Lonely Planet’s globetrotting community of staff and writers have ranked the 500 best places to see on the planet and Australia's Great Barrier Reef scored the number two spot.

It's the first time the global travel authority has compiled the Ultimate Travelist which highlights the places the Lonely Planet experts believe every traveller must experience.

Here’s what the judges had to say about our Reef.

"This vital ecosystem enthrals all who visit, with abundant bird life and countless tropical islands and beaches."

The temples of Angkor in Cambodia took out the top spot, while Machu Picchu in Peru, the Great Wall of China and India's Taj Mahal round out the top five.

See which other must-visit destinations made the Ultimate Travelist.