Just like clothing, travel destinations come in and out of fashion. Often, places will get described as so ‘underrated’ by trendsetters that resorts start opening up and cashing in on the interest, causing the cool tourists to move onto somewhere new and start the cycle again – sorry, Albania, you were the latest victim – but some places withstand the test of time.
It’s these timeless spots that make up Wanderlust’s list of the Most Desirable Countries on Earth. The list is part of its Readers’ Choice Awards (RCA), voted on by over 200,000 travel enthusiasts, set up to recognise the very best ‘destinations, tour operators, and travel brands’ across the globe.
Japan named the world’s best country
This year, the title of ‘Most Desirable Country’ went to a nation that last held the title more than a decade ago: Japan.
You can pretty much have whatever kind of holiday you want in Japan. It’s got beaches, mountains, centuries of history and culture to discover, plus world-class theme parks and the biggest city in the world. It’s no surprise that, given how many different people it caters to, it got so many votes.
According to Wanderlust, while cities like Tokyo and Kyoto remain popular, ‘travellers are now venturing to the wild coastlines of Shikoku, visiting the craftspeople of Kanazawa’ and even exploring some of Japan’s remote islands, ‘where the country’s soul feels most present’. The magazine added that what keeps people coming back is the country’s ‘mix of innovation, precision and tradition… It rewards those who travel with curiosity’.
Japan is also home to the coolest neighbourhood in the world, according to us at Time Out. Jimbōchō, a bookish quarter of Tokyo, topped our list; local expert Shota Nagoa described it as ‘the hangout of choice for generations of Tokyo intellectuals’. Tokyo also featured in our list of the world’s best cities for 2025.
Costa Rica and Canada follow in second and third
The second ‘most desirable’ nation was Costa Rica. The Central American country is stunning and packed with wildlife from top to bottom. It’s also home to the most underrated destination on the planet, according to Time Out: the Osa Peninsula, which Time Out’s travel editor Grace Beard describes as ‘one of the world’s greatest eco-adventures’. In third was Canada, also renowned for its natural beauty.
The most desirable countries on Earth
Here are the ten most desirable places to visit on the planet, according to the readers of Wanderlust:
- Japan
- Costa Rica
- Canada
- Australia
- Peru
- South Africa
- United States
- New Zealand
- Brazil
- Ecuador
You can find the full results of the Wanderlust Readers’ Choice Awards 2025 here.
This is the vibrant South American country named 2026 Destination of the Year.
Plus: The best places to travel in 2026 have been named by CN Traveller.
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