Online Reporter
Lewis Nunn
From golden plains where ancient stone cities rise to mossy fjords carved by millennia of ice, 2025 has unveiled a world rich in texture—think Zimbabwe’s thunderous gorges, Lithuania’s midsummer meadows and Sri Lanka’s jungle-wrapped railways. Soulful countries like South Korea invite quiet reflection amid temple-laced forests and volcanic island trails, while Morocco shimmers in desert hues and Norway gleams with waterfalls and glinting glaciers.
To help narrow your search, I’ve spoken to experts from a world-leading travel site, Kayak, to choose its best countries to visit in 2025. Partly based on insights laid out in the company’s Travel Check-in report, this ranking also considers elements like opportunities for wellness travel, city jumping and low-intensity travel.
Whether you’re chasing auroras or sipping vineyard-born vintages in unexpected gems like Moldova, the long and winding road of 2025 awaits.
1. Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a mosaic of rugged wild terrain and deep ancestral heritage—where jagged granite outcrops rise above sun-scorched golden plains and skies stretch wide over rustling acacia groves.
The ancient stone city of Great Zimbabwe stands as a powerful reminder of the country’s layered past, its dry-stone walls steeped in centuries-old history. Meanwhile, at Victoria Falls, the Zambezi crashes into thunderous gorges below—sending mist into the air that often catches the sun in fleeting rainbows.
The Eastern Highlands, however, offer a quieter scene: think cloud-covered slopes, winding hiking trails and pockets of mist-laced mountain stillness.
Why? Zimbabwe cities like Bulawayo have seen more than 80 percent increase in flight searches on Kayak, while Harare has increased by 56 percent for summer this year.
2. Lithuania
Shaped by ancient forests and hidden lakes, Lithuania carries a richly layered history etched into its cobbled stone streets and timeworn farmhouse windows. Here, midsummer light settles gently on the countryside—where wooden crosses lean in wildflower-strewn fields and long-legged storks perch atop soot-darkened chimneys. Meanwhile in its capital, Vilnius, medieval lanes twist into ivy-draped courtyards; its churches baroque, but understated. Along the coast, the Curonian Spit unfurls like a ribbon—golden dunes shifting under languid winds and pine forests whispering above the sea. While Klaipėda hums with the rhythm of ferries and the briny scent of smoked Baltic herring.
Why? The Baltic city of Vilnius has seen flight searches more than double (+105 percent) on Kayak when compared to summer last year.
3. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a landscape of contrasts and quiet depth. Palm-fringed coastlines meet dense emerald rainforests and ancient cities rise from jungle clearings. Sigiriya’s towering rock fortress looms above the plains—its frescoed walls and symmetrical water gardens echoing a kingdom long vanished.
In the misty central highlands, tea plantations ripple across undulating hillsides in neat green rows, as cool mist drifts through eucalyptus groves and over winding railway tracks that curve like silver ribbons. The southern coast moves to a gentler rhythm: fishermen balance on stilts in shallow waters and colonial-era forts stand sentinel over bustling harbours. Inland, the sacred ruins of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa speak to centuries of Buddhist devotion—their ancient stone stupas and intricately carved moonstones worn smooth by time.
Why? Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, ranks among the top 10 most searched flight destinations for this summer on Kayak.
4. South Korea
South Korea unfolds quietly beneath its shifting seasons. Its winding mountain trails weave through pine forests and the sound of temple bells drifts across mist-laced wooded valleys. In Seoul, faded remnants of the Joseon era press up against sprawling concrete neighbourhoods and timeworn hanok courtyards linger behind cozy cafés. Meanwhile, the southern mountains—Jirisan and Seoraksan—gather thick fog at dawn, their jagged ridgelines fading in and out of view. In Gyeongju, ancient stone foundations and earthen tombs sit in silence—surrounded by low hills and open meadows. Farther out, Jeju Island rises with sheer black cliffs and hushed trails carved from volcanic lava.
Why? Seoul has seen a 65 percent increase in flight searches on Kayak this year.
