National Geographic released its highly anticipated Best of the World 2025 list. It highlights some of the most exciting, meaningful and unique travel experiences for the upcoming year.
The list features something for every type of traveler, from families to foodies, animal lovers to adventurers.
The 2025 destinations include a new rock-climbing paradise in India and an island-hopping trail in Stockholm, each chosen to inspire and captivate visitors.
Nathan Lump, editor-in-chief at National Geographic, described the Best of the World list as an annual invitation to explore the diverse beauty of the world.
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“In a time of uncertainty, we wanted to lean into travel that brings joy and taps into the excitement of discovery,” Lump said in an interview with CNN.
This year, joy became a key theme in travel trends.
One destination making waves is Guadalajara, Mexico, which earned its spot on the list thanks to its lively Mariachi Festival. The event transforms the city’s streets into a vibrant musical celebration.
Another notable pick is Boise, Idaho, where the Basque community’s Jaialdi Festival returns after a decade-long hiatus, featuring street parties and traditional sports, including wood-chopping competitions.
For travelers seeking a slower, more reflective experience, Italy’s centuries-old cenobitic monasteries offer a tranquil setting perfect for meditation and connection.
Cork, Ireland, also made the list. The city is known for its vibrant culture and warm locals, and it is undergoing a massive urban transformation that is expected to attract even more visitors in the coming years.
Los Angeles secured its place on the list for its rapidly growing art scene. Additionally, Bangkok was recognized for its quieter, lesser-known spiritual sites, like Wat Chaiwatthanaram, which offer a serene escape from the more crowded tourist destinations.
For those interested in remote cultural immersion, Haida Gwaii, located off the coast of British Columbia, offers a rare opportunity to connect with indigenous traditions and local wildlife.
Whether travelers want to hike active volcanoes in Guatemala, rock-climb in India’s Ladakh region or take a wildlife photography class aboard Malaysia’s luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express, the Best of the World 2025 list provides a variety of incredible experiences.
Jack Aylmer
GET READY TO PACK YOUR BAGS!
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HAS JUST RELEASED ITS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BEST OF THE WORLD 2025 LIST, A SELECTION OF THE MOST EXCITING, MEANINGFUL, AND UNIQUE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.
WHETHER YOU’RE A FAMILY TRAVELER, FOODIE, ANIMAL LOVER, OR ADVENTURER, THERE’S SOMETHING ON THIS LIST FOR EVERYONE.
FROM A NEW ROCK-CLIMBING PARADISE IN INDIA TO AN ISLAND-HOPPING TRAIL IN STOCKHOLM, THIS YEAR’S DESTINATIONS PROMISE TO INSPIRE.
NATHAN LUMP, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, DESCRIBES BEST OF THE WORLDAS AN ANNUAL INVITATION TO EXPLORE THE DIVERSE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD.
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY TO CNN, LUMP SAID, ‘IN A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY, WE WANTED TO LEAN INTO TRAVEL THAT BRINGS JOY AND TAPS INTO THE EXCITEMENT OF DISCOVERY.’ AND THIS YEAR, JOY IS THE REVIVAL TREND IN TRAVEL.
ONE DESTINATION MAKING WAVES IS GUADALAJARA, MEXICO, WHICH EARNED ITS SPOT THANKS TO ITS LIVELY MARIACHI FESTIVAL THAT TURNS THE CITY’S STREETS INTO A MUSICAL CELEBRATION.
ANOTHER TOP PICK IS BOISE, IDAHO, WHERE THE BASQUE COMMUNITY’S JAIALDI FESTIVAL RETURNS AFTER A TEN-YEAR HIATUS, BRINGING STREET PARTIES AND TRADITIONAL SPORTS LIKE WOOD-CHOPPING COMPETITIONS.
FOR THOSE SEEKING A SLOWER, MORE MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE, ITALY’S CENTURIES-OLD CENOBITIC MONASTERIES OFFER VISITORS A CHANCE TO REFLECT AND CONNECT IN A SOULFUL, TRANQUIL SETTING.
ALSO ON THE LIST, CORK, IRELAND, A CITY KNOWN FOR ITS VIBRANT CULTURE AND WARM LOCALS, IS UNDERGOING A MASSIVE URBAN TRANSFORMATION THAT’S SURE TO ATTRACT EVEN MORE VISITORS IN THE COMING YEARS.
L.A. MAKES THE CUT FOR ITS GROWING ART SCENE, WHILE BANGKOK IS ON THE LIST FOR ITS QUIETER, LESS-TOURISTY SPIRITUAL SITES LIKE WAT CHAIWATTHANARAM, OFFERING A SERENE EXPERIENCE WITHOUT THE CROWDS OF MORE POPULAR DESTINATIONS.
AND FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN REMOTE CULTURAL IMMERSION, HAIDA GWAII, OFF THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS AND WILDLIFE.
WHETHER YOU WANT TO HIKE UP ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN GUATEMALA, ROCK-CLIMB IN INDIA’S LADAKH REGION, OR TAKE A WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS ABOARD MALAYSIA’S LUXURIOUS EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS, THE LIST OFFERS A VARIETY OF INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES.
TO CHECK OUT THE FULL LINEUP, WHICH INCLUDES HIDDEN GEMS IN PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, SWEDEN, TUNISIA, AND JAPAN, VISIT BEST OF THE WORLD 2025 ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’SWEBSITE.
FOR SAN, I’M JACK AYLMER
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