We firmly believe that traveling is one of the best parts of being born a human being. We have the sort of freedom to go on life-changing, cultural, and educational adventures like nobody else in the animal kingdom. (Except for birds, of course—they can go anywhere, any time, and they always fly first class. Yes, we’re jealous!) However, what you see in those bright and brilliant travel ads isn’t always what you get.
Underwhelming, disappointing, and a waste of time—that’s how some members of the wildly popular, 6.5-million strong r/travel community felt after going to these ‘must-see’ and ‘must-visit’ tourist attractions. And today we’re featuring their candid comments about what they felt was overhyped so you don’t fall into the same trap… or at least so you manage your expectations.
Pack your bags and get your scrolling muscles warmed up, Pandas, because we’re about to go on a trip into the Land of Disappointment (featuring the Valley of Over-Hyped Stuff and Paris Syndrome). Got any horrible travel stories to share with the class? Do you disagree with some of these redditors’ opinions? You can spill the tea (and/or beans) in the comments.
One of the moderators helping run r/travel, u/SiscoSquared, was kind enough to answer our questions. Bored Panda also got in touch with entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert Mike Sington, who's known as Hollywood's Ultimate Insider. He was happy to share what first-time visitors to Los Angeles should definitely see and what they should probably steer clear of if they don't want to be disappointed. Check out both interviews below.
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The Dead Sea. You're in Israel. In the desert. It's blazing hot, like 115°F. You think you'll go take a dip in the Dead Sea to cool off, right? Wrong. First, you have to pay to go through a spa to use their towels, pools, etc. Then you take the wagon/shuttle that drives you from the spa down to the shore. The wagon/shuttle goes about 5 miles per hour in the scortching sun. No breeze. Next, you get to the shore of the Dead Sea. You the proceed to run over the sand that's so hot you're sure your feet will burn off. You tentatively step into the water....and it's like the hottest bath you've ever taken in your life. The water is maybe 1° away from boiling. But you figure you've made it this far, might as well get the full experience. So you submerge. It's a mistake. Every pore on your body is burning from the salt. If you have shaved any part of your body within the last three years, you will feel the salt seep into the little micro cuts and burn you from the inside out. You find cuts on your body you didn't even know you had. Even your asshole is burning because you have pooped and wiped within the last week, so your skin is raw there. And the worst part is, when you decide you have had enough of this boiling body of water, you practically have to crawl out because you're too bouyant to stand. And in the process of crawling out, you scrape your knees on the bottom where the salt rocks have crystalized which sets off a whole new round of pain. So now you're hot, sticky from the salt, and every inch of your body burns.
In moderator u/SiscoSquared's opinion, there are two ways to go about avoiding disappointment when traveling anywhere. The first is to go in with little (or better yet, no) expectations. The other thing you can do is put in a bit more effort and do more than just read the promotional material. Consider asking someone you know who's experienced it all before, or find a guide or a blogger with similar interests as yours. That way, you can get a more nuanced opinion on whether or not a location's worth visiting.
"I think the more popular a place is, the more easily it is to become overhyped and a letdown," they pointed out that the sense of disappointment, culture shock, and unmet expectations is commonly known as Paris Syndrome. (Naturally, it isn't just Paris that can let you down—Hollywood can do the same, as entertainment expert Mike told us, but hang on for a bit for his insights.)
The r/travel mod believes that all of us are unique and how we enjoy our vacations is entirely up to us. Nobody should feel forced to do something that they hate. "For many people, learning the local culture, on a surface level or maybe more makes for a fun trip, for others sitting at an all-inclusive resort at the beach is ideal. How you enjoy your vacation is up to you. Thankfully, we're not all identical and boring as a result."
Dubai. It's the most soulless, cultureless, and artificial city I've been to. The shameless and obscene display of bling-bling only adds to this vibe, and the supertall skyscrapers and mega malls get old sooner or later.
To top it off, all of this is built overnight on what is essentially slave labor.
I completely concur with this. Been many times due to a relation working there. You forgot to mention the sheer amount of abandoned skyscrapers that ran out of cash.
While the Louvre is wonderful, the Mona Lisa was a huge disappointment.
The painting itself is tiny and there are always hordes of people around it.
There are a million better things to see at the Louvre.
I find it good that people are attracted by that painting as it means that the other rooms containing magnificent works of arts are not that crowded! So yay! When I went to the Louvre I stayed for two minutes in that room, mostly getting amazed at the hoard of people that were desperate to get in front and to take a picture. That was quite a show. And then I continued my tour in the other amazing rooms. (I am not saying the Mona Lisa painting is not beautiful, it really is a work of art, great portrait, nice and subtle touches, I knew beforehand that it is regular size portrait. I agree with OP that it is overhyped by ignorant tourists)
Redditor u/SiscoSquared boasted about their fellow moderators who have "done an excellent job of setting up a very comprehensive automod." That means that a small handful of moderators can take care of the entire massive subreddit. "We each just do it in our spare time, maybe when we're bored at the airport or train station! Most of the work is filtering posts that don't follow the subreddits posting guidelines and responding to reports."
Hollywood isn't like it is in the movies, folks. It's likely to not meet your expectations. "There’s one popular, supposedly must-see attraction that’s way overhyped in Los Angeles, and that’s Hollywood. Everyone has heard of it and everyone wants to see it, but once you arrive in the real Hollywood, you’re sure to be disappointed," entertainment expert and LA local Mike shared with Bored Panda.
"It’s very crowded, and there’s hardly anything to see except the stars in the sidewalk. Once you do that, and you have to dodge the crowds to even navigate the sidewalks, that’s it. I’d suggest passing on Hollywood itself, and taking one of the professionally run studio tours all the major movie studios offer," he stressed that Hollywood itself doesn't have much to offer.
