Ranked: The 40 Most Fun Countries in the World, According to People

Pallavi Rao
2025-07-13 08:10:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

Ranked: The 40 Most Fun Countries in the World

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It’s that time of the year where everyone packs up, puts on their sunglasses, and takes off in search of adventure.

To aid those decisions, here’s a handy list of places that are a good idea to visit, unwind, party, or explore.

We rank the top 40 most fun countries in the world, based on a global perception survey from U.S. News & World Report.

Their survey was conducted between March 22nd–May 23rd, 2024.

Skip to the last section for a breakdown of the source’s methodology in assigning these ranks.

A Handy List of the Most Fun Countries in the World

Spain ranks as the most fun country in the world, buoyed by its rich traditions, party atmosphere, and beach destinations.

Its annual La Tomatina tomato-throwing festival symbolizes the country’s vibrant and playful culture. Its good food and warm weather add to a generally pleasant atmosphere

Fun Rank	Country	Fun Landmark or Event
1	Spain	La Tomatina Festival
2	Brazil	Rio Carnival
3	Thailand	Full Moon Party, Koh Phangan
4	Italy	Venice Carnival
5	Mexico	Cancún Beaches
6	Greece	Mykonos Beaches
7	Australia	Bondi Beach
8	Portugal	Lisbon Nightlife
9	New Zealand	Queenstown Adventure Sports
10	France	Nice Carnival
11	Netherlands	King’s Day, Amsterdam
12	Argentina	Buenos Aires Tango Shows
13	Ireland	Temple Bar, Dublin
14	Singapore	Sentosa Island
15	Turkey	Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
16	U.S.	Las Vegas Strip
17	Canada	Montreal International Jazz Festival
18	Costa Rica	Surfing in Tamarindo
19	Iceland	Blue Lagoon
20	Malaysia	Langkawi Beaches
21	Philippines	Boracay Island
22	Dominican Republic	Punta Cana Resorts
23	UK	Glastonbury Festival
24	Japan	Shibuya Crossing Nightlife
25	Belgium	Tomorrowland Festival
26	Morocco	Djemaa el-Fna Square, Marrakech
27	Egypt	Nile River Cruises
28	Switzerland	Zermatt Ski Resorts
29	Cyprus	Ayia Napa Beach Clubs
30	Austria	Vienna Ball Season
31	Croatia	Yacht Week
32	Indonesia	Bali Beaches
33	UAE	Dubai Desert Safari
34	Chile	Valparaíso Street Art & Nightlife
35	Finland	Sauna Culture & Midnight Sun
36	South Africa	Cape Town Wine Tours
37	Colombia	Cartagena Old Town & Beach
38	Peru	Amazon River Adventure
39	Sweden	Midsummer Festival
40	Denmark	Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen

Spain also scores highly in the broader categories of adventure (#4) and cultural influence (#4), making it a well-rounded travel hotspot. Cities like Barcelona and Ibiza further boost its reputation for fun with legendary nightlife scenes.

As it happens, Spain is also one of the cheaper European countries to travel in, which may add to its popularity.

In fact it’s such a popular destination that anti-tourism movements start every summer, protesting the rising cost of living due to the influx of tourists.

Brazil, Thailand, and Italy Round Out the Top Four

Brazil, known for the colorful Rio Carnival, lands in second place. Respondents in the same survey also voted it the sexiest country in the world.

Thailand is the only Asian country in the top 10, attracting backpackers and digital nomads alike.

Italy takes the fourth spot, offering everything from the historic Venice Carnival to culinary adventures.

These countries combine cultural depth with dynamic events, appealing to a wide range of travelers.

North America is Present But Europe Dominates Fun

The U.S. and Canada are the only North American countries in the top 20.

Las Vegas remains North America’s iconic party city through Montreal is known for its raves.

Zooming out, Europe dominates the list overall, with 17 European countries in the top 40 spots.

Countries like Greece, Portugal, and the Netherlands each offer unique party cultures, festivals, and nightlife that attract global visitors.

Notably, the UK ranks 23rd, thanks in part to iconic events like the Glastonbury Festival.

How is Fun Measured?

U.S. News designs its “Best Countries” ranking around 73 attributes grouped into 10 thematic subrankings, such as Heritage, Quality of Life, Power, and Entrepreneurship.

“Fun” was one attribute within its broader “Adventure” ranking.

The attributes reflect public perceptions, not hard data.

To gather this, the survey is distributed globally to about 17,000 respondents, including business leaders, informed elites, and general citizens.

Each participant is shown a random subset of countries (that must meet GDP, tourism, and FDI thresholds) and asked to rate how strongly they associate those countries with “fun.”

These individual attributes are pre-assigned to categories by researchers, and scores are normalized on a 0–100 scale, yielding the final ranks.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The Most Visited Countries by Tourists on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

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