The experience of visiting a destination on your bucket list, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or Yellowstone National Park, only to discover that a million other travelers had the same idea on the same day. Overtourism is real, and it doesn't stop you from seeing some of the world's classic landmarks, but it's what inspired a new book from National Geographic. It's what I gave. Not Here: 100 Unexpected Travel DestinationsThis book offers alternatives to dozens of popular destinations that have the same history, culture, or natural wonders, but avoid high costs and crowds. This time we will introduce 9 selections.
Photo credit: Obie Oberholzer/laif/Redux
Ducks of Napa Valley: Western Cape, South Africa
South Africa's viticultural regions, such as Stellenbosch and Swartland near Cape Town, have a warm Mediterranean climate and are lush with vines, similar to California's Napa Valley. Amid dramatic mountains and rolling hills, visitors will find wineries pouring Shiraz, Chenin Blanc, and Pinot Noir. In Franschhoek, an open-air wine tram lets you hop on and off between tasting rooms. Alternatively, you can camp and decant at Babylonstoren, a working farm with vineyards, ornamental gardens, and luxurious guest suites.
(Why this little-known California wine region could be the next Napa. )
Icelandic Duck: Western Colorado
In Colorado, an 800-mile historic hot springs loop in the Rocky Mountains connects volcanic landscapes and hot springs similar to those found in Iceland (home of social media favorite Blue Lagoon). The indigenous Ute and Arapaho tribes have long bathed in Colorado's mineral pools for their reputed restorative powers. Modern wellness seekers can soak up the steam at spa hotels like Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort and Pagosa Hot Springs, or nature spots like Nathan's Hippie Dip Hot Springs.
Indonesia's Borobudur Temple, one of the world's largest Buddhist monuments, was built between the 8th and 9th centuries. The stupa represents the path to Nirvana. Photography: ALEX SABERI, Nat Geo Image Collection
Angkor Wat duck: Borobudur, Indonesia
Before the coronavirus pandemic, the monumental ruins of Cambodia's 12th-century Angkor Wat temples attracted more than 6 million tourists a year. But at Borobudur Temple on the Indonesian island of Java, you can visit the lesser-known ruins of another vanished civilization. Built in the 8th century as a holy site for Buddhism, this temple consists of a large three-tier pagoda (built with 2 million stones) surrounded by 72 smaller bell-shaped shrines. When is the best time to visit? At sunrise or sunset, the stones glow orange and pink against the backdrop of the surrounding mountains.
Photo by EWEN BELL, Nat Geo Image Collection
Scandinavian ducks: Tasmania
The Northern Lights of Scandinavia fascinate people, but for a glimpse of the more delicate Southern Lights (Aurora Australis), head to Tasmania, Australia's southernmost state. For the best chance of observing luminescent phenomena in the island's diverse ecosystems, from temperate rainforests to snowy mountains, come in winter (June to August). Head to national parks like Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair and Tasman National Park. Dark skies encourage aurora and stargazing.
(Why Auroras Appear in Unexpected Places. )
Grand Canyon Ducks: Letchworth State Park, New York
The forested shale and sandstone cliffs of Letchworth State Park in western New York soar as much as 600 feet above the banks of the Genesee River, giving the area its nickname, “The Grand Canyon of the East.” Masu. The valley attracts about 1 million visitors a year to its narrow 14,350-acre park. (The Grand Canyon was visited by 4.5 million tourists in 2023.) Letchworth has 50 waterfalls and 106 miles of hiking trails, including the popular 7-mile Gorge Trail and the first His 1-mile Autism Nature Trail and more. Choose from rooms at the Glen Iris Inn, a 19th-century mansion, or at one of the park's 81 campsites.
Ducks of Maine: Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick
Grand Manan is a New Brunswick island in the Bay of Fundy that boasts a lighthouse, quaint town, and lobster rolls, but without the summer crowds of neighboring Maine. A 90-minute ferry ride from Blacks Harbor, Grand Manan is home to cultural heritage including the Passamaquoddy people, 1800s French traders, and British supporters fleeing the American Revolution. Today, this peaceful island is popular for coastal hiking, kayaking, and spotting 360 species of birds, including whales, dolphins, puffins, loons, and warblers.
(See Canada's best natural wonders, from icebergs to the world's highest tides. )
Photo credit: Karsten Moran/Redux
Kamo of Taj Mahal: Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, India
Up to 8 million people visit the Taj Mahal each year in the Indian state of Agra. The Taj Mahal is a magnificent marble mausoleum built in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife who died young. About a six-hour drive south, Bibika His Maqbara is also a domed marble tomb built 30 years after his death by Jahan's son, who was also widowed at an early age. Bibi's small size and modest construction materials (stone and stucco) earned it the nickname “poor man's Taj,” and its charm remains impressive. Charbagh (Mughal gardens representing paradise), a reflecting pool, and an enclosed mosque.
In Budva, Montenegro, people swim in the Adriatic Sea. The medieval walled town and sandy beaches attract tourists. Photo courtesy of LOLA AKERSTROM, Nat Geo Image Collection
Croatian duck: Montenegro
Croatia's Dalmatian Coast is world-famous for its beautiful coastline and historical monuments. It is also famous for its summer hordes, which is why savvy Europeans end up in neighboring Montenegro. This small country's Adriatic coastline is dotted with picturesque medieval towns and beach resorts. Particularly charming villages include Budva and Kotor, with their orange tiled roofs, winding streets and ancient churches.
Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is surrounded by Mayan towns, mountains, and volcanoes. Photo credit: PETER MCBRIDE, Nat Geo Image Collection
Ducks of Lake Como: Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Although it doesn't have the famous prices of Lake Como, but has an equally memorable mountain and water environment, Guatemala's Lake Atitlan is located within a massive volcanic caldera that was formed 84,000 years ago. It is surrounded by small Mayan-speaking towns and surrounded by the cliffs of three volcanoes (one still active). Travelers climb trails to the volcano's peak, go kayaking, and explore lakeside villages by water taxi. Popular spots include hippie San Marcos, with its yoga studio and probiotic restaurant, and Santa Catarina Palopó, with its colorful murals based on traditional cultural designs. Huipil Blouses knitted by local women.
