Not so hyped countries you want to visit

[Azeem]

For me

Indian Punjab - I know India is a popular tourist destination but visiting the other Punjab is a lot more intriguing for me than the rest of the country.

Lebanon - Always fascinated by the country, great food, people are hot despite being such a small country the cultural influence it has is astonishing many of the iconic figures of the Arab world are from there, also great diversity in landscape. Much like Pakistan in political instability in its history but yet a crazy fascinating place to visit.

Iran - History, nature and again the cultural influence of the country on my part of the world makes it a must visit for me though i know they are racist as fuck for most part. 

Bangladesh - We were practically the same country at one point 

Uzbekistan - Same as Iran minus racism

Ireland - I don't know if Ireland is big for tourism for you Westerns but here its not much a disccused place and im intrigued by it. 

Some misconceived African country - I know some countries like Rwanda, Gabon, Senegal or say Angola are not so poor and horrible as we think about Africa infact they are better than sub-continent in some ways I'd say. For this i would like to visit one of them to see for myself.

Peru - Had to say before joining this forum i only knew about Machu Picchu but now I'm much more interested into going there thanks to Blue

 

 

 

 

[Stan]

The countries Romesh Ranganathan visited in one of his BBC series he did last year.

Albania, Haiti & Ethiopia he travelled through (separately) and there were a lot of preconceptions I had about those places which were founded to be incorrect in some parts. 

Kenya is hyped up for all the bad reasons. But I want to go there at one point, hopefully, with my dad as he was born there and never been back. But it's apparently simply too dangerous to go back unless there's a lot of planning (& money) involved to have a legit guide take you places and literally guide you on avoided places where it'd be unsafe. 

As you say @Azeem some other African countries too I'd like to visit - Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast - I'd love to see the essence of these countries. Literally all I know is the link to the football side. But there's obviously going to be so much more to it than that. The food especially is bound to have some impact.

[Azeem]

2 minutes ago, Stan said:

The countries Romesh Ranganathan visited in one of his BBC series he did last year.

Albania, Haiti & Ethiopia he travelled through (separately) and there were a lot of preconceptions I had about those places which were founded to be incorrect in some parts. 

Kenya is hyped up for all the bad reasons. But I want to go there at one point, hopefully, with my dad as he was born there and never been back. But it's apparently simply too dangerous to go back unless there's a lot of planning (& money) involved to have a legit guide take you places and literally guide you on avoided places where it'd be unsafe. 

As you say @Azeem some other African countries too I'd like to visit - Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast - I'd love to see the essence of these countries. Literally all I know is the link to the football side. But there's obviously going to be so much more to it than that. The food especially is bound to have some impact.

Surely you can't say you are not interested to go to Peru after joing this forum ? 

[Stan]

29 minutes ago, Azeem said:

Surely you can't say you are not interested to go to Peru after joing this forum ? 

If @Grizzly21 is in Canada or New Zealand then I'll go

[The Artful Dodger]

Don't know if is unhyped but I think Scotland is a wonderful country. My Mum moved up there a few years back, lives 10 miles from Edinburgh and for far less than you'd get for living that near London. Edinburgh is a great city, then Glasgow is easy to get to, another world class city. The beautiful countryside in between, unlike the clogged up regions of England. St Andrews is a wonderful town, untouched by a lot of the worst aspects of our modernised economy. Then you're up to the far north which is another country really, beautiful and desolate. Only place in the UK I'd really consider moving to out of choice.

 

[Harry]

1 hour ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Don't know if is unhyped but I think Scotland is a wonderful country. My Mum moved up there a few years back, lives 10 miles from Edinburgh and for far less than you'd get for living that near London. Edinburgh is a great city, then Glasgow is easy to get to, another world class city. The beautiful countryside in between, unlike the clogged up regions of England. St Andrews is a wonderful town, untouched by a lot of the worst aspects of our modernised economy. Then you're up to the far north which is another country really, beautiful and desolate. Only place in the UK I'd really consider moving to out of choice.

