With so many “top 10” lists and travel influencers hyping up their favorite spots, it can feel like every country is being called the perfect destination, making it easy to forget that the perfect place to visit is ultimately personal. To find out what travelers actually think, u/AliveRelationship551 asked, “Which country do you think is the PERFECT tourist destination according to your personal experience?” In response, people offered a mix of passionate favorites, underrated picks, and some notes about what makes a place truly special to them:
1.“I have been to 44 countries, and I find Japan to be the perfect tourist destination. Japan is well-endowed with a rich cultural heritage, diverse, breathtaking natural scenery, and the hospitality is top-notch. Japanese cuisine is designated as UNESCO intangible heritage. There are 47 prefectures in Japan. Each prefecture has its own distinctive character. I have been to Japan six times, and I have never been bored with it. There is so much to do, see, and experience in Japan. Japan is truly the most perfect country for tourism based on my experience.”
—u/AliveRelationship551
“I know someone who has been to 85 countries. I asked him which country he’d like to visit again. He didn’t even think for a second. He just said Japan.”
—u/MathCsCareerAspirant
“Currently in Japan right now on my second trip. It’s pretty amazing, and the public transportation leaves a lot to be desired in whichever country you call home.”
—u/thuggerybuffoonery
“I agree. Japan has literally everything from snow mountains in Hokkaido to pristine beaches in Okinawa. Not to mention, it has the biggest city in the world and historical places such as Kyoto. Everything is so convenient and cheap (right now), and people are so nice to tourists. Living there is not a pleasant experience, but it is the best country to visit for sure.”
—u/lkh9596
2.“I love Vietnam. Visited it two times, and I love that the place feels safe. Since I’m from Japan, I only miss the quiet streets (no car horns at all here). Be prepared to hear horns all day long. Another thing that’s great about Vietnam is that I’m probably less scammed than in other places I’ve visited.”
—u/kyookenkk
“I’ve been to 60 countries and Vietnam three times, and it’s definitely one of my absolute favorite destinations. It’s so vibrant and quirky, with amazing food. It feels safe, it’s constantly changing, and the people are really friendly. They have become really good at tourism over the past 15 years. I didn’t experience anyone trying to scam me, except maybe some aggressive sales tactics at some markets.”
—u/rebeccavt
3.“Bosnia. Great food, inexpensive, lots of great outdoor activities, and easy to get around.”
—u/(deleted)
4.“Peru. If you can speak Spanish or are fine using Google Translate to get around in other areas apart from Cusco/Lima, you’ll find a wonderful place that has a lot to offer. Particularly Machu Picchu. It’s the one famous place I feel is underrated. No matter how much you talk about how cool it is, it’s still better than that.”
—u/35mmistoobig
“I agree with you. It has the trifecta of culture, nature, and food. Plus, it’s affordable compared to other destinations with similar tourist potential. I’ve been three times, and it’s always a top contender for where I want to go next.”
—u/what_the_fax_say
5.“Oh, I want to vote for Thailand. Cheaper than Japan, but lots to do and see. It’s just got something for everyone. Food is fantastic also!”
—u/SmashBrosUnite
“I also tell people that Thailand has something to offer everyone. It’s so big and geographically diverse, you can have whatever kind of holiday you want there.”
—u/lucciolaa
6.“Spain and Germany also rank pretty high. They are both easily accessible to tourists and have a wide variety of things to see and do.”
—u/nowhereman136
7.“I’m going with Greece. Unparalleled history, incredible sites, and museums. Stunning natural beauty, obviously islands, but a lot more than just perfect summer vibes. It’s inexpensive and has friendly people who are very hospitable and welcoming to visitors.”
—u/Enosis21
“Greece is unreal. The food is so damn good, and every island was completely stunning. Meteora is probably the most unique place I’ve ever visited, and Athens was like an open-air museum. I’d say Greece is one of my top five countries — amazing place to visit.”
