As 2025 unfolds, the travel landscape presents an intriguing paradox. While some destinations struggle under the weight of overtourism, others welcome visitors with open arms, offering transformative experiences that benefit both visitors and local communities.
As per the BBC, these 25 remarkable places represent the antithesis of crowded tourist traps—they’re destinations where travel becomes a force for positive change, supporting conservation efforts, cultural preservation, and economic development.
Top Places to Travel in 2025
25. Oslo, Norway
As one of Europe’s most forested cities, Oslo demonstrates how urban environments can coexist harmoniously with nature.
Oslo’s extreme walkability, modern architecture, and sweeping waterfront create an urban experience that feels refreshingly unhurried. The city attracts visitors committed to sustainable tourism while maintaining its reputation as one of the world’s most livable destinations.
Local businesses like the Norwegian Adventure Company offer glacier-carved fjord kayaking and Northern Lights expeditions. After outdoor adventures, visitors can enjoy farm-to-table dining at Michelin-starred Maaemo, which features locally grown, organic produce.
24. Botswana
Africa’s leader in green safari tourism continues expanding its sustainable approach while making access easier for international visitors.
Botswana’s natural wonders include Chobe National Park, known as the “Elephant Capital of the World,” and the UNESCO-listed Okavango Delta. This vast Kalahari Desert wetland serves as a crucial sanctuary for cheetahs and black rhinoceroses.
New Air Botswana (BP) routes connecting Gaborone to Cape Town make exploration more accessible while maintaining the country’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices that protect wildlife and benefit local communities.
23. Bolivia
Beyond the famous Uyuni salt flats and high-altitude La Paz, Bolivia offers profound cultural experiences rooted in its Indigenous heritage.
In colonial Potosí, visitors can sample bicentennial singani, Bolivia’s national spirit that originated with 1500s viticulture in this former mining boom town. The architectural remnants of that prosperous era create a stunning backdrop for exploration.
Community-based tourism initiatives like Chalalan Ecolodge in Madidi National Park create opportunities for visitors to experience Amazon wildlife while supporting local economies.
22. Kansas City, Missouri, US
The “Paris of the Plains” undergoes a major transformation in 2025, promoting its creative arts scene and barbecue heritage through ambitious urban revitalisation projects.
The world’s first Museum of BBQ opens at Crown Centre in spring 2025, offering immersive experiences exploring Kansas City’s deep barbecue culture through interactive exhibits.
Infrastructure improvements include KC Streetcar extensions connecting the Union Hill shopping district and the National WWI Museum and Memorial, home to the world’s most comprehensive World War One collection.
The Rock Island Bridge reopening creates a unique entertainment district 40 feet above the river, adding another distinctive attraction to the city’s growing appeal.
21. Azores, Portugal
Portugal’s nine-island Atlantic archipelago gains distinction as home to Europe’s largest protected marine sanctuary. The 287,000-square-kilometre Marine Protected Area, larger than Great Britain, safeguards deep-sea corals, sharks, and 28 whale and dolphin species inhabiting these isolated waters.
This groundbreaking conservation effort enhances already exceptional whale-watching opportunities while supporting sustainable marine research expeditions.
Furnas Valley showcases two active volcanoes where visitors can enjoy geothermal hot springs, botanical gardens, and Terra Nostra Park, arguably Europe’s most beautiful park.
20. Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baluchistan Region
Pakistan emerges as a surprising destination for adventure travellers, with the northern Gilgit-Baluchistan region offering access to five of the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, including K2, the world’s second-highest.
The “Heaven’s Gate” region combines extreme mountaineering opportunities with breathtaking natural beauty.
Beyond staggering mountain trails, the region features lush valleys, pristine lakes, and glacial waterfalls. The Hunza Valley blooms with cherry blossoms and apricot orchards, while UNESCO-listed Deosai plains undulate toward Shangri-La-esque mirrored lakes.
Responsible tourism initiatives and sustainable efforts target eco-conscious visitors while supporting local communities dependent on mountain tourism for economic opportunities.
19. Isle of Man
Despite being surrounded by the UK, the Isle of Man operates under the world’s oldest continuous parliament, the Tynwald, and preserves unique cultural traditions including Manx Gaelic language and currency.
