Forget the hustle of the Gold Coast or the bustle of Byron Bay, a lesser-known region sandwiched in between the famous pair has just been named among the hottest destinations for travel in 2027.

Travel guide publisher Lonely Planet put the Tweed in northern NSW on its annual “best in travel” list, released on Wednesday.

It is the only Australian spot to make the full list of “25 must-visit destinations”, as chosen by the publisher’s travel experts.

There is another Australian highlight in the guide’s prestigious best experiences – the Northern Territory’s Red Centre arts scene is among the 25 chosen from across the world.

The destinations and experiences feature in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 guide, which was released on Wednesday.

The Tweed is pitched as Byron Bay without the crowds.

“Famed surf town Byron Bay is only 45 minutes from Gold Coast Airport, but it’s the bit in between the two you shouldn’t miss. This is the Tweed,” writes author Sarah Reid.

“At the north-eastern tip of NSW, the Tweed is often described as a more laid-back version of Byron Bay. And it’s true – even Byron locals head to this scenic agricultural region to decompress. As one of them, I should know.”

Reid – “a sucker for a lazy weekend” – recommends the local beaches and the area’s restaurants. They include Pipit in Pottsville and Bistro Livi, named regional restaurant of the year by the respected Good Food Guide in 2024.

“Rising up behind the coast, the lush green hills of the hinterland – remnants of a massive shield volcano – are bursting with rewarding low-impact activities,” Reid writes.

“The Tweed River snakes down through these hills to regional hub Murwillumbah (Murbah to locals), known for its arts scene and well-preserved art deco buildings erected during the town’s dairy boom.

“Murbah also marks the head of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, a former rail corridor currently being transformed into a 132-kilometre mixed-use pathway. Threading through pockets of emerald rainforest, the first 24-kilometre section is ideal for cycling.”

Dunedin, in New Zealand’s far south, is also among the top destinations. Photo: Pixabay

Other recommended destinations that are close to home include Dunedin in New Zealand and the Pacific Island nation of New Caledonia.

When it comes to experiences for 2027, Lonely Planet recommends ocean adventures in French Polynesia and experiencing Fa’a in Samoa (the island nation’s culture and traditional way of life) among its top 25.

In Australia, its lone pick is the burgeoning arts scene in the Red Centre – an area with roughly defined boundaries stretching from Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to Alice Springs.

“Australia’s outback is often characterised as a flat, barren place – but while it may be isolated, central Australia is anything but empty,” author Jessica Lockhart writes.

“The landscape constantly shifts the longer you look at it, revealing beauty and vibrant life to those willing to give it the time – or to capture it on canvas.”

The colours of the landscape of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park have inspired artists for generations. Photo: Pixabay

The region is globally celebrated as a hotbed for creativity.

“Its relative isolation has played a role in the development of art forms seen nowhere else in the world, with the landscape serving as the central character,” Lockhart writes.

“Colourful parrots, serene waterholes and ancient mountain ranges are frequently depicted in paintings, weavings and pottery emerging from the region. But a rock isn’t just a rock here; art often tells stories from the Dreamtime – an ancestral space that shapes people’s connection to the natural world.”

Local highlights include studios such as Alice Springs’ Iltja Ntjarra (Many Hands) Art Centre, where visitors can watch the descendants of Albert Namatjira hone their craft.

Further south at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a night-time show of 1100 drones (Wintjiri Wir-u) tells a chapter of an ancient Mala story. It joins Bruce Munro’s Field of Light – a landscape of 50,000 glowing spheres at the base of Uluru – and Sunrise Journeys, a newer dawn experience, where the artwork and music of Anangu artists is projected onto surrounding trees and sand.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 is out now. More details here