Disney Parks. Want to eat? Be ready to Shell out $50 a person per day. Oh, you came for the rides? Enjoy the four or five you make it on unless it's a busy day, those days enjoy the two or three
I hate Disney. Husband and I went with his parents. They paid for our room, tickets, and dinner (thank God!). I started just sharing my husband's breakfast plate because $40+ every morning was going to put us in the poor house. It was hot, too many kids running around, and not enough places to cool down. Huge waste of money.
Hollywood. The most disappointing garbage and pee covered place on earth
The London eye. It's so overly expensive, and you have to wait in a long line for your turn. If you want a good view of London, I'd recommend checking out St. Paul's Cathedral (even if you're not religious). It's a lot cheaper, and if you're able to climb the stairs you can go all the way to the top and take in an even better view
According to Mike, it's important to manage your expectations when coming to Los Angeles. "Because the city is often pictured in the movies and on television as some glamorous place, that’s often all that visitors are expecting. Sure, Los Angeles is beautiful and diverse, and the weather is spectacular, but keep in mind it’s a very big city, so it has all the problems and urban sprawl of most big cities," he said that some visitors expect only the upsides and don't foresee the downsides.
"As a longtime resident of Los Angeles, I’m very familiar with what’s worth seeing, and what’s not. Here’s my personal list of the actual 'must-see' places for a first-time visitor:
- Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park
- Getty Center
- Runyon Canyon
- Santa Monica Beach
- The Grove
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- The Broad
- Universal Studios
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
- Beverly Hills
- Mulholland Drive"
Machu Picchu. I respect the Incas for building it, the real issue I have with it is the current management. It’s flooded with people (they let in over 3x the cap sto make money) being annoying and it’s very expensive, they bus people up a huge hill all day and we are required to have a tour guide and only spend 3 mins at certain areas. It’s misrepresenting the history of the Incas to people with selfie sticks. Not my fave
You are WAY better off seeing the Inca capitol, Cusco because it’s where they actually lived and thrived. See Sasqsyhuaman and the Qoricancha sun temple. Go on a backpacking trip and you will find Inca and pre Inca stuff Everywhere. With no idiotic tourists families. I highly recommend it.
¡Viva Perú!
Despite this review, Machu Picchu remains on my travel bucket list. I'd like to visit Cusco as well
I didn’t get anything out of Las Vegas. It was cool to see the themed hotels but besides that it was just an overpriced cultureless soulless city designed to entertain you
Um, well yes... If you wanted something else out of your visit, pick a different part of the country 🤷♀️
Sydney Opera House. The tours are expensive and the inside is kind of underwhelming. The outside is free and is also the best part. ALTERNATIVE: Just walk around Sydney harbor. It's free and gorgeous.
I agree, the outside of the opera house and the surrounding area is fantastic!
The r/travel subreddit is an online community that unites travel enthusiasts from around the globe. They celebrate people’s desire to explore the world, and members, in turn, share their photos, and stories, and ask others for advice. Community members are encouraged to put in effort, be descriptive, and add details to their posts. Low-effort posts aren't the way to go.
It’s all friendly, educational, and done in the spirit of adventure. The sub has a handy FAQ for any new redditors joining just now. And the moderators advise members to search the community for specific questions and topics before asking a question. It’s to see if someone’s already answered it before. That way, you get to rely on the community’s collective experience and save everyone’s time by avoiding repeating questions (or asking stuff that you'd easily find on Google).
It’s very important to manage your expectations when doing anything. If you’re overhyped about visiting a place, seeing a work of art in person, or going to a (supposedly) great restaurant for a meal, you might end up disappointed even if the actual experience is objectively fine.
For sure, it’s hard to meet expectations if they’re sky-high. Being realistic and avoiding being overly excited can, paradoxically, make your trip far more enjoyable. That way, you get to be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed that things aren’t as wonderful and ‘perfect’ as you imagined them to be.
If you go to the Great Wall of China, I'd suggest not going to the section right there in Beijing. Very rebuilt and touristy.
Take a van ride a ways out of the city, to the Simitai section. Now there's some uncrowded, old-school Great Wall.
Japan has such a romanticized view of France that they actually have a term, "Paris Syndrome", for the sudden shock suffered by Japanese tourists when they see that France isn't how they imagined
I loved Paris but I think it helped that I was there as a poor student. You naturally avoid most of the tourist attractions (except museums, but they were discounted) and instead spend long hours walking around the city, having supermarket wine and cheese by the Seine and finding little local places to eat. I am working now, but I still prefer to travel this way.
Oh no, it isn't Disneyland, there actually LIVE people (and dogs, and tourists) in the biggest metropole region of the EU...
The Japanese don't see it like that. (they have their own Disneyland after all) it's more that because of movies etc, Paris still retains the stereotype of being some kind of fairytale city of "Romance" and Artiness, where everyone looks like a model and dresses in high fashion. Maybe all of that isn't true of Paris, and maybe some people are rude (just like everywhere) but there's some great things to see. (Catacombs, The Louvre, etc)
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It kind of depends on where in Paris. Also, the Japanese are so used to clean streets, it's a shock to the systm.
I thought Paris was a nasty, filthy city. I have traveled all over the world and I try to avoid the big cities wherever I go. The small cities and towns will give you a much better experience of the local culture and history of whatever country you are in.
It was dirty...the grime that appeared under my fingernails was nasty. The French were, well, French. The street salers were pushy. Our plane was a day delayed, so we missed seeing the Louvre, while open. It was raining, so we didn't try to go up the Eiffel Tower. However, I would go back, in a heartbeat. It is a beautiful city.
I hate Paris! With a passion but I absolutely love the rest of the country! I spent some time in the village of cognac for work. People were very friendly (unlike the Parisians). Nice and Marseille are beautiful. Literally anywhere but Paris!
