Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 features expert predictions for the coming year, including 30 must-visit global destinations. Photo: Supplied.
Travelling can create a sense of excitement and expectancy that may be hard to replicate in other areas of our lives. The thrill of exploring new places, meeting different people and trying novel things is invigorating.
If the all-important question is where to go, you will find answers in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025. The guide includes the top 10 countries, top 10 cities, top 10 regions and top 10 emerging travel trends.
An Australian location has taken the fourth spot in the best in travel destinations for 2025. Launceston and the Tamar Valley are ranked No. 4 in the top 10 regions in the world, happy to show off the lucky marriage of nature and nurture: from the craggy Cataract Gorge and local natural experiences to some of Australia’s most impressive wineries, artisanal producers and dining.
As shared by Lonely Planet’s senior director of trade sales and marketing Chris Zeiher, this region is one of Australia’s most blessed, with a distinct mix of stunning natural attractions and some of the best wineries and restaurants.
“Its title as Australia’s second UNESCO City of Gastronomy and inclusion as one of the top regions for 2025 are well deserved,” Chris said. “There’s a wealth of gastronomic temptations to discover, like Stillwater restaurant, Josef Chromy Wines and the famous Harvest outdoor market in Launnie (as locals love to call Launceston).”
The region also offers travellers an array of amazing outdoor experiences, from mountain biking to skiing, camping and trekking in the famous Ben Lomond National Park.
Now that the finest in travel destinations for 2025 have been revealed, next year could be the time when you visit the top country and venture to see the volcanoes, rainforests and beaches of Cameroon. If a city is your choice, then head for Toulouse, France’s coral-coloured, culture-rich metropolis. Alternatively, you could be attracted by the history, nature and wild seashore of the US state of Georgia.
A sweeping view of Launceston across the Tamar River. About three kilometres wide, the river is navigable over its entire length to the port of Launceston. Photo: Rama Gaind.
Tom Hall, from Lonely Planet, hopes Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 has something to inspire everyone, whether you’re exploring the historical and culinary treasures of Palma de Mallorca, hiking through olive groves and silent wadis on the Jordan Trail or discovering little-known Laos.
“Passionate pitches from our writers compelled the inclusion of the seaside bohemia of India’s Puducherry (Pondicherry), Pacific adventure hotspot Vanuatu and the gentler charms of East Anglia at the green edge of England,” Tom said.
“In a world of artificial intelligence, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 remains a deliberate compilation of human experience.”
If the ‘’where’’ part is solved, then how does ‘’what’’ also feature? Included this year is some light-hearted inspiration that “didn’t fit into any one place in particular”.
“Taking a trip to see a favourite musical act or tasting what’s cooked up in that city or even at one particular establishment are simply superb excuses to visit somewhere new at the same time. Happily, there’s also enthusiasm for travelling in as low-impact a way as possible.”
If you seek flight-free fun, there are 10 fresh train-hopping suggestions. You could go on a pilgrimage to find a special tree, plunging through the undergrowth in search of an unusual bird of paradise, or see how the drag scene is wowing crowds in unexpected places. These are just some of the fast-emerging trends that make for the best stories on returning home.
Lonely Planet’s 15th annual collection with expert predictions for the coming year features 30 must-visit global destinations. The top city is Toulouse, France, and countries include Pacific neighbours Fiji, at No. 2, and Vanuatu, at No. 8.
This must-have travel guide also features some notable Australian and NZ inclusions under top emerging travel trends. Under beaches, Whitehaven Beach, Queensland, is No. 1, and Squeaky Beach, Victoria, is second. The Indian Pacific Railway Journey, at No. 2, is a place to relax, and the avian species to look out for are the cassowary (No. 1) and takahe, in NZ (No. 8).
Also unearthed are some lesser-known gems such as Genoa in Italy, Switzerland’s Valais region and Lithuania. England’s East Anglia, Pittsburgh in the US, and Edmonton in Canada offer other fresh takes for travellers.
The 224-page hardcover edition of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025 is a compact, brightly illustrated travel gem.
Is anticipation the happiest part of a travel journey? If so, let the eagerness begin, with a year of adventures set to get underway!
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2025, $32.99
