New research from TripAdvisor has revealed that travellers are OBSESSED with travel experiences that put them in touch with nature.
The travel review platform has compiled a list of the world’s top-ranked experiences for travel which shows, based on ratings from travellers themselves, that Australia has ranked at number six in the world’s top 10 countries for travel experiences.
Costa Rica – known for rainforests, volcanos, beaches and surfing – took the top spot on both the country and destination lists.
New Zealand, famed for its adventure tourism, ranked second among the best countries and Vietnam, known for its bustling cities, delicious food and beautiful coastline took third place.
Closer to home, Australia’s variety of scenic experiences for travellers, such as the Ayers Rock (Uluru) Sunrise and Segway and a Full-Day Maria Island Scenic Cruise Including Buffet Lunch and Guided Walk, propelled the country into the top 10 country list for experiences.
The new list shows that travellers have more appreciation for destinations beyond global favourites, with cities like Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne being outranked by places like Yulara, Hobart and the Gold Coast, which were listed in the top five of best destinations for experiences in Australia and New Zealand.
These are the best destinations in Australia and New Zealand for Experiences:
1. Rotorua, New Zealand, ranking: 4.77
Top Experiences:
Rotorua Forest Zip Line Canopy AdventureTutukau Gorge Jet Boat Ride and The Squeeze
2. Queenstown, New Zealand, ranking: 4.72
Top Experiences:
Twilight Wine and Craft Beer Tour
Queenstown Nevis Highwire Bungy Jump
Half-Day Milford Sound Flight and Cruise from Queenstown
3. Gold Coast, Australia, ranking: 4.61
Top Experiences:
Gold Coast Solo or Tandem Parasailing
Hot Air Ballooning including Champagne Breakfast from the Gold Coast
Gold Coast Jet Boat Ride from Main Beach
4. Hobart, Australia, ranking: 4.59
Full-Day Maria Island Scenic Cruise Including Buffet Lunch and Guided Walk
2-Hour Small-Group Walking Tour of Hobart
Half-Day Sailing on the Derwent River from Hobart
5. Yulara, Australia, ranking: 4.59
Top Experiences:
Ayers Rock (Uluru) Sunrise and Segway
Uluru Camel Express, Sunrise, or Sunset Tours
Kata Tjuta Small-Group Tour Including Sunrise and Breakfast
6. Auckland, New Zealand, ranking: 4.58
Auckland Insider Tour: Food Tour with Local Expert
Full-Day Wild West Coast Photo and Discovery Tour including Lunch from Auckland
Skydive Auckland
7. Melbourne, Australia, ranking: 4.54
Top Experiences:
Yarra Valley Cider and Beer Tour from Melbourne
Central Melbourne Walking Tour
Melbourne Balloon Flight at Sunrise
8. Cairns, Australia, ranking: 4.52
Top Experiences:
Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour from Cairns
Behana Gorge Waterfalls Canyoning Tour from Cairns
Atherton Tablelands Tour from Cairns
9. Darwin, Australia, ranking: 4.48
Top Experiences:
Northern Territory Outback Floatplane and Airboat Tour from Darwin
Corroboree Billabong Wetland Cruise from Darwin Including Lunch
Darwin History and Wartime Experience Tour
10. Brisbane, Australia, ranking: 4.48
Top Experiences:
Brisbane Bike Tour
Mount Tamborine Wine and Winery Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast
Brisbane City Essentials Walking Tour