I think I'd love to visit France and tour the smaller villages and see some awesome medieval architecture, farms, vinyards, etc., but I'd happily skip Paris. EDIT: spelling
Pays de la Loire is beautiful, green and has more castles per capita than any other French region. Some of the best wine too (a best-kept secret)
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They seem to have that kind of mentality with tourist places in general - almost a worship. The whole Anne of Green Gables obsession thing comes to mind. Or going up to wild animals to take photos in Yellowstone. For an ancient culture seemingly full of intelligent, hard working people, they can be nonsensical.
France is not Paris. There are so many beautiful areas of France. I went to Paris and was totally underwhelmed. Dirty, noisy, and a typical big city. We found the Eiffel tower, took the obligatory picture of us in the front of it, and got out. LOL! The rest of our tour of France was lovely.
Paris is beauty, cafes you can sit in for hours, every resstaurant takes pride in their food ,stroling ...
I can’t imagine what the Japanese tourists expect. Paris, and the parts of France I’ve seen, are absolutely stunning.
France is one of my favorite countries. I love the French people. Open your minds and they will open their hearts!
What are they expecting to see? It's a big, busy, tourist-infested city with all the bad and good things associated with big, busy tourist-infested cities. You got to take the good with the bad.
I loved the French countryside while passing through on a Viking River cruise, and my hotel in Paris overlooked the Eiffel Tower.
I hated Paris. Got harassed on the subway. A lot of shady types down there, didn't feel safe traveling on it. Most of Paros is 6 story buildings do you don't see the sun much. Very little nature. Speak the language? Much countries don't expect you to do that. And most of the people in Paris look and feel stressed. I recommend Berlin instead.
Wife and I visited Paris couple of years. It's a beautiful and walkable city. So much to see. Variety of restaurants with very friendly owners and staff. We loved it. Only negative was the horde of Chinese tourists who are loud, rude and just totally ignorant of any manners. And, it was the same in Japan, a year prior. Didn't like them in Vietnam and Cambodia either. Wish the world would ban Chinese tourists.
We have been to Paris twice now and will never visit this city again. It's noisy, dirty, full of unfriendly people. Both times we were scammed at restaurants.
Lmao I overheard a conversation once about Paris culture shock and how Americans were the ones who suffered. I concur - Paris is dingy, dirty and absolutely teeming with homelessness
I was truly shocked, as a longtime French resident, to see how many there were when I was last in Paris a few months ago. And the rats are out of control
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Naples. I did a big trip through Europe after college and spent about a month in Italy. Naples was easily the worst place I visited. It was seedy, rundown, trashy, and unsafe. I would never go back
Aside from your expectations, it’s also vital that you put in the effort and do your research before heading out. For example, Professor Christine Vogt, the Director of the Center for Sustainable Tourism at Arizona State University, told Bored Panda some time ago that people should learn about their destination’s culture, customs, and language before packing their bags.
“More than likely that is what draws a person to visit a certain place. The more local knowledge a traveler has, the more a traveler can feel like a local and fit in," she explained, adding that the locals appreciate foreigners putting in the effort.
"Local customs can include how a traveler dresses, eats, uses a cell phone, etc. When a traveler is out in a community such as walking in a downtown area or eating in a restaurant, these local customs can come into play,” the professor said.
“For example, in Buddhist countries, a woman who has not covered her shoulders or legs may not be allowed into temples or even a restaurant. Learn as many local customs as you can and a few key words to enhance your experience.”
Egypt, all the beauty and awe of the ancient civilisation is completely outshone by how absolutely horrible the modern civilisation is. Think of all the worst parts of India and then add sand to it
Casablanca, Morocco. I think it's the least interesting place in a fascinating country. It felt like a dumpy business district on the coast. Other than one obscenely expensive mosque built by a previous king, there's nothing to see. But the rest of Morocco? It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen. Fez, Essaouira, the High Atlas Mountains, and Marrakesh were all gorgeous
The Guinness brewery tour in Dublin. It was an absolute tourist trap. They don't even brew beer at the storefront any more.
Meanwhile, you should also keep in mind that the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t over yet. There are some restrictions still in place, depending on where you travel. You should definitely read up on them while planning your trip to avoid some nasty surprises.
For instance, investor and author Rick Orford, who has traveled all over Europe, recently shared with Bored Panda the headache of a system that was in place in the Southern part of the continent.
He’d planned to sail to Greece from Italy on a cruise ship, but the rules regarding Covid tests caused a lot of stress. In short, the rules were inconsistent with what’s happening on other forms of transportation.
The Skybridge at the Grand Canyon was definitely a bad experience, and an overpriced one. I don't understand why so many tourists do this. There's the entire freakin' Grand Canyon right there for you to access for free. The park offers thousands of breathtaking views all over. And exploring the trail with its ledges and views is thrilling enough. Walking the Skybridge is a far cry from the best experience you can have there
I was harassed when I visited there it was horrible. I was in Vegas and my friend wanted to go on it. When we got there they changed their mind so, I thought I'd go on it since we were there. Big mistake ... It was non stop pushing by the guides. No cameras - official photos only. No loitering to take in the view and the questions. The neverending questions as to why as a woman I was on my own ... How if I had a real boyfriend they wouldn't have let me come alone ... How they had a cousin who'd love to meet me ... I repeatedly said I wasn't interested and to stop hassling me but he continued saying I could be removed from the exhibit for being a security threat. It was late afternoon in late December when I visited and there weren't so many tourists about. Those that were there were only interested in the scenery or pretended not to notice. I've visited different parts of the grand canyon over the years and they've all been amazing - except the Sky Bridge. I'll never go back there.
