The secret is out!

We already knew Taupō was a special destination—now CNN is ranking it too.

Taupō is named along with Almaty, Kazakhstan; the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Nashville, Tennessee; and Stockholm, Sweden as where to visit in 2025.

New Zealand’s South Island often gets more attention when it comes to natural beauty. But travelers heading to the North Island in search of cinematic landscapes need look no further than Taupō says the CNN Travel article.

Not to be missed are the lake’s Ngātoroirangi Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings, which include a 14-meter bas-relief created by famed artist Matahi Brightwell representing the face of his ancestor, Ngatoroirangi.

Just a few kilometers from Taupō is Huka Falls, said to generate enough power to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in just 11 seconds.

In terms of food, the town’s culinary scene is gaining increased recognition — it recently wrapped up its inaugural Treats of Taupō food festival.

Destination Great Lake Taupō general manager Patrick Dault says he was “mighty chuffed” to hear Taupō made the exclusive list, especially due to the attention it would get.

To celebrate the feature, Dault shared some of the best activities to enjoy when visiting the city—including a visit to The Kinloch Club at Kinloch Manor and Villas.