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50 Disappointed Tourists Share Travel Destinations From Around The World That Aren’t Worth The Hype
When we're planning our next vacation, we want to go somewhere that will wow us with its beauty and culture, and will enrich our lives in ways we may not even know yet. We think of our favorite books and movies, hit up our wanderlust friends, maybe do some research online, and finally pack our bags, hoping for the best. Unfortunately, some places just don't quite live up to the hype.
So to provide you with an alternative point of view and help you get the most out of your time and money, we at Bored Panda decided to scroll through the subreddit 'Travel' and see which locations its 7 million members have been listing as the biggest disappointments.
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don't bother going to Liberty Island (statue of Liberty). all you're going to end up doing is craning your neck upwards for a shi**y view of the statue.
Instead, take the Staten Island Ferry out to SI. It's FREE. 100% Free. read that again because it's not common in NYC. IT IS FREE.
It's a 30 minute trip from Financial District down to Staten island. The ferry has concessions which serve alcohol, or you can actually bring your own on board and drink. It offers an awesome view of the statue of liberty, and Ellis Island. 30 minutes to Staten, then just jump on the next boat back to Manhattan. That's an hour of your life and is totally worth it and fun.
Disney World. The lines are terrible. Expensive as hell. The rides are not even that impressive anymore. You're surrounded by weird people and jerks. The service is crap. It is completely packed. It's either raining or hot as hell.
Hm. Well I enjoy the experience- no hate to anyone that doesn’t tho. I’ve been going since I was little too, so there’s a bit of nostalgia. But I truly like going to Disney, makes me sad that some ppl don’t enjoy it.
It will be interesting to see how the travel industry will look in 2023. Day Out in England, a travel website on a mission to introduce people to the best days out in each county in England, recently surveyed 980 of their readers about their day trips for 2023, and found that 41% of them think they may have fewer days out in 2023 due to the rising cost of living, and 31% said they definitely will.
"When it comes to those long-awaited holidays, 39% of people said they plan to stay in England for their main holiday in 2023, while 50% will be going abroad. 11% won’t be holidaying at all," Day Out in England told Bored Panda in an email.
Well, lots of people say the United Arab Emirates, and I'll agree. It held my interest for a while with the craziness of its modern elements, and I saw quite a lot of it, enjoying the rural places like Liwa and Al Ain, but it really gets tired quickly. The facilities just don't stack up to western cities and they always seem like a pastiche, with the repressive undercurrent throughout the place never fully hidden (did you know they had a spate of foreign maids falling out of apartment windows?).
Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because, for a better Arab experience, you can go next door to Oman. Old forts, dramatic mountains, dunes, beaches, souqs, old men drinking tea and playing chess on the corniche, it has it all and feels much more authentic and friendly than Dubai. It's certainly not as advanced and easy to visit but the roads are good, crime is low, and English is widely spoken, so it's actually not that difficult a place for tourists.
LA.
Lots of stuff to do, but it takes forever to get there. I feel like I spent my whole LA stay in the car, stuck in traffic.
The rest of California that I saw was great, I'd do any part of it again, but not LA.
Boise Idaho, I know what you're thinking "It's hot, brown, nothing really interesting about it, and it's full of crazy mormons and republicans and spiders." In real life it's actually slightly worse
"As the cost of living crisis eats away at disposable income, the average person expects to spend £20-30 per person per day out, including transport, food, and attraction costs, so finding affordable activities could be big in 2023," they continued.
However, people's desire to travel hasn't gone anywhere. 82% of respondents would rather have a day out than a big gift for their birthday or for Christmas.
Monaco. I was in southern France in 2012 and decided to take a quick bus ride over to Monaco one day just because I heard was almost like a paradise. But I was thoroughly disappointed with the place. Nothing but high end clothing stores, extremely overpriced, terrible food, and yacht docks. A complete absence of anything interesting. It seriously felt like a place for ultra-rich people to sit around jerk each other off.
Times Square is the most overrated tourist spot on the globe. New York is an incredible, wonderful city but Times Square is its nadir
Yes and no. Do not, I repeat do not, stand in Times Square to see the ball drop on New Years eve. Freezing cold, packed like sardines, herded like cattle and nothing worth watching. On the other hand, do visit Times square between midnight and 6 am on a normal night, it's 100% tourists then, everything is open and well lit and bustling, and several of the stores are fun (you don't have to buy anything to enjoy them), just the place to be when your body clock is 12 hours out due to jetlag.
The Mall of America, its just like any other mall. There's just 4 Victoria's Secrets instead of 1.
"The capital continues to draw people for days out, with 37% of people saying they plan to visit London in 2023," Day Out in England added.
"The South West is also a firm favorite, with 26% of people saying Cornwall was on their list for next year, and 25% saying Devon was their top choice."
Pyramids of Giza; might be being too harsh, but the swarm of aggressive market vendors surrounding them makes the place a bit of a nightmare. One woman from our group asked a guard to take her photo standing next to the pyramids, and the guard refused to give it back without recieving payment (I cant recall the amount but being extorted by a man with an AK-47 isn't an ideal situation). Inside the tombs themselves it reeked of piss and was a claustrophobes complete nightmare. A ~ 5 foot tall, very steep ramp with fuck all to prevent a fall wide enough to fit 1.5 men at best with a steady stream of people coming up from the opposite direction. Being literally yelled at to buy headscarves and assorted plastic shite by the truly horrible merchants outside completely ruined my experience of the place, which I'm so, so sad about because I spent months looking forward to the trip.
I just got back - the merchants are no longer there. They’re in other places, but not the Great Pyramids. Also, if you’re asking a guard to take a photo of you I feel it is courteous and right to give a tip. Their culture is entirely based on that, plus you’re asking him to do an extra service that is not his job. We’re expected to give cashiers tips at Starbucks here for crying out loud. Also because of their terrible economy and extreme poverty it will probably cost you at most a quarter.
I used to live and work in Waikiki. A lot of people don't know this but if you leave Waikiki there's a whole bunch more island to explore with more beaches and more food and more authentic culture than what you get in just one tiny area.
The number of tourists I used to meet out there who would spend thousands of dollars and travel thousands of miles to come to Hawaii only to never leave their resort, much less the area it's in, never ceased to disgust me.
Sometimes we travel for rest and relaxation. Don’t always have energy for intense cultural embraces.
I present you the most overrated/underwhelming tourist attraction in the world...
Editor's note: It's Manneken Pis in Brussels.
PyongyangJim added:
If you find yourself in this situation, turn around, go into The Poechenellekelder across the street. Grab some nice Belgian beer and watch the people.
I don't think it is overrated if you did your homework well before going on an amazing Europe trip.
Even though the world is waking up to the environmental impact travel has on the planet, a surprising 67% of people say they still don’t look for eco-friendly activities when planning days out.
Don't go the Empire State Building. Instead, go to 30 Rock - the view is better, it's cheaper, it's bigger, and the wait times are 5 minutes instead of 5 hours.
Thank you! I went to 30 Rock instead of Empire State. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I’m not sure if it’s really globally critically acclaimed, but Sunset Blvd in Hollywood.
It is literally just a rundown street with dingy storefronts and the Church of Scientology trying to rope you into joining their cult. But oh! There’s plaques set into the sidewalk for celebrities or celebrity-adjacent people you may or may not recognize that paid for them to be there. Seriously. There is nothing to see there.
I’m sure people more familiar with LA can give better suggestions (I’m partial to Venice Beach, but that is rough around the edges too), but I say, just go to San Diego.
You're describing Hollywood Blvd, not Sunset. I used to live between the two (they run parallel at that point) two blocks west of the COS building. Hollywood is the famous one, it wasn't too bad back in the late 80s, but it's a cesspool of tourist, scams, etc. now. Sunset was just a long, boring road with a lot of shopping on it. Still is.
Most underwhelming/overrated one I can think of is the Mona Lisa. It is quite small, with a 10 foot barrier around it and about 1000 asian tourists snapping photos at any given time.
I understand to a certain level it might not be very exciting—unless you're an actual artist with a deep love and appreciation for art and Leonardo—but to add in ASIAN tourists like that makes a difference. Really? I'd say a 1000 tourists of any ethnicity crowding a place is annoying. But remember, amid those 999 tourists is an equally obnoxious 1000th tourist—you.
CEO of Day Out in England, Victoria Philpott, better known online as Vicky FlipFlop said:
“As the cost of living crisis bites and we consider the cost of holidaying abroad, many of us will be changing the way we travel in 2023."
"Days out in England haven’t been this popular since before budget airlines began, and I always love finding out which English counties are the most popular on our site, as it can be so different for everyone," she explained.
