This was published 8 years ago
Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2016: Fremantle named as one of the top cities to visit in 2016
By Annie Dang
Lonely Planet has announced its top 10 countries to visit in 2016 with Australia securing a spot on the annual list at No. 6.
Australia was singled out for its 'booming' Indigenous tourism and 'a roaring trade in UNESCO World Heritage wilderness areas', according to Lonely Planet. Australia was also noted for being 'great for value for money for overseas travellers' making it a hot destination to visit in 2016.
However, it was African nation Botswana that was named the number one county to visit in 2016. Botswana is home to the spectacular Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta, which is one of the world's largest inland deltas, making it the perfect destination to see and experience wildlife.
The WA port city of Fremantle was named the seventh best city to visit in 2016.Credit: Getty Images
Botswana topped the list of 10 ahead of Japan, US, Palau and Latvia, which respectively summed up the top five countries on the list. Australia in sixth spot out ranked Poland, Uruguay, Greenland and Fiji, which completed the top 10.
As for the top city to visit in 2016 … that would be Kotor in Montenegro. The city, which has not lost its charm to the Euro-trashiness of other parts of the coast, outshone Quito in Ecuador (No. 2), Dublin (No. 3), George Town in Malaysia (No. 4) and Rotterdam (No. 5) for the top spot.
Not too far behind was Fremantle – the only Aussie city to make the Top 10 Cities list for 2016 – at No. 7, behind Mumbai at No. 6.
The Western Australian city "thrums" into seventh spot on the list "with live-music rooms, hipster bars, boutique hotels, left-field bookshops, craft-beer breweries, Indian Ocean seafood shacks, buskers, beaches and students on the run from the books'', Lonely Planet says.
The city was noted for having undergone "a process of reinvention" that investment in the arts, the establishment of Notre Dame University and development along the city's waterfront at the fore. "In 2016, Freo is bearing the fruits of this process, with thriving urban culture and a string of awesome arts events celebrating the city's essence," Lonely Planet said.
Manchester, at No. 8, followed by Nashville and Rome, complete Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities list for 2016.
Australia also featured in 10 other Best in Travel 2016 lists, including Western Australia (No. 10 for Best Value Destinations) and Melbourne (No. 4 in Most Accessible Destinations). See full list below.
Last year, Tasmania was named among the Top 10 Regions to visit on the Lonely Planet list, and in 2014, Adelaide was named one the Top 10 Cities to visit and The Kimberley named among the Top 10 Regions.
Lonely Planet's Best in Travel's lists are compiled from recommendations submitted by Lonely Planet's staff, authors, travellers, bloggers and tweeters. The submissions were refined by a panel of in-house travel experts, based on "topicality, excitement, value and that special X-factor".
Lonely Planet's Top 10 Countries 2016:
1. Botswana
2. Japan
3. USA
4. Palau
5. Latvia
6. Australia
7. Poland
8. Uruguay
9. Greenland
10. Fiji
Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities 2016:
1. Kotor, Montenegro
2. Quito, Ecuador
3. Dublin, Ireland
4. George Town, Malaysia
5. Rotterdam, the Netherlands
6. Mumbai, India
7. Fremantle, Australia
8. Manchester, UK
9. Nashville, USA
10. Rome, Italy
Lonely Planet's Top 10 Regions 2016:
1. Transylvania, Romania
2. West Iceland
3. Valle de Viñales, Cuba
4. Friuli's wine regions, Italy
5. Waiheke Island, New Zealand
6. The Auvergne, France
7. Hawaii, USA
8. Bavaria, Germany
9. Costa Verde, Brazil
10. St Helena, British Territories
How Australia ranked in Lonely Planet's 2016 lists:
Lonely Planet's Top 10 Countries 2016
No. 6: Australia
Lonely Planet's Top 10 Cities 2016
No. 7: Fremantle
Best Value Destinations
No. 10: Western Australia
Most Accessible Destinations
No. 4: Melbourne
Best Places to Test Your Survival Skills
No. 5: Bob Cooper Outback Survival
The World's Most Extraordinary Sleepovers
No. 6: Roar & Snore at Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Best Animal Adventures for Families
No. 8: Walkabout Wildlife Park, NSW
Super Sleeper Trains
Number eight: Darwin–Adelaide
Best Burger Experiences
No. 8: Burgers with Bounce and Bite, Darwin
Most Iconic 20th Century Houses
No. 10: Rose Seidler House, Sydney
Best Places to Meet Mythical Beasts
No. 10: Bunyip
See also: World's best destination for 2015 named by TripAdvisor
See also: The new travel bucket list: The 10 places to go next
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.