Get your passports ready, guys: New Zealand has just been named the best country in the world in 2025, according to The Telegraph.
Reclaiming its crown in this year’s Telegraph Travel Awards (after briefly being dethroned by South Africa in 2023), the Land on the Long White Cloud is back at the number one spot. The win comes after more than 20,000 Telegraph readers casted their votes and shared their recommendations. So why has New Zealand captured and kept our hearts?
Well, the country’s landscapes are nothing short of cinematic — the Lord of the Rings movies were filmed here, after all, with the sky-high, snow-capped peaks and rolling, green vineyards, black sand beaches and fjords all helping create otherworldly backdrops.
Exploring its outdoors is alone worth the flight. Milford Track, Tongariro Crossing and Routeburn Track are bucket list-level treks for hikers, but New Zealand also offers adrenaline-fuelled attractions like bungee-jumping, skydiving, jet-boating and more. If it gets your heart racing, it’s probably available somewhere on the islands.
But it’s not all about the scenery and action. New Zealand is consistently ranked as one of the world’s best places for its quality of life, safety and progression. Its coastal surroundings are great places to watch the wildlife (why not seek out some whale-watching?) and an excellent source of seafood. And it’s a place proud of its Indigenous culture, with New Zealand’s Māori communities and Māori haka traditions are embedded in the country’s national identity.
All sounds pretty incredible right? Check out our roundup of the best things to do in New Zealand, but make sure to also read on for the rest of the top 10 when it comes to the Telegraph’s Travel Awards for 2025.
These are the top 10 countries in the world, according to The Telegraph
- New Zealand
- Japan
- India
- South Africa
- Greece
- Australia
- Peru
- The Maldives
- Costa Rica
- Botswana
ICYMI: The underrated artsy capital just named Europe’s best-value city break.
Plus: The Greek island crowned the world’s best in 2025 by Travel + Leisure.
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