The Taj Mahal (Agra). It's surrounded by 10-meter-high walls, and the entrance fee is ludicrously expensive compared to any other attraction in India. If you're in Agra and want to see the Taj Mahal, go across the river. There are some gardens almost directly across from it, and there's a great spot by the river with a brilliant view of the Taj Mahal, particularly at sunset. This experience is totally free, and you won't have to deal with crowds
I went there years ago and loved it. It was being renovated and I came across an artisan cutting pieces of marble to replace lost or damaged areas. We talked for hours, and at the end of our convo he gave me three pieces of the original Taj marble he had replaced. I have them still, my own piece of this extraordinary symbol of love.
Bali.
It's just drunk Australians all over the place.
I'm Australian and find the Sigha singlet wearing 'drunk aussie' to be the absolute worst. They are a national embarrassment.The Balinese hate them, and for good reason.
"We must have a negative Covid test to get on a cruise ship. On a plane, at a hotel, restaurant—[it's] not needed. But on a cruise ship... it's mandatory," he said.
"What I find really fascinating is that one can visit a hotel, or a restaurant, or take a train or a plane here in Italy, and nothing is required. Yet, to get on a cruise ship, one needs to prove vaccination, and give a negative Covid test within 48 hours of sailing," he stressed that the rules aren’t always consistent and that they might fit someone’s understanding of common sense. In short, do your research, check the rules.
Niagara Falls. I didn’t expect the falls to be in a city. I expected something more like a national park, but the whole falls and its surroundings just felt like a giant shopping mall
Calanque de Sormiou in Marseille, France. Called one of the best beaches in Marseille, I expected a wonderful, spacious, and quiet white-sand beach with crystal-clear blue water. But what I found was a packed, small, and polluted strip of sand. Turns out you can't always trust the idyllic photos of a destination
Anyplace that is named "the best" is bound to be submerged by tourists, though. No big surprise there.
The glass bridge over the grand canyon.
Total rip-off tourist trap.
It takes HOURS to get there from Vegas
They charge you $20 to park in an empty desert
They charge you $30 per person to take the bus from the parking to the attraction (it's like walking from parking into a mall - no distance at all!)
Then they charge you $30 per person if you actually want to walk on the bridge
You cannot take pictures or bring a camera onto the bridge, but they will sell them to you, of course.
There is one overpriced place to eat where they sell you canned food heated up in a microwave for big money... or you could drive 5 hours back to Vegas...
Go there to get scalped.
The drive is only 2 hours and if you had read their web page and checked out reviews, you would've known about everything you just listed. Teachable moment is read up on places before just jumping in the car and going for it.
Plitvice National Park in Croatia was a disappointment. I expected a stunning natural wonder, and hoped it would be a little crowded on a random Monday in September (not peak season, not a weekend). The reality: a perfectly pleasant national park that was absolutely jam-packed with the world's pushiest, screaming, selfish visitors. I was basically trapped on a boardwalk shuffling along desperately just trying to get a space to see the waterfalls
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam was a bit of a letdown. Based on the photos, I was so excited to visit, but there was so much garbage in the water it felt extremely polluted. Our junk ship operators were visibly annoyed with us because we didn't want to buy any of the touristy trinkets they were pressuring us to purchase on board. I’m glad I went and experienced Ha Long Bay, but I wouldn't go back
The Temple Bar area in Dublin. Sure, walking the streets is nice, and there are some neat shops and street art to see. But going in a pub in Temple Bar? Unless you like overpaying for drinks and listening to some guy sing a cover of 'Wonderwall,' I wouldn't recommend it
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland. It's very artificial, and these days it's just a place where tourists like to get drunk in dirty water. There are tons of natural thermal pools scattered all around Iceland that are far nicer and authentic.
Pisa.
Besides the small square with the tower where everyone is taking the same stupid joke pic. And guys tryna sell you toys.
The rest of the town is pretty lame. You're in Tuscany, go to ANY small town and you'll enjoy it far more
Disagree. Spent almost two days there and it was great. Visited the tower during sunset on the first day. It was beautiful with almost no crowd. They usually let people stay on top for an hour but I easily sat there for 2 hours, listening to music. Walked back to my hostel later that night. The view of the canal with the stars was mesmerising. Next day I rented a cycle and cycled around, searching for Keith Haring's mural. Made it back to the tower by noon, ate a sandwich, took a nap on the grass, read a book, and then headed to the train station to my next destination.
I wasn't a fan of Lake Bled, Slovenia. The photos make it look so majestic, surrounded by nature in solitude. In reality though, the whole shoreline is covered by hotels, businesses, overpriced restaurants, and touristy shops. You'll spend a lot of money to take a little row boat out to the island, wander around for a few minutes, eat your hundredth cone of gelato, and then row back. I'd say to visit Lake Bohinj instead because it's far more peaceful
I'm amazed that tourists complain about tourist locations being too touristy. What do you expect?
Central Restaurant in Lima, Peru was a big disappointment. Ranked the fifth best restaurant in the world, I was expecting an amazing meal, especially for the hefty price. It was admittedly a very impressive meal in the sense that it was full of unusual ingredients prepared in interesting ways and plated beautifully, but taste-wise, everything was just OK. It was not nearly as good as many other, less acclaimed restaurants I've eaten at
Where I live there's a famous restaurant that is always packed, a queue two hours before opening and no possibility of reservation. The main dish is always the same : entrecote and potato gratin, and a little desert choice. It's a place to see but pretty disapointing, which is sad because this city is renowned for its gastronomy
Masaya Volcano National Park in Nicaragua. I had wanted to see it in person ever since seeing photos on Google and YouTube videos, but it really didn't live up to the hype. I feel bad saying it, but I wasn't impressed
Mount Rushmore was horrendously underwhelming. Years ago, my family drove across the US. For hundreds of miles as you drive you see huge signs counting down the distance to Mount Rushmore. For days the excitement builds...and then you get there. It is four faces on mountains. There is nothing else there. Just four faces you've seen time and time again in pictures and textbooks and movies
The Liberty Bell. Wait in a long line to look at... a bell. That looks exactly like it does in all the Philly souvenirs. They don't even let you lick it
The Palace of Versailles in France. I know that many would disagree, but I didn't really enjoy my day trip to Versailles. Don't get me wrong: It's stunning and so impressive. But in terms of a travel experience, it fell flat. I booked a ticket ahead of time, but I still had to wait in line for over an hour. And once inside, the palace was so packed with tourists that I felt like I couldn't really take in the beauty without being rushed or pushed around. The gardens were really beautiful, but I would prefer to walk around Luxembourg or Tuileries Garden in Paris. If you want to take a day trip from Paris, I'd personally recommend Monet's Garden at Givency over Versailles
Don't remember a long wait. Or it being packed. Though I would deliberately avoid the busiest seasons and bank holidays etc. What would you expect otherwise?
Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California. If you've seen photos online that make this beach look appealing, I can assure you they've been photoshopped. There was probably a time when it looked like the Google Images, but I've been told people have been stealing glass off this famous beach for years. Sadly nowadays it's just a dirty, grayish-brown beach with little of the sea glass that made it famous. Save yourself the time
Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The whole place seems designed to take your money. You can't purchase anything edible on site that doesn't have an additional 15% gratuity added. The food is already so expensive, and the quality certainly doesn't warrant [it]. The waterpark is OK, but then again it's $200 to touch a dolphin
Pat's and Geno's in Philly. These are regarded as the two famous spots for Philly Cheesesteaks that all tourists must try, but both were so overrated. No one from Philly actually eats there, and there are better cheesesteaks almost everywhere else. Skip Pat's and Geno's. The easiest place to get a pretty good one IMO is Reading Terminal Market
Times square on new years. If you know, you know
Times Square any day of the year. It's so hard to walk around and everything is so flashy and expensive.
Split, Croatia. I thought it would be a lovely historic city with beautiful architecture and nice beaches. The beaches close to the city were the dirtiest I’d ever seen and packed with people in May. Old Town Split was okay, but nothing special really, not much to do other than Diocletian’s Palace, and outside the walls the rest of the city seemed really dirty and grungy, finding parking was a nightmare, and the people were the least friendly of anywhere I’ve travelled. I know lots of people loved Split though, so maybe it was just a fluke.
I liked Split, but nothing compares to Dubrovnik... That's an amazing place!
Venice, Italy. It felt to me like an overpriced, touristy, floating mall with mediocre food at an inflated price-tag
Multnomah Falls in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. Don't get me wrong: This giant waterfall was really beautiful, but it was so crowded it was hard to enjoy it. This probably has to do with the fact that it's so easily accessible. You just pull off the side of the highway, park, and walk a few hundred feet on a paved road to view it. I'm glad I saw it, but I enjoyed other waterfall hikes in the gorge so much more. Wahclella Falls, for example, is right near by but felt so much more secluded
Palawan in the Philippines. It’s constantly called one of the best islands in the world, and judging by the endless stream of crowds people have caught onto the idea, but I have to disagree. Palawan was alright but definitely overhyped, IMO. The coral reefs were just OK compared to what I've seen elsewhere, it’s overcrowded, the beaches were just fine, and the prices were hardly a bargain
I'm actually strongly considering retiring in Palawan, I've heard so many great things about it. But I'm gonna visit and see it for myself beforehand, of course
I absolutely hated Milan. Went at the height of summer which may have contributed but it just wasn't a very interesting city. Suuuuper touristy, overly expensive everything (I only had 25 euros left by this point because it was the last stop on my trip, so you can see the conundrum here haha).
I visited Milan and while I agree on how disappointing the area was, I thought the cathedral alone was worth the visit. It really is beautiful.
The Bahamas. Basically one giant tourist trap.
The only way to appreciate the Bahamas is to sail it, and then it is amazing.
India. The sanitary conditions and constant gastroenteritis pretty much traumatized me. There was also a malaria outbreak and massive flooding while I was in Delhi.
I live in India and there a lot of places u can visit that are amazing and beautiful
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.
Of course it's poor, most Caribbean countries are. If you don't like it then you can choose to stay in an isolated resort built by a rich person from a rich country who uses the local resources and capitalizes on the local environment without paying taxes, or indeed, a fair wage to the workers. Or you can treat it as a learning experience and read up more about the history of the place and how it came to be this way.
Tegalalang Rice Terrace in Bali. I was told by everyone and every travel blog that it's a must-see in Ubud. And these lush terraced hills really were stunning, but they also felt like they had been transformed into a destination for influencers to post on Instagram. There were a bunch of scenic overlooks that were literally designed for taking photos (and you actually had to pay to photograph them!), and the whole place just lost a bit of its magic because of all the tourists dressed to the nines trying to snap the perfect photo.
The peak of Mount Everest. People just pay sherpas to carry all their gear, and navigate the dangerous areas. Many have heated tents. The line to wait to get a picture at the top can be extremely long, and dangerous because people aren’t used to the altitude
I was terribly disappointed in Zanzibar. The private beaches were fine, but the food was marginal and the overall "culture" of the entire island was very conservative and not welcoming to females or non-heterosexuals. Stone Town was underwhelming, too.
I also didn't love Ibiza, the summer crowds in Rome, and virtually anywhere in India. I've been to India three times and perhaps enjoyed one or two days out of 25+.
Then why go back time number three? I know it is vast and varied, like most big countries, but if you didn't love it the first two times maybe it isn't for you.
Iceland. Now, before the rage starts, I'll preface this with an obvious caveat. I only spent 24 hours there. I know it's not enough, you know it's not enough, you need 7-10 days. I booked a cheap flight on Icelandair to Switzerland before I knew of their stopover program. To save 10 bucks, I booked on orbitz, and Icelandair couldn't extend my stopover. Rookie mistake.
