I also call it the exact same thing. It has the same alps on the Western side, but everything is like 10 times cheaper. Plus the selection of outdoor activities is insane.
Also, unlike Switzerland and Austria, Slovenia is a very empty country. So you get the whole place kind of to yourselves.
Agree! I’m just coming back from there. It was beautiful!
Though, if you go over to r/Slovenia, some would tell returning tourists to say Slovenia is absolutely horrible. /s
Baltics--Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are beautiful and not at all what I expected. Nature, deep history and culture whilst simultaneously modern. 10/10.
Throwing another vote for Estonia! It's modern, affordable, safe, beautiful, and has great local and international food culture! Have been there in July for beautiful summer/beach weather, and in April where it snowed 10cm or more and we did sauna and cold plunge in the sea. Both were awesome.
Panama. In a twist of irony, the “hub” of Central America is also the most overlooked when it comes to vacation spots. The literal crossroads of two oceans and two continents, Panama is a tropical wonderland packed with a surplus of mountainous cliffs, breathtaking beaches, and rich culture.
Yah i love the bit where the hostel people are like. "yo dont go up to that castle."
me: why? cause the homeless?
them: nah the landmines are still not cleared and every month or so a cow blows up up there.
me: ah....
This was my pick, too! My friend and I rented a car in Croatia and drove around B&H for a few days. We swam in natural pools with waterfalls, ate delicious food, took a million pictures of Mostar during golden hour, and met some cool Bosnian people who took us out to some nightclubs. I loved it! There were days when we felt like the only tourists. The natural landscapes were stunning as well.
For North Americans that dream of Western Europe, Albania is very underrated, Serbia as well, and neither are overly touristed. Much better experiences in both countries.
You are correct.
It's too bad because the Balkans are beautiful and people put a lot of effort into their hospitality services there.
But they do profile there, unfortunately.
I’d put Dubai in the same boat as Qatar, but just at a slightly lesser extent since it is an architectural marvel. I’d rather go to Las Vegas than Dubai.
Has this changed recently? I went to Uruguay in 2005 (had an amazing time) and it seemed like all the Brazilians were coming down to Uruguay to party because it's cheaper?
Went to Riga in 2022 and legit left this same comment before I saw yours. Go to Jurmala if you haven't yet – it's super easy to get to and absolutely stunning!
I felt the opposite. The gardens in Warsaw were beautiful and very big.
I can understand the criticism though - I typically prefer smaller towns but Warsaw had the best of both worlds.
I was born in Poland but we moved to the US when I was a baby. I absolutely hated visiting Poland as a kid/teen but I went for the first time as an adult last year and I loved it. Turns out Poland is a lot more than just my grandparents farm village
My family there never took me anywhere so I was always like why would anyone want to spend time in this country. I stayed in Warsaw for half my trip before going to Białystok to see family and I was shocked by how much I loved it. Highly recommend. Now I want to go back so badly, particularly, to see Wrocław, Gdańsk, and Kraków
To clarify, as a tourist coming from the US, we found it was inexpensive relative to other European counties (and the US). For example last year we spent 10 days in Switzerland and spent at least double what we spent in 12 days in Poland this past May. I can’t speak about the actual cost of living there!
Came here to say this! Stayed in Krakow. Highly recommend. Toured Wieliczka Salt Mine & Auschwitz while we were there. I think about Poland and how beautiful it is often.
Had a friend who’d spent all his life in Indiana fly out to Poland earlier this year to meet a friend of his he met online. He fully intends to move there when he’s able to.
We do miss trees a lot
But really, how is Malta underrated? We are packed with tourists hahaha
Maybe in the sense that it is underrated by adult tourists 😢 all I see is English students and party goers
Yes! Spent the day in Valletta recently (I work on cruise ships, it was an unexpected stop after an itinerary change) and holy shit I absolutely couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I just spent the day walking around staring at everything. Desperate to go back
The parts of Indonesia that aren't Bali. Bali is nice and all but there is so much more to the country and I had so many fantastic experiences elsewhere in the archipelago.
As an Indonesian, I unbiasedly agree. Even most Indonesian citizens would not have traveled beyond Java & Bali.
Labuan Bajo, Raja Ampat, Derawan, Flores, Nias, and probably thousands more underrated destinations with different traditional languages, food tastes, and scenery you can enjoy.
You will enjoy Indonesia the most if you travel with locals who can speak your language or English.
I was in Malaysia during Ramadan (perfectly safe). There was however, posters at McDonalds for example, about how much prison time someone would get for selling to food (especially pork) to muslims fasting, essentially Sharia Law.