"Whether you want to see the cities, have an adventure in the countryside, or find some photo-worthy towns and villages, England has it."
Shocked no one has said this yet.
Plymouth F**king Rock
If you haven't seen any pictures of it, you imagine it as this epic massive stone representing the pioneering spirit of the first European settlers.
What you get is a rock that's the size of about 3 footballs with a date carved into it. It's surrounded by this little gate thing and you look down into it. Since the pit the rock is in is surrounded by sand, people find it to be a convenient ash tray. There were cigarette butts everywhere when I went. Shit was depressing.
Bourbon Street. Happy I did it once but it smells of garbage, is crowded, sketchy, and did I mention the smell?
Niagara Falls on the American side was not so great. The falls you always see in the movies are Horseshoe falls, and you can barely see those from the US. And in reality, there are like 20 "Maid in the Mist's," and you pay like $30 for a 10 minute boat ride, and to get drenched in stinky water. And there is nothing else to do in the area unless you go into Buffalo.
Go to the Canadian side, it’s sooo much better. It was less crowed and honestly more beautiful
I went there in Jan 2020, and because it was winter, there was only one other person in the observation tower and the streets were not very crowded either. I loved it and got soo many photos!
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Taking the boat to the bottom.of the falls can be life changing. The sheer power of the Falls from this viewpoint makes you realize how small we are in this world. I live in the area and have done it 5 times.... and will so it again gladly.
Absolutely. Our boat wasn't "The Maid of the Mist" (that got sold off to the tour owner who is on the US side, I believe) but wow, I agree with you wholeheartedly. The thunder and the power of the water, and we went on a blistering hot sunny day, so there were lots of rainbows in the mists, and yes we got drenched, but boy what a ride! Couldn't conceive of visiting again without going on the boat.
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Well, duh. I thought everyone knew the Canadian side was a million times better? The Canadian side is well worth it, just stay out of the cheesy sleazy downtown
I didn't even know there was a usa side until 10 seconds ago
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I guess you missed the hiking trail down into the gorge past the whirlpool. I lived in Buffalo and would go up to Niagara every few weeks in the summer. You can get all the way down right next to the ten foot high rapids. It is exhilarating!
I agree. Horseshoe Falls is beautiful. Niagara-meh. Nothing special. Been there twice. I'm done.
Canadian side -if you DON'T look at the city itself, which I found depressing, with all the casinos, etc.- is beautiful
Canadian side is the tourist zone, too, but there is lots to do - just be prepared to pay. Stayed for three days in 2019 and learned very quick to take our dinners outside the main drag area. First lesson was in the Hotel Radisson, which has an IHOP inside. Great, thought I, breakfast! Who doesn't love IHOP? This girl who got dinged for a $75 breakfast for two people - and that was with a coupon! I smiled and thought of Disneyland, paid the bill then asked every local who worked there where the best places to eat were. Yes, we still did the fun tourist stuff - and ate in thrall strip twice- but the rest of our meals took us in our rental car exploring the other parts of Niagra. AND, Niagra-on-the-Lake, just east of the falls, is BEAUTIFUL. Well worth the afternoon, and a lovely drive to get there!
We stayed in Niagara-on-the-Lake and loved it! We went to see the falls and the area but ate and slept away from the touristy area. Then we took a trip up along the St. Lawrence River. Everything in Canada was clean and beautiful. Sandbanks park, Boldt Castle, Upper Canada Village and Byward Market in Ottawa were all delightful!
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Because I'm an Aussie, I had my passport with me when we got to Niagara on the US side, so we walked to Canada "because we could" - it's quite a novelty when your continent is also an island. Immigration on the Canada side was pretty chill - the US immigration officers were . . . not.
We stayed overnight on the Canadian side, then drove into NY the next day. It was mostly to say we had. We walked along the river towards the falls on the US side, and it was nice. But the view from the other side, at night, was spectacular.
As a (former) Buffalonian, I agree with this. Buffalo itself is absolutely hell in tge winter so go in July and travel to Elmwood and Bird streets to enjoy the large green areas, the Frank Lloyd Wright house, the art festivals and the youthful atmosphere. The Falls are tourists surrounded by a ghetto. Wings? Find your way to DUFFS. Small but impressive. Parking is a problem but all the locals know it is the real place to go. And Mighty Taco for (obviously) tacos.
I disagree. We loved Niagara Falls. You do have to move around, go to Goat Island and definitely go down the elevator to walk up close to the Falls. As for the town of Niagara in the US: very disappointing. Canada side is much better for the city and restaurants.
The Canadian side is the best way to enjoy the falls. You see more of the scenery and it’s more peaceful. We stayed at a hotel with a view of them and I had a lovely restful time. The experience of walking around during the day and at night are both different and unique. I remember it fondly.
Yes, I’ve been to Niagara on the American side. Underwhelming. But I would definitely go back on the Canadian side.
True Niagara from the US side is a dump and you cant see anything. The Canadian side is awesome. Great views, nice food lots to do.
Do the Canadian side if you can, it's worth the price of admission :)
I liked the American side. It was a real place. We were there over a blistering hot summer week, and the mist was welcome. The Canadian side was a plethora of tourist attractions - Ripley's, wax museum, more junk. I really hope to see the falls, from either side, in the frozen winter.
I love Niagra falls. Imo it is so fun to go on the boat tours and things. You just have to want to enjoy it. I went with my parents and they were super hesitant and didn't want to go get wet but I had the time of my life. Couldn't hear anything tho
I did it from the Canadian side a few days after 9/11. That side was great. Then we decided to go to the American side, it was a let down and it took us ages to cross over because the Americans were obviously very security conscious. We only stayed about 10 minutes. Still I sent 10 minutes in America x
Went with my sister and niece 40 years ago. Niece was two. Aboard Maid of the Mist, noise from falls scared niece and mildew stench from raincoats gagged her.
Everyone gets those mini throw-away ponchos now (which we kept, because why not). Don't let one scared kid and an odd smell shade you.
Load More Replies...For many, traveling was crazy in 2022. Rental car shortages, packed capitals, and sky-high airfares were really testing some nerves. Hopefully, travel in 2023 won't be as overwhelming.
I found Pisa to be overrated. It’s small and was extremely crowded when I went.
There are definitely some things worth seeing but I wouldn’t go back again. A day trip was plenty.
captainmagictrousers added:
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is great, if you want to see 500 people posing like they're mimes trapped in a box.
If you want to go but don't like the crowds, try checking out the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo!! It's a great museum and almost no one goes there, so it's very rarely congested. It has beautiful works of art, and the best part is the very quiet center gardens/cloisters. It's very peaceful and has a great view of the leaning tower without the congestion. https://www.opapisa.it/en/square-of-miracles/opera-del-duomo-museum/
If you want to see Redwoods or just Nature and you are in San Francisco, do not, I repeat, do not go to the Muir Woods. The traffic and congestion going over the Bridge to Marin County is horrible. The woods are packed with noisy people and there is no parking. Instead go hike amongst the trees at Henry Cowell State park instead. It's in Santa Cruz and the drive is almost as lovely as the hike.
Mount Rushmore was much smaller IRL than I expected
Then you remember it's carved into a mountain the Native Americans considered sacred and you just get a little sick inside. Lakota: Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe, or Six Grandfathers in English. We stole a mountain and carved it up in our own image. We can't take back what our ancestors did, but we can stop glamorizing it.
Rainbow Mountain in Peru. First time I realised just how much some photos on Google are photoshopped
And you've got some colored mountains in China too. The Rainbow Mountains, located in China’s Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park are considered one of the geological wonders of the world. These mountains take their colors from the colorful rock formations and are a major tourist destination. This site was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most amazing about these all, they have been mentioned in the Holy book of Islam, The Holy Quran, " “Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby fruits of varying colors? And in the mountains are tracts, white and red of varying shades and [some] extremely black.” in the year 610 amazing fact.
The entirety of Orange County, CA. Rich and vapid; where creativity and personality goes to die. I drove all the way across the country to visit the OC and ended up having more fun in Des Moines.
Why would anyone drive across the country to visit Orange County, California? The only tourist attraction it has is Disneyland, and maybe Knott's Berry Farm. It has beaches, but well other US states and countries have beaches, so...
Honestly I think NYC is overrated (and I'm an American from the East Coast). I've been probably 8-10 times in my life, and different stages of life (kid, teenager, adult, seeing friends who live there) and every time I go I feel thankful I don't live there and I'm happy to be gone. I've visited a fair number of neighborhoods and off the tourist track sights, restaurants, etc. and I still feel the same way. It's worth visiting and it's certainly diverse but it's just exhausting and kind of faceless in my opinion.
