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Looking for sun-filled destinations to add to your 2025 travel plans? Here’s some inspiration to fuel your next adventure.
Whether you’re looking for turquoise waters, culture or a bit of wellness, the team at A Taste for Travel has curated a list of destinations that promise to serve up plenty of sunshine and memorable experiences.
From sunny southern Europe to the Caribbean, these places are especially worth visiting in 2025!
In alphabetical order we have:
1. Aruba
Selected by: Sue Campbell
I’ll be making multiple trips back to Aruba this year as I’ve never seen such a boom in new accommodations and gourmet foodie outlets to sleuth out.
There are over a dozen chef’s table experiences now!
New luxury appears to be the theme on the resort front in 2025.
Aruba Ocean Villas (one of our favourite boutique hotels in Aruba) now boasts an entire row of surreal split-level overwater bungalows and a new overwater dining pier.
And JOIA Aruba by Iberostar just opened a very elegant stay on world-class Eagle Beach.
The new St. Regis Aruba Resort promises a new level of luxury on popular Palm Beach this month, and Secrets Baby Beach Aruba is slated to open a stunning new adult-only, all-inclusive resort on the San Nicolas tip of the island this summer.
Plan your Trip with our Aruba Travel Guides
2. Bahamas
Selected by: Jennifer Bain
I’m continually inspired by the Bahamas National Trust’s dedication to preserving mangroves, coastal wetlands, pine groves and old-growth forests in national parks on Grand Bahama Island and New Providence.
I can’t wait to visit The Exumas and explore the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
A world first when it was designated in 1958, it’s now the country’s most visited national park and a strict “no take zone” that safeguards marine life by banning fishing, conching, shelling and lobstering.
I’m eager to catch a glimpse of endangered Bahamian rock iguanas and Bahamian hutia, the resilient, rabbit-sized rodents once thought to be extinct.
By park headquarters, I’ll pause by the reconstructed skeleton of a 52-foot sperm whale that died in 1995 after swallowing a plastic bag.
Though a solemn sight, it’s a powerful reminder of how crucial it is to care for this extraordinary place.
Plan Your Trip with Our Bahamas Travel Guides
3. Bonaire
Selected by: Jessica Percy-Campbell
I can’t wait to revisit Bonaire. Although it’s known as a diver’s paradise, this tiny island truly has so much more to discover, with lots of recent developments.
Divi Flamingo Beach Resort has a new dive pier that affords snorkelers easy access to the protected marine park.
The resort is steps away from downtown, which has much to offer: enjoy a cocktail under the overwater palapas at Karel’s Beach Bar (one of my favourite beach bars in Bonaire) and its new sister Pier Dos for fine dining.
The lazy river ride that encircles the new Chogogo Dive and Beach Resort downtown (day passes available) is currently on my bucket list as well.
Their chef’s table experience at Biña looks inviting, with vegan options available upon request (in advance).
Bonaire is always impressively eco conscious.
Among the many things to do in Bonaire, next time I’m definitely taking an electric golf cart to the pink lakes and salt mountains cresting the wild flamingo sanctuary.
Surreal.
Plan your Trip with Our Bonaire Travel Guides
4. British Virgin Islands
Selected by: Mark Stevens
Biggest reason I love the British Virgin Islands is the laid-back vibe.
Sometimes that’s a mixed blessing for this archipelago, because that vibe’s chiefly due to the challenge tourists face in getting here.
British Virgin Islands, for example, are much less popular than neighbouring St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Recent and upcoming changes in airlift (though you still can’t fly direct from Canada) will make getting here more convenient than ever.
In October, Caribbean Airlines launched new routes to improve connections
between BVI and the rest of the Caribbean and American Airlines recently added flights to their direct service from Miami. St. Maarten-based Winair is considering expanding their VI operations in the new year.
While direct flights will still be a challenge (hopefully letting BVI retain that old-Caribbean charm), visiting this year should be more convenient than ever.
It’s certainly on my bucket list for 2025.
5. Eastern Mediterranean
Selected by: Rick Powell
In 2025, my family and I are setting sail from our home base in Cyprus to join relatives in Greece, then cruise the islands, North Africa, and beyond.
We’ll drop anchor in Limassol (famed for its annual wine festival) on the southern coast of Cyprus and look forward to exploring the medieval castle, Old Town markets, promenade cafés, and the nearby Kourion Archaeological Site dating to 8 BC.
