If you're like me, deciding where to take your next international getaway is one of the hardest decisions to make. There is SO many amazing places to see. And while major tourist cities – like Greece, Tokyo or Paris – are popular for a reason, maybe you're looking for something more off the beaten path.
So I went through the r/travel subreddit and collected responses from BuzzFeed Community to round up a bunch of lesser-known (but incredible) destinations to consider in place of hipper vacation spots.
1.
Instead of Greece, go to ALBANIA: “It's Greece's less famous neighbor. It has beautiful beaches, tasty and fairly inexpensive food, and lots of gems to explore. The only downside is that a lot many people don't speak English.”
2.
Instead of Germany, go to POLAND: “Poland, especially Poland beyond Krakow, was never on my radar until I moved to Germany and I started traveling there all the time because it's right next door. And WOW, Poland has it all Cool cities, awesome food, beautiful castles, stunning countryside and fascinating history. though I like the main tourist spots to not be crowded with other tourists.
3.
Instead of Tulum, go to BELIZE: “Aside from Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, the rest of Belize isn't super touristy. Here you'll find everything from the world's second-largest barrier reef to lush rainforests. It's cheap, the people are very friendly and relatively safe. »
4.
Instead of Seoul, go to BUSAN: “Busan, South Korea, is this weird juxtaposition of ancient and super modern, and everything is both chaotic and incredibly organized. I'm not sure how that works , but it is…and apparently much better than other big cities. The scenery, the food and the people were fantastic.
5.
“Instead of Andalusia, visit NORTHERN SPAIN: “Northern Spain is where you will find incredible beauty that rivals any other region in Europe, but for a fraction price. You could spend months exploring the Basque Country, Asturias, Cantabria and Galicia on your own. Driving around the Picos de Europa mountain range is a great experience. You can travel between rural mountain towns and quaint beach towns in an hour. Madrid, Barcelona, Andalusia and other vacation towns in Spain get a lot of attention, but the north is truly underrated. »
6.
Instead of Sicily, go to MALTA: “Unsurprisingly, it's a bit more popular with Europeans, but Malta is virtually unknown among Americans. It's a fantastic place to visit: cheap, incredibly beautiful and with pretty good weather all year round. “
7.
Instead of Thailand, go to SRI LANKA: “Sri Lanka is the pearl of the Indian Ocean, full of natural beauty and history. It's home to friendly people and tasty (often spicy!) food, sandy beaches, palm trees and lots of wildlife.”
8.
Instead of Croatia, go to MONTENEGRO: “Montenegro is truly a hidden gem in the Balkans. Podgorica is a charming city, and visiting the coast in and around Budva is like stepping back in time.”
9.
Instead of Bali, go to BORNEO: “Borneo, and especially Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of the island), is worth the detour. Many people visit Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Java and Bali, but fewer people go to Borneo. Even those who visit Borneo mostly stay in Malaysia, and very few venture to Kalimantan. You'll find rainforests, orangutans, leopards and beaches, and it's much less crowded than Bali.
ten.
Instead of Lake Como, go to LAKE GARDA: “I've never heard Americans talk about this lesser-known Italian lake town, but honestly, it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.”
11.
Instead of Cape Town, visit NAMIBIA: “Namibia is just above South Africa, yet it is the most isolated country in the world after Mongolia in terms of population. Have you ever seen photos of amazing giant sand dunes in the desert? This is Namibia. This country has the same stunning safari parks and five-star resorts found in other popular African destinations. I visited Etosha National Park, which was one of my favorite travel experiences, and you will never see the stars shining as brightly as they seem. the Namib Desert. »
12.
Instead of Sydney, go to TASMANIA: “When people think of Australia, they think of beaches and reefs. Tasmania has huge rainforests, beautiful picturesque islands and is home to the bustling city of Hobart, the one of the largest ports in Antarctica.”
13.
Instead of the Caribbean, go to PUERTO RICO: “My wife and I went to Puerto Rico last year for our honeymoon. It was so easy to get there, it was like cheating. Old San Juan was beautiful and we also spent time at the islands to the east, Culebra and Vieques I would love to go back and spend more time in Culebra, it was very laid back and had some great snorkeling right there. next to the beach.
14.
