Glad to see more people are liking the 1.8 update! I personally have found much to like about it as well. Some of the things you have already mentioned, but I will list a few:
PvP is actually not bad. In my opinion it's better
Bow delay is supposedly reduced
Spectator mode
More blocks mean more opportunities for mapmakers to create better maps
This list my be updated over time, but for now these are my favorite things about 1.8.