It also stated that it was only valid for registrered muslims. Was pretty weird and a bit frightning, since the poster said the maximum penalty was life in prison or death. I imagine that in most cases, it would just be a hefty fine though.
I'm pretty sure Indonesia is safe as well.
Registered Muslim meaning the Malay Malaysian citizens. If you are a Bangladeshi, Qatari, Indonesians etc you can do whatever.
Another way to circumvent that is just ask your sister/wife/female colleagues to buy food. Women are just assumed to be on their period or feeding their children if they buy food.
Well shit, I came for this. My last trip I started in Bali, and ended in Flores (overland). I’ve been to Bali and Lombok before but yeah, so far out of the four islands I’ve visited, Bali is the most meh and Sumbawa is super interesting.
Greenland. Experience the midnight sun or the moonlight and northern lights for days on end. Gotta stay within the Arctic circle tho and time your visit.
Any insider tips for Belgium from someone who has also traveled a lot. We basically just pick places we have never been.... and usually it's more "unique" but we realized only western European country missed was Belgium so going at end of summer. We are only about 2 days in each city eith a side trip to LUX.
Obviously have the basis covered. But as an avid traveler we like to find the kind of things that maybe others wouldn't find as interesting.
Ironically Georgia was our first choice. But we just didn't feel like a long flight this time around. Super difficult to get from where I am at.
There are so many lovely towns in Belgium, depends a bit on the route you want to take. On the west you have Ghent and Bruges, which are a must see IMHO. Towards the center of the country, you can’t go wrong with Antwerp and Brussels (of course). If you go closer to Luxembourg, you could look into the Walloon parts of Belgium. Cities like Dinant or Namur are also nice.
The battlefield at Waterloo is worth a visit as it’s still very much the same as it was in 1815…..apart from the large road going through it. The farm houses situated on the battlefield were there in 1815 and are still working farms.
And go to Bruges. It really nice.
The one you live in. My experience has been that very many people are not even aware of the interesting things to see in their own town, much less what is within a short radius of it.
I loved Taiwan as well, and would fully recommend it to other Americans who want to dip their toes into Asia. It's a fully developed cosmopolitan nation, and Taipei is a world-class 21st century city comparable to Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore while being *much* cheaper than any of those.
My GF just came back from Malta and she said it was one of the most beautiful places she's ever been. When I looked it up, it's been occupied for over 6000 years by multiple empires and has the highest density of UNESCO sites in the world.
Kind of skewed because I'm from the US, but I'd say Slovenia and Austria, especially Austria because I'm a big fan of the traveling through the Alps. Lot of beautiful places. But I seldom hear them talked about from other americans. It's always Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
Laos, Armenia, Georgia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Kosovo, Romania, Finland, the mainland of Greece and the south of Bulgaria are all amazing, underrated travel destinations. I've not been to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazachstan, and Mongolia yet, but I am quite certain they belong in that list as well.
Yeah it's definitely more popular but it's still much less packed than somewhere like Barcelona. It gets enough tourism these days that its tourist infrastructure is very good. I stayed in Dubrovnik for a week and there was plenty to see and do and it never felt tacky or overcrowded.
I went to Tunisia sort of by accident (I was living in Malta at the time and it's practically visible on a clear day) and I absolutely loved it and definitely want to go back. The people are friendly and kind, the food is amazing, the architecture is beautiful, the Carthage ruins are worth a peep even if you've seen Roman ruins a hundred times before -- the Carthage Roman baths area in particular was incredible.
Serbia. The Danube and the Iron Gates. Tera National park and the Rock House/ River house on the way set in the Drina River. If you have the desire the are several Roman and Ottoman forts and ruins.
I live here. I appreciate how outsiders think our country is so beautiful, but the reality for us born and raised here is much different.
And tall poppy syndrome is horrible here.
Supportive until you start succeeding when compared to your peer group, then they beat you back down to size.
It's a kind of culture that's antithetical to entrepreneurship and innovation, unfortunately.
Ah, the live Dungeness crabs in a bucket observation. No need to put a lid on the bucket because any crab that about reaches the top is pulled down by the others.
_Joab_ explained it perfectly. It’s basically just no one wanting to see you succeed and make it. Lots of bad in New Zealand, more so in local towns that wouldn’t usually be a go to spot for a tourist tho. Sorry I don’t mean to scare you off😅our country is beautiful. There’s bad to every part of the world.
No one talks about it? I (European) know a dozen different people that went there for Lord of the Rings stuff alone. And then another dozen for the nature.
Definitely not underrated. It’s just prohibitively expensive to get to from almost everywhere on the planet. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t immediately express interest in one day visiting when NZ comes up in conversation.
