Readers’ Choice Awards 2024: Top 20 Countries in the World

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveler España. This story is translated from the Spanish by John Newton.

One of the great hassles in surf travel is schlepping around a board. Long boards can be the size of a small airplane wing, and airport personnel, upon seeing a shortboard, sometimes hurl them, as if testing them for flight. Surfers know that it’s not uncommon to pay the oversized luggage fee, which is often north of $150 for one-way travel, arrive in some surfer’s paradise, and unzip their well-padded bag to find their board dinged badly or fully smashed.

The Seven Wonders of the World: it’s a group as iconic as The Beatles, as ancient as history itself, and as lore-heavy as a Hinge date from Bushwick who really found themselves in Bali. And while seven may seem like a compact number—as with any great classic—there’s been a slew of reboots and sequels since the original list from the ancient world dropped nearly 2,000 years ago. We compiled our own list earlier this year, and have coined some sites ‘Eighth Wonders’ (including in this fun piece about New Zealand’s pink and white terraces from Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings). Even the so-called original list is likely a remix too, as the oft-cited first version from ancient Greek historian Herodotus exists only in reference, having been long lost since its days on the Museum of Alexandria’s shelves.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tobi Oluwole, a 30-year-old former sales manager at a Big Tech firm who recently relocated to France. His former employer is known to Business Insider but is not named for confidentiality. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

A Marseille neighbourhood has been crowned the “coolest in the world” in Time Out magazine’s annual ranking.

Oct 2, 2024 • 7 min read

Read more about the winners for the best airports in the US here.

Every year, Condé Nast Traveler readers weigh in on their favorite hotels, airlines, cruises, islands, and more in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Luggage is also among the categories you voted on this year, applauding the brands you trust the most for durable, practical suitcase and bags. After all, no matter the trip—be it a safari, cruise, city escape, or weekend in the woods—you need something to carry your belongings. And for many of us, that same carry-on, duffel bag, or backpack becomes our trusty travel companion for years at a time. Below, find your fellow readers’ favorite luggage brands, plus a few of each brand’s most popular pieces of luggage, should you be looking to add a new roomy weekender or sturdy suitcase to your collection.

After a dramatic four-month delay, Villa Vie's residential cruise ship has finally set sail on its around-the-world voyage.

Air Astana is launching one of the world's longest narrowbody routes with the aim of increasing comfort for passengers.

In 2019, while on a trip to Marrakech in Morocco, Gary He, a Brooklyn-based photojournalist, received an unexpected surprise with his regular McDonald's order.

Yet another list: The group behind this one, The World’s 50 Best Hotels, says the picks come from an anonymous panel of 600 industry leaders. Despite my general aversion to such roundups, I was generally pleased with the selections.