Great Barrier Island has earned a spot among the world’s top 25 off-the-beaten-track destinations for 2025, according to US-based travel media brand Afar.
Highlighted in Afar’s annual ‘Where to Go’ list, Aotea/Great Barrier Island was described as “a nature lover’s paradise where residents live off the grid and the stars shine brightly above them.”
Afar deputy editor Tim Chester praised The Barrier for its “wealth of natural attractions—its forests, wetlands, dark skies, and hot springs,” and for its “commitment to sustainable practices,” noting it as high on his own must-visit list for next year.
The list, created after extensive research by Afar’s travel experts, aims to spotlight lesser-known destinations offering “opportunities to go deeper and demonstrate that travel can be a force for good.”
Aotea/Great Barrier was praised for its status as a Dark Sky Sanctuary and its associated pristine night skies. It joins just two other Oceania spots on the list: The others included Western Australia, where new Aboriginal-led experiences were said to “make engaging with the world’s oldest living culture easier and more enlightening than ever”, and Palau , home to unspoiled reefs and wild jungles with hidden waterfalls, in Micronesia.
Other global destinations included Serbia’s vibrant capital Belgrade, North Wales, the English county of Oxfordshire, Denmark’s scenic Riviera, Greece’s island of Chios, and Freiburg in Germany, with its fairy-tale architecture.
Asia’s picks featured Indonesia’s remote island of Sumba, the culinary hub of Toyama in Japan, and Pakistan’s Karakoram Mountains, where immersive tours offer a taste of ‘Little Tibet’ culture.
In Africa and the Middle East, Jordan’s archaeological wonders, Benin’s burgeoning cultural scene, and South Africa’s Wild Coast with its marine adventures were highlighted.
North America saw a strong showing, with destinations like Columbus, Ohio; Maine’s Bold Coast; Boone, North Carolina; Lititz, Pennsylvania; Oklahoma City; and Canada’s Prince Edward County making the cut.
Mexico’s Costalegre, Argentina’s Patagonia Azul, St Vincent in the Caribbean, and Guyana’s wild rainforests and savannahs represented the Americas.
Afar noted the island’s strong conservation ethos, saying, “Conservation is part of the national DNA in this biodiverse archipelago, where visitors sign a pledge to act responsibly during their stay.”