Ancient sites include Cashtal yn Ard, the largest Neolithic tomb in the British Isles, and Castle Rushen, one of Europe’s most complete medieval structures.
The new Manx Birdlife Point of Ayre National Reserve opened in July 2024, showcasing spectacular native bird species. Okell’s Brewery celebrates its 175th anniversary with tasting tours throughout 2025. Organised walking events help visitors explore diverse landscapes reminiscent of English fields, Irish hills, Welsh coastlines, and Scottish Highland peaks.
18. Emerald Coast, Nicaragua
Central America’s largest country remains among its least visited, but the new Carretera Costanera highway promises to change that dynamic.
The ambitious infrastructure project, set to be completed in 2025, dramatically improves access from capital Managua to tropical forests and world-class surf destinations like San Juan del Sur and Popoyo.
Locally owned surf camps, rainforest treehouses, and the Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor offer authentic experiences. The refuge provides once-in-a-lifetime turtle watching as thousands of endangered olive ridley and leatherback turtles nest between September and October.
17. Haida Gwaii, Canada
This archipelago of over 150 islands off British Columbia’s coast offers profound connections to nature, culture, and history. The ecologically rich islands support more than 6,800 species, including endemic birds, mammals, and plants, sustaining the Haida People for at least 15,000 years.
Visitors explore abandoned Haida villages like SG̱ang Gwaay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring ancient mortuary poles and longhouse remains. Distinctive wildlife includes the Haida Gwaii black bear and seabirds like puffins and ancient murrelets.
The Haida Laws concept of “everything depends on everything else” teaches visitors about shared responsibility for Earth’s care, creating meaningful cultural exchanges between guests and Indigenous communities.
16. Uzbekistan
With over 60% of its population under 30, Uzbekistan represents one of the world’s youngest nations while striving to maintain unique traditions and cultures.
The president’s Global Green Tourism Startup Lab initiative combines green economy commitments with tourism development. Regional connectivity improves through the Silk Road railway tour connecting Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, launched in November 2024.
Easier border crossings and new transportation options make this historically significant region more accessible while preserving its ancient Silk Road heritage.
15. Hawaii, US
More than a year after devastating Maui wildfires, Hawaii experiences a visitor downturn while families and businesses rebuild. The state asks travellers to return responsibly through the Mālama Hawaii program, embodying the Hawaiian concept of protecting and giving back through environmental stewardship.
The program pairs travellers with over 350 volunteer opportunities ranging from native forest restoration to cooking and sewing with Maui families to preserving plant and animal habitats on Mount Kea slopes.
This approach transforms tourism from extraction to contribution, allowing visitors to support recovery efforts while experiencing Hawaiian culture authentically.
The initiative demonstrates how destinations can rebuild sustainably while creating meaningful connections between travellers and local communities affected by natural disasters.
14. Haa Valley, Bhutan
The world’s first carbon-negative nation and measurer of Gross National Happiness over GDP welcomes thoughtful visitors to its best-kept secret.
The Haa Valley, along Bhutan’s western Tibetan frontier, remained closed to foreigners until 2002 and still receives fewer than 2% of international travellers despite proximity to Paro International Airport (PBH).
This culturally distinct region balances preservation with thoughtful development through the newly restored 400-kilometre Trans Bhutan Trail, the 11-kilometre Haa Panorama Trail revival, and the two-day Joy Bay Tsho Trek winding through pastures, forests, and bamboo groves between Mochu and Youkha villages.
Visitors witness local Bon rituals and rare experiences like breakfast in Bhutan’s lone strict nature reserve, home to red pandas and snow leopards.
13. Jordan
Beyond breathtaking desert landscapes and ancient Petra, Jordan builds its reputation as the Middle East’s premier outdoor adventure destination. The stunning 120-kilometre Wadi Rum Trail weaves through rust-red walls featured in Star Wars, Dune, and The Martian films over ten days.
Jordan’s 33 protected ecosystems include Wadi Mujib Biosphere Reserve, the world’s lowest nature reserve at 410 meters below sea level, where visitors search for Nubian ibex while climbing and swimming through sandstone gorges to waterfalls.
Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan’s largest, supports 180 bird species and 25 endangered mammals. The Aqaba Marine Reserve, added to the IUCN Green List in January 2025, protects coral reefs supporting over 500 fish species and growing diving opportunities.
12. Bradford, England
The northern English city steps from Leeds’ shadow as the 2025 UK City of Culture, launching a year-long program celebrating local cultural icons.
Digital interpretations of the Brontë sisters’ fantasy worlds complement musical programs mixing electronic bassline symphonies, factory folk music, brass bands, and South Asian sounds.
Bradford’s status as Britain’s first UNESCO City of Film, shared with Rome, Sydney, and Busan, stems from its role in productions like Peaky Blinders, Gentleman Jack, The Railway Children, and Wuthering Heights.
The city’s quarter-under-20 population brings special energy to cultural offerings, while an interactive cookbook project celebrates local community recipes, demonstrating Bradford’s appeal to all tastes.
11. Rif Mountains, Morocco
While Morocco rebuilds tourism infrastructure following the devastating September 2023 Al Haouz earthquake and prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the northern Rif Mountains offer crowd-free exploration opportunities.
From Fez, a 65-kilometre drive reaches Moulay Idriss, an ancient hilltop village once closed to non-Muslims. The route continues through olive groves and mountain villages to Ouezzane, a Sufism centre, then Talassemtane National Park for cedar forest hikes and natural swimming holes.
The “Blue Pearl” Chefchaouen enchants with blue-painted buildings and streets, while Morocco’s northern coast offers sleepy Mediterranean fishing villages like El Jebha and Spanish colonial Tetouan.
10. Panama
The 25th anniversary of Panama’s sovereignty over its namesake canal brings special significance as President-elect Trump hints at potential military action to reseize it.
Beyond the canal, Panama’s vast jungles, idyllic islands, and mountainous forests offer diverse experiences.
El Valle de Anton, named one of UN Tourism’s best community tourism villages in 2024, offers cloud forest hikes on the newly opened Cerro Gaital Lookout Trail, where clear days reveal both Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea views.
This trail represents Panama’s 1,000 km of Trails project, boosting sustainable rural community tourism while showcasing Panama’s staggering biodiversity to hikers.
9. Sri Lanka
A $1 billion Colombo megaresort and new airline Air Ceilão, flying to Europe and Australia, demonstrate ambitious recovery plans. The Good Travel Seal initiative celebrates businesses adopting sustainable practices, supporting responsible tourism development.
Visitors seeking coolcation experiences can take legendary train rides into mountainous interiors or explore Colombo and Galle’s new mixologist scene featuring arrack, a 5th-century drink.
The 300-kilometre Pekoe Trail guides hikers through tea plantations and Central Highlands rural villages. An innovative startup allows self-driving tuk-tuk island exploration, with payments going directly to vehicle owners, creating authentic economic benefits for local communities.
8. Western Australia
Perth positions itself as Australia’s western gateway with the country’s only direct European flights and a $5 billion airport redevelopment enhancing travel experiences.
The world’s longest EV charging network, spanning 6,600 kilometres, supports sustainable road tripping through landscapes featuring horizontal waterfalls, towering karri forests, wildflowers, and wineries.
Visitors can swim with whale sharks and photograph quokkas, the “happiest animal in the world.”
Ancient petroglyphs at Murujuga National Park, under UNESCO World Heritage consideration for 2025, complement new disability-friendly Houtman Abrolhos Islands infrastructure, Fremantle boutique hotels, and Great Southern tiny house accommodations.
7. Tucson, Arizona, US
The first US city to receive the UNESCO City of Gastronomy distinction celebrates its 10th anniversary while marking 250 years since its founding.
Desert hiking trails and historic buildings like the 250-year-old San Xavier del Bac, the “White Dove of the Desert,” showcase preservation efforts earning a Global Destination Sustainability Movement Index Award.
Ancient herbs and crops remain staples in contemporary kitchens, creating unique fusion cuisine available at city-of-gastronomy-certified restaurants and Heirloom Farmers Markets.
Local ingredients include chiltepin chilis, edible nopales cacti, and prickly pear, representing 4,000 years of continuous agricultural tradition that influences modern Tucson’s celebrated food scene.