We charged into Iceland not really knowing too much. Landed, got to the car rental agency, and bought a map. Pointed the car toward some waterfalls. I was blown away by how much trash there was EVERYWHERE. Now, this isn't the Icelandic people's fault, but rather the exponential increase in tourism. There just isn't the infrastructure to keep up with it. We didn't want to do the Blue Lagoon because the price was a little absurd, so we hiked to some hot springs. Every hot spring we hiked to was completely trashed. People's clothes everywhere, rotting food, shattered glass bottles, the works. There were idiots camped where NO CAMPING was prominently displayed, and idiots hiking where NO HIKING was obvious.
This was early April. I can't even imagine what peak summer is like.
As an Icelandic, who loves my country and the nature, I am always so sad to see this.. dont get me wrong, I love that people wanna come visit and see our magnificent nature, but why cant people clean up after themselves and respect nature? Also I never go to blue lagoon, I used to in the 90s, no more, cant afford it and its to crowded and nasty.
Dubrovnik. It was the final stop of my two-week trip through Croatia, and it was by far the most touristy place I visited. I had previously stayed in a lot of small towns and rural, less-populated places, so ending my trip in a place that was saturated with so many tour agencies and souvenir shops on every single street was a bit sad. It's still a beautiful place, but it was a bit of a disappointment from the unspoiled city I was envisioning from the scenes of Game of Thrones.
I live an hour's drive from it. It is a beautiful city, but everything is overpriced x10. If you visit, I recommend you go to restaurants outside of the city walls, the further from the walls you go, the cheaper it gets. If you want to take a swim, go to the nearby Mlini - a 20-minute drive, or 15 minutes by boat, you'll find a beautiful beach with a lot of shade and much, much lower prices.
The Terracotta Army in Xi'an, China was pretty underwhelming IMO. The carved warriors themselves are cool to see, but the location adds nothing to the experience. It had an overwhelmingly touristy feel to it. Looking back, I could have just watched a documentary about the sculptures and saved myself the visit
Shanghai.
I found there wasn't much to do as a tourist except for visit different buildings, walk E. Nanjing St, and see the Bund. The whole city had a very business-focused vibe (which is fair, it is China's financial capital) and not much else.
Antelope Canyon in Arizona. You've probably seen the iconic images. Don't get me wrong — it was pretty cool to see with my own eyes, but it was way more touristy than I expected (I guess I was being naive). As soon as I got down into the canyon, I was ready for the tour to end
Beaches in the south of France. The water is cold, the sand is coarse, and the wind makes you feel like you are in a sand blaster.
Bangkok: Nightmare traffic (this is after Cairo) and way too many people.
Angkor Wat: Again, way too many people.
Oh and I got robbed in Penang.
So yeah it's safe to say that SEA does not agree with me. I'm hoping Vietnam will break the pattern.
Frankfurt. Maybe we didn’t look hard enough (and it was a good 2 days of rest after traveling for weeks), but just seemed like a generic downtown anywhere. Kept trying to look for cool local things to do and all we came up with was some apple cider that was described as, “even the locals don’t like it”.
Frankfurt is not a beautiful sightseeing city. But perhaps opening a travel guidebook would have shown you where it actually is beautiful or just really interesting. And if you went to drink Äppler even the Frankfurters don't like, perhaps you should have chosen a better place... You don't go around bitching about bad wine after you drank some out of a 5 liter tetrapak, don't you?
Costa Rica. It was just such a one dimensional place. I love nature, but honestly, it's the only thing they've got... And for a highly inflated price that is! Monteverde national park was about 25 dollars, and it's just 4km of paths.
Everything is geared towards scared american families with money. There are no nice villages/any form of culture or history. All houses are fenced with razorwire. The cuisine is shit and everything is overpriced.
It's the only country I ever got bored in.
Having visited 42 countries, Costa Rica is my favourite. Not just the rainforest and the wildlife, but lovely, lovely people. However I haven't been there since 1984...
Havana, Cuba
Based on all of the reviews, I expected a "time capsule" with beautiful old cars and cigar smoke/live music wafting trough the streets.
What we found was a horribly run-down version of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Constantly being panhandled, bland food, mediocre mojitos, and sewage smells. The old cars were beat up and not well maintained. Big disappointment.
Had to stop reading after a few. It's just a list full of people who seem very surprised that other people also visit very famous locations 🤦♀️
Prague. This might be controversial, but I was underwhelmed. While Prague definitely boasts beautiful architecture, I felt that was pretty much the only draw. There was not much to do there as a tourist. I visited four other countries on the same Eurotrip and had some incredible food, but I found the food in Prague to be very lackluster. In fact, we didn't have a single good meal in three days there. IMO, you don't need much time there because you can see the whole city in 48 hours
I've been to Prague and I loved it - so much great architecture! I am wondering what you expected to see in such a trip, that you didn't like it. Also I heard from several people that to have a really awesome Chech food you should find some hospoda outside of the city center full of tourists. Ask Czech people where they eat their food.
So basically the tourists are angry about everything getting ruined for tourist by other tourists or the tourist industry.
That's what i felt too, by 1/3 of the article i stopped reading, it's was always the same complains
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Honestly? Sounds like tourists who went to the touristic spots of the city/country, telling themselves they were "really travelling" but actually following a map of cliches, and then complain that they were cliches
Yep! The person who was surprised that the "best beach in town" was crowded seemed like they've never done any traveling before.
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"The Moon. Cost a fortune to get there, giant potholes, no amenities. Really, just lacked atmosphere. The only positive was I lost weight while I was there, but I gained it all back when I went home. 1/10 wouldn't go again." --N. Armstrong
Do you now have a collaboration with BuzzFeed, or did the article stealing simply reached new dimensions? In the last few weeks it got really bad...
