Resort Pool in Kuta, Bali

TripAdvisor has revealed the most popular travel destinations Australians are researching online, with Bali topping the list as the most sought after holiday escape.

Internationally, Bali is the standout winner with the region of Seminyak taking the number one spot and neighbouring cities Kuta, Ubud, Legian and Nusa Dua all appearing in the top 20 destinations.

Although Bali is one of the closest international hotspots, distance is not an issue as New York, Paris and London all ranked within the top five most-researched destinations.

The interest in the Olympics and Paralympics could have helped London secure the fifth spot, according to TripAdvisor.  

The only New Zealand city to make this list was the resort village of Queenstown, coming in at 17.

Melbourne beat out Sydney as the most searched city in Australia, while Queensland recorded the highest number of destinations researched online.