Have you ever visited an unmissable destination: the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Yellowstone National Park— only to discover that a million other travelers had the same idea on the same day? Overtourism is real, and while it shouldn't stop you from visiting some of the world's classic monuments, it's what inspired National Geographic's new book. Here, not there: 100 unexpected travel destinations, released April 2, 2024. The book offers alternatives for dozens of popular destinations, but with some of the same history, culture, or natural wonders, and without the high costs and crowds. Here are nine choices.
Photography by Obie Oberholzer/laif/Redux
Dupe for Napa Valley: Western Cape, South Africa
Near Cape Town, South African wine regions such as Stellenbosch and Swartland are, like California's Napa Valley, warmed by a Mediterranean climate and awash with rows of vines. Amid spectacular mountains and rolling hills, visitors discover wineries offering Shiraz, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir. In Franschhoek, outdoors Wine trams offer hop-on hop-off transportation between tasting rooms. Or decamp and decant to Babylonstorena working farm with a vineyard, ornamental gardens and luxurious suites.
(Why This Little-Known California Wine Region Could Be the Next Napa.)
Dupe for Iceland: Western Colorado
In Coloradothe 800 miles Hot Springs History Loop in the Rocky Mountains leads to the kind of volcanic landscapes and hot springs you might find in Iceland (home to the Blue Lagoon’s beloved social media). The indigenous Ute and Arapaho people have long bathed in Colorado's mineral pools for their reputed restorative powers. Contemporary wellness enthusiasts can indulge in steam at spa hotels such as Mount Princeton Spa And Pagosa Hot Springs or natural sites, in particular Nathan's Hippy Dip Hot Spring.
One of the largest Buddhist sites in the world, Indonesia's Borobudur Temple was built in the 8th and 9th centuries. Its stupas represent the path to Nirvana. Photograph by ALEX SABERI, Nat Geo Image Collection
Dupe for Angkor Wat: Borobudur, Indonesia
Pre-COVID pandemic, the monumental ruins of Cambodiait's the 12th century Angkor Wat the temples received more than six million tourists a year. But you can visit the lesser-known remains of another vanished civilization at Borobudur Templeon Indonesiathe island of Java. Built in the 8th century as a sacred Buddhist site, it consists of a large three-tiered stupa (built with two million stones) surrounded by 72 smaller, bell-shaped shrines. Best time to visit? At sunrise or sunset, when the stones glow orange and pink on the surrounding mountains.
Photograph by EWEN BELL, Nat Geo Image collection
Dupe for Scandinavia: Tasmania
The Northern Lights of Scandinavian countries attract crowds, but to get a glimpse of what's more subtle southern lights (aurora australis), goes to Tasmania, Australiathe southernmost state of the island. Come in winter (June-August) for the best chance of observing the light phenomenon amid the island's diverse ecosystems, from temperate rainforests to snow-capped mountain ranges. Head to a national park like Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair Or Tasmania National Parkwhere dark skies favor the observation of auroras and stars.
(Why the Northern Lights appear in unexpected places.)
Dupe for the Grand Canyon: Letchworth State Park, New York
The forested shale and sandstone cliffs of the west New York's Letchworth State Park tower peaks 600 feet above the banks of the Genesee River, giving the area the nickname “Grand Canyon of the East.” The gorge attracts about a million visitors a year to its narrow 14,350-acre park. (THE Grand Canyon saw 4.5 million tourists in 2023.) Letchworth has 50 waterfalls and 66 miles of hiking trails, including the popular seven-mile and one-mile Gorge Trail Nature trail on autismthe first of its kind in the United States. Night at Glen Iris Innwith rooms in a 19th century mansion, or in one of the 81 campsites scattered throughout the park.
Dupe for Maine: Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick
Grand Manan is a New Brunswick island in the Bay of Fundy that's home to lighthouses, quaint towns, and lobster rolls, with no neighbors. Mainesummer crowds. Accessible by 90 minutes by ferry from Blacks Harbor, Grand Manan has a cultural heritage that includes the Passamaquoddy people, French traders from the 1800s, and British Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution. Today, the serene island is popular for coastal hikes, kayaking and watching whales, dolphins and 360 species of birds, including puffins, loons and warblers.
(Discover Canada's greatest natural wonders, from icebergs to the world's highest tides.)
Photography by Karsten Moran/Redux
Dupe for the Taj Mahal: Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, India
In the Indian Agra State, up to eight million people visit the Taj Mahal, the grand marble mausoleum of 1631 that the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commissioned for his beloved wife, who died young. About six hours' drive south, Bibi Ka Maqbara is another marble-domed tomb, built three decades later by Jahan's son, who was also widowed at an early age. Nicknamed “the poor man’s Taj” because of its reduced size and more modest construction materials (stone and plaster), the Bibi still impresses with its architecture. charbagh (Mughal garden representing paradise), reflecting pools and closed mosque.
People swim in the Adriatic Sea in Budva, Montenegro, where a medieval walled town and sandy beaches attract discerning tourists. Photograph by LOLA AKERSTROM, Nat Geo Image Collection
Dupe for Croatia: Montenegro
CroatiaThe Dalmatian Coast is world famous for its pretty coastline and historic architecture. It's also famous for its summer hordes, which is why savvy Europeans end up there. Montenegro the next door. The Adriatic coast of this small country is dotted with picturesque medieval towns and seaside resorts. Particularly charming villages include Budva and Kotor, with their orange tiled roofs, winding streets and centuries-old churches.
Mayan cities, mountains and volcanoes surround Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Photograph by PETER MCBRIDE, Nat Geo Image Collection
Dupe for Lake Como: Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
Without the celebrity prices of Lake Como, but with an equally memorable mountain and water setting, GuatemalaLake Atitlán lies within a massive volcanic caldera formed 84,000 years ago. It is bordered by small Mayan-speaking towns and dominated by the escarpments of three volcanoes (one of which is still active). Travelers climb trails to volcanic peaks, kayak, or explore lakeside villages by water taxi. Top stops include hippie-cool San Marcos, for its yoga studios and probiotic restaurants, or Santa Catarina Palopó, for its colorful murals based on traditional lore designs. huipil blouses woven by local women.
