Best Of

Every Best Of list on the site — 40 categories, each one ranked across the whole world rather than country by country. Compare categories picks out the countries that turn up in several at once.

Pick two or more categories to see every country that appears in all of them.
Nature & outdoors
Terraced vineyards and the Danube River near Spitz in the Wachau, Austria
Cycling Routes
Road, gravel, mountain bike & day loops
Practical seasons, distances and access from official sources
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Aerial view of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River gorge at the Zimbabwe–Zambia border
Waterfalls
Scale, easy access & rare experiences
Practical seasons, distances and access from official sources
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Turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo with the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore, New Zealand
Stargazing
Dark skies & observing access
Moonless nights, protected reserves and practical observing bases
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Fitz Roy granite spire at sunrise, seen from El Chaltén
Mountains & Rock Formations
50 entries
The world's most famous peaks and rock formations, and how close you can get
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Aerial view of Stromboli island volcano in the Tyrrhenian Sea
Volcanoes
40 entries
The best volcanoes to visit, and which ones depend on current activity
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View across Khövsgöl Nuur toward the Munku-Sardyk mountain range, Mongolia
Lakes
59 entries
The world's most striking lakes, and the geology behind each colour
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Illuminated stalactite chamber inside Sung Sot Cave, Ha Long Bay
Caves
49 entries
The best caves to visit, from hour-long walkways to serious expeditions
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Garden path and lawns in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Gardens
48 entries
The world's best botanical gardens, and the season each one peaks
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Sand dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, Morocco
Natural Phenomena
29 entries
Where and when to see the northern lights, migrations and other rare phenomena
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Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring's rainbow rings in Yellowstone's Midway Geyser Basin
Hot Springs
64 entries
The world's best hot springs, and the bathing rules that catch visitors out
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Perito Moreno Glacier and Andes peaks, Los Glaciares National Park
National Parks
81 entries
The standout national park in each country, and the season to see it
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Glacier along the Antarctic Peninsula coastline
Hard to Reach Places
20 entries
The most remote places you can travel to, and what it takes to get there
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Puffin on the clifftop at Látrabjarg in the Icelandic Westfjords
Birdwatching
61 entries
Where the species counts are highest, and the month each one is worth flying for
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Water & adventure
Aerial view of the crescent-shaped Half Moon Bay on Antigua's southeastern coast
Beaches
59 entries
The best beaches in the world, picked for sand and setting — not the resorts behind them
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Mount Otemanu rising above the Bora Bora lagoon
Islands
35 entries
The best islands in the world, chosen on geography rather than resort count
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Surfers at Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast
Surfing
52 entries
The world's best surf breaks, and the swell season that makes each work
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Aerial view of Arlington Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
Scuba Diving
32 entries
The world's best dive sites, and the experience level each one demands
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Flats fishing in the backcountry near Islamorada in the Florida Keys
Fishing
46 entries
The waters worth building a trip around, and the season each one fishes
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Paragliders above the Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz after launching from Babadağ
Paragliding
42 entries
Launch sites that fly often enough to plan around, and how you reach each one
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Culture & heritage
The Rijksmuseum's twin towers and central passage, Amsterdam
Art Museums
47 entries
The world's great art museums, and the works people come for
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Museo de La Plata building facade in La Plata, Argentina
Museums
48 entries
The world's great museums, and what each holds that nowhere else does
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LEGO House, Billund, Denmark
Unique Museums
59 entries
The world's strangest museums, and why each one came to exist
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The iconic Gothic arches of Pacific Science Center at Seattle Center, built for the 1962 World's Fair
Kids Museums
30 entries
The best children's museums, and what the exhibits let kids actually do
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Sydney Opera House's white shell roofs on Sydney Harbour
Architecture
71 entries
The world's most remarkable buildings, and what makes each one significant
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Neuschwanstein Castle against the Bavarian mountainside, Schwangau, Germany
Castles
70 entries
The best castles to visit, from open ruins to furnished palaces
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St. Mary's Cathedral illuminated at night, its twin Gothic spires lit gold
Cathedrals
59 entries
The world's great cathedrals, and what to look for once inside
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Victoria Falls in full flood with mist rising from the Zambezi gorge
UNESCO Sites
50 entries
The UNESCO World Heritage Sites worth the journey — and there are over a thousand that aren't
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Limestone karst islands rising from the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Wonders of the World
47 entries
The wonders of the world, and what visiting each is actually like now
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Mountain gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Animal Encounters
26 entries
Where to see wild animals — the parks and reserves worth travelling for
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Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris
Amusement Parks
35 entries
The world's best theme parks, and which rides justify the queue
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Aquarium of the Pacific's Pacific Visions wing, Long Beach
Aquariums
21 entries
The world's best aquariums, and what each collection is built around
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Sydney Tower rising above the city skyline
Observation Decks
53 entries
The best observation decks and viewpoints, and which ones need booking ahead
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African bush elephant in Etosha National Park, Namibia
Safari
37 entries
The best safari destinations in Africa, and when each one peaks
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Snow-covered Andes cordillera peaks at Las Leñas
Ski Resorts
30 entries
The world's best ski resorts, and what each mountain is actually strong at
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Winery and vineyard at Mendoza, Argentina, with the Andes in the background
Wine Regions
26 entries
The world's best wine regions, and whether you can walk in or must book
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Family
Colorful Nyhavn canal waterfront in Copenhagen with historic townhouses
Kids Friendly Places
20 entries
The best places to travel with kids, and the ages each one suits
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Accommodation
Antigua
Resorts
105 entries
The best resorts in the world, where the property itself is the destination
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Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel colonial facade, Hanoi, Vietnam
Luxurious Hotels
48 entries
The world's most luxurious hotels, and what separates them from the merely expensive
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Aerial view of the western coastline and turquoise Caribbean sea, Anguilla
Ultra Luxurious Resorts
25 entries
The world's most exclusive resorts, and how you physically get to them
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Uluru glowing at sunset in the Central Australian desert
Unique Hotels
26 entries
The world's most unusual hotels — lighthouses, caves, treehouses and ice
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