Being from Miami I can truly say Miami is a bit overrated. True the beaches are nice, we have beautiful weather compared to other states, and especially S.Florida is a melting pot of exotic people. Other than that..there is a lot of crime and snobby people. The club scene is nice, and shops are nice (if you have the money to spend on ridiculous over priced items). Don't get me wrong, I have lived in other states and even in Europe and I Love living in Miami, but for an average Joe, its not what people make it out to be.
I feel like this post is actually talking about Downtown Miami and/or South Beach. There is so much more to Miami than that. Probably would stay away from Model City, Overtown or Little Haiti but that’s about it. Calle Ocho and Mid-Beach are amazing to visit.
I can't believe I'm saying this (Because.. it's in WACO), but: Magnolia Silos.
We have people from all across the country DRIVING to Waco, TX, to see the magnolia silos thanks to fixer uppers.
It's not that great, people. Please do not drive for 30 hours to see this place.
It has food trucks, a vastly overpriced store, and an "okay" bakery. You get about an hour out of it, max.
Stop.
Austin, Texas, USA: Insanely overrated
Insanely terrible traffic for a city its size, whether along I-35 or along the myriad thoroughfares and neighborhood routes otherwise.
Stupidly long waits to get into "hip" BBQ or taco joints that might be the "best" in Austin, but would be par-for-the-course, holes-in-the-wall in many other places throughout Texas.
I'm sure the locals pre-tech-boom were generally friendly. However, today's Austin reveals a general population that is snobby, pretentious, surly, and aloof. I realize that many of these twits are nasal-sounding, vapidly-conversing, fast-talking, self-absorbed asshats from major coastal cities, although many are also Texans who wanted to get out of their hometowns and now seem to feel the need to "act Austin." The customer service in most stores and restaurants seems to reflect that accordingly.
Speaking of service, the way that my partner and I have been treated at Austin's airport on numerous occasions has been just flat-out rudely. Despite AUS being a fairly modern airport, I place it on par with LAX, Sea-Tac, Newark and Miami airports for being the worst of the worst for personnel attitudes.
Lastly, if I wanted to pay L.A., San Francisco, or NYC prices for dining out, I'd go to one of those cities.
I live down the road near Houston and am no fan of this place either, but at least we aren't trying to pass ourselves off as the coolest, most tourist-friendly city in the state. I can tolerate Austin for less than a day, then I can't wait to bail. By the way, San Antonio is fairly close to Austin and has had a far better developed tourist infrastructure for decades.
I'm a native Austinite and I agree with most every point, sadly. Austin in the 60s-70s was more community centered and kinder. in the 80s-90s, so many bands to see, awesome restaurants, good food and not so many dang people absolutely everywhere. These days, I'm a unicorn in my own hometown. So much "corporate" so little genuine character any more. Too many "be and be seen" places, must-see, must-do, must-eat places, and so many tourists. Hey, if you wanna come see what ATX is like now, be my guest. Don't expect it to be friendly, cheap, uncrowded, or genuine.
PSA: If you're planning a trip to Greece, skip Mykonos. It's totally overrated.
My wife and I are honeymooning and while planning it booked four nights in Mykonos, something we realized late was a big mistake. This was our fault for not doing the proper homework and including it just due to brand name recognition, really. Arriving in late August, the island was very crowded and expensive to stay, eat and drink at most places. On top of that, there are not really that many beaches compared to other Islands and Mykonos lacks aesthetics (it's a dusty rock.) Mykonos locals and fans of Mykonos like to boast about the fact it's a party/clubber's destination, which seemed plausible enough except that if I wanted to go and pay for a Vegas experience, I'm more inclined to just go to Vegas. Granted, we're in our 30s and aren't the clubber types.
For our Mykonos leg we ended up calling an audible and double-booked a night to skip over to Naxos, which was absolutely wonderful by comparison. Beaches were plentiful and mostly deserted, food and lodging was very good and reasonable. We love Naxos and can't wait to go back someday. Mykonos? Not so much.
Hard to get over the fact that for the price of a single night's stay in Mykonos we were able to rent a luxury suite in Ikaria for three nights (By the way, if you're coming to Greece, GO TO IKARIA!) It's green, has amazing beaches, friendly locals,
If you go to the big three Greek island destinations, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, you'll be surrounded by tourists, be charged 3x - 4x as much per night, and see the overdevelopment. There are, however, a few *dozen* other islands with amazing beaches, food, rooms, mountains, and with a little research whatever else you were hoping for (ancient ruins, etc.). Only Santorini had a volcano collapse the middle of the island, revealing huge cliffs and yes truly amazing sunsets, but only go there in off season times (May, or after August 20th or so...).
Wall Drug Store
About 10,000 signs alert you to the fact that Wall Drug is ahead when you drive across South Dakota, probably on your way to or from Mount Rushmore. The signs are fun, giving you something to look for while you drive what seems like an endless highway.
But just keep on driving and don’t stop: Once a gimmicky but real drug store, Wall Drug is now a shopping mall that specializes in crap. Imagine fake cowboy hats, fake cowboy boots and tacky t-shirts, not to mention overpriced food, as far as the eye can see. The only thing worth stopping for is the jackalope (a made-up jack rabbit/antelope cross-breed) statue, and the still-free cup of water.
If you're trying to make good time, no reson to stop, but if you're taking a road trip, Wall Drug is one of those kitchy, quintessential sort stops.
Jamaica. Terribly dirty, poor, violent, dangerous, and chock-full of rude and loud British and American tourists. You have to spend a fortune to get a nice holiday out of it, by heading to a decent resort.
Yes and no. Poor, violent and dangerous yes. You can always pick an American tourist in Jamaica because they go into their "all-inclusive resort" and never leave it. German and French tourists know better, stay in midrange places, and get to see some of the beautiful countryside. Travel in a minibus. Visit the Blue Mountains. Go for a walk. Sample the tropical fruit from a roadside vendor. But avoid those places where mixed-race natives are afraid to travel. Residents will ask for money, but they don't expect any, and you're more likely to get conned in the USA, Naples or Belgium than in Jamaica.
The Bahamas. Beautiful place and all, but Nassau is full of tourist traps and the locals are kinda a**holes.
_random_rando_ added:
Resorts in the Bahamas. Especially when you compare them with just renting a house and a boat for a week in the Abacos. There is so much more to see beyond an overpriced and overhyped tourist trap.
Venice. I know that's blasphemy for some, but I found it stinky, dirty, and unnecessarily expensive. I was bored within 5 or 6 hours... and I had 3 days to fill! Ended up traveling out of the city and exploring the lovely surrounding cities/countryside.
ayb added:
I had a really bad time in Venice. All I can remember are pigeons, filthy water, scaffolding, pictures of the virgin mary, spaghetti with sauce that tasted like ketchup.
Florence was quite a nice experience though.
I would say the opposite. The history of Venice was nagnificent! Florence...was more of a soap opera. It sounds like you didn't get out of the tourist lane. Honestly, I'd love to live there for 6 to 12 months. Right now it's even affordable.
Stonehenge.
The cool part is how old it is. That's not something you can see with your eyes.
The first semester of my sophomore year of college, I studied in Moscow. Man, was it ever awful. The people were so rude to me, the city stank, everything was incredibly expensive, people would lie to me about speaking English, and the food was just disgusting. The city is basically an overpriced toilet.
Remember, the majority of Russians support the Raping of Ukraine. Don't EVER forget or forgive what they are doing.
Obviously can't speak for everyone but personally I think Bali is pretty overrated. At least compared to the sky-high expectations everyone here seems to have and compared to all the pictures on instagram.
V_the_Victim added:
Can't pick a country myself, so I'll chip in with the most popular destination in Indonesia:
Bali.
It's full of tourists and so much more expensive than the rest of the country. It's a veritable desert of culture in a land with nearly 1,000 spoken languages and hundreds of ethnic groups. Heck, it doesn't even have the best beaches in Indonesia. Any traveler looking for a real experience should avoid Bali like the plague.
aleksndr_a added:
—The taxi hawkers at the airport are a mob unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They swarm you. They follow you. It is very unpleasant.
—The driving is insane. I never felt safe in any vehicle.
—Sewage is openly left everywhere, and the smell of burning trash fills the air each evening.
—If you go to any of the beaches, most are so dirty you won’t want to swim at them.
—If you go to any resort town, it’s overrun by tourists and dive bars.
—If you go inland, prepare to be eaten alive by mosquitos.
I know this is very disparaging, but Bali is in a tough situation. They are trying to build a tourism industry and make it accessible, but their local issues are too great to overcome at the moment.
