2025 Readers' Choice Awards: Editors' Choice

Winner: Peru

Why we love it…

From the fiestas of Mexico to the deserts of Chile to the Coffee Triangle of Colombia, Latin America holds a strong allure to Australians keen to veer slightly off the world’s most well-trodden routes, and it remains at the top of the wishlist for many of the International Traveller team. Peru gets our vote for its diversity of landscapes and new ways to experience them, with community tourism initiatives from the likes of Intrepid and G Adventures changing the lens through which we view Machu Picchu and river cruises from Aqua Expeditions and Abercrombie & Kent offering Amazonian immersion in style (and air-conditioned) comfort.

Hot tip…

Visit the pretty city of Arequipa, where a 16th-century monastery has been transformed into an urban sanctuary – CIRQA – that connects to five centuries of Andean heritage.

Runners-up

Morocco

From the ancient urban centres of Marrakech and Tangier that buzz with new creative energy to ecotourism in the High Atlas mountains. And from desert journeys such as Memory Road to surfing adventures on the Atlantic coast. Morocco is having a moment.

Malta

Europe’s island country of Malta flies surprisingly under the radar for Aussies, but a holiday here is a sure-fire way to experience the Mediterranean’s best bits – from beaches to history, culture and cuisine.

India

India continues to captivate our team’s collective imagination: whether we’re dreaming of sailing the Ganges with Uniworld River Cruises, exploring the country’s eternal Golden Triangle or checking into an Ayurvedic retreat in the southern states. (Opening February 2026, Tulah Clinical Wellness in the hills of Kerala might be just the tonic.)

South Korea

Much has been made of South Korea’s emergence as a quieter alternative to visiting Japan. But it is a destination all its own, as our team discovered for themselves this year: from a foodie tour with InsideAsia to sailing the coastline with Norwegian Cruise Line to meet the women divers, or Haenyeo, of Jeju Island – whose culture is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

For all the winners and runners-up, visit our 2025 Readers’ Choice hub.