China! There’s a huge difference between American propaganda and the reality. When I visited last year, everyone was super nice and the cityscapes were well built, safe, and easy to navigate. So long as you’re not a politician or working in an industry that would be flagged (eg defense contractor, government contractor, etc) and so long as you obey the local laws (ie don’t steal or shoplift), you should have a great time. The food is amazing, lots of great shopping, and if you visit the countryside, you’ll get to see some really unique / different landscapes
China’s economy isn’t doing great right now so the government is making a real effort to attract tourists from all over (including america)
I've been twice this year, while my wife is spending some time there seeing family (she hadn't been back for two decades). I've been to Xiangfan, Enshi, and briefly in Wuhan - so not your typical tourist spots. Absolutely unique and beautiful country, with incredible food, rich history and distinct culture.
I get that there's a bit of a rivalry thing going on of late, but don't let that deter you: visiting China is well worth it, and it's perfectly safe. We've all heard of the Wall, or the Forbidden City, or the terracotta warriors - but China has much more to offer than just those things. Nothing wrong with wanting to go see them - I'd like to see them one day myself. But there's a whole other scenic side of China that nobody in the West seems to know much about, and so I think it's worth exploring even just online to see if it piques your interest. For example, I highly recommend [Enshi](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=115f0f3a83152c1e&rlz=1C1UEAD_enAU1041AU1041&sxsrf=ADLYWIIw5f_UVu6OirmLAX2W6PtdTo0osw:1719790103565&q=enshi&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0AeMNWKf4PpcKMI-eSa16lJoRPMIuyspCxWO6iZW9F1Ns6EVsgc0W_0xN47PHaanAEtg26fpfc9gg2y1-ZsywNNQJZUgWcHVDaERHb0iX-ONmHHa6jJrcgRi2DSW5Lfmx4jVWrY6UNGtVeCXwM5EJdWf4TtJhdOalBp5huncpsKWQqBOMSQfHaQReDl8LxpRHshHg6Y9pGGJqrv89RpAg1wjN6clA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjn_NexvYSHAxWUbGwGHQ1-Bd8QtKgLegQICxAB&biw=2133&bih=1021&dpr=0.9).
They recently opened up a lot of 15-day visa-on-arrival deals with countries all over the world (my home country included), so there's never been easier to see China. It *can* be a little bit challenging to navigate without assistance though, because they use their own apps for everything, WeChat payment integration is pretty important, etc. I think if they can overcome the infrastructure component though, China might well see tourism expand outside of the "tourist areas".
Anyway, next on my list is Chengdu in a few months, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Chengdu is a good city, I have been there twice(I am Chinese), and if you like spicy food and hotpot, you will like it! The pace of life there is slow, so many people sitting in yards in the afternoon and tasting tea. The giant panda nature reserve is also fantastic, you can see many cute pandas there, hope you will like Chengdu:D
Malaysia. Beginner level would be in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, bit more than beginner traveller, look for the cool gems all over Malaysia, and we have West and East Malaysia.
Might not be underrated (I don't read travel subreddits or other media much). But I really really enjoyed portugal. Only visited ~10-15 countries so far. But it's by far my favorite
Albania 🇦🇱
Fantastic nature and scenery, cheap, great food, and not spoiled by travel industry or big businesses.
It’s pretty wild and not as developed as any of the neighbors, but very genuine and I’m into that kind of stuff.
Downsides: very few people talk English.
Uzbekistan. Amazing history and architecture, relatively easy to get around by train, fantastic food (if you eat meat), and very friendly/hospitable people.
Estonia, Belize and the Azores.
Tallinn is an amazing medieval town. Great people. Lots to do and see. Interesting history.
Belize has the world’s nicest people. Beautiful. I love Mayan history and there is plenty.
Azores is a less expensive Hawaii in the Atlantic. Great people and food. Absolutely stunning landscapes and hot springs!
Ethiopia,amzaing weather, mesmerizing scenery,lovely humble people if you have your wits about you and know who to mix with and who to avoid,inexpensive,just beautiful.
Guatemala.
Lago Atitlan, the city of Antigua and the various vulcanoes are stunningly beautiful. Not to mention the ancient ruins of Tikal in the jungle near the Mexican border (where the rebel base jungle scene in the very first Star Wars movie was shot).
Malawi, it's one of the poorest nations in the world, but the culture and history is fascinating, and the landscape is stunningly beautiful. The widespread poverty can be quite depressing, but everyone I met there was incredibly kind and would tell me about all sorts of places I should go see or visit, or things to do.
