This is the world’s ‘most desirable’ country, according to 250,000 travellers

Planning your 2027 travels? There are plenty of under-the-radar travel destinations to choose from if you’re looking to explore beyond the obvious. But there’s also a long list of places that remain eternally sought-after. 

In fact, that’s precisely what Wanderlust’s Readers’ Choice Awards recognises – the planet’s most desirable destinations. Based on the votes of 251,461 ‘well-travelled readers’ (amounting, in total, to 8.2 million votes), the publication has just produced its annual list of the absolute finest spots to visit across the world. 

Costa Rica named as the world’s most desirable country

For 2026, Wanderlust’s readers have awarded the coveted title of Most Desirable Country to Costa Rica, which ranked in second place last year.

‘Costa Rica remains the poster child for responsible tourism, built on a backbone of boutique lodges and community-run ventures. Its tourist board has been running its own Certification for Sustainable Tourism for almost 30 years, long before ‘sustainability’ became a buzzword,’ reads the article. ‘For visitors, it’s easy to see where that pays off, whether you’re helping monitor turtle hatchlings in Tortuguero or tracking Baird’s tapirs on the Osa Peninsula, said to hold some 2.5 percent of the world’s biodiversity.’

Time Out’s travel editor Grace Beard travelled to travelled to the wild and remote Osa Peninsula, calling it an ‘eco-adventure bar none’.

Following closely behind Costa Rica was last year’s champion, Japan, and South Africa, which claimed third place. Scroll on to discover the top 10 most desirable countries on the planet, with destinations in east Asia and South America leading the charge.

The world’s most desirable countries

1. Costa Rica
2. Japan
3. South Africa
4. Canada
5. Thailand
6. Australia
7. USA
8. Peru
9. South Korea
10. Colombia

Take a look at Wanderlust’s complete list of Readers Choice Awards 2026 on the official website. 

Here’s Time Out’s guide to the planet’s most underrated travel destinations. 

Plus: This is officially the world’s most-visited museum over the past year – and it isn’t the Louvre. 

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