Top 10 Places to Visit in the World in 2027 (According to Travellers)

You already know you’re in for an adventure, packed with unforgettable views, random chats in broken English and odd detours that somehow become trip highlights.

When it comes to deciding on your next destination, there are a million places to visit. Do you head somewhere cheap? Somewhere beautiful? Somewhere with excellent food and an okay Wi-Fi connection? Ideally, all of the above.

Planning your big trip for 2027? To make this list as authentic as possible, we asked the biggest travel nerds on our team which places really stuck with them. Not the ones that look good on Instagram, but the ones they’d revisit in a heartbeat. Then we added the practical bits for each one: when to go, what to see and a few tips for travelling from Australia.

Here’s what they said…

1. Japan: Inner Peace, Quirky Traditions and Outrageously Good Food

Japan gets under your skin in the best way. You think you’re ready for it, but you’re not. One moment, you’re elbow-deep in Tokyo vending machines. Next, you’re sipping tea in a peaceful bamboo grove where you can literally hear your own thoughts.

The food? Outrageous. Outrageously good, that is. Conveyor-belt sushi that becomes your obsession for the whole trip. Bowls of ramen that arrive piping hot and vanish in minutes. And convenience store egg sandwiches that are somehow better than anything you’ve ever made yourself.

Go beyond Tokyo and Kyoto if you can. Takayama’s old merchant streets, the deer of Nara and the snow monkeys of Jigokudani (best in winter) are where the real magic lives. A Japan Rail Pass or regional pass can make bullet train trips much cheaper.

Know before you go: Spring (late March to April) brings cherry blossoms and autumn (October to November) brings red leaves, but both are very busy. Direct flights from Sydney to Tokyo take around 10 hours, and Australians can visit visa-free for short stays. Check out our guide to the best Japan travel eSIMs before you go.

2. Portugal: Beach Days and Big Plates

Lisbon, the capital, is full of street music, old trams creaking up impossible hills and tiled buildings in every colour. The old quarter of Alfama is laid-back and authentic. Even the statues seem moments away from relaxing with a glass of wine in hand.

Portugal is forgiving on the wallet, too. It’s cheaper than most of Western Europe, with better coffee and fewer crowds (depending on where you go). The Algarve in the south is all golden beaches, sea caves and fishing villages, while Porto in the north has port wine cellars, riverside bars and the francesinha, a sandwich so heavy it should come with a warning label.

Don’t skip the pastéis de nata. One a day is the minimum. Two is acceptable. Five is a personal choice.

Know before you go: Spring and autumn are perfect, with warm days and smaller crowds. Getting there from Australia involves a stopover, usually in the Middle East or Asia. Portugal is in the Schengen Area, so Australians can generally stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Our Lisbon guide has more ideas.

3. South Korea: Tech, Temples and Fried Chicken at 2 am

Seoul hits you like an energy drink. It’s loud, fast and somehow perfectly organised at the same time. The metro system makes you feel like you’ve got your life together, even if you’re eating fried chicken at 2 am in a neon-lit side street.

Then you hike up a hill, and suddenly everything is quiet. Buddhist temples with curled rooftops sit under pine trees. You hear chanting, smell incense and forget you’re in a city of nearly ten million people.

Spend a few days in Seoul exploring the Gyeongbokgung Palace (wear a hanbok and get in free), the Bukchon Hanok Village and the markets of Myeongdong and Gwangjang. Then take the KTX bullet train to Busan for beaches, seafood and the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village, or to Gyeongju, the ancient capital, which is packed with royal tombs and temples.

Know before you go: Spring (cherry blossoms) and autumn (red and gold leaves) are the best seasons. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are freezing. Direct flights from Sydney take around 10 to 11 hours. Download Naver Map or KakaoMap, as Google Maps doesn’t work well for directions in Korea.

4. Argentina: Big Landscapes and Even Bigger Steaks

Argentina stretches wide in every sense. From the subtropical north to the icy peaks of Patagonia, it’s got range.

Buenos Aires is pure character: cobblestone streets in San Telmo, colourful houses in La Boca, steak dinners at midnight and one of the world’s most beautiful bookshops inside an old theatre, El Ateneo Grand Splendid. Catch a tango show, or better yet, go to a milonga, where locals dance until the early hours.

