Leisure travel for most people usually involves visiting popular locations, attractions, and tourist traps. However, some adventurers seek out places less traveled in their search for new experiences. Wayfarers from an online travel-focused community discuss the undersold countries they love visiting. These places may inspire you to travel off the beaten path.
1. Albania
With an exquisite coastline extending from the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea, and the Alps mountain range, Albania is an ideal destination for beachgoers and hikers alike.
While Albania is known for its traditional dances and distinctive costumes, voyagers on the forum praise the friendliness of the Albanian people and the nation’s beauty, history, culture, food, and low costs. Fun fact: Mother Teresa was of Albanian-Indian descent.
2. Bulgaria
The Balkan state of Bulgaria receives raves from an excursionist for its “incredible natural landscape, history, beaches, and culture in general.” Several people also recommend visiting the capital city of Sofia for its ancient Roman ruins, museums, religious monuments, and architecture.
3. Taiwan
Traveling pros give the island chain of Taiwan high marks for safety, hospitality, beautiful scenery, food, and overall culture. Taiwan is also known for its walkable cities and ultramodern public transit systems.
The country’s diversity means there’s something for everyone, from hiking on Snow Mountain, sightseeing at Taroko Gorge, or shopping and dining at the famed night markets.
4. Guatemala
While this Central American nation may not be a wildly popular tourist destination, digital nomads can’t say enough about all Guatemala offers. The country has a rich history with indigenous culture and nearly 1,000 discovered ancient Mayan ruins and temples. Natural attractions include white and black sand beaches, lakes, and almost two dozen active volcanoes.
5. Oman
Visitors to this Middle Eastern enclave call it a “beautiful hidden gem.” Replete with oases, bronze-hued deserts, white sand beaches, and stone castles and forts, Oman offers gorgeous scenery in various settings. While there isn’t much by way of public transit, the well-developed highways connect the metropolitan areas to more remote areas, a plus for those who prefer to explore by car.
6. Sri Lanka
Traveling abroad can be expensive, but Sri Lanka is a veritable bargain. One vacationer writes, “For the price of a budget hotel and bus travel in North America, we had a private driver and four-star accommodations.” In addition to being a low-cost destination, Sri Lanka is a hub of natural beauty with its exotic animals, waterfalls, mountains, and rainforests.
7. Panama
Home to the legendary canal, Panama is the perfect spot for adventure tourists. Explorers can swim with sea turtles in the Caribbean Sea, scuba dive in the Pacific Ocean, hike up many hills or mountains, and zipline through the rainforest. Daring wanderers can visit one of Panama’s indigenous populations, take in the waterfalls, or camp in an ecolodge in the wilderness.
8. The Philippines
Made up of more than 7,000 individual islands, the Philippines are a beach lover’s dream, according to multiple globetrotters from the online forum.
Opportunities to swim, kayak, scuba dive, and kiteboarding are abundant. Still, there are plenty of activities for tourists who prefer to stay on land, such as ziplining, mountain biking, hiking, and exploring canyons.
9. Belize
Hidden between the Caribbean Sea and the Central American jungle is the diverse nation of Belize, which has all the attributes of other tropical locations without feeling overrun by tourists.
Travelers can explore archaeological sites like the ancient Mayan ruins, visit exotic wildlife reserves, and snorkel near the second-largest barrier reef in the world next to the Great Barrier Reef. Fun fact: Belize is the only Central American country with English as its official language.
10. Estonia
Several frequent flyers on the online thread praise the qualities of this Northern European country, with one lauding “the kindest and welcoming people, beautiful architecture, clean environment, and peaceful landscape.” Animal lovers can safely watch the native brown bear population from specially-made cabins.
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This post was produced by Our Woven Journey. Source Featured Image Credit: ShotPrime Studio/Shutterstock
Karee Blunt is a nationally syndicated travel journalist, focused on discovering destinations and experiences that captivate and inspire others through her writing. She is also the founder of Our Woven Journey, a travel site focused on inspiring others to create memory-making adventures with their loved ones. Karee is passionate about encouraging others to step out of their comfort zone and live the life they dream of. She is the mother of six kids, including four through adoption, and lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest. You can learn more about Karee on her about me page.