Top 20 most-Googled bucket list travel destinations of revealed

Visiting the Maldives is at the top of plenty of traveller's bucket lists, especially in New Zealand, according to a new ranking. Photo / 123rf

The many opportunities of worldwide travel can be overwhelming to consider - there are so many great destinations to visit and limited resources to do so.

Many travellers, wanting to make the most of their limited international holidays, look to curate a personalised bucket list. By narrowing down the options, hopeful travellers can curate a particular experience, with the goal of visiting some iconic destinations.

UK-based luxury travel company Kuoni has considered the bucket-list locations of keen travellers in a new ranking, using global search data from Google to consider the popularity of 119 bucket-list items from searches made in 219 countries. In the final ranking, Kuoni has highlighted the top-ranking travel destinations and activities for travellers. There is a wide range of much-desired holidays, from adrenaline-pumping trips to great artistic endeavours.

At the top of the list, travellers looked to visit the Maldives in South Asia, likely looking to the islands for its scenic beaches and expansive blue waters. The Maldives topped the list as the most popular destination across 112 countries, including here in New Zealand.

Niagara Falls has been ranked the second-most-popular bucket-list destination. Photo / Unsplash

Niagra Falls, spanning the border of Canada and the US, came in at second place. According to Kuoni, travellers were specifically looking for the opportunity to don rain ponchos and experience a good splashing by the famed waterfall.

Then, at number three, travellers looked to see the famed wry smile of the Mona Lisa at the Louvre.

Tourists crowd around da Vinci’s Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Paris. Photo / 123rf

This is hardly surprising, as the painting is regularly crowded by tourists looking to catch a glimpse of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous portrait.

Other picks on the list include visiting iconic landmarks and attractions, such as the Statue of Liberty, Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal and Big Ben. More immersive and demanding activities, like walking to Chichén Itzá and trekking the Himalayas, also made the list. Interestingly, the new ranking finds some parallels with a previous survey, which asked UK-based travellers to share their biggest travel regrets, in terms of the destinations they wished they had visited.

Kuoni’s top 20 bucket-list destinations:

1. Visit the Maldives
2. Get splashed at Niagara Falls
3. See the Mona Lisa
4. Visit Bora Bora
5. Climb the Statue of Liberty
6. See the Northern Lights
7. Visit Stonehenge
8. Visit the Taj Mahal
9. See Times Square
10. See the Burj Khalifa in Dubai
11. Visit Pompeii
12. Visit the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona
13. Visit Cinque Terre
14. Visit Big Ben
15. Walk to Chichén Itzá
16. Trek through the Himalayas
17. Visit Alcatraz
18. Visit the White House
19. Float on the Dead Sea
20. Admire the views at Yosemite