Then head south to Patagonia. Watch the Perito Moreno Glacier calve huge chunks of ice near El Calafate, or hike to the spiky granite peaks of Mount Fitz Roy from the trekking village of El Chaltén. In the north, Iguazú Falls is a thundering chain of around 275 waterfalls on the border with Brazil. And Mendoza is Malbec country, best explored by bike between wineries.

Know before you go: Patagonia is best from November to March. Buenos Aires is lovely in spring and autumn. Flights go via Santiago or Auckland. Prices can change quickly with inflation, so check the latest advice on paying with cards versus cash before you go.

5. Jordan: Ancient Ruins and Desert Silence

Jordan is full of surprises. The tea is sweeter than you expect, and the people are even warmer.

Petra is the big draw, and it really delivers. Walking through the Siq, a narrow canyon, and seeing the Treasury appear in front of you gives you goosebumps. But give it at least two days. The Monastery, up 800-odd rock-cut steps, is just as impressive and far less crowded, and Petra by Night lights the Siq with candles.

Then there’s Wadi Rum, a red desert of sandstone mountains where you can spend the night in a Bedouin camp under more stars than you knew existed. Float in the super-salty Dead Sea, wander the Roman ruins of Jerash, and finish with a swim in the Red Sea at Aqaba.

Know before you go: Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are ideal, as summers are scorching. The Jordan Pass bundles the tourist visa fee with entry to Petra and dozens of other sites, and it pays for itself quickly. Flights from Australia go via the Middle East.

6. Mexico: Food That Raises Your Standards

Mexico doesn’t ask for your attention. It grabs it with its loud, colourful and layered design. You’ll eat tacos under fairy lights in Mexico City, then see a donkey wander through a fiesta in a small town.

The food? Not fair to the rest of the world. Fresh tortillas puffing on a grill. Salsas that slap. Fruit so sweet you’ll assume it’s been tampered with. And if you think tacos are a casual snack, Mexico City’s street food scene will change your mind.

Spend a few days in the capital, then pick your adventure. Oaxaca is the food and mezcal capital, with colourful markets and the ruins of Monte Albán. The Yucatán Peninsula has the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá and Tulum, plus thousands of cenotes (natural swimming holes). Or head to the Pacific coast for surfing in Puerto Escondido.

Know before you go: The dry season, from roughly November to April, is the best time to visit. Day of the Dead, around 1 and 2 November, is unforgettable. Most flights connect through the US, and if yours does, you’ll need an ESTA even just to transit. Our Mexico eSIM guide has more tips.

7. Georgia (the Country): Good Wine, Mountains and Chaos You’ll Grow to Love

Georgia remains under the radar, but it’s sure to meet your expectations, and then do a backflip and completely exceed them.

Someone once described Tbilisi as a half-finished novel, and it still sounded like a compliment. The capital is packed with colourful wooden balconies, old sulphur bathhouses, graffiti and wine bars carved into basements. Every meal seems to end with someone pouring you another glass.

That’s fitting, because Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, with a tradition of fermenting wine in clay vessels buried underground. Head to the Kakheti region for vineyards and monasteries. Then drive the Georgian Military Highway to Kazbegi, where Gergeti Trinity Church sits beneath a snowcapped mountain, or take on the medieval stone towers of Svaneti.

Know before you go: Late spring (May to June) and autumn (September to October) are best, with the grape harvest in autumn. It’s great value for money. Read more in our guide to whether Georgia is worth visiting.

8. Sri Lanka: Tea Hills, Trains and Coastal Adventures

Sri Lanka is a tropical paradise that costs less than you think and offers more than you expect.

One day, you’re riding a rattling blue train through misty tea plantations on the famous Kandy to Ella route. Next, you’re at the beach, dodging monkeys and slapping on aloe. There’s a reason this island keeps creeping onto bucket lists.

Climb the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya at sunrise. Visit the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Hike to Little Adam’s Peak and the Nine Arch Bridge in Ella. Then spot leopards and elephants on safari in Yala National Park, before winding down in the old Dutch fort town of Galle or on the beaches of Mirissa, where you can go whale watching.

Know before you go: The weather is split by monsoons. The south and west coasts are best from December to March, and the east coast from May to September, so there’s always good weather somewhere. Flights connect through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or the Middle East. Australians need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), so check the official website before you book.

