MSN NZ Travel staff
Travelling to a destination that offers great experiences in and around the region is a great way to make the most of your next holiday.
It means you won't be stuck in one place and find yourself sinking into a routine of visiting the same cafes and restaurants and circling the same streets. After all, you are on holiday and you want to be sure to see, do and eat as much as possible.
Travel + Leisure magazine asked 50 members of the travel industry to name their favourite regions of all time and why they loved them. Here's what they chose as the top 10 regions to visit.
1. French wine districts
Take your pick between Bordeaux and Burgundy, or do both if you're a wine enthusiast — but don't forget to designate a sober driver. All that wine tasting can leave you rather tipsy. And for the champagne lovers, don't leave France without a visit to Reims, to the Champagne district!
2. Tuscany
Known for breathtaking scenery and art, your visit in and around Tuscany can start (and finish) in Florence before setting out to the countryside where you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to food, wine and gorgeous views.
3. The Tasmanian wilderness
The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area spans south-west, western and central Tasmania covering 20 percent of the island. Amongst the flora and fauna there are also limestone caves that humans used to inhabit more than 20,000 years ago.
4. The Kimberley
The Kimberley is one of the earliest settled parts of Australia and regarded by some as Australia's last great wilderness. The immense and complex landscape treats visitors to breathtaking gorges and waterfalls, mysterious caves, rainforest and an array of wildlife.
5. Antarctica
This destination is definitely not for the those who have low tolerance of cold temperatures. But if you can brave the cold, Antarctica's permanent residents including penguins, seals, mosses and algae await discovery and research.
6. Kakadu
The national park located in the Northern Territory of Australia is open every day of the year and visitors can look forward to a different experience each time they visit the park. To get there, fly to Darwin and drive to the park, which, in itself, is part of the adventure.
7. The Canadian Rockies
Explore on your own or take a guided tour. Take your pick of five national parks located within the Canadian Rockies. For the more adventurous, try scaling to the peak of a mountain or see more of the area on a mountain bike.
8. The Greek Islands
Base yourself in Crete, the largest and most popular of 6000 islets in the region, but make sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore the 280 inhabited islands in the region while taking in the lovely sun, food, people and pace of the easy Greek life.
9. The Southern Australian wine districts
Highly regarded for crisp rieslings (a Clare Valley specialty) and full-bodied shirazs from the Barossa Valley, the Southern Australian wine districts are responsible for more than half of the wine produced in Australian.
10. Byron Bay
Byron Bay is a popular destination amongst travellers from near and far. You can enjoy surfing, whale watching or romantic walks on the beach and exploring the famous lighthouse. Byron Bay is the perfect place to take it easy, mate.
Have you visited any of these regions? Do you agree with our list? Have your say below.
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Have you visited any of these regions? Do you agree with our list of top regions?