Though a friend of mine took his 8 yr old daughter to Bali , her first holiday outside Australia, and the were having an awful time, drunken aussies , rubbish everywhere... They were going to call the whole thing off until he was talking to a young taxi driver who invited him and his daughter to his village away from the tourist side..... And they had the greatest holiday of their lives.... Beautiful scenery and wonderful people... So it just depends where you go....
I think the worst tourist attraction I've seen was in Myanmar when I signed up for a local tour in Mandalay. They took us to a monastery where a S**T TON of people had all gathered to watch the monks walk from their dorms to go have lunch. Dozens and dozens of old (almost all of them over 65) tourists were lined up to take pictures of these poor guys as they were trying to go have a meal, and apparently this happens every day. For those of us under 30 this was incredibly strange and really embarrassing. I couldn't figure out why so many old tourists were all gathering to aggressively photograph these guys just going to have a meal.
The monastery was home to a ton of cats so I wound up hanging with them until our cab driver told us it was time to move to the next attraction.
I enjoyed Mandalay, but we rented mopeds and did our own thing at our own pace. It's a shame what happened in Burma... all the people I met where so happy with their new found freedom (it was in 2016)... and now it's back to square one with the military in power.
Antalya, Turkey. A formerly beautiful ancient city ruined by the massive amounts of tourist traps. During my stay in the city I had the constant feeling I was going to be ripped off. In shops, in cafés or restaurants, you name it. Not to mention the fact that the city is filled with eyesores of buildings designed to lure in tourists.
At least it's not as much of a Resort Central as the surrounding areas.
I've been here too but again, cuz US Navy on a med cruise. Don't recall too much. I forget exact location but one thing I did was take a day tour to some old ruins (probably not in Antalya proper). It was just old columns and some leftover stone road and such but it was weird walking on a street from biblical times. Like somebody made that approx 2000 years ago and it's still here. I remember picking up a piece that had roman numerals carved in it and wondering if it was an old address or what.
Ohio is a f**king wasteland. I had to go the cleveland once, first time, and i am always excited to see a new state especially driving because i go by everything and i can stop and look around, take pics and what not. I went to my destination turned around and left nothing at all to see.
Panama City Beach, Florida. It's loud, it's not fun, and you're likely to get your car towed no matter where you park it.
Lake Louise in Alberta. Don't get me wrong, the view is breathtaking. But there are so many tourists that even at the crack of dawn, its packed. It's more hectic than enjoyable.
Bow Lake which is between Jasper and Banff is just as (if not more) beautiful and far less people.
Unpopular opinion: Hawaii is overrated.
I've experienced Oahu and Maui. I loved the astonishing coastal views, swimming holes, pineapple ice cream, poke bowls, and hiking, don't get me wrong.
But it's quite pricey compared to other similar destinations around the world, and that's just if you're doing it fairly economically (no fancy resorts or eating out 3x/day). The people of Hawaii - natives and "mainlander" transplants alike - honestly seemed pretty aloof, pissed off, and even hostile (this was especially pronounced around Honolulu); oddly similar to cities like Miami and Houston where I'd expect that sort of behavior. Customer service doesn't seem to exist in the state. HNL is one of the worst airports I've seen in the wealthy, developed world. Hawaiian Airlines is also an okay airline at best, it seems, and I've encountered some pretty unpleasant staff while flying with them. (As a side note, Southwest is now providing much more service to the state, but I don't like SWA at all. Alaska is a much better airline to fly if the opportunity is there.)
Update: I went in 2017 and 2018. Pre-pandemic.
Anyway, which tropical or otherwise warm-locale holiday destinations have I enjoyed more? Key West, Gulf Shores area (Alabama), Fiji, Northeast Queensland (Australia), Okinawa, and even Bali. I also quite enjoy New Zealand, definitely not tropical but a country whose Maori traditions/culture have a lot of similarities with native Hawaiian traditions/culture. Yet Maori people have been much kinder in my experience.
Maybe I've just done Hawaii wrong during two visits...
Singapore. It's like if Orlando became a country and moved to SEA.
I'd go to Singapore for the hawker centers alone lol. My family used to live short walking distance to Orchard road. I was a kid but I remember Singaporean food being excellent. I'm craving some prawn mee now.
Don't know why Istanbul is often called the most beautiful city in the world. If the major attractions are of religious nature than something doesn't feel right. I cannot recall it correctly but I didn't see many women there, mostly angry looking men. The city centre was full of stray cats, more than I've ever seen.
Why doesn't it feel right just because the mosques are some of the big attractions? One of the major tourist attractions in London is St Paul's, in Paris it's Notre Dame, Rome has endless churches that are major tourist sites. It's the same everywhere that has history, and Istanbul has far more to see than just religious buildings
The Great Barrier Reef. It wasn’t more exciting than any other place I have snorkeled. Also it is all dying so it was more sad than anything.
Wait, you saw TOURISTS at the Great Barrier Reef? Which has been desroyed by - wait for it - TOURISTS? Oh golly gee....
Thailand. Very touristy, overcrowed and far, far away from any authenticity. Quite a disappointment.
What do you expect when you go to a top tourist situation: tourists! If you don't like other people, go off the beaten track.
Agra. The Taj is gorgeous, but Agra is not a nice place to visit. I honestly think that city can be completely missed. There are other spectacular Mughal monuments in Delhi. I'm not saying the Taj isn't beat taking, but I don't think it's worth allocating time away From Jaipur or Delhi if you're doing the Golden Triangle.
Also, Portland, Oregon
Kuala Lumpur. I don't even know why this was hyped to me so much since ever since then I've heard no one think of it as a remarkable tourist destination. It's for a reason that all the photos of KL are either of the Petronas towers or the Batu caves entrance....
I liked Kuala Lumpur. Found a lot of interesting places including beautiful mosques and a fruit farm
Im from Vancouver, and cant really tell why its one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. I only speak of the city itself, not the surrounding nature; our nature is up there with the rest of em. The city itself is overpriced and overrated.
Langkawi Island. I see a lot of South-East Asian people go there on holiday but the place is incredibly tacky and looks like it hasn't been looked after for 20 years.
Best thing about Langkawi is that you can take a ferry to go to the Thai Islands (like Koh LIpe). If you want to stay in a really nice resort, check out The Danna. It feels strangely out of place in Langkawi as it is an old colonial style of resort (minus the slavery...). Also, I guess if you REALLY love chocolate, Langkawi is the place to buy.
Las Vegas is probably on my "skipping list", just because of the idea of it just doesn't interest me whatsoever.
I haven't really been anywhere that I would put on a skip list though. Places I wasn't too fond it (like Malta) is probably part to do with my age.
So… you’ve never been to Las Vegas. You are advising us against it because you don’t like the idea of it. 🤔
The Space Needle is cool but it's really over-priced. Sure, the rotating restaurant is kind of fun, but be prepared to really shell out the dough to eat there. The Space Needle is a lot more impressive from a little bit of a distance than it is when you're standing right underneath it IMO. If you want a nice view, try going across the lake. Take a ferry, or go up the Smith Tower instead.
Edit: Columbia! Go to the Columbia Tower! I apologize for my ignorance!
Edit again: Absolutely check out the EMP, Sci-Fi Museum, and/or The Science Center, depending on your interests. I personally think Pike Place is always worth a visit, particularly for tourists (it gets crowded though, be warned). Gas Works, Fremont, Seattle Underground...there's a lot to see and do here, it's a beautiful city.
Agree. I live about 1.5-2 hours away. And for a while was based in Bremerton so was there more often. Have been to Seattle center MANY times but never went up in space needle until I guess about 12 years ago to take daughter / husband up. Seemed even more expensive since dad (me) was buying the tickets. Ride up - nice view - gift shop - ride down. Yay! LOL. But I have some nice memories from various trips to the seattle center and the science center. And the grandkids had a blast with all the hands on stuff in the science center. Pikes place market is definitely fun to browse around in. I rarely buy much but I've had great fun looking. If it is still there, there is a weird (shape) Asian restaurant when the walkway goes to the lower level. Like in the restaurant they have to go up some steps to get to their kitchen. Small but the food was good, service was good and I seem to recall the prices being fairly reasonable.
Khao San Road. I love Thailand but I absolutely hated Khao San Road. It's entirely fabricated for tourists to make tour groups feel like they're doing something exotic and adventurous. Signs for "We don't check ID!" "Take a picture eating a scorpion for $5!" "Fake passports sold here!" and then it's just t-shirts and bars. Compared to the rest of the country it's gross, fake, and douchey.