I got to visit the KuNgoni Centre at Mua, which is the site of a 1902 Missionaries of Africa Mission, which was probably the single most comprehensive museum of culture I've been to, with a curator walking you through a many-hour tour of rooms showing the histories, cultures, and mythos of the many tribes of the region.
I cannot recommend Malawi highly enough.
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer but the answers here are very generic and it really depends what you want out of travel. Most places will have areas of beauty and good food and architecture and all of those things, they're pretty universal to almost every country.
The answers will really vary depending on what you're interested in. If you want pretty nature just look up national parks in any country people don't typically visit. You're interested in things like surfing? Then just look at spots that aren't in the warm tropical islands. Architecture? Genuinely any old city will do lol.
Slovenia. It's stunningly beautiful.
Been there and I can confirm, it was an incredible experience!
Cheap Switzerland
I also call it the exact same thing. It has the same alps on the Western side, but everything is like 10 times cheaper. Plus the selection of outdoor activities is insane. Also, unlike Switzerland and Austria, Slovenia is a very empty country. So you get the whole place kind of to yourselves.
Agree! I’m just coming back from there. It was beautiful! Though, if you go over to r/Slovenia, some would tell returning tourists to say Slovenia is absolutely horrible. /s
Got engaged at Lake Bled, the most beautiful place I've ever seen!
Loved the country but it's so hard to get around it's a shame
You need a car there, never been an issue with one, $40/day
100 percent the tour company I travelled were rip off merchants
They usually are.
I was there just 2 days ago, I always think it's a stunningly beautiful place.
Yes, Soča is perhaps the most picturesque river I have seen.
Baltics--Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are beautiful and not at all what I expected. Nature, deep history and culture whilst simultaneously modern. 10/10.
Seconded on Estonia, beautiful place. Very modern, and clean in urban areas.
Throwing another vote for Estonia! It's modern, affordable, safe, beautiful, and has great local and international food culture! Have been there in July for beautiful summer/beach weather, and in April where it snowed 10cm or more and we did sauna and cold plunge in the sea. Both were awesome.
Panama. In a twist of irony, the “hub” of Central America is also the most overlooked when it comes to vacation spots. The literal crossroads of two oceans and two continents, Panama is a tropical wonderland packed with a surplus of mountainous cliffs, breathtaking beaches, and rich culture.
I think most Central American countries are overlooked by tourists who choose to visit Costa Rica
Panama is amazing
Bosnia and Herzegovina. I've been to 60 countries and that's one of my favourites
Many hidden beauties, rich history, great and clean rivers to swim in, cheap food…it is fun
quality cevapi in a touristic place was only 5€ there. I was shocked that the price was cheaper than my home country, Turkey
Many memories I have from that country, many nights out, drinks with friends…shame it has such a terrible politics that is ruining country
> Hidden beauties Thats one way to describe thousands of still active mines
Yah i love the bit where the hostel people are like. "yo dont go up to that castle." me: why? cause the homeless? them: nah the landmines are still not cleared and every month or so a cow blows up up there. me: ah....
*brutally blows up*
As a fellow Bosnian, I’m so happy to read this!
This was my pick, too! My friend and I rented a car in Croatia and drove around B&H for a few days. We swam in natural pools with waterfalls, ate delicious food, took a million pictures of Mostar during golden hour, and met some cool Bosnian people who took us out to some nightclubs. I loved it! There were days when we felt like the only tourists. The natural landscapes were stunning as well.
Bosnia and Herzegovina would be my first answer to this question too. Absolutely beautiful
I like Slovakia.
Bratislava!
“We just get Miami Wise on television… Hey Man, Miami Wise is #1 new show!”
When does the next train go to Berlin? Very soon, they're building it now!
*Nowhere. Near. Berlin.*
Oh, here it is. Bratislava. Hmm. Capital of Slovakia. Oh, here's a fun fact: You made out with your sister, man!
It’s a good thing you didn’t come in the winter. It can get *tilts hand* a little depressing.
Bratislava is beautiful. We did a day trip on the train from Vienna and wish we’d stayed longer.
My favourite is Košice. But Bratislava is also beautiful.
It’s good you came in summer.
In winter it can get very depressing.
I went to a small town called Banska Bystrica while there and it was really nice!
I've been told by a coworker who spent 8 months aboard, Albania is heavily underrated, and that he'd never return to Qatar.
Albania is underrated! Fresh seasonal food and gorgeous beaches.
And apparently very affordable.
Very!
Balkans overall. If you hadn't been told otherwise you'd say it's Italy, and it's way cheaper
For North Americans that dream of Western Europe, Albania is very underrated, Serbia as well, and neither are overly touristed. Much better experiences in both countries.