5. Argentina
Argentina drifts between vivid contrasts—sunburnt plains where solitary gauchos ride beneath endless cobalt skies and icy winds that sweep across Patagonia’s snow-dusted spine. In Buenos Aires, faded tango bars nestle beside dusty bookstores and ivy-draped balcony gardens, where laundry sways like flags between terracotta rooftops. Far south, El Chaltén’s granite peaks flicker through shifting cloud cover, and a silence settles over winding trails etched between turquoise glacial lakes. In Córdoba, colonial chapels cast long shadows across warm sandstone plazas, while Mendoza stirs slowly beneath the crystalline melt of the Andes—its sprawling vineyards glowing gold in the slanting afternoon light.
Why? Buenos Aires has seen a 49 percent increase in flight searches for summer 2025 on Kayak.
6. Morocco
Morocco flickers like a mirage—where the Sahara’s red dunes stretch into silence and the High Atlas rises with snow-dusted peaks above olive-laced valleys. In Fez, shadowy narrow alleys twist through the medina—past mosaic-tiled courtyards and the pungent scent of leather dyeing vats. Meanwhile, Marrakech hums with the clang of metalworkers and the call of vendors beneath ochre walls, where lantern-lit rooftop cafés overlook minarets. Along the coast, Essaouira’s briny sea winds rattle blue shutters and gulls circle above salt-stained, crumbling ramparts. Inland, gnarled olive groves and twisted argan trees scatter across cinnamon-coloured hills and Berber villages cling to slopes carved by centuries of footsteps. Crowning jewel? In Chefchaouen, blue-washed streets climb toward the Rif Mountains—quiet but watchful.
Why? Marrakech stands out as one of the best-value long-haul destinations with flight prices down 5 percent compared to summer last year on Kayak.
7. Norway
Norway hums with cold, crystalline clarity, its glacial fjords carving deep into the land like ancient scars and its towering pine forests leaning over mirror-still lakes. In Oslo, sleek trams glide past glass-boxed museums and leafy parks, while far to the north—the sky opens wide: auroras ripple in luminous green across the ink-black dark and antlered reindeer move like spectral shadows over snow-blanketed tundra. Along the rugged coast, fishing villages huddle between jagged cliffs—their red cabins glowing against brooding skies. Meanwhile, inland, cascading waterfalls tumble through mossy ravines and ancient stave churches stand like solemn sentinels of forgotten faith. Visit in summer and the sun famously lingers past midnight; in winter, it barely rises.
Why? Oslo flight prices have dropped by 20 percent from the UK and 11 percent from the US. In addition, Kayak’s data shows flight searches to Norway from travellers in the US have increased by 25 percent this summer.
8. Moldova
Moldova settles into the landscape quietly; its rolling hills fold into sun-dappled vineyards and time seems to drift at a slower pace. In Chișinău, trolleybuses rattle past crumbling Soviet-era façades and tree-lined boulevards, while market stalls overflow with late-summer plums and jars of pickled vegetables. The Dniester flows eastward, broad and unhurried, past cliffside monasteries carved into limestone cliffs and sleepy villages where roosters crow across cobbled courtyards. While in Orheiul Vechi, ancient stone churches cling to the rock face—their bells tolling hours that feel older than the winding road below. Autumn hushes the Codrii forest, where mushrooms push through damp soil and the air smells of woodsmoke and moss. Beneath the surface, vast wine cellars stretch for miles—cool, shadowy and lined with dusty bottles that have outlasted empires.
Why? This is one of Europe’s lesser-known gems, with its capital, Chisinau, seeing a 47 percent year-on-year increase in flight searches on Kayak.
9. Hong Kong
Hong Kong—while not an official country (rather, a Special Administrative Region)—deserves a spotlight. Here, skyscrapers rise shoulder to shoulder with ancient temples as neon-lit streets hum with life. Ride the iconic Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour for panoramic views of its soaring skyline, or ascend to Victoria Peak for glorious sunsets. Foodies are spoiled for choice: sip tea in historic dim sum teahouses, munch on egg waffles from street vendors, or sample Michelin-starred street bites at restaurants like Tim Ho Wan. Be sure to explore Hong Kong’s spiritual side too: pay a visit to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island and stroll through the incense-filled halls of Man Mo Temple.
Why? Kayak’s data shows that travellers in the US are seeing a decrease in average flight prices (down 16 percent) from summer last year for Hong Kong.
This article was originally published by Forbes.com. Lewis Nunn is a senior travel Editor based in London.
