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Australia just landed 5 spots on TIME’s World’s Greatest Places 2026 list

Emily MurphyBy Emily Murphy
These Aussie destinations, experiences and operators just got the world’s attention.

Every year, TIME puts out its World’s Greatest Places list and the whole travel industry holds its breath. 100 destinations. Global nominations. The full weight of one of the world’s most recognised mastheads behind each pick.

This year, Australia didn’t just make the cut – it made a statement. Four spots landed on the official list, up from the three inclusions last year. A fifth, from an Australian-owned expedition operator, snuck in under a different category. Together, they’re a pretty convincing argument that this country is doing something right.

Sea Sea Hotel, Crescent Head, NSW

Bedroom at Sea Sea Hotel
Head back in time at Sea Sea Hotel. (Credit: Tommaso Riva)

Sea Sea Hotel is a love letter to Crescent Head’s 1970s surf culture – retro in the best possible way, considered in every detail and sitting on Dunghutti Country near one of the coast’s most uncrowded breaks. TIME’s judges were taken by the whole package, but the kitchen deserves its own mention: former Icebergs chef Daniel Medcalf has built a modern-casual dining room around the native produce of the Macleay Valley.

On Board, Southwest Tasmania

Odalisque III in Bathurst Harbour
Board Odalisque III and sail into Bathurst Harbour.

No roads. No towns. No hotels. The southwest corner of Tasmania is one of the most genuinely remote places in the country and On Board – a family-run operation that has known these waters since 1998 and is also now part of Luxury Lodges of Australia – is one of the only ways in. Its new Port Davey Highlights cruise starts the way all great adventures should: a 40-minute seaplane flight from Hobart over wilderness that looks like it was designed by someone who’d never heard the word ‘development’. From there, guests board the 12-passenger Odalisque III into Bathurst Harbour for three days of sea caves, Indigenous rock art, coastal hikes and possible sightings of the endangered, orange-bellied parrot.

Murujuga Cultural Landscape, Burrup Peninsula, WA

Murujuga Cultural Landscape
Murujuga holds hundreds of thousands of ancient petroglyphs.

There are places in the world that make you feel small in the best possible way. Murujuga is one of them. Spread across the Burrup Peninsula in the Pilbara, this extraordinary landscape holds hundreds of thousands of ancient petroglyphs – rock engravings that represent one of the most significant concentrations of ancient rock art anywhere on Earth, and the continuous cultural practice of Aboriginal people across tens of thousands of years. The Ngarda-Ngarli people have cared for Country for more than 50,000 years; etched into its rusted boulders are prehistoric megafauna and early human life. UNESCO recognised it with World Heritage status in 2025 – only the second Australian site recognised solely for its First Nations cultural heritage.

Our print editor, Imogen Eveson, visited Murujuga shortly after the UNESCO inscription and came back changed. “It was one of those experiences that recentres you, offering a new appreciation not only for Australia – its natural and cultural history and the living heritage that continues today – but for the planet more broadly," she says.

“The more people who are able to experience Murujuga responsibly, as I did on an expedition cruise, the more people will come to understand and want to protect this extraordinary place."

Sydney Fish Market, NSW

Sydney Fish Market exterior
Visit Sydney Fish Market. (Credit: Tom Roe)

The old fish market had charm, seagulls and limited parking. The new Sydney Fish Market has an $836 million price tag, a wave-shaped roof and 40 restaurants under one address. The redesigned Blackwattle Bay precinct isn’t really a market anymore – it’s a waterfront destination that happens to sell excellent seafood, alongside Malaysian, Aegean and everything in between. TIME’s panel noted the ambition of what’s been built here: a place that genuinely integrates harbour life with serious dining. Sydney already had the Opera House. Now it has this.

Aurora Expeditions’ Douglas Mawson

It’s not officially in the Australia category – but Aurora Expeditions is an Australian-owned company, and its newest ship is too good to leave off this list. The Douglas Mawson launched in November 2025, named after the Antarctic explorer who would absolutely have approved of what’s been built in his honour. Small by design (just 130 expeditioners in polar regions), it’s equipped with a wave-piercing hull that tames the Drake Passage, a forward observation lounge, a citizen science centre and Zodiac platforms for getting off the ship and into the thick of it fast.

Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
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5 of the best day trips from Hobart

    Rachel LayBy Rachel Lay
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    Hobart has quietly become our coolest capital, but the real wonder lies just beyond the city limits.

    In the cool shade of Kunyani/ Mt Wellington, Hobart has earned a reputation. Home to culture-defining Dark MOFO, the city blends rugged, raw wilderness and rule-breaking galleries. But, step beyond the thrumming capital’s border and you’ll find a new perspective: historic towns, Jurassic-era cliffs and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. With ALL Accor as your home away from home, fill your days with epicurean odysseys and wild scenery on the best day trips from Hobart.

    Where to stay

    Behind every good road trip is the perfect home base. Somewhere central to review your camera roll, make the most of Hobart’s dining scene and relax before setting off again.

    For modern, Tasmanian-inspired design, book a stay at the Movenpick Hotel Hobart . Standing at the Salamanca Markets, look to the Hobart skyline and the award-winning hotel will catch your eye. As the third-tallest building in the CBD, the views across the harbour toward Antarctica are totally unique to your room. Here, end each day at the daily free chocolate hour (plus a free Movenpick ice cream for the little ones).

