The best places to travel abroad offer experiences that transform how you see the world. From Japan's cherry blossoms to Iceland's northern lights, destinations like New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland deliver moments that stay with you forever.
Keep reading as we explore the top international destinations that will make your next adventure unforgettable.
List of Contents
- 1. Japan: Where Ancient Meets Modern
- 2. Iceland: Fire and Ice Poetry
- 3. New Zealand: Adventure Capital
- 4. Norway: Fjords and Northern Lights
- 5. Switzerland: Alpine Perfection
- 6. Costa Rica: Nature's Classroom
- 7. Peru: Ancient Mysteries
- 8. Morocco: Sensory Overload
- 9. Jordan: Desert Kingdom
- 10. Vietnam: Timeless Beauty
- 11. Thailand: Tropical Paradise
- 12. Greece: Mythological Magic
- 13. Portugal: Atlantic Charm
- 14. Croatia: Adriatic Jewel
- 15. Scotland: Highland Drama
- Your Next Adventure Awaits
1. Japan: Where Ancient Meets Modern
Japan strikes a perfect balance between thousand-year-old temples and bullet trains that arrive precisely on schedule. In Kyoto, you can meditate with monks at dawn, then catch a train to Tokyo for dinner in a robot restaurant.
The cherry blossom season transforms the entire country into a pink dreamscape. But visit during autumn, and the maple leaves create an equally stunning red carpet across temple grounds.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: March-May, October-November
- How to Get There: Fly into Tokyo Narita or Haneda airports
- Entrance Fees: From free (temples) to $30 (theme parks)
- Suggested Stay: 10-14 days
- Must-Visit: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Mount Fuji, Hiroshima
2. Iceland: Fire and Ice Poetry
Iceland sits where tectonic plates meet, creating a landscape that feels otherworldly. Geysers shoot water 100 feet into the air while glaciers calve into the sea just miles away.
I remember standing at Gullfoss waterfall in December, watching the aurora borealis dance above the frozen cascade. The silence was so complete I could hear my heartbeat.
The Blue Lagoon gets crowded, but smaller hot springs scattered across the countryside offer the same therapeutic waters without the crowds.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: June-August
- How to Get There: Fly into Reykjavik Airport
- Entrance Fees: From free (waterfalls) to $50 (attractions)
- Suggested Stay: 7-10 days
- Must-Visit: Reykjavik, Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
3. New Zealand: Adventure Capital
New Zealand packs incredible diversity into two islands roughly the size of Colorado. You can ski in the morning and surf in the afternoon, or hike through rainforests and volcanic landscapes on the same day.
The South Island's Milford Sound reveals why early explorers called it the eighth wonder of the world. Fjords rise 4,000 feet straight from the sea, creating reflections so perfect they blur the line between water and sky.
Locals call tourists “trampers” here, and they mean it as a compliment—hiking is a way of life.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: December-February
- How to Get There: Fly into Auckland or Christchurch
- Entrance Fees: From free (beaches) to $25 (attractions)
- Suggested Stay: 12-16 days
- Must-Visit: Auckland, Queenstown, Milford Sound, Rotorua, Wellington
4. Norway: Fjords and Northern Lights
Norway's coastline stretches over 15,000 miles, creating more fjords than any other country. The Geirangerfjord plunges 500 feet deep while waterfalls cascade from heights that make you dizzy looking up.
From November to March, the northern lights paint the sky in greens and purples. Chase them by snowmobile or husky sled, but remember—they appear when they want to, not when tour operators promise.
Norwegian trains offer some of the world's most scenic rides. The Bergen Railway crosses mountain plateaus where reindeer outnumber tourists.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: May-September (fjords), October-March (northern lights)
- How to Get There: Fly into Oslo or Bergen
- Entrance Fees: From free (hiking) to $40 (boat tours)
- Suggested Stay: 8-12 days
- Must-Visit: Oslo, Bergen, Geirangerfjord, Tromsø, Lofoten Islands
5. Switzerland: Alpine Perfection
Switzerland engineered precision into its mountains. Trains climb impossible grades to reach villages where cowbells ring across valleys unchanged for centuries.