Scotland greatly exceeded my expectations when I went there. I was much more excited by Ireland setting out but I find Scotland much much more enchanting and Edinburgh was like nothing else I saw on my whole trip around Europe.

[Harry]

I've always wanted to visit the Congo and the Amazon rainforest but would never do so for safety concerns particularly for my wife.

Also South Africa.

And I'd be keen to check out the countries around the Black and Caspian seas just because I want to see what they're like. You never hear about them.

Antarctica. Definitely. Keen to see where 90% of the world's fresh water is at.

Liverpool. It gets a shocking rap but I loved everything about the place. I was so happy just being there I wanted to kiss passers by in the street!

[nudge]

Mongolia - steppes, Gobi dessert, Altai mountains, living nomad culture, Karakorum and Ulaan Bataar, Ger camps. Love the "wilderness" and the sense of adventure. So vast and sparsely populated; love it. Fascinating history too. 

Central Asia - all the "stan" countries. Love the combination of the Silk Road, backdrop of numerous empires, the Soviet past, and the modern changes in the era of independence. A melting pot of cultures and history, very diverse wild natural landscapes.
Would also love to do the whole old Silk Road from Xi'an to Istanbul (including the above "stans", Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Armenia, Lebanon,); this is in fact near the top of my imaginary bucket list.

Cuba - not exactly a little-visited country, but definitely not too hyped either... Would love to see it before it changes too much and the unique flair is gone. Old colonial buildings, old cars, good music (Buena Vista Social Club!!!), rum, cigars, nice beaches. 

Scotland - primarily because of whisky and amazing landscapes.

 

[Toinho]

I feel Peru is hyped but that’s really up there for me.

Cuba, Zimbabwe, Ecuador(Galapagos...), Antarctica, Vietnam, Sri Lanka (maybe not this year though) stand out for me...don’t know if any are hyped 

[CaaC (John)+]

4 hours ago, nudge said:

Scotland - primarily because of whisky and amazing landscapes.  

        

2 grandsons on top of Arthurs Seat, Edinburgh (2013), Edinburgh Castle in the background

Wee Kaiden (2018) - Edinburgh Castle & Ross Fountain, Princess Street Gardens 

 

Last but not least, ALL MINE I use around Christmas & New Year time. 

 

 

 

[nudge]

32 minutes ago, Toinho said:

I feel Peru is hyped but that’s really up there for me.

Cuba, Zimbabwe, Ecuador(Galapagos...), Antarctica, Vietnam, Sri Lanka (maybe not this year though) stand out for me...don’t know if any are hyped 

Zimbabwe is an interesting choice... I wanted to go as I have a very good friend from there but he moved to South Africa in the meantime.

When it comes to Africa, I'd also be interested in visiting Ethiopia. 

[Eco]

Eastern Europe sounds fantastic to me. Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, and then places like Kazahastan, Uzebekistan, Turkmenistan, etc.

[nudge]

5 minutes ago, Eco said:

Eastern Europe sounds fantastic to me. Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, and then places like Kazahastan, Uzebekistan, Turkmenistan, etc.

We're now officially Northern Europe!  

 

[Eco]

Just now, nudge said:

We're now officially Northern Europe!  

 

You'll always be Eastern European to me sweet heart 

[nudge]

Just now, Eco said:

You'll always be Eastern European to me sweet heart 

Be sure to not tell that to anyone from the Baltics  

[DeadLinesman]

I’m off to Norway tomorrow 

[Eco]

I'd also love to visit Mexico, and not the typical tourist locations like Cabo, but more of the beautiful country side where tequila is made. 

[CaaC (John)+]

As I have mentioned in here before, my mother was Scottish, my father English and I was born and grew up in Tilbury, Essex before we emigrated to Australia in 1961 but my dream growing up was to see Scotland well my dream came true in a funny way, I left Australia in the early '70s as I wanted to see the world so I ended up landing back in Southend-on-Sea and after 4 months I joined the army and met my now wife and we married, before I was de-mobbed from the army Liz wanted to go to Australia but I wanted to see Scotland where my mother was born and Liz is a pure bloodied Scot's Lassie we landed here and I fell in love with Scotland and have been here now for many years.