9. Turkey: Street Food, Sea Breezes and Stray Cats

Turkey is generous with flavour, history and surprises. Istanbul is a sensory parade: roasting chestnuts, honking ferries and coffee so strong it could launch you into orbit. The city’s famous street cats are well fed, well loved and completely in charge.

Spend a few days in Istanbul seeing the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar, then take a ferry along the Bosphorus between Europe and Asia. Next, head to Cappadocia for fairy chimneys, cave hotels and the hot air balloons that fill the sky at sunrise. Down south, the Turquoise Coast has ancient ruins, sailing trips and beaches.

For many Australians, a highlight is Gallipoli, where the Anzac Day dawn service draws thousands of visitors each year.

Know before you go: Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are best. Turkish Airlines flies from Australia via Asia, and other airlines connect through the Middle East. Check Smartraveller for the latest visa requirements. Our Turkey eSIM guide covers staying connected.

10. The Philippines: Island Hopping Without the Price Tag

The Philippines isn’t one place. It’s more than 7,000 places. Each island has its own attitude. Some are relaxed, some are more active, and some feel like an abandoned film set for a romcom that never got made.

Palawan will seduce you. El Nido’s limestone lagoons and Coron’s shipwreck dives are among the most beautiful spots in Asia. Bohol will charm you with the Chocolate Hills and tiny tarsiers. Siargao is all about hammocks, scooters and surfboards stuck in the sand. Cebu has waterfalls, canyoning and diving with sardine runs.

It’s paradise, but unfiltered. The kind with pristine beaches, karaoke at midnight and a jeepney ride that somehow fits twice as many people as it should.

Know before you go: The dry season from about December to May is best. June to November brings rain and typhoons. Direct flights from Sydney to Manila take around 8 to 9 hours, and you’ll need domestic flights or ferries to reach the islands. Australians need to complete the free eTravel registration before arrival. Read our guide to the best eSIM for the Philippines.

Honourable Mentions

Unfortunately, this is a top ten list, so we could only include ten destinations. And while those spots are perfect for adventurers and slow travellers, there’s a bunch we left out because they’re already plastered on the walls of every airport lounge. You know the ones. The classics.

So, just to do them justice, here’s a quick shout-out to a few more bucket list destinations:

• Paris, France: a bit of a cliché, but standing under the Eiffel Tower with a warm baguette and zero plan feels oddly right.
• New Zealand’s South Island: mountains, lakes, fluffy sheep and “quick walks” that turn into alpine missions. Bring snacks. And layers.
• Dubai, UAE: loud, flashy and ridiculously hot, but you’ll still end up drinking mint tea in a gold souk you didn’t mean to find.
• Bali, Indonesia: one of the most hyped places on earth, yet it still manages to surprise you. Check out our guide to how many days you need in Bali.
• Australia’s Northern Territory: national parks the size of small countries and sunsets that hit different. The North doesn’t do fast, and neither should you.
• The Grand Canyon, USA: no matter how many photos you’ve seen, it still knocks the wind out of you.
• Barcelona, Spain: tapas at 10 pm, Gaudí’s wildest buildings and alleyways that always lead to another plaza.
• Banff National Park, Canada: lakes so blue they don’t look real, then another one that’s somehow even bluer.
• Italy: Venice, Florence, Naples and absurdly good pasta. It has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country.
• Norway’s Northern Lights: you wait, you freeze, you get a bit grumpy, and then the sky turns green and you forget all of it.

A Final Thought Before You Book

You don’t need to tick off all ten. Pick one, or none. Go somewhere you’ve never heard of and see what happens.

The world is big. Messy. Friendly. Wild. Sometimes you end up at the Eiffel Tower. Other times you’re in a tuk-tuk near a national park, unsure if the driver actually knows where you’re going. Either way, it’s worth it.

Before you go, check the entry requirements on Smartraveller, sort your travel insurance and book the big-ticket items (Inca Trail permits, Petra tours, Japanese ryokan) early. And don’t forget to grab a travel eSIM from ZenSim before boarding. It won’t save you from missed buses or sunburn, but it’ll help you find your way back to your hotel, locate your pre-booked wine tasting or at least load a map when you need it most. Most of our plans can also be topped up with new countries in the app, which is handy if your trip turns into a three-country adventure halfway through.