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At Time Out Sydney, we’re professional fans of the Harbour City, committed to claiming this city’s crown as the best in the world. And while we don’t need any more convincing, it’s always satisfying when Sydney’s appeal is confirmed by an external source. Lo and behold, Sydney has just been handed another international seal of approval, with Tripadvisor naming the Emerald City the fourth best place to visit in the South Pacific for 2026. The ranking comes from Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2026, which crown the very best destinations based on a year’s worth of glowing reviews from travellers around the world – and fewer than one per cent of Tripadvisor’s eight million listings make the cut. In other words: this isn’t just hype, it’s hard-earned global love.
Landing in fourth place, Sydney sits in seriously good company. The only destinations to outrank it in the South Pacific are Viti Levu in Fiji, Auckland, and New Zealand’s adventure darling Queenstown. Not far behind? Melbourne, which came in at number five, while Western Australia’s Margaret River rounded out the top 10 at number 10 – meaning Sydney didn’t just perform well globally, it also topped the leaderboard among Australia’s capital cities.
According to Tripadvisor, Sydney’s appeal lies in its rare ability to be many things at once. You can swim at Bondi in the morning, coastal-walk it to Coogee by lunchtime, and be sitting pretty with a good Martini and a view of the Opera House by sunset – all without leaving city limits. That variety, paired with world-class scenery, is what keeps visitors coming back (and raving about the city online).
Tripadvisor also highlights Sydney’s greatest hits according to travellers: shopping through The Rocks and along George and Pitt Streets, meeting the locals at Taronga Zoo and taking in the most insane city views imaginable from the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb or Sydney Tower Eye. Sydney was also noted for its easy day trips, iconic landmarks and abundance of nature-related experiences.
These are the top 10 places to visit in the South Pacific, according to Tripadvisor
1. Viti Levu, Fiji
2. Auckland, New Zealand
3. Queenstown, New Zealand
4. Sydney, Australia
5. Melbourne, Australia
6. Aitutaki, Cook Islands
7. Rarotonga, Cook Islands
8. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
9. Moorea, French Polynesia
10. Margaret River, Australia
You can check out the full list (and plan your next holiday accordingly) over here.
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