More and more, travelers are turning to the skies for inspiration.
Interest in astrotourism has surged since the 2024 eclipse’s path of totality touched the U.S., and seeing the Northern Lights is one of the top travel trends for the new year. Destinations are leaning into the craze with new observatories and “astro trails,” while hardcore astronomy-lovers have had Aug. 12, 2026 marked on their calendars for years: It’s when the next total eclipse will bring legions of travelers to Iceland, Greenland, parts of Spain, and cruise ships to witness the natural phenomenon.
But you won’t have to wait until next summer to experience some stunning extraterrestrial wonders. A new study from The Invisible Tourist ranks the absolute best destinations for stargazing based on their average mean radiance values. A lower average means less pollution and darker, clearer nights that leave resplendent stars to command the sky.
Unsurprisingly, remote islands dominated the list. Three islands—two in the South Pacific Ocean and one in the Pacific—tied for the No. 1 spot with perfect radiance scores of zero.
Niue, a small island nation southeast of Samoa, is among the coveted trio. It has one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls, underwater caves, and the honor of being the first entire nation to receive International Dark-Sky Designation. Home to only around 1,600 people, the picturesque hideaway is celebrated as one of the world’s best scuba destinations and is teeming with wildlife views even from land, where you can admire a gorgeous array of bird species, whales with a predilection for swimming close to shore, and spinner dolphins that gather beneath limestone cliffs with perfect vantage points.
Approximately 1,000 miles northeast of Sydney, a quiet Australian territory enjoys some of the world’s most beautiful night skyies. Norfolk Island’s quiet beaches, rare species, and Dark Sky Gold Tier status make it a serene escape for nature-focused travelers. The overlooked paradise’s diverse landscape includes forests of towering pines, volcanic rock formations, and tidal rock pools. The island also houses the ruins of a notorious 19th-century British penal colony, which is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
The final destination to top the list is Pitcairn, one of four islands that together form the Pitcairn Islands. This seldom-visited British Overseas Territory comprises Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno. Pitcairn is the only inhabited one—with a population of around 50 people. One of its closest neighbors is Tahiti, about 1,350 miles northwest of the two-miles-long and one-mile-wide island. Although tourism is limited, there are occasional sailings for adventure travelers eager to step foot on one of the most remote places on Earth.
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