A perfect storm of cut-rate flight prices, post-pandemic wanderlust, digital nomads and a proliferation of short-term holiday rentals has led to a scourge of overtourism at holiday hotspots across the globe.
Some 80 per cent of travellers now visit 10 per cent of the world’s tourist destinations, according to data analysts at Murmuration. The result? Visitors with selfie sticks shuffling through clogged piazzas, queuing endlessly at heritage sites and eating overpriced meals at restaurants exploiting outsiders’ naivety.
Some of the most frequently visited nations are trying to stave off the crowds. This year, both the Spanish and the Italian tourist boards began campaigns to encourage visitors to swerve the nation’s hotspots, while Barcelona, Cannes, and Iceland all have plans to cap visitor numbers.
Yet change in tourist behaviour is already afoot. Lee Thompson, co-founder of social travel company Flash Pack, says more people are ‘moving away from overcrowded hotspots and seeking places that feel raw and genuine … [with] fewer crowds, deeper cultural experiences, genuine local connection, and wild nature that hasn’t been over-commercialised’.
We’ve spoken to travel experts across the globe to bring you the world’s best crowd-free destinations offering fabulous beaches, spectacular wildlife, culture and reasonable prices.
MANILA, PHILIPPINES
With more than 7,600 islands, the Philippines harbours thousands of unspoiled lagoons and beaches. While Manila itself is intense and chaotic, you can catch short domestic flights to some wonderful island escapes.
Don’t miss: In Manila, explore Intramuros, the old town, and the Binondo neighbourhood, said to be the world’s oldest Chinatown. Go island-hopping among the limestone cliffs and turquoise lagoons of Coron or El Nido -there’s good surfing in Siargao. For diving among World War II shipwrecks, head to Subic Bay.
Getting there: Return flights to Manila from £642 (gulfair.com).
A former Yugoslav military zone, Vis Island today enjoys unspoiled beaches
VIS ISLAND, CROATIA
Formerly a Yugoslav military zone, for 40 years Vis’s borders were closed to visitors, an inauspicious history that shielded the isle from the high-volume tourism transforming nearby Dalmatian destinations. Joanna Reeve, general manager at Intrepid Travel, calls Vis ‘a quieter alternative to more popular places like Hvar or Dubrovnik’. The island enjoys unspoiled beaches, while Vis Town itself is a tantalising tangle of narrow streets and elegant piazzas.
Don’t miss: Sailing to the unearthly Blue Cave on nearby Bisevo island, swimming at Stiniva, and visiting Konoba Senko, a restaurant where celebrated Croatian author Senko Karuza serves dishes singing with hyper-local produce.
Getting there: Return Stansted-Split flights from £73 (jet2.com); then take a catamaran to Vis (1 hour 20 minutes, croatiaferries.com).
PENINSULA DE OSA, COSTA RICA
Reaching the Peninsula de Osa, a wild arcadia in south-western Costa Rica, requires an intrepid spirit and journeying via rough roads. Once there, it’s a riot of raw nature. The Osa protects 2.5 per cent of the world’s biodiversity, with more than 400 bird species, 300 mammals, and 10,000-plus creepy crawlies.
Don’t miss: Hiking through Corcovado National Park’s mangroves, waterfalls, and cloud forest – and spotting howler monkeys, tapirs, scarlet macaws, and, with luck, jaguars.
Getting there: Return Gatwick-San Jose flights from £730 (ba.com); then domestic flights to Puerto Jimenez from £223 return (flysansa.com).
DOMINICA, THE CARIBBEAN
This is a volcanic Caribbean island replete with rainforests and sulphurous waters. While many neighbouring islands have been trampled by mass tourism, the so-called ‘Nature Isle’ remains largely untouched, with over 60 per cent of its terrain covered in emerald vegetation.
Don’t miss: Dominica will debut the world’s longest cable car in December, a geothermal-powered journey to the surreal Boiling Lake, the planet’s second-largest thermal pool. Until then, take the day-long hike to this flooded fumarole.
Getting there: Return London-Dominica flights via Antigua from £693 (traveasy.com).
The volcanic Caribbean island of Dominica is replete with rainforests and gorgeous waters
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
Having overcome recent instability, Sri Lanka is attracting travellers drawn to its culture, cuisine, ruins and wildlife. A new expressway means it’s easier to get around Colombo, which has been given a boost with less traffic-clogged roads. According to Malik Fernando of Resplendent Ceylon: ‘The city has real momentum, beautiful old buildings being brought back to life, a vibrant dining culture, and a growing creative scene.’
Don’t miss: Witnessing the large gathering of elephants in Minneriya National Park – and climbing the rock fortress of Sigiriya. Also, make sure you explore the tea estates of the Central Highlands.
Getting there: Direct Heathrow-Colombo flights from £668 (srilankan.com).
TIWAI ISLAND, SIERRA LEONE
Joanna Reeve of Intrepid Travel says that Sierra Leone ‘offers amazing rainforest and rare wildlife but welcomed just 60,000 international overnight visitors in 2024’. She recommends a visit to Tiwai Island, a nature sanctuary and World Heritage Site run by the local community that’s home to endangered creatures.
Don’t miss: Go chimpanzee trekking, spot a dozen monkey species, and cross your fingers that you get a glimpse of an elusive pygmy hippopotamus.
Getting there: Eight-day ‘Sierra Leone Adventure’ trips from £2,180; flights extra, from about £790 (intrepidtravel.com).
NORTHERN KENYA
Most hordes head to Kenya’s crowded southern reserves. Skip those and set your sights on the wide-open expanses of northern Kenya.
