‘Best of the World’: National Geographic reveals the top 25 travel destinations for 2026

National Geographic’s annual list of top tourist destinations is back.Best in the world 2026“.

Twenty-five locations, from around the world, have been selected as top picks for next year’s most unique travel experiences. Travel editors, contributors and international partners, along with the Nat Geo team, consult on the world’s best food, beaches, architecture and more to visit in the coming year.

National Geographic”Best of the world 2026Featuring unique destinations, from giraffes and zebras in an East African national park, to snorkeling with manta rays in Fiji, and Hawaii’s famous black-sand beach of Maui. The list has amazing suggestions to satisfy any “travel bug.”

Nathan Lamb, editor-in-chief of National Geographic, explained how “travel has the power to inspire and transform us.”

“For this year’s ‘Best of the World,’ we especially wanted to highlight unexpected destinations that algorithms might not serve you well — for example, Khiva in Uzbekistan or Akagera National Park in Rwanda,” Lamb said in a press release. “Of course, we know that not every trip can be an off-the-beaten-path adventure, so we were careful to include some surprisingly attractive places that are also more accessible. Whatever type of traveler you are, our goal is to make sure we share fresh ideas that help you connect with the feeling of discovery and exhilaration that comes from a great travel experience.”

Whether you’re trekking “snow monsters” in Japan’s Zao Mountains, or exploring Spain’s Basque Country after a total solar eclipse, the selection will interest all adventurers.

The complete list of “Best of the World 2026” from National Geographic:

• Akagera National Park, Rwanda, East Africa




• Basque Country, Spain




• Beijing, China




• Black Sea coast, Türkiye




• Coastal Oaxaca (Costa Chica), Mexico




• Dominica




• Fiji




• Guimarães, Portugal




• Hull, Yorkshire, England




• Khiva, Uzbekistan




• Manila, Philippines




• Maui, Hawaii, United States




• Medellin, Colombia




• North Dakota Badlands, United States




• Oulu, Finland




• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States




• Quebec, Canada




• Rabat, Morocco




• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil




• Route 66: Oklahoma, USA




• South Korea (Dongseo Road)




• Dolomites, Milan, Italy




• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia




• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada




• (Yamagata Prefecture, Japan).

For more on Nat Geo’s “Best of the World 2026” list, visit: natgeo.com/bestoftheworld.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of National Geographic and this ABC station.