Canada was made for road trips.

Whether it's the epic Trans-Canada journey from Newfoundland all the way to Vancouver Island, Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula or the Banff-to-Jasper mountain sojourn, this country has great roads that beg to be used.

And it seems that we're finally getting some recognition for our status as one of the world's best road trip countries.

A recent feature on National Geographic's website detailed the world's top 11 road trips. Five of them were on Canadian asphalt. Banff and Jasper Parks, B.C., and Cape Breton, N.S., made the list, along with a surprising road trip itinerary in Manitoba and one beginning in Montreal.

CTV's travel expert Loren Christie isn't surprised Canada took top honours in the National Geographic piece.

"One of the greatest things Canada has to offer as a tourist destination is the outdoor scenery and the natural beauty. And the best way to see it -- and to see a lot of it -- is by car," Christie said.

"Obviously, it's great to be out and walking but if you want to cover a lot of ground in a short time, to be able to get out and stop, there's no better way to do it than to do it as a road trip."

According to National Geographic, Canada shared the top 11 rating with the following international road trips:

• Alafi Coast, Italy

• The Flower Route, Netherlands

• Cornwall, England

• Pirate Route, Jamaica

• New Zealand's North Island

• Provence, France

The selections are from a new book titled "Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Spectacular Trips."

Christie's own list of Canada's best road trips has some overlap with the National Geographic list. Here are his picks:

The Banff to Jasper Icefields Parkway

"For me it is 100 per cent the scenery in this case. Every time you come down around a corner or you go down an overlook you see this amazing scenery, and for those of us not from the west the colour of those lakes -- you've never seen anything like it," Christie said.

• Highlight: Peyto Lake Viewpoint in Banff National Park

• Tips: Best to go in May or June when the peaks are still snow-capped.

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, N.S.

"I did the Cabot Trail 35 times as a tour guide, and if you go there at the end of September, beginning of October when the leaves are changing, it's pretty hard to beat that. It's spectacular in the summer or any time but as a fall road trip it's just truly unbelievable."

• Highlight: Check out the Acadian culture in towns like Cheticamp, and Gaelic culture in places such as Ingonish.

• Tips: Fall is the best time to visit, for stunning autumn colours.

Saint John River Valley, N.B.

"If you want to talk about one in the Maritimes, particularly in the fall just because of the unbelievable variety of trees that are changing colour, it's pretty hard to beat the Saint John River Valley."

• Highlights: Autumn colours, sleepy Maritime towns, great seafood as you approach the coast.

• Tips: Begin in Fredericton and head towards Saint John. But make sure to take the old road, not the Trans Canada highway.

Christie said Canada offers a variety of roads, scenery and culture that just isn't available in many other countries.

"The sheer size means there's a lot of variation and also it means there are a lot of road trip options," Christie said. "In Cape Breton Island there's going to be totally different scenery and topography than you'd see in British Columbia, which is what makes it great."

Here are some details about the Canadian routes chosen by National Geographic:

• The Banff and Jasper trip begins near Calgary, heads west to Banff, then to Lake Louise and north on the stunning Icefields Parkway to Jasper.

• The B.C. road trip -- a journey of seven days -- begins in Vancouver before ferrying to Victoria for a tour of Vancouver Island, then back to the mainland for a jaunt to Whistler and along the Fraser River Canyon.

• The Cape Breton trip, not surprisingly, focuses on the Cabot Trail as it winds its way around much of the island.

• The Manitoba trip -- perhaps an unexpected addition to the list -- is described as a "bucolic ramble" that begins in Brandon and wanders to various attractions such as Riding Mountain National Park and the marine reptile museum.

• Finally, Quebec's contribution to the road-trip top 10 is a journey that begins in Montreal, tours the nearby regions, then the Eastern Townships and Quebec's wine country before following the St. Lawrence for a stretch.