6. Western Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The new circular Expedition 51 route connects Labrador with five Canadian provinces while offering detours to the US and France via St Pierre and Miquelon.
Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage former Basque whaling station, debuts interactive boardwalks and visitor centres in 2025. L’Anse aux Meadows, site of the first Norse North American settlement, enhances ecological protections and upgrades visitor facilities.
Gros Morne National Park introduces new interpretive exhibits highlighting dramatic geology, wildlife, and landscapes. This windswept region features towering icebergs, subarctic forests, massive waterfalls, and coastal villages, all underpinned by over 9,000 years of human history now more accessible through improved infrastructure and enhanced visitor experiences.
5. Wales
Wales celebrates 2025 as the Year of Croeso (“Welcome”), showcasing stunning national parks, medieval castles, and virtually crowd-free experiences.
The city positions itself as a sustainable, culturally focused travel destination, with tourism helping revive the Welsh language and a multi-year £5 billion environmental sustainability program.
Year of Croeso investments include mobility bikes helping adventure-seekers explore wild landscapes along the Wales Coast Path, the world’s only hiking route running the entire country’s coastline length.
Visitors experience authentic Welsh traditions while contributing to conservation efforts that protect the landscapes and communities that make the city unique.
4. Greenland
The opening of Nuuk’s new international airport (GOH), with two more following in 2026, makes reaching this formerly remote destination significantly easier.
Greenland welcomes mindful adventure travellers through a “towards better tourism” pledge and new legislation steering tourism funds toward local community benefits. Summer hiking and whale watching contrast with winter dog sledging and magical aurora experiences.
Modern Nuuk features historic waterfront, informative museums, and impressive art galleries while serving as a launchpad for hiking, fishing, and glamping trips exploring remarkable Arctic territory.
3. The Dolomites, Italy
While Rome faces overtourism challenges during the 2025 Jubilee, northern Italy’s Dolomite Mountains offer spectacular alternatives. The ruggedly beautiful limestone cliffs spanning Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions attract Italian families for exquisite villages, world-class skiing, epic hiking, and stick-to-your-ribs Alpine cuisine.
The 170-kilometre, seven-day Cammino Retico (The Rhaetian Way) connects remote Veneto and Trentino villages through excellent spring, summer, and autumn trails.
The luxury Aman Rosa Alpina hotel’s 2025 grand reopening offers 51 guest rooms, suites, two presidential suites, and private Chalet Zeno, providing pure relaxation before Olympic crowds descend.
2. Naoshima, Japan
Home to Yayoi Kusama’s iconic yellow polka-dotted Pumpkin sculpture, this Japanese island transforms from a polluting copper smelting industry to a contemporary art and architecture destination.
Spring 2025 brings the Tadao Ando-designed Naoshima New Museum of Art, the architect’s tenth island project, showcasing Asian artists’ works as a major Setouchi Triennale highlight.
Neighbouring Teshima features Rei Naito and Ryue Nishizawa’s unique Teshima Art Museum, synthesising art, architecture, and nature, while Inujima showcases historic copper refinery remains reimagined as an epic-scale art installation.
1. Dominica
The Caribbean island nation establishes the world’s first sperm whale reserve, offering ethical swimming opportunities with these incredible cetaceans while supporting marine conservation and regenerative tourism.
Expanded 2025 infrastructure includes digital immigration forms easing arrival and cable-car system development from Roseau Valley to Boiling Lake, one of the world’s largest thermal springs.
Visitors explore hidden gorges, towering waterfalls, and the farm-to-table Lacou restaurant while supporting biodiversity conservation balanced with economic growth. Dominica represents a movement ensuring adventurers protect the natural paradise for future generations.
Bottom Line
Travel in 2025 offers unprecedented opportunities to explore extraordinary places while making positive impacts. These 25 destinations prove that adventure and responsibility can coexist beautifully.
Whether swimming with whales in Dominica, hiking through Bolivia’s otherworldly landscapes, or experiencing Indigenous culture in Canada’s remote archipelagos, each journey contributes to conservation efforts, cultural preservation, and community development. The choice is clear: why settle for overcrowded tourist traps when the world’s most remarkable experiences await thoughtful travellers ready to make their adventures count?
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