parisjetaime.com

BEST DESTINATION 2023: Dangling off Buenos Aires' flank like a haute couture handbag is Puerto Madero - former docklands that have become one of the Argentinian capital's newest, safest and most vibrant neighbourhoods. Red and yellow cranes, standing sentinel on bridges connecting this glittering enclave to the mainland, hint at the area's working-class history. Now, it's all about people-watching. On weekends, bike-riding boys crank out wheelies in front of feminist artist Barbara Kruger's monumental grain-silo mural. On Puente de la Mujer (Woman's Bridge), I dodged frocked-up young ladies posing for their personal photography crews. The footbridge, their in-demand backdrop, channels the drama of tango. As it was a Sunday I continued to Plaza Dorrego to catch the national dance in close-up. The couple's leg flicks, dips, twirls and synchronicity fulfil every fantasy. argentina.travel

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Forget eating with your eyes. When a pile of fragrant steamed green-lipped mussels lobs in front of me at New Zealand's Lochmara Lodge, I lean in and inhale deeply. They speak of the sea that defines life in the Marlborough Sounds - a series of sea-drowned valleys topping the South Island. If you can't reach the water access-only lodge off Picton, head to tiny Havelock - the self-declared Greenshell Mussel Capital of the World. lochmara.co.nz

BEST STAY: Pano Lefkara, one of Cyprus's most charming mountain villages, is home to the Agora Hotel. Life at the 18-room property, tucked into a street so narrow you must park elsewhere and take a golf buggy to fetch your luggage, revolves around the stunning saltwater courtyard pool. Dive right in or strike an envy-inducing pose. theagorahotel.com

HOTLIST 2024: South Korea - think street food, Oscar-winning movies and pop music, for starters - is having a moment. Its quirks include several horse-shaped lighthouses and access to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). With plenty of affordable flights from Australia, it's also within reach of most travellers' budgets. english.visitkorea.or.kr

BEST DESTINATION 2023: You could just feel the excitement rippling through our tour coach. After a nearly three-hour journey from the port of Alexandria - where we had docked on our Celestyal Mediterranean cruise - we had our first glimpse of the Giza pyramids, peeking above Cairo's epic urban sprawl. These 4500-year-old wonders had enchanted us from afar as we toured through Egypt's capital and it was a life-affirming, bucket-list moment to finally see them up close, so close that we ran our hands over their bumpy, weathered facades and marvelled at the number of individual stones used to construct them (think: millions, some weighing up to 15 tonnes). And below the pyramids, on this dusty, camel-strewn desert plateau, the Great Sphinx beckoned. celestyal.com

BEST FOOD MOMENT: Day-tripping from Edinburgh, I loved pottering about Limekilns, a quaint waterfront village that featured in Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, a novel I'd read as a child. Peckish, I ducked into the nautical-flavoured Ship Inn to devour a slow-braised home-made steak and ale pie, then a gin and tonic cheesecake that was every bit as delicious as it sounds. the-ship-inn-limekilns.co.uk

BEST STAY: Chandeliers and stucco flourishes caught my gaze as I stepped into the palatial, yellow-hued neoclassical hotel. Even more dazzling was the midsummer's sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my room, from which I saw yachts bobbing, while on the garden terrace, a cool crowd was sipping bubbly. This felt like France or Italy. But we were in fact at the Manor House Country Hotel, a chic hideaway in the beautiful Fermanagh Lakelands of Northern Ireland. manorhousecountryhotel.com

HOTLIST 2024: Malmo will emerge from Swedish capital Stockholm's shadow when it hosts Eurovision 2024 in May. Away from the music-inspired revelry, I'll enjoy ambling the cobbled streets of Gamla Staden (Malmo's Old Town), where colourful half-timbered houses neighbour design stores, galleries and cafes fuelled by fika (the coffee and cake breaks adored by Swedes). I'll also ride the train across the Oresund Bridge, an engineering masterpiece that starred in Scandi noir TV hit The Bridge, and connects Malmo with Copenhagen, Denmark's always-engaging capital. visitsweden.com

Read more on Explore: