Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2023

Resurgent Sydney and adventurous Western Australia both Included in the 2023 Hotlist

Global travel authority Lonely Planet has today unveiled its top destinations to visit next year with the release of Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2023.

#LonelyPlanet 100 Amazing, Offbeat Destinations

Looking to explore a new destination that's away from the masses? Visit a country you've never thought of visiting? Seek out alternative experiences in well-known places?

Lonely Planet partners with Intrepid Travel to launch Lonely Planet Experiences

With over 300 sustainable group tours across the globe, the new trip range will bring Lonely Planet guidebooks to life for the first time.

World-leading travel publisher and digital travel media company, Lonely Planet, has joined forces with Intrepid Travel, a leader in sustainable adventure travel, to launch Lonely Planet Experiences. The new range of carbon-neutral tours will bring Lonely Planet’s authority and travel prowess to life by offering an innovative new product that is authentic, immersive and sustainable.

Lonely Planet Experiences will comprise 200 jam-packed day-tours (operated by Intrepid Travel’s day-tour company, Urban Adventures) and more than 130 multi-day trips including walking, cycling, food, festivals, family and marine adventures.

All Lonely Planet Experiences have been designed with a low environmental footprint while ensuring a positive impact on local communities. True to Intrepid Travel’s style all tour groups will be small, with a maximum of 16 travellers, and led by a local leader. The tours will use local transportation, support locally owned businesses and like all Intrepid Travel trips since 2010, be 100% carbon-neutral - also reflective of Lonely Planet’s commitment to responsible travel as part of this partnership. In addition, all tours will include exclusive discounts on Lonely Planet’s guidebooks, free access to Lonely Planet’s flagship Guides app, and supplementary Lonely Planet insight throughout.

“For over four decades, travellers have looked to Lonely Planet for trusted travel advice,” says Luis Cabrera, CEO of Lonely Planet. “Now, global explorers looking for the inside track can journey along with us on this new range of tours. This is an exciting innovation and evolution for the Lonely Planet brand.”

James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel added, “These experiences combine our expertise to create a new tour range that will support local communities, protect our natural environment and ensure travellers see the world in a responsible and sustainable way. Lonely Planet helped pioneer access to more authentic and grassroots experiences for independent travellers. That’s why we’re thrilled to be part of the next phase of their growth and helping to make sustainable experience-rich travel a mainstay for travellers everywhere.”

(c) Intrepid Travel

The tours will offer travellers a once-in-a-lifetime experience of what it’s like to truly know a place, through explorations of local food and drink, behind-the-scenes access to hidden gems, interactions with locals and insights from trusted travel experts. Travellers will gain a deeper understanding of, and connection to destinations by getting to the very heart of the place they are visiting. Delight in the sights, smells and tastes of some of the world’s most exciting and original experiences, from an evening stroll through Sydney’s small bar scene, an insider's trip through the most famous fish market in Tokyo, or an exploration of Rome’s iconic monuments and movie locations.

Cabrera adds: “Intrepid Travel is widely considered the industry leader in responsible travel and we’re delighted to be partnering with them on Lonely Planet Experiences. The two brands share an unmatched passion for travel and a genuine commitment to responsible travel and we’re proud to combine our expertise to deliver amazing adventures for like-minded travellers around the world”

The tours will run in 6 continents, across 65 countries, and range in duration from 2 hours to 22 days.

Feature tours include:

Day tours

Lonely Planet Experiences – Powered by Urban Adventures

- A Tour Through Tokyo’s Kitchen (incl. Tsukiji Fish Market), 2.5 hours, starting at $109 AUD
- Vintage Las Vegas Arts Tour, 2 hours, starting at $65 AUD

Multi-day tours

Lonely Planet Experiences – Powered by Intrepid Travel

- Galapagos Experience (7 days), starting at $1320 AUD
- Explore Egypt (15 days), starting at $1645 AUD


The launch of Lonely Planet Experiences is the latest in a series of new ventures by Lonely Planet as the company seeks to maximise adjacent business opportunities under the new strategic direction of recently appointed CEO, Luis Cabrera.

Explore Every Day with Lonely Planet's 365 Daily Prompts to Refresh Your Life

With Explore Every Day, Lonely Planet presents an idea a day to refresh your life.

You don’t have to travel far to discover a world of new experiences in Explore Every Day, published this month. From new ways to connect with friends, family and the community, to appreciating art and unleashing your creative side, Lonely Planet shows you how to explore new cultures, meet new people and have amazing adventures – every day.

"Think of this book not as a simple guide to fun things to do, but as an act of rebellion. As a stand against the forces that hold us back from exploring our creativity, our adventurousness and our communities." author Alex Leviton writes in her Introduction. "You don’t need to fly to the Maldives and stay in an above-water bungalow or trek through the Himalayas for months on end to awaken that sense of adventure or connection."

"You have no excuse, either," Alex continues. "Some of these prompts take an actual, literal minute ('breathe deeply'), others a full day or more ('living-room camping') but most take anywhere between 10 minutes to an hour. The vast majority of them are completely or almost free."

"These 365 prompts (plus one leap prompt, of course) offer a dozen different types of archetypal experiences," Alex says. "Do you want to connect with family ('call a relative'), friends ('hide a note for a mate') or your community ('use your volunteer skills')? Do you want to appreciate art ('mural walking tour') or would you rather create something yourself ('draw a map of your town')? You can editorialise your home town ('a travel-writing assignment') or just use your imagination ('dedicate today to your favourite person in history'). And yes, you can even recast your housework as fun ('turn a chore into a game')."

"When we think back to what gave us that spark of joy during the day, was it that time you spent on social media or reading the news?," Alex asks. "Or was it the dusty orange sunset you saw on the way home, or that conversation you had with a new colleague? We can’t take away the former (well, we do try: 'unfollow one social media account'; and 'don’t read any news today') but this book will help remind you to do more of the latter."

About the author: Lonely Planet author, sometimes start-up director and creative coach Alex Leviton has been advocating for more creativity, exploration, and play for almost 20 years. Since getting a master’s in journalism from UC Berkeley, she’s contributed to dozens of Lonely Planet titles, done stand-up comedy, mentored teen poets, led travel writing workshops around the world, and performed Improv badly. However, her favourite thing is to help others find their creative voice. Find her at www.alexleviton.com.

LONELY PLANET: EXPLORE EVERY DAY
Published: December 2019
ISBN: 9781788686358
Price: AU$14.99 / NZ$16.99

Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World Reveals 101 Great Sights and How to See Them

Includes Great Barrier Reef & the Daintree Rainforest, Uluru, and Lord Howe Island

From Antarctica and the Amazon to Victoria Falls and the Great Wall of China, Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World showcases 101 spectacular sights – and how to experience them on any budget.

Published November 2019, Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World is both inspiring and practical, with expert advice, best-value itineraries, beautiful photography, and local secrets.

Australia is represented by Great Barrier Reef & the Daintree Rainforest, Uluru, and Lonely Planet's number-five region to visit in 2020, Lord Howe Island.

The book features human-made wonders that people may already know, such as the Taj Mahal and Angkor Wat. But Lonely Planet's destination experts have also selected less famous sights that are equally captivating: the entwined tree bridges of Meghalaya in India, the intricate Islamic architecture of Naqsh-e Jahan in Iran, and the massive Buddhist temple of Borobudur in central Java. Museums with remarkable collections of wonders have also been included, such as the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands and the British Museum in London.

The natural wonders chosen for the book are no less impressive: giant trees in California, cascading lakes in Croatia, multi-coloured hills in China, great waterfalls, the world's biggest cave, and such natural phenomena as the wave of cherry blossom (sakura) that sweeps across Japan each spring, and the light show of the auroras across the planet's northern and southern extremities.

Thanks to Lonely Planet's network of travel experts and 45 years of experience, the book also includes guides to each of these wonders, with recommendations on the best times to visit, how to get there, and where to stay and eat - however deep your pockets. Two sample itineraries cover short and longer trips to allow travellers to make plans based on the time and funds they have available.

To celebrate the launch of Wonders of the World, Lonely Planet in conjunction with G Adventures will be giving away a trip for two, including flights, to one of four destinations featured in the book. Consumers simply need to purchase a copy of Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World from any participating retailer, visit the competition website at

lptravel.to/wonders and enter their details to be in the running to win. The competition runs from now until 31 January 2020, and the winner will be drawn in February 2020.

