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Lonely Planet’s annual Best in Travel book has dropped, revealing the must-visit destinations for 2026.
This year’s list highlights 25 locations across the globe, including an outback Aussie gem in South Australia’s Ikara-Flinders Ranges laced with craggy gorges, saw-toothed ranges, abandoned 1800s homesteads.
‘I’m ecstatic to see the epic Ikara-Flinders Ranges and wider South Australian outback on our prestigious list. It’s one of the world’s most breathtaking environments perfectly primed for the world to discover in 2026,’ says Chris Zeiher, Lonely Planet’s Senior director of trade sales and marketing.
The Lonely Planet expert team is also predicting an influx of travellers to the Soloman Islands for its surf and crystal-clear waters — boasting the second-highest coral diversity on earth.
Other featured destinations include Sardinia’s pristine beaches, the historic centre of Colombia’s Cartagena, the scenic hiking trails in Tipperary Ireland, and the melting pot of cultures that is the French-African island Réunion.
Best in Travel also spotlights the best experiences for the upcoming year, and two local destinations have made the list: Melbourne’s vibrant food scene and Victoria’s Bathing Trail.
‘Melbourne’s food scene is world-class — eclectic, energetic, and experimental. And for a steamy taste of Australia, Victoria’s Bathing Trail is unmissable,’ says Chris
There’s something for every type of traveller named, whether you’re dreaming of an under-the-radar carnival experience like Grenada’s Spicemas, joining the fanatical crowds at an English Premier League football match, or rafting the rapids of the USA’s mighty Colorado River.
Explore the full list of travel destinations below, and pick up a copy to discover the experiences on offer.
Lonely Planet’s Best In Travel 2026 destinations
- Botswana
- Peru
- Jeju-do, South Korea
- Ikara-Flinders Ranges & Outback, South Australia
- Cádiz, Spain
- Liberdade, São Paulo, Brazil
- Sardinia, Italy
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park, USA
- Réunion
- Tunisia
- Barbados
- Solomon Islands
- Maine, USA
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Tipperary, Ireland
- Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala
- Jaffna, Sri Lanka
- Phuket, Thailand
- Utrecht, Netherlands
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Finland
- Quy Nhon, Vietnam
- British Columbia, Canada
- Siem Reap, Cambodia
- North Island, New Zealand/Aotearoa