The Matterhorn's pyramid peak defines the perfect mountain silhouette. But venture beyond Zermatt to places like Gimmelwald, where hiking trails lead to mountain huts serving cheese made that morning.
Swiss efficiency extends beyond punctual trains—cable cars operate year-round, making alpine adventures accessible regardless of weather.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: December-March (skiing), June-September (hiking)
- How to Get There: Fly into Zurich or Geneva
- Entrance Fees: From free (hiking) to $60 (mountain railways)
- Suggested Stay: 7-10 days
- Must-Visit: Zermatt, Interlaken, Lucerne, Jungfraujoch, Lake Geneva
6. Costa Rica: Nature's Classroom
Costa Rica protects 25% of its land as national parks, creating a playground for wildlife that exists nowhere else. Sloths move in slow motion through canopies while scarlet macaws flash red against green backgrounds.
Manuel Antonio National Park combines pristine beaches with rainforest. Arrive early—by afternoon, both humans and animals seek shade from the tropical sun.
The phrase “pura vida” means pure life here, and locals use it as greeting, goodbye, and philosophy rolled into one.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: December-April
- How to Get There: Fly into San José
- Entrance Fees: From $15 (national parks) to $30 (attractions)
- Suggested Stay: 8-10 days
- Must-Visit: Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, Arenal Volcano, Tortuguero, Tamarindo
7. Peru: Ancient Mysteries
Peru preserves civilizations that built cities in clouds and carved terraces into impossible mountainsides. Machu Picchu sits 8,000 feet above sea level, accessible only by foot or train.
The Inca Trail challenges hikers with altitude and ancient steps, but alternative routes like Salkantay offer equally stunning views with fewer crowds.
In Cusco, spend two days adjusting to the altitude before attempting any mountain adventures. Coca tea helps, but time works better.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: May-September
- How to Get There: Fly into Lima or Cusco
- Entrance Fees: From $20 (Machu Picchu) to $100 (multi-day treks)
- Suggested Stay: 10-12 days
- Must-Visit: Machu Picchu, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Lima, Lake Titicaca
8. Morocco: Sensory Overload
Morocco assaults your senses in the best possible way. Marrakech's medina maze leads to hidden courtyards where mint tea steams in ornate glasses while spices color the air orange and red.
The Sahara Desert stretches beyond imagination. Camel treks to desert camps reveal star-filled skies unpolluted by city lights, and sunrise over sand dunes creates shadows that shift like slow-motion waves.
Bargaining is expected in souks—start at half the asking price and enjoy the theatrical negotiation that follows.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: October-April
- How to Get There: Fly into Marrakech or Casablanca
- Entrance Fees: From free (medinas) to $50 (desert tours)
- Suggested Stay: 8-10 days
- Must-Visit: Marrakech, Fes, Sahara Desert, Chefchaouen, Casablanca
9. Jordan: Desert Kingdom
Jordan combines biblical history with Bedouin hospitality in landscapes that range from desert canyons to coral reefs. Petra's Treasury emerges from pink sandstone cliffs like something from an adventure movie.
Wadi Rum's desert valleys stretch between rock formations that tower 1,000 feet overhead. Lawrence of Arabia filmed here because nothing else on Earth looks quite like it.
Dead Sea salt makes floating effortless, but the real magic happens watching sunrise paint the desert gold from your floating position.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: March-May, September-November
- How to Get There: Fly into Amman
- Entrance Fees: From $20 (Petra day pass) to $70 (Jordan Pass)
- Suggested Stay: 6-8 days
- Must-Visit: Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, Amman, Jerash
10. Vietnam: Timeless Beauty
Vietnam's coastline curves for 2,000 miles, creating landscapes where limestone karsts rise from emerald waters and rice terraces climb impossible hillsides.
Ha Long Bay contains 3,000 islands scattered across water so still it mirrors the sky. Traditional junks sail between formations that look like sleeping dragons breaking the surface.