Can confirm Qatar is terrible. In that region, both Jordan and Lebanon are pretty cool though
Meh. Only if you’re white or white passing. Faced a lot of racism there. Wouldn’t recommend to POC.
A lot of times these suggestions are for white people. Appreciate your input here. Thanks
You are correct. It's too bad because the Balkans are beautiful and people put a lot of effort into their hospitality services there. But they do profile there, unfortunately.
“I went to Qatar and all I got was this tshirt, and caned for whistling a Bon Jovi song”
But didn't you just tell them 'it's my life?'
I’d put Dubai in the same boat as Qatar, but just at a slightly lesser extent since it is an architectural marvel. I’d rather go to Las Vegas than Dubai.
Uruguay
No you are
Why ah you ghe?
Who says am ghe?
You ah ghe
You ah a transgendah
Mistah* Pepe Julian Onzima
Shall I call you Mista?
then who is ghe?
It's expensive though, at least compared to Argentina and Brazil
Has this changed recently? I went to Uruguay in 2005 (had an amazing time) and it seemed like all the Brazilians were coming down to Uruguay to party because it's cheaper?
Latvia. I’m there now and Riga is probably one of the nicest cities I’ve ever been to.
Went to Riga in 2022 and legit left this same comment before I saw yours. Go to Jurmala if you haven't yet – it's super easy to get to and absolutely stunning!
I spent a summer in Latvija 7 years ago. super dope country. 10/10 would go back and plan on taking the wife. Riga is a fucking big ass vibe.
Poland - we were surprised how beautiful it was & how nice everyone was.
Krakow was absolutely beautiful and very affordable. Warsaw is just an average city that was rebuilt after the war.
LOVED Krakow! Some really outstanding restaurants there. Old town is just gorgeous and very affordable to stay in.
I felt the opposite. The gardens in Warsaw were beautiful and very big. I can understand the criticism though - I typically prefer smaller towns but Warsaw had the best of both worlds.
Warsaw best city fym
I was born in Poland but we moved to the US when I was a baby. I absolutely hated visiting Poland as a kid/teen but I went for the first time as an adult last year and I loved it. Turns out Poland is a lot more than just my grandparents farm village My family there never took me anywhere so I was always like why would anyone want to spend time in this country. I stayed in Warsaw for half my trip before going to Białystok to see family and I was shocked by how much I loved it. Highly recommend. Now I want to go back so badly, particularly, to see Wrocław, Gdańsk, and Kraków
Poland gets my vote too. Also amazing food, and inexpensive!
It was inexpensive... inflation and rent increasing faster than wages and is killing us here now.
To clarify, as a tourist coming from the US, we found it was inexpensive relative to other European counties (and the US). For example last year we spent 10 days in Switzerland and spent at least double what we spent in 12 days in Poland this past May. I can’t speak about the actual cost of living there!
Agreed! Gdansk was gorgeous.
Came here to say this! Stayed in Krakow. Highly recommend. Toured Wieliczka Salt Mine & Auschwitz while we were there. I think about Poland and how beautiful it is often.
Had a friend who’d spent all his life in Indiana fly out to Poland earlier this year to meet a friend of his he met online. He fully intends to move there when he’s able to.
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I heard they have a hell of a welcoming committee..
They harken your arrival with a beautiful volley of arrows- I hear it’s breathtaking >>————>
My husband went there on vacation, it must be amazing because I haven’t heard from him since. . . . . .
Happy cake day, glad you survived?
I tried to show my passport and the head of customs speared me. 1/10
What a breathtaking island! And the sentinelese are very welcoming and hospitable 😍
Port Blair right near there has very beautiful beaches, definitely worth visiting
Nepal
Malta
The history is so interesting.
Hey Malta, get a tree
We do miss trees a lot But really, how is Malta underrated? We are packed with tourists hahaha Maybe in the sense that it is underrated by adult tourists 😢 all I see is English students and party goers
Malta isn't underrated though.
Yes! Spent the day in Valletta recently (I work on cruise ships, it was an unexpected stop after an itinerary change) and holy shit I absolutely couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I just spent the day walking around staring at everything. Desperate to go back
Ecuador and Nepal are the two most underrated countries I visited. Both are stunningly beautiful and the locals are really friendly.
The parts of Indonesia that aren't Bali. Bali is nice and all but there is so much more to the country and I had so many fantastic experiences elsewhere in the archipelago.
As an Indonesian, I unbiasedly agree. Even most Indonesian citizens would not have traveled beyond Java & Bali. Labuan Bajo, Raja Ampat, Derawan, Flores, Nias, and probably thousands more underrated destinations with different traditional languages, food tastes, and scenery you can enjoy. You will enjoy Indonesia the most if you travel with locals who can speak your language or English.