—u/Ambry
“I love Greece! Been there multiple times, including month-long stays. I’ve never been to the famous islands like Santorini and Mykonos. I just came back from three weeks in Crete, including 12 days camping in the wild. It was amazing. My 2018 road trip through the Peloponnese was also incredible.
The people are the best. I’m Latin American, and I don’t like how boring and closed-off Europeans in general are. My only exceptions are Greeks and Irish. I also love how easy it is to find live local music in Greece. If you go to watch some flamenco stuff in Spain, there are only tourists. But you sit in a random tavern in Greece, and you might find someone playing some bouzouki, and there are mostly Greeks there singing and appreciating it. It wasn’t an ‘old dude thing’; it was full of young people too.
As a Brazilian who loves samba and bossa, Greece felt very, very homey because of that. I even bought myself a baglama! Food-wise, it’s my top two countries (top one is Vietnam). Honestly, if the government wasn’t so bad, I’d consider moving there.”
—u/edalcol
8.“Turkey is pretty incredible.”
—u/Carpe_Cervisia
9.“Cliché, but it must be France. I prefer the style of Spain and Italy, but if we’re talking about pure tourism, France. The sheer number of beautiful villages, cities, and historical sites is astonishing. They also have more money, so the sites are always well-kept and renovated with top-notch facilities. Their castles and historical buildings are prettier and more grandiose than those in Spain and Italy. They have a wide variety of scenery, regions, and climates, from the hot South a la Italian to the rugged Brittany where you feel like you’re in Ireland.”
—u/traboulidon
“France is my answer, too. I enjoy outdoor travel, and they have the Alps and Pyrenees (plus other options), and they don’t ruin them by not allowing backpacking like so many other countries. There are places I prefer for outdoor or urban travel, but if I want to do both or rate a country on both, France it is.
Obviously, it’s very strong in the cultural department. I also find French people to be fine if you just learn their etiquette. I think a lot of the ‘rude French people’ thing comes from people who can’t be bothered to learn to say ‘Sorry, I don’t speak French, do you speak English or is Translate OK?’ and learn the greetings.”
—u/(deleted)
10.“Spain and Italy are two of my favorite countries to see things. So much amazing architecture, heritage sites, and diverse scenery to boot. I remember taking a train from Florence to Genoa (IIRC), fell asleep briefly, woke up to the ocean on my left and mountain cliffs on my right. It was surreal. As for a city, nothing is comparable to Rome. When I’m retired and have done my travel goals, I want to just spend a month in Rome staring at random ancient buildings. And the entire city of Florence is an art. Venice is a pain in the ass because of crowds, but hey, I’m so glad I didn’t die before seeing it. I grew up around Disneyland and was completely flabbergasted that people would even compare this miracle of a city to a theme park. WTF, for real.”
“Southern Spain is something else. La Alhambra puts most other architectural works to shame. And I know Barcelona doesn’t have the best reputation, but I’ve always loved it. The weather, the architecture, the walks along the beach, and seeing local kids play beach volleyball. The best meal in Gracia, where the loveliest owner tried to convey to me ‘belly cut’ by pointing at her own stomach.”
—u/niji-no-megami
11.“Slovenia. It’s really underrated but extremely beautiful.”
—u/(deleted)
“Had the best hitchhike of my life in this country. Bled and the Julian Alps are amazing, and Ljubljana is both fun to say and to visit.”
—u/Funky_pigment
12.“Portugal! I traveled all throughout my 20s and used to never want to return to the same place twice since there was so much to see in the world. However, I’m heading back to Portugal now for my third extended visit. Love the beaches, the people, the food, the whole vibe there. It’s great!”
—u/bikealjackson
13.“This really is a personal question. Mine would be Indonesia. That being said, I speak Indonesian and have been there many times. But Indonesia is so big and diverse that every time I go, I discover something new.”
—u/FoodSamurai
14.“Iceland was lovely.”
—u/pegman55
“My best holidays were in Iceland in winter. Nature’s wonders there are hard to match — auroras, geysers, volcanoes, waterfalls, glaciers, ice caves. Just amazing.”