In Hoi An, lanterns light ancient streets where tailors still sew by hand and street food costs less than coffee back home.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: October-March
- How to Get There: Fly into Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi
- Entrance Fees: From free (beaches) to $20 (attractions)
- Suggested Stay: 10-14 days
- Must-Visit: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Sapa
11. Thailand: Tropical Paradise
Thailand perfected the art of tropical living. Bangkok's street food rivals Michelin restaurants while beaches in the south offer water warm enough for swimming year-round.
The northern mountains around Chiang Mai hide temples where monks chant at dawn while elephants bathe in rivers below. Hill tribes still live as they have for centuries, weaving textiles with patterns passed down through generations.
Full moon parties happen monthly, but half moon parties offer the same energy with half the crowds.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: November-March
- How to Get There: Fly into Bangkok or Phuket
- Entrance Fees: From free (temples) to $15 (national parks)
- Suggested Stay: 10-14 days
- Must-Visit: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Phi Phi
12. Greece: Mythological Magic
Greece scatters 6,000 islands across seas so blue they inspired the word azure. Santorini's white buildings perch on volcanic cliffs while Mykonos parties until sunrise paints the sky pink.
The Parthenon crowns Athens like a marble crown, reminding visitors that democracy and philosophy were born here. But venture beyond the capital to places like Meteora, where monasteries balance on rock pillars that defy gravity.
Island hopping by ferry turns travel into adventure—schedules suggest departure times, but Greek time moves differently.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: April-October
- How to Get There: Fly into Athens or island airports
- Entrance Fees: From free (beaches) to $25 (archaeological sites)
- Suggested Stay: 8-12 days
- Must-Visit: Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes
13. Portugal: Atlantic Charm
Portugal faces the Atlantic with dramatic cliffs and fishing villages that time forgot. Lisbon's yellow trams climb hills so steep they require cables, while Porto ages port wine in caves carved from solid rock.
The Algarve coast hides beaches accessible only by hiking trails or boat. Benagil Cave creates a natural cathedral where sunlight streams through openings in the roof.
Fado music fills taverns with melancholy so beautiful it has its own Portuguese word—saudade—meaning a longing for something lost.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: June-September
- How to Get There: Fly into Lisbon or Porto
- Entrance Fees: From free (beaches) to $15 (monuments)
- Suggested Stay: 7-10 days
- Must-Visit: Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Algarve, Óbidos
14. Croatia: Adriatic Jewel
Croatia's coastline contains more than 1,000 islands scattered across water so clear you can see the bottom 30 feet down. Dubrovnik's medieval walls survived centuries of invasions and now protect a city that glows gold in sunset light.
Plitvice Lakes National Park connects 16 lakes with waterfalls that cascade over travertine barriers. Wooden walkways keep visitors dry while following water that changes color from emerald to azure.
Game of Thrones filmed here, but Croatia's beauty needs no Hollywood enhancement.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: May-September
- How to Get There: Fly into Zagreb or Split
- Entrance Fees: From free (beaches) to $25 (national parks)
- Suggested Stay: 8-10 days
- Must-Visit: Dubrovnik, Split, Plitvice Lakes, Hvar, Zagreb
15. Scotland: Highland Drama
Scotland combines medieval castles with landscapes that inspired fairy tales. The Highlands stretch for miles without roads, creating wilderness where red deer outnumber humans and lochs reflect mountains in perfect stillness.
Edinburgh's Royal Mile connects castle to palace through streets where history lives in every stone. But venture north to Skye, where cliffs drop 1,000 feet into seas that rage against rocks worn smooth by centuries of storms.
Whisky distilleries dot the countryside like golden temples, each producing spirits that taste of peat and sea spray.
Quick Facts:
- Peak Season: May-September
- How to Get There: Fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow
- Entrance Fees: From free (hiking) to $20 (castles)
- Suggested Stay: 7-10 days
- Must-Visit: Edinburgh, Isle of Skye, Glasgow, Loch Ness, Stirling
Your Next Adventure Awaits
These best places to travel abroad offer more than destinations—they provide transformations. Each country teaches different lessons about beauty, resilience, and what it means to be human.
The hardest part isn't choosing where to go. It's taking the first step.
Your passport expires in ten years, but memories from these places last forever. Start planning. The world is waiting.