"Tourist attractions attract a lot of tourists and as a tourist I hated to be among all of those tourists!"
This was basically a list of underprepared tourists complaining about things that should have been researched/expected…
This list is such a grouping of rich people problems with a dash of racism in places. The Egypt one was particularly problematic.
It looks like some people who were visiting The Place was expecting a whole big amusement park and lasers-shooting-s**t things on site as well, but met just with The Place which very often has historical value, but is not very impressive by definition and are angry about it.
I cannot believe how entitled these people are! It is such a fortune to travel and see different places! I was fortunate to be able to go to some of the places in the list and I loved them all.
Can't believe NYC didn't make the list. Loads of wonderful things to see and experience there (museums and galleries above all else), but all the downtown touristy parts of it are glitter on horseshit. Once you venture outside the hotspots, it's mostly the same but without the glitter. It smells awful, it's filthy, and the locals are miserable (partly because of the tourists). Standard complaints with most things on this list: too many tourists, way overpriced.
I found New Yorkers to be some of the friendliest people I've met anywhere!
Load More Replies...
I think what helps us avoid these situations when we travel is that we have no money lol! We always find the cheapest or free things to do, hiking trails, enjoying nature, or walking around small towns, and trying an affordable (small, local, probably less touristy) restaurant or cafe etc.
It is easy enough to do plenty of research about a planned trip. If people have a "bucket list" mentality about traditional tourist sites: "Oh I want to see the Mona Lisa.", then they have to expect high prices, long delays, large crowds, and typical tourist exploitation. I like the comments that point out far better alternatives. It is a simple choice.
So, tourists complaining that tourist attractions were crowded by tourists.
Clearly there should only be one tourist allowed in these places, and that's me...
You are always going to get people who don't like a resort, for one reason or another. We could all pick out bits that we disliked about a trip, while others liked. Isn't travelling an individual thing, much like food, clothes, etc?
Blame social media, if everyone in the world weren't seeing these places, th3n going there, they might still be nice..
All of these complaints are variations of "No one goes to that restaurant because it's always so crowded"
It was dirty - geez, I wonder why. Every place frequently visited by tourists will be dirty - because they are foreigners and have next to zero respect for the place.
So, the world famous tourist destinations had too many tourists, and the resulting filth, because of them...how is this surprising?
When I was a kid (7 years old) we were going to the petrified forest in California (1967). I expected trees of stone all over the place! Instead, it was a bit of desert (just like everywhere else we were driving) with rocks in the dirt that we were told once were trees.
I would add the Batu Caves in KL. Absolutely filthy when we visited. Rubbish everywhere. Overly commercialized for a temple.
Saigon is the worst! It's crowded, expensive and you're taking life in your hand crossing the streets because of "millions" of motorbikes on the streets. Hell, they drive on the sidewalks, street lights and signs are mere "suggestions" to these motorbikes. Very few sights to visit. And, if you're in a tour group, you generally get dropped off at huge, touristy shopping area. Ugh!
Winterthur, Delaware. I've been to other places I adored, but this was my little example of disappointment. We're all about museums and history stuff in our house. Winterthur was one of the big museums in our area, but it was going to be a little bit of a hike for us to get there. So we kept putting it off for a few years, which only built up the hype for me. We finally set some time aside to treat ourselves, and we just went. I was pretty excited on the drive out there. The museum itself was impressive, but our tour guide was so rude it just completely ruined it for me. In fact, she nearly made me cry, and I just wanted to leave. It wasn't just our own guide, either. I saw other staff behaving oddly around the visitors, as well. They acted sort of 'priveledged', almost like the people they were giving the tours to were dirty, or dumb, or that they didn't belong there. I don't know how the place is managed, but it definitely didn't have a welcoming feel to it, like other museums I've been to. I left depressed. Maybe it was just a fluke. Hopefully other people have a better time, there
Soooo, I read Winterthur... disappointment... unfriendly at the museum... and I'm like what the heck, Winterthur is such a nice city with nice restaurants, the Technorama is awesome and the staff is really friendly and helpful. So I go back to the top of your post, read again and WTF Winterthur, Delaware??? 🤣🤣🤣 so I google and what do I know there's a Winterthur there, too 🙈 has it's name even from the Winterthur I thought you meant. So, if you ever want a nice Winterthur, come to Switzerland 😉 but the prices might shock you 😇
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Buckingham Palace was one of the most utterly boring things I've ever seen.
How about Zermatt, Switzerland for skiing? What a disappointment! On slightly windy days, the lifts get shut down. On the days they're actually open, the lines are so long (gondola lifts only) that you'll be doing good to have four good runs down the mountain before it's time to go home. Anywhere I've skied was better than Zermatt. The town was a pretty nice to visit, thankfully, but if you came to ski, you're going to be very disappointed.
The town is nice and waaaayyy too overpriced! There are plenty other locations for good if not better skiing in Switzerland!
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Expectations generally create disappointments. Did they think they were the first person to see it after they saw it on that tv show about that location? They played themselves and then bitched and moaned about it.
I love the posts that offer up some alternatives to the tourist hells. Nice work!
I feel like some of these people are disappointed because the places look different from the pictures we have seen. I think some of thse places are pretty nice...zanzibar for example...its not that great but OK...most of these places a week or two is more than enough otherwise you get bored....
Crazy Horse Memorial. We thought we would see more than half a dude's face. They've been working on the thing for 30 year's.
So basically the tourists are angry about everything getting ruined for tourist by other tourists or the tourist industry.
That's what i felt too, by 1/3 of the article i stopped reading, it's was always the same complains
Load More Replies... Honestly? Sounds like tourists who went to the touristic spots of the city/country, telling themselves they were "really travelling" but actually following a map of cliches, and then complain that they were cliches
Yep! The person who was surprised that the "best beach in town" was crowded seemed like they've never done any traveling before.