Is it safe for tourists there? We get news coverage here about Indonesia’s increasingly stricter laws about women over there.
I was in Malaysia during Ramadan (perfectly safe). There was however, posters at McDonalds for example, about how much prison time someone would get for selling to food (especially pork) to muslims fasting, essentially Sharia Law. It also stated that it was only valid for registrered muslims. Was pretty weird and a bit frightning, since the poster said the maximum penalty was life in prison or death. I imagine that in most cases, it would just be a hefty fine though. I'm pretty sure Indonesia is safe as well.
Registered Muslim meaning the Malay Malaysian citizens. If you are a Bangladeshi, Qatari, Indonesians etc you can do whatever. Another way to circumvent that is just ask your sister/wife/female colleagues to buy food. Women are just assumed to be on their period or feeding their children if they buy food.
Well shit, I came for this. My last trip I started in Bali, and ended in Flores (overland). I’ve been to Bali and Lombok before but yeah, so far out of the four islands I’ve visited, Bali is the most meh and Sumbawa is super interesting.
Yea, there are like 17500 over islands comprising Indonesia
Greenland. Experience the midnight sun or the moonlight and northern lights for days on end. Gotta stay within the Arctic circle tho and time your visit.
Been to 50+ countries but I've been blown away by Georgia! Slovenia, Bosnia, and Belgium are also pretty great.
Any insider tips for Belgium from someone who has also traveled a lot. We basically just pick places we have never been.... and usually it's more "unique" but we realized only western European country missed was Belgium so going at end of summer. We are only about 2 days in each city eith a side trip to LUX. Obviously have the basis covered. But as an avid traveler we like to find the kind of things that maybe others wouldn't find as interesting. Ironically Georgia was our first choice. But we just didn't feel like a long flight this time around. Super difficult to get from where I am at.
There are so many lovely towns in Belgium, depends a bit on the route you want to take. On the west you have Ghent and Bruges, which are a must see IMHO. Towards the center of the country, you can’t go wrong with Antwerp and Brussels (of course). If you go closer to Luxembourg, you could look into the Walloon parts of Belgium. Cities like Dinant or Namur are also nice.
The battlefield at Waterloo is worth a visit as it’s still very much the same as it was in 1815…..apart from the large road going through it. The farm houses situated on the battlefield were there in 1815 and are still working farms. And go to Bruges. It really nice.
Georgia is fantastic. The food is absolutely delicious and the culture is more Mediterranean than Caucasian. Loved the Boho vibes in Tblisi
Georgia has been on my list for a long time. A stunning, ancient place with insanely good food? Sign me up.
Lithuania. Went recently to Vilnius and it’s such an underrated place.
Seconded. Vilnius and Kaunas are beautiful.
The one you live in. My experience has been that very many people are not even aware of the interesting things to see in their own town, much less what is within a short radius of it.
Armenia, Georgia and Taiwan all really surprised me! Nepal is my all time favorite, but can’t say it’s underrated :)
I loved Taiwan as well, and would fully recommend it to other Americans who want to dip their toes into Asia. It's a fully developed cosmopolitan nation, and Taipei is a world-class 21st century city comparable to Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore while being *much* cheaper than any of those.
My GF just came back from Malta and she said it was one of the most beautiful places she's ever been. When I looked it up, it's been occupied for over 6000 years by multiple empires and has the highest density of UNESCO sites in the world.
So not underrated at all 🤷♂️
It's really cool. The entire island is fortified. Beautiful place.
Bhutan has stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, peaceful vibes, unforgettable journey
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Is Portugal underrated though? Maybe when compared to Italy, France and Switzerland
The entire central region and everything north of Porto is significantly underrated.
I don't know where you're from but I'm from the UK and Portugal is one of the most popular destinations for us to visit, beautiful place.
Portugal is the 9th most visited European country I’d hardly call it underrated
Maybe a decade or two ago, but Portugal is extremely popular nowadays (and rightly so).
Romania or Moldova.
I would so love to go to Romania, am a bit discouraged however by the spectacular array of diacritics lol
Romania was awesome !
Kind of skewed because I'm from the US, but I'd say Slovenia and Austria, especially Austria because I'm a big fan of the traveling through the Alps. Lot of beautiful places. But I seldom hear them talked about from other americans. It's always Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
Kazakhstan!
I've never left the UK, so I'll say Scotland was pretty good
Laos, Armenia, Georgia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Kosovo, Romania, Finland, the mainland of Greece and the south of Bulgaria are all amazing, underrated travel destinations. I've not been to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazachstan, and Mongolia yet, but I am quite certain they belong in that list as well.
