Where the Most Traveled Want to Travel

Those who have made a career of traveling the world seem like they’ve been everywhere on the planet. But even frequent travelers have bucket lists.

We reached out to a dozen popular travel bloggers and editors to find out which destinations they most want to visit. Their responses range from countries filled with lush rain forests and wildlife to islands many people have never heard of.

Read on to get inspiration for your own bucket list.

1. New Zealand

“New Zealand has been at the top of my list for quite some time. I want to experience the beautiful landscapes and see if it can actually outdo South Africa for the title of most beautiful country in the world (in my opinion!). I also want to experience the adventure activities and get close to nature in a way that is become increasingly rare for me, living in a big city.” — Kate McCulley, Adventurous Kate

2. Madagascar

“We would love to travel to Madagascar. Where [else] in the world can you see such unique and beautiful nature and wildlife? Nick [Wharton, her co-writer] would love to go scuba diving in the waters surrounding the island, and I would love to visit the villages and meet the people — well, we would both love to do that. The Avenue of the Baobabs, the lemurs, the chameleons, the people, the Indian Ocean … it would all be incredible.” — Dariece Swift, Goats On The Road

3. Iceland

“There is one major reason why I am dying to visit Iceland: Even if I’m well known for hating cold climates, Iceland would be the perfect setting to unleash my photographic passion. From the northern lights to the volcanoes and majestic waterfalls, everything in Iceland has the ‘wow’ factor!” — Clelia Mattana, Keep Calm and Travel

4. Brazil

“Brazil, because the national parks look mind-blowingly beautiful and it’s not a place many travel bloggers cover.” — Kristin Addis, Be My Travel Muse

5. South Pacific

“The first item added to my travel bucket list before I even knew such a thing existed was the South Pacific. Even today it’s a place I haven’t visited but want to desperately. I blame James Michener and his books ‘Tales of the South Pacific’ and ‘Hawaii’ for instilling in me a fierce desire to see these bucolic places for myself. I’ve thankfully visited Hawaii, but French Polynesia still eludes me.” — Matt Long, LandLopers.com

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6. Rwanda

“We’re dying to visit Rwanda. We have always wanted to trek to see the mountain gorillas.” — Deb Corbeil and Dave Bouskill, ThePlanetD

7. Cuba

“I’d have to say Cuba is tops on my list. Ever since the forbidden fruit became legally accessible, especially by cruise, I could not wait to board and make my way to see the Caribbean’s time capsule. … It’s hard to go wrong with classic car taxis in a tropical setting.” — Jason Leppert, Popular Cruising

8. Central Asia

“I haven’t really spent time in Central Asia, and that’s a part of the world I’d love to gain a better and more direct understanding of. For me it’s the ‘Stans generally, but Turkmenistan especially.” — Gary Leff, View from the Wing

9. Big Island, Hawaii

“I am dying to visit the Big Island of Hawaii. I have been to all other visitable Hawaiian isles and this is the last on my list. I absolutely adore Hawaii — the friendly people, the beautiful scenery, the warm ocean waves, the fresh pineapple … what’s not to love?! The Big Island is appealing for all of these reasons, plus it has active volcanoes! My kids and husband are dying to go too. In fact, we made a family vision board and Hawaii was the one common wish we all shared.” — Colleen Lanin, Travel Mamas.com

10. Socotra, Yemen

“Number one that we have never been to would probably be the island of Socotra in Yemen. It has been described as the most alien-looking place on the planet, and its dragon blood tree is not found anywhere else. The local food and culture also seem fascinating — a mix of South Arabian, Somali and Indian that have been isolated for years on the island to produce something truly unique.” — Nico Petit and Gabi Zanzanaini, The Funnelogy Channel

11. South Africa

“I’ve always wanted to go to South Africa. I feel like it’s a multi-faceted destination that appeals to a variety of senses: from the wineries to surfing, from history to wildlife sighting and outdooring, with a European heritage mingled with deeply African traditions. Few other destinations, to my knowledge, capture all of these aspects in such a relatively small area.” — Marie-Eve Vallieres, To Europe and Beyond.com

12. Sao Paulo, Brazil

“I’m most interested in visiting Sao Paulo, Brazil. I’ve never been to South America before, and I’ve heard so many great things about the city, from its beaches to the massive parties and liberal attitudes toward sex, sexuality and open-mindedness.” — Adam Groffman, Travels of Adam

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