—u/fercarp32
15.“Argentina. People are talkative and kind, but not over the top. A diverse amount of nature and foods from other cultures that meld into one. I have been twice and would come back a third time.”
—u/z399
16.“So far, Mexico is my top spot.”
—u/kwguy77
“I’ve traveled the world for both work and pleasure. But Mexico is where I set down roots. It has such variety in geography, incredible food, and the kindest people I’ve ever known. And no jet lag!”
—u/damned-if-i-do-67
17.“I have visited some 30-odd countries, but I loved Norway a lot. Lofoten is pure rugged beauty. No crowds. There are spots where you have everything in one frame — beach, snow, mountains, and waterfalls. And we spotted rainbows three times in three days. It was out of this world.”
—u/Life-Rope89
18.“Australia. My friend and I traveled the Great Ocean Road from Melbourne, then flew to Cairns in order to drive up to Port Douglas to go diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Then we flew to Sydney to climb the bridge and watch Macbeth at the Sydney Opera House. It was an amazing trip!”
—u/catpunsfreakmeowt
19.“Switzerland. Infrastructure, high quality of life, and one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
—u/wandpapierkritiker
20.“I would say Germany. They have so many great cities, which offer different experiences, great infrastructure and museums, and theater galore.”
—u/(deleted)
21.“It’s got to be New Zealand. Incredible geographic diversity, great food, great coffee! Great wine, not wildly expensive. You can go from Wellington and get any food imaginable to the middle of a volcanic plain surrounded by green mountains in just a couple of hours. Would go all the time if it weren’t so damn far away.”
—u/BetaCuck_1776
22.“I have to say Jordan is really up there. It’s a Middle Eastern country that’s safe, but also has more character than the oil-rich states. The country is almost perfectly designed and shaped for a vacation. The people were great as well. All very friendly and totally opposite of spots like Egypt. Some places gave out baklava for free because I only ordered a little. Tour guides brought lunch that wasn’t part of the tour package to give us more time at the sights. Locals helped tourists tie their scarves properly. Coffee stores would make an effort to write my name in Arabic on the cup, etc. There were lots of little nice interactions, and I can’t remember any bad ones. And then the food — Jordanian food has to be one of my favorite cuisines, and everything was so fresh and delicious. We ate only local food the entire time to make every meal count.”
“Start in Amman, then visit Petra, then Wadi Rum, then the Dead Sea, then back to Amman and fly out, with other places easily added around those.”
—u/Live_Studio_Emu
“Jordan was incredible — easily in my top three destinations. We went as a group of four women and drove ourselves. Driving was easy, people were incredibly hospitable (and the men were actually funny and not overbearing or threatening). The food and hookah were top-notch. We slept on cots in a Bedouin tent and stayed at a five-star Dead Sea resort, and I’d rank both of them among my favorite experiences ever. It really was pretty much perfect.”
—u/alloutofbees
23.“Belize is spectacular. Culturally and geographically diverse in a small enough area to really explore it in a reasonable amount of time. Wonderful people. Some of the most amazing historical sites and affordable. Getting a lot of tourism recently, and with good reason.”
—u/cassiuswright
“So glad to see this comment. I saw the question and immediately thought of Belize. The culture is so laid-back, I consider it a ‘first international’ destination for Americans who have never traveled abroad. I’ve been to 35-ish countries. It’s one of three I’ve returned to, and I can’t wait to go back.”
—u/stbernardgirl
24.“I’ve been to about 25 countries. After I visited China, that number stopped growing because I just kept going back there. It’s been years since then. It’s large enough to keep me busy, and each place is very different. It’s also not too ‘easy,’ so I still feel a sense of adventure.”
—u/AW23456___99
Have a favorite country you keep going back to — or one that surprised you in the best way? Drop your personal picks in the comments and let us know what makes them perfect in your book!
Note: Responses have been edited for length/clarity.
