“Most people haven’t even heard of this place when I mention it, but it’s my favorite city I’ve ever visited.”
If you’re thinking about planning your next vacation or simply daydreaming about seeing the world, there are so many under the radar destinations full of amazing adventures, incredible scenery, spectacular food… and few tourists.
Frantic00 / Getty Images/iStockphoto
So Redditor u/meeceyjim10 asked, “What is your ‘unexpected’ travel recommendation… a place you tell people you’ve visited and loved, and they react with a ‘really?'” Here are some of the responses, which you might want to consider for your next getaway.
1.
“Mongolia. It was an amazing place and it offers a lot of cool experiences. You can go hunting with eagles, visit the steppes in the west, sand board in the Gobi desert, see reindeer, and more.”
2.
“Luxembourg. It’s a lovely city stunningly situated on a promontory between two gorges and the walls of which are riddled with old fortifications. Once outside, the country is in the Ardennes, a region of forested hills studded with winding rivers, picturesque villages, and castles. They make great Riesling wine in addition to beer, thanks to the Belgian tradition of monastic brewing. The food is a deliciously fantastic mix of French and German influences.”
3.
“Nicaragua was gorgeous and tons of fun, plus it’s full of great food. It’s super underrated IMO.”
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—u/falcor_44
“Nicaragua is home to the nicest, friendliest people I have ever met and the most beautiful cities and natural beauty I’ve ever seen.”
—u/jakityjake
4.
“Dominica. It’s the hidden gem of the Caribbean for nature. There are so many amazing volcanoes.”
5.
“Lebanon. Go for the amazing food, nice people, the nightlife, and beautiful scenery throughout the country. Also the food! I’ve been to Israel, which was amazing in itself, but I enjoyed Lebanon even more.”
6.
“Albania. In America, most people don’t even know where it is, and many Europeans believe it’s still dangerous. But in reality it’s home to the kindest people, gorgeous beaches, and stunning mountains and nature like Theth National Park.”
7.
“Detroit, Michigan. The city has such a bad reputation and people always talk about it so negatively while ignoring the amazing history, art, museums, and music. You have to exercise caution like you would in any major city, but the culture there is incredible.”
8.
“La Paz, Bolivia. I am absolutely obsessed with this place. It is both amazing and a bit strange. There’s a witches market, a cemetery with huge graffiti murals, and a huge system of urban cable cars used for public transportation. It’s just one of those cities that kept surprising me over and over again. I loved the city of Sucre and the salt flats, but I’ve been itching to return to La Paz ever since I first visited.”
9.
“Zimbabwe. It’s home to the nicest people, the best safaris I’ve experienced in Africa, and absolutely stunning scenery. Plus you have the added bonus of Victoria Falls.”
10.
“Easter Island, located off Chile’s west coast. It took 17 hours to get there, but it was so interesting and even a bit sad that it was once home to such a unique civilization. I enjoyed looking for Moai, the megalithic statues you’ve probably seen in photos, and climbing the three volcanoes.”
11.
“Laos is one of my favorite countries. I loved traveling along the Mekong River by cargo boat. The ancient capital of Luang Prabang and the city of Vientiane are great places to visit. The food is phenomenal and the whole country is relatively unspoiled by tourism.”
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—u/WrldTravelr07
“People are always surprised when I say I preferred Laos over Thailand. Thailand felt much more touristy (at least in Bangkok and Chiang Mai), but Laos was just so beautiful.”
—u/_unrealcity_
12.
“Idaho. Almost everyone I tell reacts with confusion. ‘What the heck is in Idaho?’ they think. This underrated state boasts mountains, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, hot springs, Craters of the Moon National Park, and Boise, an amazing capital city.”
13.
“Gdańsk, Poland. I’d never been to Poland and I was sent there for work. At first it felt like an industrial city without much going on, but I was so pleasantly surprised to find friendly people, cool architecture, and good food options. It’s not a huge city, so it’s easy enough to see as part of a bigger trip to Eastern Europe. When I mention Gdańsk to people as a holiday destination, most haven’t even heard of it.”
14.
“Pondicherry, India. I traveled from Sikkim in Northeast India all the way to the southernmost tip of this amazing country, and the Colonial French city of Pondicherry was my favorite place of all. Walking along the seafront at night was really magical.”
15.
“Bucharest, Romania. I recently spent a couple of weeks there. I went in with zero expectations and it turned out to be a great city. It’s very beautiful with some gorgeous hidden areas, great museums (like the Military Museum, which was unexpectedly fascinating and the Țiriac car Collection). I’d love to go back and travel around the rest of the country beyond the capital.”
16.
“Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Everyone I know back home in America was surprised that I chose to visit, but it immediately became one of my favorite cities in entire world. The people, the sights, and the history were great, but the food was something else entirely. For me, it was the true highlight of Sarajevo.”
17.
“St. Louis, Missouri. I have visited twice now after moving from the south to the Midwest and I fall more in love with St. Louis each time I visit. There is lots of unique local history and culture, and you feel it all around the city. There are some cool neighborhoods lined with Magnolia and Sweetgum trees, which reminded me of home in the south. The city is home to many European-style parks with huge green spaces, fountains, statues, and boulevards. And not to mention the great restaurants. There’s just so much more to see and do in St. Louis than most Americans might expect.”
18.
“Definitely Kyrgyzstan. There are incredible landscapes and experiences like hikes, yurt stays, horse treks, and more. I visited once for a week and loved it so much I moved there a year later.”
19.
“I did a road trip through Uganda and had a blast. Tourism infrastructure isn’t great and it can be a bit expensive so budget accordingly, but mountain gorilla tracking and chimp tracking were phenomenal experiences I’ll never forget. You can see most of the big cats, elephants, and giraffes in addition to all the primate species. Best of all, the parks are also not crowded because very few tourists visit the country. Murchison Falls was gorgeous. The people are lovely as well.”
20.
“The Republic of Georgia is one of my favorite countries. I had such an amazing time there. There’s great food (some of the best in the world, IMO), beautiful scenery, interesting history, amazing people and it’s all relatively inexpensive.”
21.
“Slovenia. It’s off the beaten path, absolutely charming, and beautiful. I’m convinced it’s the world’s best kept secret.”
22.
“Oman. I was not even planning on visiting, but I had to change plans and unexpectedly wound up there. What an underrated country! There are not many tourists because most go to the UAE. I found unspoiled beaches, incredible mountains and vast deserts. But most of all, the people were so hospitable and welcoming.”
23.
“Kaohsiung, Taiwan. People have heard of Taipei, but none of my American friends have ever heard of this amazing port city at the southern tip of Taiwan. It has a relaxed vibe, friendly people, bustling night markets with delicious food, and a great art scene.”
24.
“Uzbekistan. Visiting there was the best trip of my life. It felt like it had a bit of everything: historical monuments, beautiful landscapes, desert, mountains, lakes, rivers, amazing food, and warm and hospitable people. The icing on the cake is that it’s incredibly cheap.”
25.
“Guanajuato, Mexico. Visiting this colonial city in central Mexico felt like stepping back in time. There’s so much history, art, and culture. During the month of may, there are nightly parades that are spectacular to witness.”
26.
“Northern India. It was one of the hardest places to see, but it was an amazing experience. I felt quite literally changed as a person after visiting. I would recommend doing it with a tour group, which can help you navigate the tricky aspects of being a tourist in India.”
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