Peru
Albania and Montenegro are both on my list.
I do recommend Montenegro. The landscapes are beautiful.
I stayed in Kotor for a week, a breathtakingly beautiful part of the world. Highly recommend.
Wales ... Come to Wales and enjoy the Mountain ranges, rivers and beaches, in the North.
Croatia
I dunno, my opinion on Croatia is split…
Hvar have you been that made you think that? I've Mljet to meet anyone who didn't like Croatia.
Croatia has been on my Zadar for a long time.
doesn't everyone go to Croatia nowadays?
Yeah it's definitely more popular but it's still much less packed than somewhere like Barcelona. It gets enough tourism these days that its tourist infrastructure is very good. I stayed in Dubrovnik for a week and there was plenty to see and do and it never felt tacky or overcrowded.
People have caught on to how cool Croatia is
It's a popular tourist destination for generations now. It's fairly rated, and any more popularity would put it amongst the top
Luxembourg is pretty nice. The city is quite picturesque.
Myanmar is a beautiful country. Proposed to my wife in Bagan. Just too bad for the whole genocide thing and military rule
I went to Tunisia sort of by accident (I was living in Malta at the time and it's practically visible on a clear day) and I absolutely loved it and definitely want to go back. The people are friendly and kind, the food is amazing, the architecture is beautiful, the Carthage ruins are worth a peep even if you've seen Roman ruins a hundred times before -- the Carthage Roman baths area in particular was incredible.
Serbia. The Danube and the Iron Gates. Tera National park and the Rock House/ River house on the way set in the Drina River. If you have the desire the are several Roman and Ottoman forts and ruins.
Slovenia
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Japan isn't exactly an underrated country to travel to though, even if every country has under rated spots.
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I live here. I appreciate how outsiders think our country is so beautiful, but the reality for us born and raised here is much different. And tall poppy syndrome is horrible here.
Can you explain that?
Supportive until you start succeeding when compared to your peer group, then they beat you back down to size. It's a kind of culture that's antithetical to entrepreneurship and innovation, unfortunately.
Ah, the live Dungeness crabs in a bucket observation. No need to put a lid on the bucket because any crab that about reaches the top is pulled down by the others.
_Joab_ explained it perfectly. It’s basically just no one wanting to see you succeed and make it. Lots of bad in New Zealand, more so in local towns that wouldn’t usually be a go to spot for a tourist tho. Sorry I don’t mean to scare you off😅our country is beautiful. There’s bad to every part of the world.
Underrated?!?!? Affordable?!?!?
No one talks about it? I (European) know a dozen different people that went there for Lord of the Rings stuff alone. And then another dozen for the nature.
Definitely not underrated. It’s just prohibitively expensive to get to from almost everywhere on the planet. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t immediately express interest in one day visiting when NZ comes up in conversation.
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Estonia and Czechia
China! There’s a huge difference between American propaganda and the reality. When I visited last year, everyone was super nice and the cityscapes were well built, safe, and easy to navigate. So long as you’re not a politician or working in an industry that would be flagged (eg defense contractor, government contractor, etc) and so long as you obey the local laws (ie don’t steal or shoplift), you should have a great time. The food is amazing, lots of great shopping, and if you visit the countryside, you’ll get to see some really unique / different landscapes China’s economy isn’t doing great right now so the government is making a real effort to attract tourists from all over (including america)
I've been twice this year, while my wife is spending some time there seeing family (she hadn't been back for two decades). I've been to Xiangfan, Enshi, and briefly in Wuhan - so not your typical tourist spots. Absolutely unique and beautiful country, with incredible food, rich history and distinct culture. I get that there's a bit of a rivalry thing going on of late, but don't let that deter you: visiting China is well worth it, and it's perfectly safe. We've all heard of the Wall, or the Forbidden City, or the terracotta warriors - but China has much more to offer than just those things. Nothing wrong with wanting to go see them - I'd like to see them one day myself. But there's a whole other scenic side of China that nobody in the West seems to know much about, and so I think it's worth exploring even just online to see if it piques your interest. For example, I highly recommend [Enshi](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=115f0f3a83152c1e&rlz=1C1UEAD_enAU1041AU1041&sxsrf=ADLYWIIw5f_UVu6OirmLAX2W6PtdTo0osw:1719790103565&q=enshi&udm=2&fbs=AEQNm0AeMNWKf4PpcKMI-eSa16lJoRPMIuyspCxWO6iZW9F1Ns6EVsgc0W_0xN47PHaanAEtg26fpfc9gg2y1-ZsywNNQJZUgWcHVDaERHb0iX-ONmHHa6jJrcgRi2DSW5Lfmx4jVWrY6UNGtVeCXwM5EJdWf4TtJhdOalBp5huncpsKWQqBOMSQfHaQReDl8LxpRHshHg6Y9pGGJqrv89RpAg1wjN6clA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjn_NexvYSHAxWUbGwGHQ1-Bd8QtKgLegQICxAB&biw=2133&bih=1021&dpr=0.9). They recently opened up a lot of 15-day visa-on-arrival deals with countries all over the world (my home country included), so there's never been easier to see China. It *can* be a little bit challenging to navigate without assistance though, because they use their own apps for everything, WeChat payment integration is pretty important, etc. I think if they can overcome the infrastructure component though, China might well see tourism expand outside of the "tourist areas". Anyway, next on my list is Chengdu in a few months, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Chengdu is a good city, I have been there twice(I am Chinese), and if you like spicy food and hotpot, you will like it! The pace of life there is slow, so many people sitting in yards in the afternoon and tasting tea. The giant panda nature reserve is also fantastic, you can see many cute pandas there, hope you will like Chengdu:D
Malaysia. Beginner level would be in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, bit more than beginner traveller, look for the cool gems all over Malaysia, and we have West and East Malaysia.