No same! Khao San Rd felt like the same stores (tourist trinkets, tourist clothes like flip-flops and bikinis, apteka, 7-11, hair salon, sketchy tour guide service, tattoo shop) on repeat. A lot of Thailand felt this way until we got out of the designated “tourist hubs.”
Four corners. I wasn't expecting much before I went and it was still a letdown. It's hours from anything. You have to pay to enter, cash only, and the nearest ATM is about 45 min away. If you want a photo be prepared to wait for a full tour bus or two of Chinese women to get through the line before you. Also all around the monument are peddled selling you overpriced junk.
Go to Four Corners. The monument itself is a waste of time. However, it's also where the Navajo and Ute reservations meet. Take the time to talk to the people working there and learn about the history of two of the most important pre-Columbian nations in the West. You are going for the people, not the plaque.
Old Faithful, it is honestly one of the least spectacular geysers in Yellowstone. I feel like the only reason it is so famous is because it is a relatively tall geyser and goes off so predictably.
I live in Montana and have been numerous times and my last trip, I saw a squirrel. Not AND a squirrel, ONLY a squirrel. How do these dumbasses find Buffalo to get attacked by? I watched Old Faithful spout over the 3000 tourists who were standing in front of me. If you come to Montana, go over the Sun highway in Glacier Park and skip the entire east side of the state.
Apparently Chicago's biggest tourist destination is navy pier. It's small, and very close to much better things to do. Not worth the time.
I live in Chicago and I know I've posted this before. Stay off of navy pier obviously. Go into the neighborhoods. Stay in Lincoln Park or Gold Coast and travel along the lakefront. Go to Lincoln Square, Logan Square, Wicker Park, Uptown. That is where the interesting places are - restaurants, shops, bars...Downtown has great buildings, etc., but its all businesses (lawyers like me) and chain places. But with that being said, do go downtown and take the architecture tour - boat down the river, which encircles the downtown area, explanations and history of all the buildings. That is entirely worth it. EDIT: I forgot Andersonville, Chinatown, Hyde Park...limit the loop and Mag Mile.
Coney Island. Don't really know what I was expecting, but it's just kind of bleak and depressing. Also, we were surprised the car still had hubcaps when we left.
Sedona, AZ. Unless you are into healing crystals and going to bed at 7 it is pretty terrible.
And unadulterated desert! Quiet, clean scenery everywhere! The church of the holy cross built into the side of a mountain is amazing!!
Egypt, Cairo in particular.
If you simply must visit, fly in on a red-eye, sleeping on the flight.
Land and get a ride to the Pyramids (bus is actually safe than a cab, simply due to its size/mass vs. the other maniacs on the road honking their horns every thirty seconds.).
Rent camels, not horses... horses you are too low to the ground and the beggars try to steal your shoes; also if you get the right camel rental place, they'll teach you the command word for the camels to kick the beggars.
Ride out and enjoy the pyramids... don't look too low and you might be able to ignore all the trash. Don't take pictures of any people, they'll claim you stole part of their soul and demand payment... and the local corrupt enforcement officers will back them up so they get their part of the take.
When done, ride back, turn in the camel, catch a ride back to the airport and fly home.
I’m not going to lie, shoe-stealing beggars and camels trained to kick them sounds kind of worth the hassle just for the stories you could tell for the rest of your life.
Myrtle Beach. It's one of the grossest beaches out there
Any beach, at the height of tourist season is pretty gross. But the beach at MB is beautiful at all other times. I have been there 25 times but now go to Hilton Head Island. (Quoeter)
Akihabara in Japan. It is just a bunch of computer part stores, girls screaming in annoying high pitched voices, and American weebs cosplaying. I noped out pretty fast.
Of all the places we visited in Morocco, Jemaa el-Fnaa (market square) in Marrakech was the biggest disappointment. It's full of knock-off gear and guys trying to get you to take pictures with cobras. However, we did go to a roof-top restaurant on the edge of the square and had an amazing meal - we also got to hear the adhan (call to prayer) while in the restaurant.
Marrakech in general is pretty awesome, but the market was a let down. Everything else we saw was worth it, and we plan to go back at some point in the future.
Hated Marrakech, the centre was full of mistreated and ill-looking monkeys stuffed in dresses with tight metal chains around their necks being constantly yanked around, so many horses that seemed too skinny to even stand pulling carriages around all day in the blazing heat, same for donkeys in the rural areas 💔
Gatlinburg. Everything there is kitsch, the whole town is one big tourist trap. There were some skeezy businesses too, it reminded me of Camden Markets but less fun.
The scenery is beautiful. But it is everywhere else in the Great Smokies too
Geneva. Albeit a pretty city, the soul-crushing cost of everything entirely weighed down my experiences there. Never expected to pay 24f for a hamburger in my life.
Switzerland is super-expensive in general. Worse in the touristy places, of course.
Kraków.Maybe not that it is overrated because city is REALLY beautiful and worth visiting but I don’t like how it absorb most of tourist who decide to go to Poland and leaving the rest of cities behind. For example Warsaw is magical cities and it doesn’t get as much attention. It has historical sites, unique architecture. Moreover nightlife is super crazy there, there a lot of amazing places to spend night in, my favorite is New Orleans Club and all of the pubs and bars near Rondo De Gaulle.
Taiwan. "its beautiful, its great, its amazing you'll love it"
...i lived there for a year. The food is s**t, the people are rude, the racism (I'm indian) is overwhelming.
I lived in Taiwan for 5 years. It has lots of really nice places to visit, such as the Palace Museum, Sun Moon Lake, Tarako Gorge, and Green Island. But outside Taipei it's not well set up for tourists and can be hard to navigate, even if you speak Mandarin (I speak it poorly, but my husband is reasonably fluent). There's plenty of good food, but it's easy to get something not so great if you're choosing randomly from a menu. As for the racism, yes definitely, although not sure it's worse than any nearby countries.
Lego Land. You'd think such a large franchise could come up with a decent themepark. its terrible
No way. Legoland was fantastic. Our kids chose that over Disney and it was one of the highlights of the trip to CA for them.
Antelope Canyon. You've probably seen the iconic images. Don't get me wrong, it was pretty cool, but it was waaaaay more touristy than I expected (I was being naive though). As soon as I got down into it, I couldn't wait for the tour to end.
Las Ramblas in Barcelona.
Lovely city, but everybody hypes up this one street that’s crowded full of people. It’s practicallly highlighted in every tour guide of the city yet I still don’t understand the draw. Every restaurant and shop on the street is a tourist trap as well: overpriced and under-quality. It’s much more worth your time to stroll around the Gothic neighborhood if the city rather than Las Ramblas.
Go see La Sagrada Familia instead! Stunning and beautiful - pictures do not begin to do it justice.
Australia 100%
Studied abroad there for about 5 months and dealt with way too many racist, homophobic, and misogynistic uni boys.
Don't get me wrong it's beautiful, but I preferred NZ. Kiwi's were way more friendly, progressive, and diverse. Loved how the Maori's were apart of Kiwi culture.
I’m fascinated that the lack of one space completely reversed the meaning of the last sentence.
'Countries' is a little too big to talk about. Each one has its merits... but as far as cities go, I wasn't overly impressed with Paris. I had always heard it was romantic and bursting with culture. I just saw a bunch of tourists waiting in lines, homeless people, and a lot of people in a rush (as seen in most metropolises). That being said, I was only there for 4 days, I mostly did the classic tourist things because I was pretty fresh to travel.
I'm going back there again in a few months to try and find the city all those people praise.
I get so tired of people complaining about Paris. If you restrict yourself to tourist lac3s, then yes, you will be disappointed. Lose yourself in side streets, visit small locally owned boutiques. When in Paris, try to be Parisian. Talk softly, dress like the locals, try to use the French menu. Say “S’il vous plait, merci, y que suggerez-vous.”/Every visit to Paris for me has been magical. Lean into the culture instead of trying to make Paris fit YOUR expectations. Get off the beaten path, ask questions, be interested and patient, then maybe your experience will be one of joy instead of frustration.
Faneuil Hall in Boston is definitely overrated compared to the other landmarks in Boston.
For some reason it continues to be the most visited site in Boston, but is honestly one of the least exciting. Yes there is historical context, but everything in Boston has historical context. Comparatively to everything else on the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall is fairly boring. It doesn't look interesting, and the historical context is comparatively dull. And it's by far the most tourist-trappy landmark, with a gift shop inside of it, a shitty mall behind it, and constantly crowded with street performers.
It seems to have Times Square syndrome where it's where people go because it's where people go. It seems like a cool place because it's always crowded, but when everyone is gone it loses most of it's excitement.
Cape may, Nj.
Super wealthy people come here for their summer vacation to spend tons of money on beachy couture and to eat overpriced seafood on docks.