The landscape is evocatively arid, and the conservancies are community-led. It’s isolated and you’ll often find your vehicle is the only one seeking wildlife.
Don’t miss: Tracking endangered black rhinos and Grevy’s zebras, and experiencing a camel-back safari with a local Samburu guide.
Getting there: Eight-night safaris in northern Kenya from £5,620; flights extra, from about £674 (expertafrica.com).
PONTA DELGADA, AZORES
The Azores, nine volcanic islands moored in the mid-Atlantic, are often referred to as the ‘Hawaii of Europe’. Expect a verdant landscape of crater lakes, thermal hot springs and rugged coastlines.
Don’t miss: Hiking around the twin lakes of Sete Cidades on Sao Miguel, and going whale and dolphin watching (28 species inhabit these waters). Also enjoy a soak in the natural thermal pools of Furnas and explore the vineyards on Pico Island.
Getting there: Return flights from London to Sao Miguel from £199, via Lisbon (flytap.com).
The dazzling architecture of Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, is a hidden gem
TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN
At the heart of the ancient Silk Road, Uzbekistan is blessed with staggering architectural beauty -cities filled with spectacular mosaics and minarets. Tashkent, its capital, is simply a delight.
Don’t miss: Also exploring the cities of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva. The latter’s old city is immaculately preserved, with bustling bazaars selling spices and textiles. You can take modern Afrosiyob high-speed trains between cities.
Getting there: Return flights to Tashkent from £489, via Istanbul (turkishairlines.com).
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS
This two-island nation captures the essence of the Caribbean. Saint Kitts enjoys volcanic landscapes and rainforests, while Nevis maintains a slower pace, offering a heritage-focused alternative to mega-resorts.
Don’t miss: Hiking to the summit of dormant volcano Mount Liamuiga on Saint Kitts, exploring the sugar plantations, and the UNESCO-listed Brimstone Hill Fortress. On Nevis, visit Charlestown and relax on beaches ranging from volcanic black to champagne gold.
Getting there: Return flights from £485, via Antigua (ba.com).
FILANDIA, COLOMBIA
Most visitors to Colombia’s central-western coffee region head to Salento, but nearby Filandia remains quieter.
This peaceful town in the UNESCO Coffee Cultural Landscape has colourful colonial architecture and striking valley views.
Don’t miss: Strolling through streets lined with artisanal shops and ascending the Mirador Colina Iluminada viewpoint tower for panoramic vistas of rolling coffee plantations. Also, take a coffee farm tour.
Getting there: Return flights to Bogota from £657, and returns to Armenia, 16 miles from Filandia, from £46 (avianca.com).
Strolling through streets of Filandia, lined with its artisanal shops, is a must
BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN
Landlocked in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan attracts mountaineering enthusiasts – plus those who are curious about its traditional way of life that’s little touched by the 21st century in places.
With stark mountain ridges, vast steppes and bracingly clear alpine lakes, its ‘jailoos’ (pastures) are tended by semi-nomadic, yurt-dwelling shepherds. With visa-free travel and excellent homestays, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Lee Thompson of Flash Pack reports that ‘Kyrgyzstan is already our fastest-growing destination’.
Don’t miss: Going horse riding in the Tien Shan mountains, and visiting high-altitude Lake Issyk-Kul. Stay in yurt camps with local families.
Getting there: Return flights to Bishkek from £509, via Istanbul (turkishairlines.com).
LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
Often overshadowed by Italy and Croatia, Slovenia packs tremendous variety, including the splendid Julian Alps and Adriatic coastline, all traversable in a day. A leader in sustainable tourism, Ljubljana, the pretty, car-free capital has excellent drinking water from over 30 public fountains – plus striking Vienna Secession architecture by Joze Plecnik.
Don’t miss: Visiting the Julian Alps and seeing Lake Bled, with its island church and clifftop castle. Also, go caving in the impressive Postojna and Skocjan caves.
Getting there: Return flights to Ljubljana from £103 (easyjet.com).
TIRANA, ALBANIA
Between Greece and Montenegro, Albania has rich Mediterranean coastlines, imposing mountains, delicious cuisine and complex Ottoman history. Specialist tour operators say people have been flocking to visit this year as it’s ‘unspoiled and incredible value’.
Don’t miss: Hiking the epic Valbona to Theth trail through the Albanian Alps, relaxing on pristine beaches, and Tirana, the intriguing capital. Also, explore Berat, the ‘City of a Thousand Windows’, and Gjirokaster, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Getting there: Return flights to Tirana from £30 (ryanair.com).
…And where the world flocks
Dubrovnik, Croatia – When cruise ships arrive, the old town can be a nightmare. Plus all the Game of Thrones fans looking for scenes from the series.
Bruges, Belgium – The lovely canals and medieval squares are usually chock-a-block with Instagrammers.
Barcelona, Spain – At peak times, La Rambla, the pedestrianised boulevard with markets and performers, can feel claustrophobic (with pickpockets aplenty).
Venice, Italy – Avoid in the summer. The narrow passages and bridges don’t help!
Dubai, UAE – Roads can get awfully clogged with traffic. Malls can be a scrum, too.
Vatican City – Tour groups inch into the Sistine Chapel, with delays and difficulty enjoying the fabulous art.
Paris, France – From Gare du Nord to Notre-Dame, it can be extremely crowded. Only go in the off-season.
Pattaya, Thailand – Often packed with large tour groups from China. Expect gridlocked vehicles emitting fumes.
Bogota, Colombia – Estimated to have more than 2.5 million cars, and don’t you know it on the polluted streets.
Kathmandu, Nepal – Vehicle emissions can be so dreadful in Nepal’s overcrowded city that you sometimes need a facemask to breathe properly.
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