Northland has made it onto National Geographic’s list of the best travel destinations in the world to visit next year.
The region was lauded as a great place to “spot rare wildlife” in the Best of the World 2025 list.
“International travelers landing in Auckland usually head south, but the little-visited Northland region has fascinating wildlife and warm waters that offer excellent diving, especially in the Poor Knights marine reserve,” the article said.
“Many fish species in the reserve, such as spotted black groper, mosaic moray, and Lord Howe coralfish, are found nowhere else in the country.
“On land, normally elusive and threatened kiwis are abundant thanks to the Kiwi Coast, a coalition of more than 250 community-led conservation projects that aims to create the first protected corridor for New Zealand’s beloved national bird.”
The un-ranked list of 25 destinations also included one across the ditch: Australia’s Murray River.
Other featured spots spanned the globe, with destinations from Thailand to Greenland making the cut.
