'Enigmatic' East Anglia named top UK destination in Lonely Planet's Best of Travel 2025 list

The sun setting in the Cambridgeshire Fens - one of the signature landscapes of East Anglia. Credit: PA

From its vast skies, beguiling waterways, and wildlife-rich landscapes, to its centuries-old heritage and appealing pace of life, the treasures of East Anglia have long been known and cherished by its residents.

But now the secret may be out.

For the area has been included in Lonely Planet's top 10 regions in its Best of Travel 2025 guide, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Nepal, Panama, Jordan and the US.

The guide hails the region - comprising Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex - as "a sampling platter of old England, without the usual touristy trinkets", pointing to its beautiful nature reserves, lively coastal beach towns and picturesque inland waterways.

"After the trials and tribulations of the early 2020s, many travellers are desperate to escape the modern age, and East Anglia is happy to help out," it adds.

The sights of East Anglia are listed alongside those of Panama, Nepal and the USA. Credit: PA

Why has Lonely Planet included East Anglia on its list?

The travel bible picks out East Anglian highlights including birdwatching hotspots Minsmere in Suffolk and Cley Marshes and Norfolk, the global university city of Cambridge, Norwich's nightlife and beach-hopping along the coast.

But it says 2025 is the time to visit "because word is creeping out, and competition is growing for those dreamy, centuries-old cottages".

"Using the cities of Cambridge and Norwich as springboards to reach the Suffolk and Norfolk coastline, you’ll feel the pace of life ease tangibly as you step off the train – an increasingly rare experience in this crowded island."

The brightly-coloured beach huts at Southwold are another East Anglia's most recognisable sights. Credit: PA

How has the region reacted to being included on Lonely Planet's list?

Pete Waters, executive director of the region's tourism body Visit East of England, welcomed the inclusion but joked that "it could have come sooner".

"It's a wonderful place to visit at any time - wonderful cathedral cities, wonderful university cities of Norwich and Cambridge, fabulous market towns.

"They cite the wonderful food offering we have here in East Anglia, particularly along the coast," he said, highlighting "the best fish and chips in the country" and Cromer crab.

The tourism economy is worth more than £12bn a year across the four counties in East Anglia, and is a major employment sector.

But a major travel theme in 2024 has been that of local resistance to the threat of over-tourism - as demonstrated by thousands of locals in the Canary Islands marching on tourist-trap beaches earlier.

East Anglia is a haven for birdwatchers, who come for sights such as this murmuration of starlings over RSPB Minsmere. Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

So while the increased exposure offered to East Anglia by Lonely Planet has been welcomed in many quarters, it could come with a down side if not managed properly, experts have warned.

Emily Mace, from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, said: "It can create a sense of pride with residents, but with that comes potential risks as well.

"It could lead potentially to overcrowding in already popular areas. If you think of the likes of Cambridge, Southwold [in Suffolk] perhaps even the Norfolk coast, it could impact infrastructure, resources, and the natural environments as well," said Ms Mace, the deputy head of school for marketing, entrepreneurship and tourism.

She added: "East Anglia has not experienced the impacts of mass tourism as yet. There is a potential risk of local resistance if the growth is not managed sustainably.

"Thinking about how can we learn from other regions as well, it’s about implementing the measures such as diversifying its tourism offers, promoting lesser-visited areas [and] engaging communities to make sure the benefits are then shared."

History, learning and culture collide in Cambridge, one of the world's leading university cities. Credit: PA

What other regions are on the list?

When it comes to the top-10 list, East Anglia is in good company.

It is ranked at number eight in the chart, which is headed by South Carolina's Lowcountry and Coastal Georgia in the US, ahead of the Nepalese lowlands of Terai, and the cloud-forest rich region of Chiriquí in Panama.

The full list is as follows:

  • 1. South Carolina's Lowcountry and Coastal Georgia, USA

  • 2. The Terai, Nepal

  • 3. Chiriquí, Panama

  • 4. Launceston & the Tamar Valley, Australia

  • 5. Valais, Switzerland

  • 6. Giresun and Ordu, Turkiye

  • 7. Bavaria, Germany

  • 8. East Anglia, England

  • 9. Jordan Trail

  • 10. Mt Hood and the Columbia River Gorge, USA

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