Top 10 places Brits want to visit in their lifetime

Online voucher codes company, MyVoucherCodes, has surveyed travellers from across the UK to uncover 10 of their favourite bucket list destinations from around the world.

The discount and deals platform asked Brits what their favourite destinations were and just under half (44%) selected the Northern Lights as the ultimate sight to see. Other popular choices included visiting the Grand Canyon (29%), seeing the Egyptian Pyramids (22%), and walking a stretch of the Great Wall of China (20%).

Martyn John, travel spokesperson at MyVoucherCodes, said: “Our research is just a micro-study into some of the nation’s worldwide-wish-list destinations, but demonstrates some clear trends as well as throwing up a few surprises, with the Amazon Rainforest, Canada’s Rocky Mountains and New Zealand’s South Island all making the cut.”

The Northern Lights (44.4%)

A popular choice for many travellers, the unworldly Northern Lights are collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere. The lights are also known as the Aurora Borealis in the north and the Aurora Australis in the south. Its lights generally extend from 50 miles to as high as 400 miles above the Earth’s surface.

Grand Canyon (28.6%)

The sheer size of the Grand Canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona is the main reason why it’s on many UK travellers travel wish list. In a study made in 2012, it was revealed that the carving process began as far back as 70 million years ago. Today, it’s one of the most visited places on our planet, hosting approximately 6.25 million visitors in 2017.

Pyramids in Egypt (22.3%)

The ancient Egyptian built these pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and queens. Little did they know that it would stand the test of time as one of the world’s most magnificent structures. There are about 80 pyramids in Egypt but the three largest and best-preserved stand at Giza. The most famous one is the Great Pyramid, built for the pharaoh Khufu.

Wildlife Safari in Africa (20.3%)

Africa is an expansive continent and it offers many spectacular reserves that travellers can choose from. From the Serengeti National Park to the Kalahari Desert, Africa gives travellers an opportunity to bask in its pristine and primal landscape. The survey showed that 20% of the respondents were craving for a wild adventure.

The Great Wall of China (20.3%)

Totalling over 13,000 miles in length, the Great Wall of China is the republic’s most recognised symbols. So recognisable that in fact, more than 10 million people flock to see its magnificence. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987, the wall has been a hot tourist attraction due to its architectural grandeur and historical significance.

New Zealand’s South Island (20%)

Making the lower half of the list is New Zealand’s South Island, which is known for its turquoise lakes, glacial valleys and snow-capped mountains—the best of what mother nature has to offer. While the North Island is more populated, the South Island offers a 32% larger land mass, the 12th largest island in the world.

Canada’s Rocky Mountains (17.5%)

A popular destination for both locals and tourists, Canada’s Rocky Mountains includes five national parks making it a hot pick for Brits’ bucket list destinations. On the Rockies, travellers can go on adventures such as rock climbing, skiing, whitewater rafting, or simply enjoy driving on the open roads and camping out.

Life in the Big Apple (16.2%)

New York — the city that never sleeps is one of the most popular and busiest cities in the world. Being a business and economic centre, travellers won’t run out of things to do in the bustling city. In 2017, New York received an eighth consecutive annual record of approximately 62.8 million tourists. Famous destinations include the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Broadway Theatre and Central Park.

Ancient Rome (16%)

Today, Rome is a renowned city as it holds the world’s most important archaeological and art treasures. From the aqueducts to fountains, churches, palaces and historical buildings, Rome is a place that’s truly worthy of making it to a travellers’ bucket list. Dubbed as the Eternal City many believe that the city would always remain standing.

The Amazon Rainforest (15.9%)

The Amazon Rainforest just made it to the top ten. After all, it is the world’s largest rainforest, covering most of the Amazon basin of South America. With a land mass of 2.72 million sq miles, the basin is roughly the size of the United States and holds the world’s largest river by volume. The Amazon has about 16,000 tree species and 390 billion individual trees. Not for the faint hearted, the forest is thought to have 2.5 million species of insects.

The poll was conducted through an online survey among 1,000 randomly selected UK adults aged 18 and above.