Coastal route in Ireland is one of the top bucket list destinations worldwide

Ireland is home to one of the world’s top bucket list experiences, according to Tripadvisor’s 2023 Traveller’s Choice Best of the Best Awards.

The list of 25 unique activities makes up less than one percent of the review site’s eight million listings, and is said to give travellers “the best stories of a lifetime”.

Ranked at number four on the list is a full-day Cliffs of Moher tour from Dublin, Ireland. The trip includes a  guided journey to rural Ireland by coach, where visitors can soak up the panoramic views over the Emerald Isles’ countryside landscape.

Visitors travel via the Wild Atlantic Way and can enjoy an exclusive stop at Kilmacduagh Abbey. Passing through Galway and then on to see the Cliffs of Moher, the trip claims to offer some of the most impressive views of Ireland’s shoreline.

According to Tripadvisor, the excursion lasts for 12 hours and 30 minutes, and visitors can travel in groups of 15.

The top experience was in Dubai, known as the Red Dunes ATV, Sandsurf, Camels, Stargazing and a five-star BBQ excursion at Al Khayma Camp.

With more than 8,000 reviews and an overall rating of five stars, the United Arab Emirates trip involves driving an all-terrain vehicle across the sands followed by other premium activities in the desert. People aged 14 to 99 can participate in groups of up to 15 to enjoy the six-hour trip.

The top experience was in Dubai, known as the Red Dunes ATV, Sandsurf, Camels, Stargazing, and a five-star BBQ excursion at Al Khayma Camp. 

With more than 8,000 reviews and an overall rating of five stars, the United Arab Emirates trip involves driving an all-terrain vehicle across the sands followed by other premium activities in the desert. People aged 14 to 99 can participate in groups of up to 15 to enjoy the six-hour trip.

Second on the list was the classic Inca Trail Trek 4D/3N to Machu Picchu. The tour is operated by Peru’s number-one service, Alpaca Expeditions. During the trip, visitors can journey along the ancient footpath of the Incas directly into Machu Picchi through the Sun Gate.

The four-day trip involves pit stops at many other Inca sites on the way, with local guides to share their unique insight into the culture, including the food, scenery, and history.

Ranked third in the Traveller’s Choice awards was a cruise stop at Juneau, Alaska, to watch the whales. Visitors can see the creatures in their natural habitat on the boat-trip, without having to organise shore transport.

The journey lasts for three hours and thirty minutes and guarantees sightings of humpback whales, with expert commentary on their behaviours throughout the cruise.

After the fourth best experience, a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, travellers voted the Island Ultimate Jeep Safar in Aruba as the 5th most sought-after bucket list experience.

Included in the nine-hour and 30-minute excursion is a trip to Aruba’s Natural Pool and Baby Beach on a unique off-road 4WD adventure. The California Lighthouse and Natural Bridge are two of the pit stops on the way, and the day ends with free time to snorkel and a barbecue lunch.