Bucket-list travel 2026: Our top 15 destinations

Whether it’s a place bookmarked for decades, a journey inspired by recent events, or a destination that feels newly urgent or personal, bucket-list travel is often about more than only geography. Why not make 2026 the year to finally tick off a long-held dream?

Here are the top destinations we want to visit next year – and why now feels like the right moment.

Petra, Jordan

The Monastery or Ad Deir in Petra, Jordan. Getty Images

Jordan has been on my mind for quite some time for several reasons and hopefully will be ticked off my bucket list in 2026. The first time I saw pictures of Petra, or the Rose City was probably as a screen saver on my home computer as a child. To call it mesmerising would be an understatement. When pictures are this jaw-dropping, you know the real thing is going to leave you 10 times more awestruck.

Filled with spectacular tombs and monuments, it is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites or, as Unesco describes it, "one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage".

But Petra is not all that Jordan offers. Believe it or not, floating in the Dead Sea with all its saltiness is another surreal experience I would like to experience once in my lifetime. There are several resorts that allow you direct access to this unique lake leaving you with more time for other things in your itinerary.

Touristy stuff aside, I also have a personal reason for wanting to visit this beautiful country. As a Christian, I have always wanted to see Jesus’s baptism site Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Al-Maghtas). There are several tours that take you to the baptismal area on the Jordan River, and this experience will be my most memorable regardless of how it goes.

Zoya Thomas, digital platforms editor

Boracay, Philippines

Aerial shot of a beach in Boracay, the Philippines. Getty Images

I've been meaning to travel to the Philippines ever since I moved to the UAE nearly two decades ago, yet somehow it's never happened, despite some of my closest friends being Filipino. The recent announcement of visa-free travel for Indians to the Philippines is a clear sign I should finally tick this beautiful country off my bucket list – so I've earmarked 2026 for it.

Top on my list are the beaches of Boracay, a bit of history in Vigan in the north-west and some food excursions in Pampanga, considered the "culinary capital of the Philippines".

David Tusing, assistant features editor

Osaka, Japan

Shop signs and restaurants against the Tsutenkaku tower in Osaka's Shinsekai entertainment district. Getty Images

Japan has been at the very top of my travel bucket-list for as long as I can remember. My fascination with the country started early, sparked by endless hours of anime and tokusatsu shows on TV. As I grew older, that interest only deepened, thanks to epic samurai films and immersive JRPGs that completely pulled me into Japan’s rich history and storytelling. I even tried learning Nihongo (Japanese) more times than I care to admit… with mixed results. Still, no amount of failed language lessons could ever dull my dream of visiting Japan one day.

Now imagine this: Osaka. I’m wandering through the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori, munching on warm takoyaki (savoury ball-shaped dumplings), sipping a matcha latte, and exploring the timeless beauty of Osaka Castle. The city hums around me, and in my head, One Summer’s Day from Spirited Away plays like the perfect soundtrack. Magical, right? Okay, maybe I’m daydreaming a little but hopefully not for long.