In the winter it's just a bunch of people doing heroin/collecting unemployment.
I lived in cape may for a year and I spent that whole time wondering if someone was going to break in again while I wasn't home. The locals literally have nothing to do other than do drugs and steal in the off season.
It's pretty shi**y. I've lived here for 20 years and every year it gets worse.
Takeshita Street in Harajuku. Went on a Sunday, and I couldn't move my elbows an inch without bumping into someone, no matter where I went, and pretty much every shop had a 30+ minute line. There was also hardly anyone there actually dressed in the kind of fashion you to go to Takeshita Street expecting to see, which isn't exactly a problem on its own, but it essentially meant that I was dealing with being a sardine for hours on end with no real payoff beyond shopping for overpriced fashion goods once I survived the lines. I love Tokyo, but I definitely won't be going back to Harajuku anytime soon.
Don’t people like this research their travel destinations!? Takeshita Streer is renown for being outrageously cramped.
Bern, Switzerland.
You can just do it as a day trip. Saw the clock and gave the lion monument a miss. Let me know if I missed anything.
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
It's mildly interesting to look at, but there's not much else to do once you're in that area.
You deserve an award for saying that. Nobody in India could say that and stay alive for more than a few more days,unless they were celebrities, in which case they would receive a tonne of deeath threats if they didn't withdraw their statement.
The only other place I've really though was awful and made me decide to backtrack was Budva in Montenegro. Some friends of mine love it but I thought it was mostly an awful, trashy hell-hole full of mafia, rampant over-development and awful nightclubs. The citadel was nice, the food was good and paragliding was excellent but it's not my scene. I got on the bus back to Kotor (it was a few years before Kotor was overrun with cruise ships).
Montenegrin coast has become overbuilt and overpriced in last decade or two. One of the few places still worth of visiting are Ulcinj (the last town on the coast before Albanian border) and some small places like Dobrota or Perast. While we are in the hood, avoid Dubrovnik at any cost!!! If you are into the city walls, visit Ston. Not far from Dubrovnik, Ston has equally impressive city walls (5.5 kilometers, longer than Dubrovnik's and second longest in the world - only Chinese Great Wall is longer!). Also, there are medieval saltworks and oyster farms with restaurants.
Kyoto.
I might not have given it a fair shot, but arriving to huge mobs of tourists and crammed public transit basically killed my ability to appreciate the promised peaceful & refined vibes. The expectation and reality were so different I'm considering giving it another try and cycling around the outskirts to see if I "did it wrong."
La Paz and Bucharest were both underwhelming to me.
Stockholm. I visited last spring after having wanted to visit Sweden for 5+ years and hearing stories from friends who grew up there. It wasn't awful (there were still many nice things to see and places to walk around) but it was a bit depressing and sprawling. Not quite the vackerra huvudstad I wanted it to be. On the whole, much worse than Göteborg, Oslo, København, or even Malmö.
Recently I've visited Barcelona. I've walked the Ramblas, went to all the famous spots and less famous spots (like the Catalan historical museum) but my overall experience was that it was an overrated city. It was expensive, crowded/overly touristy (ok, i expected that but still) and in a day or two, maybe three you've seen it all! All of my citytrips in the last two years (Madrid, Vilnius, Moscow, Dublin) and most of the major cities I've visited on my recent vacations were a lot more interesting. I really don't get the hype
Cabo de Roca, it took me an hour to get there from Lisbon. Spent no more than 20 mins there. One cafe and that's it for the most western point of the European continent.
Brussels, like the whole city. Beggars everywhere, lots of trash and smelled like piss.
I work in Brussels and I agree. Go visit Leuven instead. (I am a little biased because I am from Leuven and there is a kind of friendly feude between those 2 city´s)
The Eiffel Tower.
It's good but certainly doesn't deserve what it gets, as basically over-glorified scaffolding of little historical significance. It's always overcrowded, and the endless proposals are so clichéd and almost always thoughtless "it's what you do there" ones rather than because of any particular significance to the couple.
Which is all made so much worse by the fact that it getting that attention massively overshadows the Arc de Triomphe, which is the opposite of that in every way, with significantly better views due to its location. Though if nothing else that does make the Arc de Triomphe much quieter, which is obviously great.
Copenhagen.
Expensive. There’s not much to see/do. Weather is often not that great. The little mermaid statue is one of the most overrated things to see. The architecture of houses is very similar to Amsterdam’s.
Maybe an outlier but we encountered too many chatty drunks in the street.
"The little mermaid statue is one of the most overrated things to see." Yes. But Copenhagen is not on my avoid list. If you happen not to like Copenhagen, then its airport is the world's best for speed, convenience and comfort.
Florence. Amazing history and museums, but the rest of the city was just so, so. Tourists have almost completely driven all the authenticity away. Restaurants are half the quality of the rest of Italy for twice the price. Super narrow sidewalks are overcrowded, pushing pedestrians onto the street. Selfie stick and knock-off product pushers on every corner. Bologna, Modena, and Parma are just so much better of an experience.
Like many other very touristy European cities, Firenze should be visited off season. From mid may to October it is hot, and overrun, but get there in October and you can see a city where the locals are relaxing after the season, the weather is nice, and you can enjoy the beauty of the city.
Something that underwhelmed me was Giants causeway near Belfast. I thought the rock formations were cool and even beautiful, but it was only a small portion of the park. (Definitely my fault since I could have looked up more pictures of the place.) I can honestly say I loved the hike around the top of the mountain next to it even more.
Iceland is so f**king overrated. I'm sure it was nice a few years ago before the tourist boom really took off, but now it's basically just a theme park (high prices and all)
elijha added:
I never miss a chance to sh**-talk Iceland.
It's pretty, but no prettier than countless other places that don't have sky high prices, terrible food, poor to nonexistent public transit, and tap water that smells like egg farts.
The high prices and nonexistent public transit are due to an island nation with a very small population and barely any industry. The tap water is all natural, therefore sulphurous.
Sagrada Familia. (Barcelona) I mean, it was nice, but I expected something jaw-dropping and instead found myself hoping that I just hadn't seen the best part of it yet. I found Parc Guell to be infinitely more impressive.
Wow, I can’t imagine not being moved by the immense beauty and incredible architecture of the Sagrada Familia. I’m truly questioning people’s comments on this list because they just sound so entitled.
Bratislava.
They renovated their castle on the inside to look like you're in an office park.
Industrial carpeting, drop-ceilings, fluorescent lighting and drywall for the walls.
In a castle.
WTF.
Luxembourg. It is so small it must be unique. If you call a nationwide blackout unique...
Luxembourg and its surroundings are really nice, put IMO not worth a detour
I'll go by continent, though I have never been to Australia and there is nothing to be over/under rated regarding Antarctica.
North America
Overrated: All of Florida. It's really not that interesting. There are better beaches elsewhere, there are better amusement parks elsewhere, there is better food elsewhere, there are fewer cranky boomers elsewhere.
Central & South America
Overrated: Costa Rica. It's a fun destination, but a lot of the experiences you can get/things you can see (rainforest, mountains, beaches) have more interesting options elsewhere. Brazil and Peru have more spectacular rainforest & wildlife, Peru, Argentina and Chile have more breathtaking mountains, Colombia and Brazil have nicer beaches.
Europe
Overrated: Rome. Everyone should visit Rome and it's a fun city, but it is overrated as hell. The food scene doesn't compare to Northern Italy or down in Naples. I don't find much repeat-visit value like there is in Barcelona, Paris, or London.
Africa
Overrated: South Africa. Too many Western tourists pick South Africa as their safari destination in Africa because it's an easy African country to visit which means that, unless you go to a private game reserve, things get busy. Safaris in other countries are so much better with better lodges and no crowds. That said, Cape Town is Africa's best city and I did enjoy Durban. South Africa isn't bad, but it's overrated.
Asia
Overrated: Goa, India. Not sure if it's very proud Indians on the internet who tout Goa as a legendary beach destination, but it really isn't that great. 4/10 as far as beaches go. It's crazy busy, the water can be polluted, and it's not really the relaxing beach destination some would make it seem. So, so, so many better options.
Amsterdam. Granted, I was only there for 3 days so there's a lot I didn't see, but what I did see didn't leave much of an impression.
Greece, Greece is so f**king overrated especially on summer.
I'm from Greece and tourists come every summer here to enjoy our "Mediterranean food and clean beaches".
Actually 80% of the people that swim in our beaches pee on them. They aren't as clean as you think!
Camping among the eucalyptus trees is one of my best memories of Greece.