LONELY PLANET'S WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Published: November 2019
ISBN: 9781788682329
368pp, hardcover
Price: AU$44.99

Lonely Planet Reveals Its Top Picks for 2020

Global travel authority Lonely Planet has chosen Lord Howe Island as one of the world's Top 10 Regions for next year in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2020, released this morning.

Best in Travel 2020 is Lonely Planet’s 15th annual collection of the world’s hottest destinations and journeys for the year ahead. The best-selling, inspirational travel yearbook highlights the top 10 countries, cities, regions, and best-value destinations that Lonely Planet's experts recommend for 2020. This edition places particular emphasis on sustainable travel experiences— ensuring travellers will have a positive impact wherever they choose to go.

Lord Howe Island is ranked fifth on the book's list of Top 10 Regions 2020.

"Parked in the middle of nowhere 600km off the Australian coast, this visually stunning island makes an instant impact on the senses with its jaw-dropping World Heritage–listed beauty," writes Lonely Planet. "Two soaring green mountains overlook a perfect lagoon and the world’s southernmost coral reef; perfect crescents of beach and splendid hiking trails through the lush forest add to brilliant outdoors possibilities."

"This onetime volcano’s isolation makes it a refuge for many endemic species, as well as plentiful birdlife," Lonely Planet says. "The island is a shining example of sustainably managed tourism; only 400 visitors are allowed at any time, and you are encouraged to participate in a series of ecological projects. Lord Howe’s remoteness and manageable size make it an idyllic escape."

Lonely Planet's Top 10 Regions 2020 are:

1. Central Asian Silk Road
2. Le Marche, Italy
3. Tōhoku, Japan
4. Maine, USA
5. Lord Howe Island, Australia
6. Guizhou Province, China
7. Cadiz Province, Spain
8. Northeast Argentina
9. Kvarner Gulf, Croatia
10. Brazilian Amazon

Australia is also represented on a number of the book's other top lists for 2020, including:

Best New Openings

8) Great Southern Train Journey, Adelaide–Brisbane

"One of the latest luxury routes that prove rail travel will never die as long as people enjoy a day’s leisurely journey through beautiful landscapes and a night of being gently rocked to sleep in their own private carriage, the Great Southern will run three- and four-day routes between Adelaide and Brisbane, offering opportunities to stop at national parks, beaches and cities, with a luxurious cabin and gourmet food options to enjoy onboard."

Best New Places to Stay

5) Mount Mulligan Lodge, Queensland

"Embrace the Australian outback and Mt Mulligan (Ngarrabullgan), an 18km-long flat-topped monolith, at this lodge in the northern reaches of Queensland. Built on a working cattle station by the Morris family, Mount Mulligan Lodge has used the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a framework and also endeavours to protect and restore the surrounding environment."

Best New Food Experiences

8) Di Stasio Città, Melbourne

"Open since February 2019, this long-awaited venue from an Australian restaurant stalwart has more than met the sentimental hype. ‘Ronnie’ Di Stasio pioneered his first restaurant, Rosati, thirty years ago and now he’s back in a beautiful Brutalist building, with video installations by Australian artists and the city’s best pasta."

Best Sustainable Trips for Families

9) Tasmania

"Tasmania is a magical place for families. From treetop walks to messing about in boats, and from frolicking on the sand to the family-friendly ‘Discovery Ranger’ activities available in the national parks, there’s plenty to keep everyone happy; and the beauty of it is distances are small. There’s also a strong ethos of using locally sourced (and delicious!) produce and a long-term sustainable approach to wildlife conservation and wilderness protection."

Each year, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel lists start with nominations from Lonely Planet’s vast community of staff, writers, bloggers, publishing partners and more. The nominations are then whittled down by our panel of travel experts, who shortlist in line with criteria such its topicality, unique experiences and ‘wow’ factor.

