They include a giant chunk of China that’s home to 44m people, and a castaway
bay in Tasmania with a population of just 300. The northernmost town on
earth, and the furthest-flung islands on the planet.
This Wednesday, the guidebook giant Lonely Planet publishes its annual “Blue
List” - its bible of hot destinations for 2009 - and the authors have cast a
wide and adventurous net. Follow their advice, and your travelling year
could feature polar-bear-spotting in Svalbard, volcano-hiking in Hawaii and
sea-kayaking in Chile.
Always much anticipated, this year’s list will appear in book form under the
title “Best in Travel 2009”, and we’ve got an exclusive preview. Here are
Lonely Planet’s 10 must-see regions for 2009 - each one made easy with our
expert guide on how to plan the perfect trip there.
Package prices include flights from London. Contact the operator for details
on the airline and routing, and for regional departures.
1 BAY OF FIRES Tasmania They say: “White beaches of hourglass-fine
sand, Bombay Sapphire sea, an azure sky - and nobody. This is the secret
edge of Tasmania, laid out like a pirate’s treasure map of perfect beach
after sheltered cove, all fringed with forest. It’s not long since the Bay
of Fires came to international attention, and the crowds are bound to flock.
Now is the time to visit.”
The plan: the bay is an 18-mile ribbon of sea and surf spooling out
from the old whaling town of St Helens. The best base for bronzing and
boarding is Binalong Bay, which has cute cottages from £67 per night for two
(00 61 3-6376 8262, www.bayoffirescottages.com.au
) and sensational lobster suppers at Angasi (www.angasi.com.au
). But the killer way to “do the Bay” is on a guided four-day hike with the
Bay of Fires Lodge (6392 2211, www.bayoffires.com.au
): offered from October to April for £845pp. Bailey Robinson (01488 689700, www.baileyrobinson.com
) can include the walk in a nine-day Tasmania fly-drive, from £2,750pp.
2 BASQUE COUNTRY France & Spain They say: “Walkers fall head over
heels for the Pyrenean vistas where vultures soar on the thermals; art fans
trip out on the futuristic fantasy of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum; and
everyone loses control at allnight street parties a million people strong.
The Basque country is a cocktail of fun, sun, culture and beauty.”
The plan: for a freewheeling tour of the Basque costa, fly to Bilbao
from Stansted with EasyJet (www.easyjet.com
) and check into the boutiquey Miro Hotel (www.mirohotelbilbao.com
; doubles from £91), in position A for the Guggenheim. Then hire a car and
take a pinball whizz along the swerving 30-mile coast road to San Sebastian:
highlights should include the seafood-scented fishing villages of Bermeo and
Lekeito, and surfy Mundaka beach. Finish with a tapas-based tour of the
palace-studded party town of San Sebastian, where the Pension Bellas Artes (www.pension-bellasartes.com
; doubles from £45) is a friendly overnight pick. Alternatively, Cities
Direct (01242 536900, www.citiesdirect.co.uk
) can package up a five-night fly-drive from £349pp.
3 CHILOE Chile They say: “With a newly inaugurated ecological reserve
and the country’s oldest agro-tourism network, Chiloé has adventure on tap.
This misty archipelago is the distilled, 80-proof version of traditional
Chile. Witches and ghost ships go bump in the night, but modernity is on the
march - the cool Museo de Arte Moderno is a worthy heir to Chiloé’s
Unesco-listed shingle churches. Try a family homestay, outdoor lamb-roast
and island-hopping via wooden fishing boat.”
The plan: forget the skyscraping summits of Andean Chile - Chiloé is a
subtler, smudgier landscape of foggy farmsteads and faraway forests, stalked
by Trauco, the virgin-seducing troll of Chilote myth. Pack your rain gear,
and book your homestay with the island operator Austral Adventures (www.austral-adventures.com
) - it can also organise sea-kayaking and visits to Chiloé’s Puñihuil
penguin colony. The fishing-boat option is best tackled aboard the Cahuella,
a 50ft crewed wooden cruiser ; Andean Trails (0131 467 7086, www.andeantrails.co.uk
) teams it with the Patagonian wilds of Pumalin Park: six days from
£1,020pp, plus about £850 for flights.
4 KO TAO Thailand They say: “First there was Ko Samui, then Ko
Pha-Ngan; now, the cult of Ko Tao has emerged along Thailand’s crystalline
Gulf Coast. Tiny Tao sure knows how to pack it in. Diving enthusiasts cavort
with sharks and rays in a playground of tangled neon coral.
To Alex, from Zaragoza: Basque Country is a nation spread in two countries: Spain and France. Have you ever heard about "fêtes de Bayonne-Baionako bestak"? Please, make sure that you're right before telling anyone that's doing a mistake.
You all will be always welcome to come to the Basque Country!
Gurutze, Zarautz-Paris, Basque Country
I,m a citizen of the Basque Country and i would like to make clear that the Basque Country has four counties in Spain (Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Alava and Navarre) and 3 in France (Lapurdi, Zuberoa and BeheNafarroa). We all share a common language (euskera) and a huge cultural heritage. Come and meet us!
pablo bilbao, bilbao,
The Bay of Fires really is amazing - I couldn't stop saying WOW on our 1st visit there. We have been back a couple of times and have found a number of owner operated holiday houses there that if you can get into make the stay even more special. The best was www.binalongviews.bigpondhosting.com
Nic, Geelong, Australia
Sounds a good list and well thought through. Look forward to adding a few more pins on my map, but more to discovering my own to appear in next year's list.
Oh, Alex, best check an atlas - the Basque country does extend into France, not to be confused with the autonomous region of Spain!
Neil, Stroud, UK
Great approach to point out that Koh Tao in Thailand is more than a diving destination. The combination of vibrating nightlife, pristine nature and an abundance of sports activities like sailing and rock climbing among others it's the real deal for 2009.
Alf, Koh Tao, Thailand
Basque Country in France? It's embarrassing a newspaper as The Times make such a BIG mistake.
Basque Country is a region of Spain. Please, take some geography lessons.
Alex, Zararagoza, Spain
Koh Tao is full up already! The diving season is so busy that the Sea looks like a Boat Park....The water is murky due to bad sanitary conditions and plastic bags dropped aimlessly. Cleanliness is not a Thai thing and they only ever fix anything after it has broken down. Too late now.
Billy, Bangkok, Thailand
You're all wellcome to the Basque Country.
Come and tell everyone! ;)
David, Bilbao, Spain
Come to see us on the Basque Country. You can hike above 2000meters from sea level and then pick the car an in 2-3 hours you are riding one of the best left waves in the world in Mundaka. Eat as you have never eaten and have the possibility to see the best museums and parties in the world.
Jon, Tolosa,
DO NOT COME TO TASMANIA. You will not like it ;-)
But really, Tasmania is one of the greatest natural treasures on the planet. Bay of Fires is just the tip of iceberg.
Ben Michell, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
I really love Basque Country, their culture, people and coast!! Amazing!
Cindy, Vineburg, USA
Best beach - OXWICH BAY on the Gower piensula in South Wales. No doubt about it.
mustaffa, eastwood notts,
Bugger , been to them all already , guess i'll just stay at home next year.
michael barnett, woodville, new zealand