As a New Zealander I have to say that my country is overrated. Considering that it's ages away from anywhere I don't know why people bother coming here when you can find similar or better scenery in North America or Europe.
That sounds like someone who is just sick of the tourists. "Go somewhere else! Nothing to see here!".
Tourist : going to touristic places. ''OMG, why are there so much tourists it's horrible !
True. But - depends on the kind of tourists. Decent people who want to explore and enjoy another country or the ones that go somewhere else to act like pigs or colonists.
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Wow, this this was just depressing. What is with all these depressing and negative listicles, BoredPanda? I think the title should be changed to: Entitled Tourist who did little research on travel destination shocked to discover other tourists in foreign country.
Agree! Ungrateful people who should stay home watching tv!
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Having visited each, I can’t help but think being disappointed by Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, or Paris says more about the tourist and their expectations (and possibly limited exposure) than it does about the place.
I've read a few bad reviews of places I think are wonderful and I'm struck by the urge to correct the writer. Fortunately, I come to my senses and say nothing, when I remind myself that these places would be wrecked if more people visited and those who are commenting are "indoor" people who prefer their hotel rooms. This type of visitor helps keep the places I like "secret".
Good reasoning, from the sound of it most places on this list just suffer from ‘too many tourists’.
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This is making me sad...why don't we all stay where we are and just NOT travel??! Don't experience anything else. No architecture, no history, no natural beauty, no different culture, no different cuisine, no wider education, don't broaden any horizons, don't meet new people or contribute to economic growth/development. People have very different interests, tastes, reasons and motivations for going to places. To have all this negativity and disparagement about travel is a real shame. Get out and see what you can, how you can, and when you can!!! For your own reasons! Do your research first but opinions are only that, don't not do something because of someone's opinion. Be safe
Right?! I took a picture of a cat in San Marcos Square in Venice!
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There are too many tourists at this tourist destination. Except for me.
What I'm getting from most of the posts are touristy places are full of tourists. Well, no sh*t Sherlock!! Also, it's all very well for someone to say "don't visit XYZ place" but seem to not realise that some people might want to see some iconic places/ attractions regardless of how overcrowded it is simply because they could be on a once in a lifetime trip and never again have a chance to visit them again. Going off the beaten track is fine but some destinations are very expensive to reach and you might have a limited time to try and fit things in.
How is Paris not on this list? There's a thing called Paris syndrome were people fall into a fit depression because of how disappointed they are of what Paris actually is though it happens mostly to Japanese tourist.
On the other end of this, I'm a seattlite and if you want to go anywhere in the PNW, come to this area. Seattle is gorgeous and wonderful in every way. Don't be a creep, don't talk to the people who live here cause it's f*****g creepy (I don't know you, middle-aged white dude with a Texan accent, please stop trying to get me to talk about how nice the sun is, I hate both the sun and you) but I'd recommend going to Seward park (stunning area, gorgeous I'm the spring and summer, it's where I work as a volunteer with a summer camp so I'd know) downtown Seattle (not the space needle it's boring) and the area around volunteer park (beautiful city). It's definitely dirty and grey, but the dirt adds to the atmosphere/aesthetic and the grey and rain is rad. Also, north Kitsap and the Kingston area is amazing for both touristy-ness and hiking. The locals are a bit strange but the nature is breathtaking, a ton of wonderful areas. I'd recommend coming here fall-spring, summer is uncomfortably hot
Now we need an article about underrated destinations that are actually amazing.
I have so many of them, but am a little scared to share them as I don’t want them to get overrun with influencers.
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Nice places attract visitors. Sometimes for good reason and not overrated. Just because they're busy doesn't mean I'll never visit the place. Of course I'm part of the masses, but just skip some major attractions because it's cool to shame them doesn't do it for me. There are of course overrated places in my opinion. But that doesn't mean it has to be everybody's opinion.
So tourist spots are full of tourists, who knew? One that's likely to be free - the Blarney Stone in County Cork, Ireland. Not so much kissing of the stone since the pandemic.
I am sad that Portugal is going to be on one of these articles. The way tourists and remote workers are flocking to that country is heartbreaking. Portugal is the last authentic country left in Europe and they have fought very hard to keep it like that. The last time we visited though (we have family there) there was a lot of Chinese and American shops opened right in my in-laws small town where once family owned businesses used to be.
Sadly all of the places in the list are there because of too many people. I suggest that if you have a beautiful secret hideaway, keep it that way, secret I mean. 😶😷
I had I thing when I used to travel a lot, I rarely booked hotels and never had an itinerary, dirt taxi cab I got I'd strike up a conversation and tell them to take me to their preferred takeout spot or hangout bar club whatever, and just make a start from there, always ended in the most lovely local B&B and a few times actually in people's homes, I hated being seen as a tourist going to the 'must see spots' I much preferred the hidden gems and the true culture experience.
If you ever go to Iceland, skip the Blue Lagoon. It's really not that clean and the water was more of a grey colour than blue. I scooped up a handful of the "mud" from the bottom and all I got was a handful of hair. The shower rooms weren't that clean and a lot of hair laying around in there too. Everyone is required to shower before they go into the lagoon, but they don't. It's gross and expensive.
No one mentioned the Vatican Museum. With so much to see in Roma, spending a day waiting in line to see stuff stolen from other cultures is depressing.
Dunno why Paris isn't on here. It smells, you can see rats having a party on the metro, and the Eiffel tower was underwhelming.
We were over by Moulin Rouge and there was plenty of human feces on the ground.
Load More Replies...
A few of these I wanted to argue, and then realized things might have changed since I visited last, in 1996!!!! Apparently I’m getting old.
seems like about 50% or more of these are in the US..lol and dissed on by Americans..lol
Fabric wristbands are the best option if you need festival wristbands that will be worn for a number of days, Festival Wristbands weeks, or even months.
Masai Mara, Kenya. Too many damn vehicles deliberately blocking animals.
Sounds unAustralian, but I'd say Uluru was underwhelming. I enjoyed the Aboriginal cultural centre, but the rock itself was just a rock. I might have been influenced by the fact we had to walk the whole way around it, in the heat, for about 2 hours. Being a teenager and not fully understanding the significance of it to Aboriginal people (we got taught s**t-all at school) so I was contemplating doing the climb (this was about 10 years before that was banned) but didn't have to make a decision because it was too windy for it to be safe. I much preferred Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) because they are multiple types of rock, so there was some variance to see. My favourite part of my Central Australia trip was probably Kings Canyon.
Winnipeg. Ah, yes. "Canada's Heart Beats" that's a very true statement in many contexts. There's some interesting places to check out if you can get past the aggressive panhandlers and avoid the gang youths that run around stabbing everyone who crosses their path or blasting bear spray. I think the safest area is Assiniboine Park and walking/driving around Charleswood to check out the many old, character mansion estates nearby. Once you get on Portage Avenue watch out. The Forks is a popular touristy place that has been a hotspot for violent attacks. It's gotten so bad I would suggest stay away.
I feel many of these were people who don’t like to travel or don’t research what they want to see. Don’t be mad when it takes time to see a tourist attraction or if the largest waterfall in the world doesn’t have a theme park built into it. Geez.
Washington DC in May sucks, all the schools do their school trips there then, it was horrible. Yellowstone in the summer, so many stupid people, I started cheering that the animals would attack them. Go before it opens for summer season its so much better then. The Alamo, is a dusty little building in the center of the city and was a huge let down.
Got a couple: the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD, US. Every year the outside is made up of different colors of corn, making murals. Sounds cool, right? But this is a once a season thing. In reality it's a venue for concerts and sporting events. Sounds corny. Also, similar to the Wall Drug entry: South of the Border in Dillion, SC, US. Think Wall Drug but everything is Mexican. Fond memories visiting when I was little but unsure how they've stayed in business in this age of political correctness.
Wow. What a negative post. Makes me want to never travel! People need to do their research before they travel and have realistic expectations.
Has anyone noticed all the French-speaking places are described as being filthy/trashy/rude (by non-French-speaking visitors)? … :p
There were two posts on Paris and no one mentioned it, not sure to understand what you are talking about
Load More Replies... Saying this as a native- Don't come to Kolkata. There's very few things to enjoy apart from the Victoria memorial and the national Museum. Most new touristy places are in New Town, are just good for hanging out with friends/family for like 6-7 hours max, and nothing really worth enjoying beyond the above. There MIGHT be a FEW Historical places though, so do check them out, PROVIDED someone reliable(As in knows the city well, and knows most of its touristy sites, and has a network to gather info on any they don't know of) told you about them.
Blarney in Ireland. Our bus concierge said, as we got back in, NOBODY ever enjoys a visit to Blarney. For me, the highlight was the graffiti on the sewage treatment plant, and even that wasn't particularly good.