Instead of ICELAND, go to ALASKA: “I visited Alaska and stayed in a small town three hours from Anchorage, and had the time of my life. It’s completely untouched wilderness and it was breathtaking. Elks walked along the river. while we were fishing, and orcas swam alongside our boat when we visited Kenai Fjords National Park.
15.
Instead of Dubai, go to OMAN: “Oman is not a party destination, but if you like the outdoors, it has everything you could want. There is hiking, camping, dunes, miles and miles of untouched coastline, and even tropical forest. This country is a hidden oasis. It is still a little-known destination; the people are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and that's totally safe.”
16.
Instead of Costa Rica, go to ECUADOR: “If you love the outdoors, you'll find paradise in Baños, Ecuador. There is easy access to biking, whitewater rafting, bridge jumping, canyoning, ziplining, incredible waterfalls and viewpoints. . And there's even some pretty good nightlife. I would also recommend Mindo, located in the cloud forest of Ecuador, and everything is extremely cheap.
17.
Instead of the Bahamas, visit the US VIRGIN ISLANDS: “St. John USVI is the best place I have ever visited. It's not cheap, and I wouldn't call it “unkempt,” but most of the island is national forest. , so only a quarter of the land is developed. There were many days when my wife and I looked around, and it was just us or a few other couples on a big stretch of beautiful beach.
18.
Instead of Japango to TAIWAN: “Taiwan is a really nice place to travel. The people are lovely and hospitable. It's cheap to travel within the country, and it's very modern and safe. You get the best of all the worlds: city life and nightclubs, but also magnificent mountains and landscapes And the food is a delicious mix of the best of Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisine.
19.
Instead of Israel, go to LEBANON: “Go to Lebanon for the delicious food, nice people, nightlife and beautiful scenery throughout the country. And also the food! I went to Israel, which was incredible in itself, but I enjoyed Lebanon even more.”
20.
Instead of Tuscany, go to BOLOGNA: “Bologna, Italy. In my opinion, it is arguably the best food city in the best food country in the world. I will never forget the tortellini al brodo, the tagliatelle al ragù and panna cotta that I ate there. I also loved walking up to the Madonna di San Luca and admiring the breathtaking view from the top.
21.
Instead of Lisbon, head to ALENTEJO: “If you're looking for a quiet getaway in Portugal, Alentejo is for you. You can visit Roman ruins, old churches and see Moorish architecture in the south There is also a ton of natural beauty from lakes to rolling hills and large open farms. The region produces excellent local wine and the food is delicious too. or in the Algarve.
22.
Instead of Amsterdam, go to UTRECHT: “Utrecht has a very Dutch feel with canals and typical narrow houses. It doesn't suffer from all the tourists that Amsterdam has, but it offers all the same comforts (English speakers, places open late). In addition, from Utrecht you can take the train throughout Europe.”
23.
Instead of Vietnam, go to LAOS: “Laos is one of my favorite countries. I loved traveling along the Mekong by cargo ship. 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 untouched by tourism.
24.
Instead of Paris, go to BORDEAUX: “Bordeaux, France is truly fantastic. The food, weather and wine are amazing; Plus, it's a much cheaper and friendlier alternative to Paris. In fact, all the “second cities” in France pleasantly surprised me.”
25.
Instead of Tokyo, go to HOKKAIDO: “My husband and I went to the city of Sapporo, located on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. It was spectacular. When most people think of traveling to Japan, Tokyo is the number one destination, however, it is much less touristy The mountains around the city are incredibly beautiful and the food is to die for. A scenic 1 hour bus ride takes you there. Otaru Old Town, best known for its glassblowing industry and beautiful canals. “The subway system is amazing and the people are friendly and helpful. I've visited a few places during my travels, but Sapporo stands out as the best so far. “
26.
Instead of Honolulu, visit HILO: “Many travelers overlook this whole island, but the lush, green side of Hilo, the big island of Hawaii is particularly incredible. The highway from Waipi'o Valley to Hilo stretches over valleys and cliffs. There are waterfalls and spectacular ocean views, and we were constantly stopping to take photos.”
27.
Instead of Dubrovnik, go to ISTRIA: “Istria, the Croatian peninsula closest to Italy north of the Adriatic Sea, never seems to get as much love as parts of southern Croatia (Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, etc.), but she seriously deserves it.”
What’s a lesser-known destination that others should know about? Tell us in the comments!