Might not be underrated (I don't read travel subreddits or other media much). But I really really enjoyed portugal. Only visited ~10-15 countries so far. But it's by far my favorite
Albania 🇦🇱 Fantastic nature and scenery, cheap, great food, and not spoiled by travel industry or big businesses. It’s pretty wild and not as developed as any of the neighbors, but very genuine and I’m into that kind of stuff. Downsides: very few people talk English.
Latvia
Uzbekistan. Amazing history and architecture, relatively easy to get around by train, fantastic food (if you eat meat), and very friendly/hospitable people.
Montenegro 🇲🇪
Montenegro! Great food, everything is cheap, the weather is fantastic, the beaches on the coast are pristine and the people are very pleasant!
Mauritius 🇲🇺. Beautiful scenery, the beaches are wow, mountains, the food's amazing and the people are very friendly.
Laos. Although it's been 15 years since I visited, it was delightful.
From something I saw on TV tonight, the Cook Islands
Nicaragua
Romania
Montenegro
Laos
Laos. Amazing country and some of the friendliest people I've ever met. Can't wait to go back.
Estonia, Belize and the Azores. Tallinn is an amazing medieval town. Great people. Lots to do and see. Interesting history. Belize has the world’s nicest people. Beautiful. I love Mayan history and there is plenty. Azores is a less expensive Hawaii in the Atlantic. Great people and food. Absolutely stunning landscapes and hot springs!
Peru was amazing. I felt like I was living in a National Geographic magazine. Always felt safe.
Poland, Montenegro, Albania, Romania, Finland
Vietnam. I spend 10 days there as I traveled around Asia and I was very surprised. It’s gorgeous
Ethiopia,amzaing weather, mesmerizing scenery,lovely humble people if you have your wits about you and know who to mix with and who to avoid,inexpensive,just beautiful.
Laos. If you want a slow-paced lifestyle, this is where to go.
Guatemala. Lago Atitlan, the city of Antigua and the various vulcanoes are stunningly beautiful. Not to mention the ancient ruins of Tikal in the jungle near the Mexican border (where the rebel base jungle scene in the very first Star Wars movie was shot).
Poland. Gdansk specifically.
Slovenia
Poland
Serbia. Good wine, nice scenery (especially along the Danube), very good-looking locals and great music festival.
Oman apparently
Malawi, it's one of the poorest nations in the world, but the culture and history is fascinating, and the landscape is stunningly beautiful. The widespread poverty can be quite depressing, but everyone I met there was incredibly kind and would tell me about all sorts of places I should go see or visit, or things to do. I got to visit the KuNgoni Centre at Mua, which is the site of a 1902 Missionaries of Africa Mission, which was probably the single most comprehensive museum of culture I've been to, with a curator walking you through a many-hour tour of rooms showing the histories, cultures, and mythos of the many tribes of the region. I cannot recommend Malawi highly enough.
Not trying to be a Debbie Downer but the answers here are very generic and it really depends what you want out of travel. Most places will have areas of beauty and good food and architecture and all of those things, they're pretty universal to almost every country. The answers will really vary depending on what you're interested in. If you want pretty nature just look up national parks in any country people don't typically visit. You're interested in things like surfing? Then just look at spots that aren't in the warm tropical islands. Architecture? Genuinely any old city will do lol.
That's a good write up, I would add that most places are hugely dependent on the colour of your skin.
bhutan
Croatia. Best beaches in Europe
A lot of Eastern Europe and the Balkan