What’s new? While there have been tensions in the broader Middle East, Cyprus remains a key gateway for exploring the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond.
The government is investing in tourism, with the cruise industry reaping big benefits. Limassol will soon feature a new terminal and expanded quays plus modernized procedures for embarkation and security. The overall footprint will be more eco-friendly.
Sun, history, and an updated welcome mat— a winning combination for 2025 travel.
Plan Your Trip with Our Greece and Cyprus Guides
6. Highlands of Guatemala
Selected By: Javier Sanchez
Guatemala is entering an exciting new chapter under President Bernardo Arévalo, who took office in 2024.
His administration is driving transformative change, focusing on sustainable development and strengthening the nation’s tourism sector especially in small villages in the highlands.
For me, one of the travel highlights of 2025 will be an overnight trek to the 3,976 m. (13,041 ft) summit of Volcán Acatenango near Antigua (UNESCO World Heritage Site), where I’ll fall asleep to flowing lava and then hike to the summit to catch the sunrise—an adventure made even more meaningful by its positive impact on local communities.
I’ll also be wandering through the markets, picking up ingredients for traditional Guatemalan recipes we’ll be cooking in our family’s outdoor oven.
It’s an adobe masterpiece my father built nearly 50 years ago—a piece of living history that’s still at the heart of our meals.
Plan Your Trip with Our Guatemala Travel Guides
7. Huatulco, Mexico
Selected by: Michele Peterson
I’ve been escaping to sunny destinations ever since I hopped on a train out of Winnipeg at age 19 armed with not much more than a copy of The People’s Guide to Mexico (the hippie handbook of the 1970s) and a sarong.
I ran out of money in Vancouver but when I finally walked the beach in San José del Cabo a few years later, I was hooked.
Since then, my trip planning has come a long way, but the urge to head south when the winter winds blow hasn’t changed.
Although we’ve been going to Puerto Escondido (and more recently Huatulco) for more than a decade, in 2025 I’ll be exploring beyond the beaches, which have become increasingly crowded due to completion of Barranca Ventanilla superhighway in 2024.
First up on my Oaxaca wish list will be the Nizandu Hot Springs, a series of six natural pools fed by thermal waters set in the mountains.
Its mud mask treatments and therapeutic mineral waters sound like the perfect place to rejuvenate after what’s been a rather challenging year for me medically.
We’ll stop at palenques to sample mezcal and enjoy some regional Oaxacan cuisine such as tlayudas and moles.
Another place on my radar is the coffee town of Pluma Hidalgo, where a panoramic new bridge has opened, offering jaw-dropping mountain views from 1,350 metres (5,000 feet) above sea level.
Since beaches are my first love we’ll also be day tripping to the beach towns of Playa El Mojon and Barra De La Cruz, known for their surfing and solitude.
They’re ideal places to get a dose of wellness!
8. Puerto Rico
Selected by: Sharon Matthews-Stevens
Feast your eyes on large sculptures in public spaces. Walk the fortress and experience the history of San Juan’s World Heritage Site. Immerse yourself in the rainforest with many hues of green; go hiking or ziplining.
Listen to drummers and watch dancers in the square. Sample the cuisine of vendors selling street food. Imbibe famous local drinks. Think about life while strolling in the Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery by the sea.
Loosen up on a sandy beach. Track the action of a wave breaking on the rocks. Stare at giant iguanas sunning, pelicans nosediving.
While Puerto Rico has faced challenges ranging from the 2017 hurricanes to more recent blackouts, the island has never been more appealing.
To a great extent tourism has seen a rebirth thanks to Live Boricua, a campaign offering visitors truly authentic experiences.
As well, many island hotels have updated their properties, new hotels are coming online and the Ritz-Carlton San Juan will be re-opening in 2025 after seven years.
There’s never been a better time to visit this winsome Caribbean island, an unincorporated territory of the U.S., so be sure to add Puerto Rico to your 2025 travel list and enjoy the vibe.
Just like me.
Plan Your Trip with Our Puerto Rico Travel Guides
We hope these sunny destinations will fuel your wanderlust. No matter where you choose to go, they each offer a unique and memorable escape in 2025.
So pack your bags and let the warmth guide your next adventure!
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