    For a more budget-conscious option, head to the picture book, sandstone buildings of Macquarie Street. Nestled along the buzzing, historic streetscape, you’ll find Tasmania’s biggest hotel: the Ibis Styles . Return home each day to defrost in one of the hotel’s two saunas. Make use of the proximity to MONA, or take an easy stroll to the candy-coloured cottages of Battery Point between your adventures.

    A stylish, Tasmanian-inspired bedroom at Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, your perfect base for relaxing after the best day trips from Hobart.
    Elevate your Hobart stay with sleek style at Mövenpick.

    1. Bruny Island

    Craggy cliffs and tropical-hued, white sand beaches signal your arrival to Bruny Island/ Lunawanna-Alonnah.

    Start your day trip at the island’s most iconic spot, the Neck Game Reserve. Scale the Trunganini steps to gaze out over the teensy stretch of land that juts through the sea connecting the two ends of the island.

    Catch a rare glimpse of the white furred wallabies that call Bruny Island home at Adventure Bay. Then, for ocean-fresh oysters, pull into the drive-thru window at Get Shucked . Sample Bruny Island cheese at the cellar door before catching the ferry home with an esky full of local produce.

    Bruny Island Neck is an isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island.
    Begin your adventure with a climb and a view. (Image: Elise Weaver)

    2. Mount Wellington

    At 1271 metres, Mount Wellington watches protectively over Hobart. Follow the winding road to climb through alpine forest and tufts of snow to reach the summit. Gaze down over Hobart and out to sea, or over your shoulder to the southwestern wilderness.

    Reset your adrenaline with a mountain bike ride back down. Or, make like the locals and head into the mountain on foot. Try the hike to the Jurassic-period Organ Pipes which slips under the mountain’s magnificent dolerite cliffs (perfect for families thanks to the trail’s minimal incline).

    For a view of Mount Wellington itself, hike nearby Cathedral Rock.

    No matter where you are in Hobart you are never far away from the City's beloved mountain, Kunanyi / Mount Wellington
    Climb through alpine forest to the summit. (Image: Paul Flemming)

    2. Port Arthur

    Constructed entirely by convicts, the manicured gardens and penal buildings of Port Arthur offer a day trip that practically hums with history.

    The rugged, seagirt location was chosen for its difficult escape conditions. Now, you can cruise the coast below the towering, jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park or wander the sloping fields of fragrant lavender.

    Tickets to Port Arthur include a walking tour and harbour cruise. See the Isle of the Dead where 1000 men are buried in marked and unmarked graves. And Point Puer, Britain’s first prison for children.

    The Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia's most important heritage sites and tourist destinations. Located on the scenic Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula in the south east of Tasmania, it offers a unique and essential experience for all visitors to the area.
    Wander convict-built grounds and gardens. (Image: Dearna Bond)

    3. Launceston

    You’ll find Launceston at the confluence of three rivers after an easy 2.5-hour drive from Hobart. Launceston is a patchwork of old and new. Here, heritage streetscapes meet modern architecture.

    Visit Cataract Gorge, the green, sun-dappled heart of the town and sacred meeting point for Tasmania’s indigenous communities. Pull up at roadside produce stalls that dot the Tamar Valley, or dine out. Launceston is, after all, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

    Should the local wine scene persuade you, simply extend your time in Launceston at Peppers Silo (but definitely at least stop by the onsite restaurant, Grain of the Silo , for a farm fresh menu) or Mercure Launceston before heading back to Hobart.

    Walk the sunlit paths of Cataract Gorge. (Image: Nick H Visuals)

    4. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

    Take a 35-minute drive from your hotel and you’ll find Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary . This social enterprise is run by a team of extremely passionate Tasmanians with a mission to look after critically endangered species who have found sanctuary here after facing extinction on the mainland.

    Choose to wander the sanctuary at your own pace or join a guided tour (free with your ticket) to come face to face with Tassie’s most iconic species. Tasmanian Devils, wombats and echidnas are part of the free tour. You can book up close encounters with your favourite animals, too.

    Bonorong is a Sanctuary for wildlife run by a passionate team of like-minded people. We're a social enterprise: a little business with a big heart.
    Snap a cuddle-worthy encounter. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    5. Richmond Village & Coal River Valley

    Richmond is a town that belongs in a snow globe. Fifty colonial-era, Georgian buildings have been painstakingly restored and turned into cafes, cosy restaurants and galleries. Visit Richmond Gaol , said to be the home of a prisoner so vile he inspired Charles Dickens to pen Oliver Twist’s Fagin.

    Then, follow the Coal River as it flows past grassy, duckling-dotted knolls and under the iconic Richmond Bridge, the oldest bridge in Australia. From the crest of the bridge, see the oldest Catholic Church in Australia. The river crawls past many cellar doors, perfect for a day of wine tasting.

    Richmond is a picture-perfect town in the Coal River Valley wine region, offering a glimpse into early colonial life, one of the best day trips from Hobart.
    Trace the river through history and wine country. (Image: Fin Matson)

    Plan your trip to Hobart and beyond with ALL Accor at All.com .