Planning next year’s trips already? You are not alone. Search interest in the best places to travel in 2027 has been climbing steadily since early 2026, and after two decades of writing about travel for a living, I can tell you why. Travelers are tired of fighting crowds at the same ten Instagram spots. They want somewhere that still feels like discovery.
I have spent the last few months cross-checking flight data, tourism board reports, and conversations with local guides to put together this list. These are not random picks pulled from a trending hashtag. Every destination here earned its spot because of real shifts in accessibility, value, or experience quality heading into 2027.
- Why 2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Big Travel Year
- 1. Kanazawa and Regional Japan
- 2. Chile’s Atacama Desert
- 3. Sri Lanka
- 4. Central Asia (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan)
- 5. Botswana
- 6. Northeastern Brazil
- 7. Jordan
- 8. Vietnam
- 9. Portugal’s Alentejo Region
- 10. Alaska for Active Travel
- How to Plan Around This List
- My Personal Opinion
Travel insider picks like this one work best when they mix ambition with practicality, so alongside each destination you will find a note on when to go and what to budget for.
Why 2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Big Travel Year
A few forces are converging at once. Airlines are adding new long-haul routes to secondary cities instead of just capitals. Currency shifts have made certain regions noticeably cheaper for travelers from North America and Europe. And a growing number of people are choosing quieter, culturally rich destinations over the same five overcrowded cities that dominated the last decade.
That combination is exactly what makes the best places to travel in 2027 so interesting this year. Many of them were considered niche just three or four years ago.
1. Kanazawa and Regional Japan
Japan keeps setting tourism records, but the real story for 2027 is where visitors are heading next. Kanazawa, Shikoku, and the Kawaguchiko area around Mount Fuji are pulling travelers away from the packed Tokyo to Kyoto corridor.
Kanazawa in particular offers samurai-era streets, one of the country’s best-preserved geisha districts, and seafood markets that rival anything in Tokyo, without the wait times. If you want an authentic slice of Japan without shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, this region belongs near the top of any list of the best places to travel in 2027.
The best time to visit is April for cherry blossoms or November for fall color. Budget for a mid-range trip runs about 180 to 250 dollars a day, including hotels and meals.
2. Chile’s Atacama Desert
Chile has quietly become one of South America’s most compelling adventure destinations, and the Atacama Desert is the reason. This is one of the driest places on Earth, and its thin, dry air makes for some of the clearest night skies you will ever see. Astro tourism here has grown fast, with several observatories now offering public stargazing tours.
Beyond the skies, you get pink flamingo lagoons, otherworldly salt flats, and geysers that steam at sunrise. It is a physically demanding trip due to altitude, so build in a day or two to acclimate.
3. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has spent the last few years quietly rebuilding its tourism infrastructure, and the payoff is now visible in hotel quality, road access, and flight options. The country offers an unusual combination for a single trip: ancient cities, tea country hikes, whale watching, and beaches that still feel undiscovered.
January through March is peak season on the southwest coast, with calm seas and reliable sunshine. Inland tea plantations in the hill country stay cool and green nearly year-round, which is part of why Sri Lanka keeps showing up on serious shortlists of the best places to travel in 2027.
4. Central Asia (Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan)
Central Asia has been the region travel writers keep pointing to for the last two years, and 2027 looks like the year it breaks into the mainstream. Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, offer some of the most striking Islamic architecture anywhere in the world, often with almost no tourists in sight.
Kazakhstan adds dramatic mountain scenery near Almaty and a much lower cost of travel than Western Europe. Visa rules have eased significantly for many nationalities, which is a major reason this region is finally accessible to independent travelers rather than just tour groups.
5. Botswana
Safari travel is having a moment, and Botswana stands out for doing it responsibly. The country limits the number of camps allowed in its wilderness areas, which keeps wildlife sightings genuinely exclusive rather than a lineup of jeeps around one lion.
January and February bring the green season, when animals give birth, and the landscape turns lush after rain. It is a pricier trip than East Africa, but the low-density, high-value model is exactly why conservation-minded travelers keep naming it among the best places to travel in 2027.
6. Northeastern Brazil
Most first-time visitors to Brazil head straight for Rio, but the northeast coast is where seasoned travelers are going next. Towns like Jericoacoara and the Lençóis Maranhenses offer white dunes dotted with freshwater lagoons, a landscape that looks almost surreal in photos and even better in person.
The region has fewer direct international flights than Rio or São Paulo, so plan for at least one domestic connection. July through September brings the strongest winds for kitesurfing if that is part of your trip.
7. Jordan
Jordan offers one of the highest concentrations of world-class history anywhere on the map, and it remains far less crowded than Egypt or Turkey for a similar caliber of sites. Petra alone justifies the trip, but Wadi Rum’s desert camps and the Dead Sea round out an itinerary that feels complete in under a week.
Spring and autumn are ideal, avoiding the intense summer heat. Jordan continues to invest in tourism infrastructure, and hotel options have improved noticeably in the last two years.
8. Vietnam
Vietnam checks every box travelers are prioritizing right now: incredible food, strong value for money, and landscapes ranging from limestone karsts to terraced rice fields. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City get the attention, but central Vietnam, particularly Hoi An and the caves around Phong Nha, deserve equal billing.
Costs remain among the lowest in Southeast Asia, and that value proposition is a big part of why Vietnam consistently appears on lists ranking the best places to travel in 2027. The dry season from February to April is the sweet spot for most of the country.
9. Portugal’s Alentejo Region
Portugal has been popular for years, but travelers are now branching out from Lisbon and the Algarve into Alentejo, a rural inland region known for cork forests, whitewashed hilltop towns, and some of the country’s best wine. It is slower-paced and significantly cheaper than the coast.
Late spring and early autumn bring pleasant temperatures without the summer crush. This is a strong pick if you want European charm without European crowds or prices.
10. Alaska for Active Travel
Alaska keeps gaining ground with travelers who want adventure without a long-haul international flight. Multi-sport trips combining hiking, cycling, and sea kayaking have grown in popularity, and cruise operators have added more small ship options that reach remote fjords larger vessels cannot access.
June through August is the main season, with long daylight hours supporting full days of activity. It is a reminder that the best places to travel in 2027 are not always overseas. Sometimes the most rewarding trip is closer than you think.
How to Plan Around This List
A few practical notes after years of booking trips to destinations like these.
- Book Flights Early for Emerging Routes
Many of these destinations, especially Central Asia and northeastern Brazil, have limited direct flight options. Book three to six months out to avoid painful layovers or inflated last-minute fares.
- Balance Cost With Comfort
Not every destination on this list is a budget trip. Botswana and Japan can run considerably higher per day than Vietnam or Sri Lanka. Set your budget first, then match it against two or three destinations rather than picking a place and hoping the numbers work out.
- Consider Shoulder Season
Nearly every entry above has a shoulder season that offers better weather, thinner crowds, and lower prices than peak months. If your schedule is flexible, this is the single best way to get more value from any of the best places to travel in 2027.
My Personal Opinion
There is no single correct answer to where you should go next year. The right destination depends on your budget, your appetite for adventure, and how much planning lead time you have. What ties this list together is timing. Each of these places is at a point where infrastructure, accessibility, and authenticity are all lining up at once, which is rare and usually does not last long.
If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: do your own research alongside general lists like this one, check current entry requirements, and book the parts of your trip that tend to sell out first. The best places to travel in 2027 will reward travelers who plan with intention rather than those who wait until the last minute.