Tourist : going to touristic places. ''OMG, why are there so much tourists it's horrible !
True. But - depends on the kind of tourists. Decent people who want to explore and enjoy another country or the ones that go somewhere else to act like pigs or colonists.
Load More Replies... Wow, this this was just depressing. What is with all these depressing and negative listicles, BoredPanda? I think the title should be changed to: Entitled Tourist who did little research on travel destination shocked to discover other tourists in foreign country.
Agree! Ungrateful people who should stay home watching tv!
Load More Replies... Having visited each, I can’t help but think being disappointed by Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, or Paris says more about the tourist and their expectations (and possibly limited exposure) than it does about the place.
I've read a few bad reviews of places I think are wonderful and I'm struck by the urge to correct the writer. Fortunately, I come to my senses and say nothing, when I remind myself that these places would be wrecked if more people visited and those who are commenting are "indoor" people who prefer their hotel rooms. This type of visitor helps keep the places I like "secret".
Good reasoning, from the sound of it most places on this list just suffer from ‘too many tourists’.
Load More Replies... This is making me sad...why don't we all stay where we are and just NOT travel??! Don't experience anything else. No architecture, no history, no natural beauty, no different culture, no different cuisine, no wider education, don't broaden any horizons, don't meet new people or contribute to economic growth/development. People have very different interests, tastes, reasons and motivations for going to places. To have all this negativity and disparagement about travel is a real shame. Get out and see what you can, how you can, and when you can!!! For your own reasons! Do your research first but opinions are only that, don't not do something because of someone's opinion. Be safe
Right?! I took a picture of a cat in San Marcos Square in Venice!
Load More Replies... There are too many tourists at this tourist destination. Except for me.
What I'm getting from most of the posts are touristy places are full of tourists. Well, no sh*t Sherlock!! Also, it's all very well for someone to say "don't visit XYZ place" but seem to not realise that some people might want to see some iconic places/ attractions regardless of how overcrowded it is simply because they could be on a once in a lifetime trip and never again have a chance to visit them again. Going off the beaten track is fine but some destinations are very expensive to reach and you might have a limited time to try and fit things in.
How is Paris not on this list? There's a thing called Paris syndrome were people fall into a fit depression because of how disappointed they are of what Paris actually is though it happens mostly to Japanese tourist.
On the other end of this, I'm a seattlite and if you want to go anywhere in the PNW, come to this area. Seattle is gorgeous and wonderful in every way. Don't be a creep, don't talk to the people who live here cause it's f*****g creepy (I don't know you, middle-aged white dude with a Texan accent, please stop trying to get me to talk about how nice the sun is, I hate both the sun and you) but I'd recommend going to Seward park (stunning area, gorgeous I'm the spring and summer, it's where I work as a volunteer with a summer camp so I'd know) downtown Seattle (not the space needle it's boring) and the area around volunteer park (beautiful city). It's definitely dirty and grey, but the dirt adds to the atmosphere/aesthetic and the grey and rain is rad. Also, north Kitsap and the Kingston area is amazing for both touristy-ness and hiking. The locals are a bit strange but the nature is breathtaking, a ton of wonderful areas. I'd recommend coming here fall-spring, summer is uncomfortably hot
Now we need an article about underrated destinations that are actually amazing.
I have so many of them, but am a little scared to share them as I don’t want them to get overrun with influencers.
Load More Replies... Nice places attract visitors. Sometimes for good reason and not overrated. Just because they're busy doesn't mean I'll never visit the place. Of course I'm part of the masses, but just skip some major attractions because it's cool to shame them doesn't do it for me. There are of course overrated places in my opinion. But that doesn't mean it has to be everybody's opinion.
So tourist spots are full of tourists, who knew? One that's likely to be free - the Blarney Stone in County Cork, Ireland. Not so much kissing of the stone since the pandemic.
I am sad that Portugal is going to be on one of these articles. The way tourists and remote workers are flocking to that country is heartbreaking. Portugal is the last authentic country left in Europe and they have fought very hard to keep it like that. The last time we visited though (we have family there) there was a lot of Chinese and American shops opened right in my in-laws small town where once family owned businesses used to be.
Sadly all of the places in the list are there because of too many people. I suggest that if you have a beautiful secret hideaway, keep it that way, secret I mean. 😶😷
I had I thing when I used to travel a lot, I rarely booked hotels and never had an itinerary, dirt taxi cab I got I'd strike up a conversation and tell them to take me to their preferred takeout spot or hangout bar club whatever, and just make a start from there, always ended in the most lovely local B&B and a few times actually in people's homes, I hated being seen as a tourist going to the 'must see spots' I much preferred the hidden gems and the true culture experience.
If you ever go to Iceland, skip the Blue Lagoon. It's really not that clean and the water was more of a grey colour than blue. I scooped up a handful of the "mud" from the bottom and all I got was a handful of hair. The shower rooms weren't that clean and a lot of hair laying around in there too. Everyone is required to shower before they go into the lagoon, but they don't. It's gross and expensive.
No one mentioned the Vatican Museum. With so much to see in Roma, spending a day waiting in line to see stuff stolen from other cultures is depressing.
Dunno why Paris isn't on here. It smells, you can see rats having a party on the metro, and the Eiffel tower was underwhelming.
We were over by Moulin Rouge and there was plenty of human feces on the ground.
Load More Replies... A few of these I wanted to argue, and then realized things might have changed since I visited last, in 1996!!!! Apparently I’m getting old.
seems like about 50% or more of these are in the US..lol and dissed on by Americans..lol
Fabric wristbands are the best option if you need festival wristbands that will be worn for a number of days, Festival Wristbands weeks, or even months.
Masai Mara, Kenya. Too many damn vehicles deliberately blocking animals.
Sounds unAustralian, but I'd say Uluru was underwhelming. I enjoyed the Aboriginal cultural centre, but the rock itself was just a rock. I might have been influenced by the fact we had to walk the whole way around it, in the heat, for about 2 hours. Being a teenager and not fully understanding the significance of it to Aboriginal people (we got taught s**t-all at school) so I was contemplating doing the climb (this was about 10 years before that was banned) but didn't have to make a decision because it was too windy for it to be safe. I much preferred Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) because they are multiple types of rock, so there was some variance to see. My favourite part of my Central Australia trip was probably Kings Canyon.
Winnipeg. Ah, yes. "Canada's Heart Beats" that's a very true statement in many contexts. There's some interesting places to check out if you can get past the aggressive panhandlers and avoid the gang youths that run around stabbing everyone who crosses their path or blasting bear spray. I think the safest area is Assiniboine Park and walking/driving around Charleswood to check out the many old, character mansion estates nearby. Once you get on Portage Avenue watch out. The Forks is a popular touristy place that has been a hotspot for violent attacks. It's gotten so bad I would suggest stay away.
I feel many of these were people who don’t like to travel or don’t research what they want to see. Don’t be mad when it takes time to see a tourist attraction or if the largest waterfall in the world doesn’t have a theme park built into it. Geez.
Washington DC in May sucks, all the schools do their school trips there then, it was horrible. Yellowstone in the summer, so many stupid people, I started cheering that the animals would attack them. Go before it opens for summer season its so much better then. The Alamo, is a dusty little building in the center of the city and was a huge let down.
Got a couple: the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD, US. Every year the outside is made up of different colors of corn, making murals. Sounds cool, right? But this is a once a season thing. In reality it's a venue for concerts and sporting events. Sounds corny. Also, similar to the Wall Drug entry: South of the Border in Dillion, SC, US. Think Wall Drug but everything is Mexican. Fond memories visiting when I was little but unsure how they've stayed in business in this age of political correctness.
Wow. What a negative post. Makes me want to never travel! People need to do their research before they travel and have realistic expectations.
Has anyone noticed all the French-speaking places are described as being filthy/trashy/rude (by non-French-speaking visitors)? … :p
There were two posts on Paris and no one mentioned it, not sure to understand what you are talking about
Load More Replies... Saying this as a native- Don't come to Kolkata. There's very few things to enjoy apart from the Victoria memorial and the national Museum. Most new touristy places are in New Town, are just good for hanging out with friends/family for like 6-7 hours max, and nothing really worth enjoying beyond the above. There MIGHT be a FEW Historical places though, so do check them out, PROVIDED someone reliable(As in knows the city well, and knows most of its touristy sites, and has a network to gather info on any they don't know of) told you about them.
Blarney in Ireland. Our bus concierge said, as we got back in, NOBODY ever enjoys a visit to Blarney. For me, the highlight was the graffiti on the sewage treatment plant, and even that wasn't particularly good.