Load More Replies... "The Moon. Cost a fortune to get there, giant potholes, no amenities. Really, just lacked atmosphere. The only positive was I lost weight while I was there, but I gained it all back when I went home. 1/10 wouldn't go again." --N. Armstrong
Do you now have a collaboration with BuzzFeed, or did the article stealing simply reached new dimensions? In the last few weeks it got really bad...
"Tourist attractions attract a lot of tourists and as a tourist I hated to be among all of those tourists!"
This was basically a list of underprepared tourists complaining about things that should have been researched/expected…
This list is such a grouping of rich people problems with a dash of racism in places. The Egypt one was particularly problematic.
It looks like some people who were visiting The Place was expecting a whole big amusement park and lasers-shooting-s**t things on site as well, but met just with The Place which very often has historical value, but is not very impressive by definition and are angry about it.
I cannot believe how entitled these people are! It is such a fortune to travel and see different places! I was fortunate to be able to go to some of the places in the list and I loved them all.
Can't believe NYC didn't make the list. Loads of wonderful things to see and experience there (museums and galleries above all else), but all the downtown touristy parts of it are glitter on horseshit. Once you venture outside the hotspots, it's mostly the same but without the glitter. It smells awful, it's filthy, and the locals are miserable (partly because of the tourists). Standard complaints with most things on this list: too many tourists, way overpriced.
I found New Yorkers to be some of the friendliest people I've met anywhere!
Load More Replies... I think what helps us avoid these situations when we travel is that we have no money lol! We always find the cheapest or free things to do, hiking trails, enjoying nature, or walking around small towns, and trying an affordable (small, local, probably less touristy) restaurant or cafe etc.
It is easy enough to do plenty of research about a planned trip. If people have a "bucket list" mentality about traditional tourist sites: "Oh I want to see the Mona Lisa.", then they have to expect high prices, long delays, large crowds, and typical tourist exploitation. I like the comments that point out far better alternatives. It is a simple choice.
So, tourists complaining that tourist attractions were crowded by tourists.
Clearly there should only be one tourist allowed in these places, and that's me...
You are always going to get people who don't like a resort, for one reason or another. We could all pick out bits that we disliked about a trip, while others liked. Isn't travelling an individual thing, much like food, clothes, etc?
Blame social media, if everyone in the world weren't seeing these places, th3n going there, they might still be nice..
All of these complaints are variations of "No one goes to that restaurant because it's always so crowded"
It was dirty - geez, I wonder why. Every place frequently visited by tourists will be dirty - because they are foreigners and have next to zero respect for the place.
So, the world famous tourist destinations had too many tourists, and the resulting filth, because of them...how is this surprising?
When I was a kid (7 years old) we were going to the petrified forest in California (1967). I expected trees of stone all over the place! Instead, it was a bit of desert (just like everywhere else we were driving) with rocks in the dirt that we were told once were trees.
I would add the Batu Caves in KL. Absolutely filthy when we visited. Rubbish everywhere. Overly commercialized for a temple.
Saigon is the worst! It's crowded, expensive and you're taking life in your hand crossing the streets because of "millions" of motorbikes on the streets. Hell, they drive on the sidewalks, street lights and signs are mere "suggestions" to these motorbikes. Very few sights to visit. And, if you're in a tour group, you generally get dropped off at huge, touristy shopping area. Ugh!
Winterthur, Delaware. I've been to other places I adored, but this was my little example of disappointment. We're all about museums and history stuff in our house. Winterthur was one of the big museums in our area, but it was going to be a little bit of a hike for us to get there. So we kept putting it off for a few years, which only built up the hype for me. We finally set some time aside to treat ourselves, and we just went. I was pretty excited on the drive out there. The museum itself was impressive, but our tour guide was so rude it just completely ruined it for me. In fact, she nearly made me cry, and I just wanted to leave. It wasn't just our own guide, either. I saw other staff behaving oddly around the visitors, as well. They acted sort of 'priveledged', almost like the people they were giving the tours to were dirty, or dumb, or that they didn't belong there. I don't know how the place is managed, but it definitely didn't have a welcoming feel to it, like other museums I've been to. I left depressed. Maybe it was just a fluke. Hopefully other people have a better time, there
Soooo, I read Winterthur... disappointment... unfriendly at the museum... and I'm like what the heck, Winterthur is such a nice city with nice restaurants, the Technorama is awesome and the staff is really friendly and helpful. So I go back to the top of your post, read again and WTF Winterthur, Delaware??? 🤣🤣🤣 so I google and what do I know there's a Winterthur there, too 🙈 has it's name even from the Winterthur I thought you meant. So, if you ever want a nice Winterthur, come to Switzerland 😉 but the prices might shock you 😇
Load More Replies... Buckingham Palace was one of the most utterly boring things I've ever seen.
How about Zermatt, Switzerland for skiing? What a disappointment! On slightly windy days, the lifts get shut down. On the days they're actually open, the lines are so long (gondola lifts only) that you'll be doing good to have four good runs down the mountain before it's time to go home. Anywhere I've skied was better than Zermatt. The town was a pretty nice to visit, thankfully, but if you came to ski, you're going to be very disappointed.
The town is nice and waaaayyy too overpriced! There are plenty other locations for good if not better skiing in Switzerland!
Load More Replies... Expectations generally create disappointments. Did they think they were the first person to see it after they saw it on that tv show about that location? They played themselves and then bitched and moaned about it.
I love the posts that offer up some alternatives to the tourist hells. Nice work!
I feel like some of these people are disappointed because the places look different from the pictures we have seen. I think some of thse places are pretty nice...zanzibar for example...its not that great but OK...most of these places a week or two is more than enough otherwise you get bored....
Crazy Horse Memorial. We thought we would see more than half a dude's face. They've been working on the thing for 30 year's.