The countryside and Edinburgh, in general, holds so much history like Edinburgh Castle and other places and one I will mention now, Arthurs Seat as it is called and the history of Arthurs seat you can read here, if you look at the top of the right-hand peak I made a promise to myself and others I would walk to the top of that peak and I did in 1998, it knackered me but I was younger and fitter then.  

Arthurs Seat

     

 

I have an ex American army buddy mate and when he was de-mobbed he returned back home and we have kept in contact on Facebook for years now but about 5-6 years ago he sent me a private message on Facebook asking if I would do him a great favour, his father was Scottish and had passed away but his father had told Brian that his wish would be when he passed away was to have his ashes scattered from the top of Arthurs seat and if he sent the Urn with the ashes in it could I go to the top and scatter his ashes, I said ok, the ashes arrived 2 weeks later and I followed his wishes, climbed to the top of the peak with our son and scattered the ashes, I sent the Urn back to Brian and he thanked me for the favour.

Myself, Liz, wee Connor & Alexander before I climbed the peak to scatter the ashes.

Scattering the ashes on top of the peak, I took a pair of crocks up as my feet were sore from climbing up the peak and I took my trainers off.

[Azeem]

5 hours ago, Harry said:

I've always wanted to visit the Congo and the Amazon rainforest but would never do so for safety concerns particularly for my wife.

Also South Africa.

And I'd be keen to check out the countries around the Black and Caspian seas just because I want to see what they're like. You never hear about them.

Antarctica. Definitely. Keen to see where 90% of the world's fresh water is at.

Liverpool. It gets a shocking rap but I loved everything about the place. I was so happy just being there I wanted to kiss passers by in the street!

For real ?

[Smiley Culture]

Montenegro, Serbia and the Highlands of Scotland. 

[Azeem]

5 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Montenegro, Serbia and the Highlands of Scotland. 

I'm surprised that you British people are mentioning Scotland, its not like you guys need a visa or something isn't it normal to travel within the UK for most people ?

[tlr]

41 minutes ago, Azeem said:

I'm surprised that you British people are mentioning Scotland, its not like you guys need a visa or something isn't it normal to travel within the UK for most people ?

In fairness by British standards the Scottish Highlands are a million miles away, if you live in Southern England or anywhere near an airport it's generally quicker, easier and way cheaper to get to mainland Europe.

I've been to Scotland a lot and I love the place, it is as good as all the stories and pictures make it seem; not just the usual Edinburgh and Highlands but Glasgow with all it's industry, politics and history and the rural areas in the Borders and Far North also hold their own. Sadly the problem that now blights particularly the Highlands is the tourism, in my experience from America, Asia and mainland Europe - it has way more demand in summer than any of the towns and transport etc can take, like many places I guess.

[tlr]

For me anyway I want to do northern Europe, Estonia and Lavia etc. and Scandanavia. More long term I'm after America and some countries in South, Argentina and Chile most likey.

[Carnivore Chris]

7 hours ago, Harry said:

 

Liverpool. It gets a shocking rap but I loved everything about the place. I was so happy just being there I wanted to kiss passers by in the street!

One of the best cities in England to be honest and Scousers are generally among the soundest people you'll meet in the country.

Honestly though, the real beauty in England lies in the country-side, the mountainous areas and forests, etc.

[Smiley Culture]

1 hour ago, Azeem said:

I'm surprised that you British people are mentioning Scotland, its not like you guys need a visa or something isn't it normal to travel within the UK for most people ?

Despite it still being in the UK, it’s not the easiest place to travel to. Airports are few and far between in that area, as are flights, it’s a good few hours drive from the major Scottish hubs of Edinburgh and Glasgow and connecting flights to some of the more remote islands are often much more expensive than a flight from London to mainland Europe.