Other Best in Travel 2020 highlights include:

· The Top 10 Countries to visit in 2020: Bhutan, England, North Macedonia, Aruba, eSwatini, Costa Rica, The Netherlands, Liberia, Morocco, and Uruguay

· The Top 10 Cities to visit in 2020: Salzburg, Austria; Washington, DC, USA; Cairo, Egypt; Galway, Ireland; Bonn, Germany; La Paz, Bolivia; Kochi, India; Vancouver, Canada; Dubai, UAE; and Denver, USA

· Top 10 Best Value Destinations to visit in 2020: East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia; Budapest, Hungary; Madhya Pradesh, India; Buffalo, USA; Azerbaijan; Serbia; Tunisia; Cape Winelands, South Africa; Athens, Greece; and Zanzibar, Tanzania.

www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel features tips and videos on visiting each destination, as well as a chance to win a Silk Road adventure for two. The Top 10 Cities can also be explored with Lonely Planet’s Guides app.

LONELY PLANET'S BEST IN TRAVEL 2020; 224pp, full colour, 165mm x 210mm, hardback, AU$27.99.

#WIN Discover Inspiring Experiences to Transform Your Life with Lonely Planet's #Travel Goals

A modern bucket list for responsible, healthy, feel-good travel, Lonely Planet's Travel Goals is published this month.

Lonely Planet recently surveyed more than 7,500 members of its dedicated community of travellers from around the world, with 92% of respondents saying they see travel as "an opportunity for positive change".  In addition, 68% of those surveyed said they now care more about sustainable travel than they used to, while 60% view travel as more of an opportunity for personal growth than they previously did.

For those travellers wanting to discover themselves (as much as the next big sight), Lonely Planet's Travel Goals has the potential to change lives.  From sleeping under the stars and witnessing natural phenomena to more ambitious challenges, such as helping communities and safe-guarding the environment, this is the essential companion to a life well-travelled – and well-lived.

"These travel goals are not about ticking off a list of far-away sights," Lonely Planet says. "They are about a life filled with variety and self-discovery. Each goal is enriching in some way, either because it's about forging stronger connections with the natural world, helping a community clear a coastline of plastic, or spending a week on silent retreat."

How did Lonely Planet go about compiling this list?  "We started out by asking our pool of travel writers about the travel experiences that had a life-changing effect for them – what would they recommend everyone try at least once in their lives? We then honed this list to 120 experiences that we felt would be the most personally rewarding. For each goal we explain why you should consider giving it a go and give at least three recommendations for where you can put the goal into action."

To celebrate the release of Travel Goals, Lonely Planet has teamed up with World Nomads to give visitors to lonelyplanet.com/explore-every-day/competition the chance of winning an AUD $5,000 Travel Goals pack – to help inspire them to create positive, life-changing travel experiences.

The prize includes:

> 1 x World Nomads Explorer travel insurance plan – worth AUD $500
> 1 x travel voucher for flights and accommodation - worth AUD $4,465
> 1 x copy of Lonely Planet's Travel Goals book – worth AUD $34.99

To enter, tell us in 25 words or less what your ultimate travel goal is and why you want to achieve it.

Lonely Planet First-Ever Travel Atlas

*205 Maps *195 Countries *One Inspirational Planning Tool

Lonely Planet, the world's leading guidebook publisher, has released its first-ever dedicated atlas - a collection of Lonely Planet's own cartography that covers much of the world and presents thousands of sights, experiences and itineraries.

Lonely Planet's The Travel Atlas is the ultimate cartographic companion for globetrotters. Combining unparalleled destination knowledge and mapping expertise, The Travel Atlas makes it easier than ever to find and plan incredible experiences around the world.    

Organised by region, The Travel Atlas includes detailed maps to every country on Earth, with popular regions and destinations presented at greater scale. Each page of mapping is accompanied by the area's top sights and activities, as well as trip planning tools such as climate information and key transport hubs.

The book also includes:

• City Maps - Detailed maps of 28 of the world's most popular cities complete with top sights, activities and itineraries.
• Places of interest - Discover the best of each country and region alongside destination insight from Lonely Planet's travel experts.
• Itineraries - Tour a region and its highlights with suggested itineraries lasting from three days to three weeks.

The Travel Atlas will inspire readers to take a journey and explore the world.

The Travel Atlas
RRP $80.00 AUD & NZD / $50 USD

448 pages
ISBN: 9781787016965