The world’s 20 most overrated destinations

While there are plenty of underappreciated experiences out there to discover, there are just as many that are given far too much credit.

We’re talking about overrated attractions, places and experiences, something surely every traveller can immediately relate to.

Some of these you may disagree with; others will come as welcome validation – but the fact remains that some parts of the travel experience are massively overrated – nowhere near as good as they should be – and we’re here to call them out.

Greek Islands

Here’s a new rule for Greece: if you’ve already heard of a Greek island, so have millions of others – and you don’t want to join them there over summer. The chaos peaked on Santorini this year as islanders struggled to cope with the masses; Mykonos also suffers from over-tourism. Pick another of the country’s 5998 other islands to enjoy.

Shibuya Scramble, Tokyo

Move on – Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo.Credit: iStock

Yes, it’s a very busy pedestrian crossing. But that’s it. And most of the people crossing the road at this famous Tokyo location these days are tourists trying to get content on their phones, walking back and forth while filming themselves. There are so many more exciting locations in the Japanese capital.

Paris

Ever since the terrorist attack at the Bataclan Theatre in 2015, Paris has lost its lustre – police with machine guns do that to a city. There are better European cities, with a quarter of the summer crowds, at a fraction of the price – Vienna’s First District is more stately, the coffee’s better in Rome, the river’s prettier in Budapest. See visitparisregion.com/en

Old towns

The conventional wisdom when you visit a historic city is that all the best stuff will be in the “Old Town”. But that’s not always true. Consider Barcelona and its Gothic Quarter, which is always packed with tourists and increasingly tacky shops. You will have a far better time in Gracia, or Sant Antonio, or Raval. In fact, in any city in this age of over-tourism, by far the most enjoyable experiences can often be found outside these tourist-heavy centres.

Cairns

It may be surrounded by the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, but Cairns is an eyesore. There’s no beach – you’ll have to swim at its concrete lagoon – the city’s built on mangroves inhabited by crocodiles. And despite recent advances with hip hotels and eateries, it is full of chain sports bars, takeaway joints and souvenir shops. See tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au

Ghibli Museum, Tokyo

Ghibli Museum contains the works of the Japanese animation studio.Credit: iStock

This is one of Tokyo’s most in-demand attractions, with tickets selling out months in advance, even though the actual experience is underwhelming at best. To begin with, the timed ticketing system creates unnecessary crowds, as everyone arrives and moves through the museum at the same time, and unless you’re a hardcore Ghibli fan, the exhibitions fail to provide much wonder.

Niagara Falls, US/Canada

Niagara Falls: a flood of disappointment.Credit: iStock

Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt got it right – Niagara looks like a kitchen faucet compared with much more splendid specimens such as South America’s Iguazu Falls. Niagara is such a tourist trap, too, with so much tacky kitsch, abandoned buildings, a giant casino at the top of the falls and a surrounding city that’s horribly rundown. A flood of disappointment. See niagarafallstourism.com

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England

Stonehenge: just a bunch of rocks.Credit: iStock

To the initiated, these huge, rough-cut blocks of stone are a fascinating prehistoric megalithic sculpture. To the rest of us, they’re … blocks of stone. And it’s not as if you can walk around them either. Apart from the summer and winter solstice and the spring and autumn equinox, you can’t even get close. Spend more time in London instead. See english-heritage.org.uk

Blue Lagoon, Turkey

A sheltered inlet near the resort village of Oludeniz on the south-west coast of Turkey, the Blue Lagoon was undoubtedly once an idyllic spot. Today, this supposedly protected nature reserve is a tourist-choked resort with over-priced cafes ($9 Starbucks, anyone?), trash-littered beaches and noisy, soulless eateries. Oh, and you have to pay an admission fee to get in. See goturkiye.com

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh – still the sights to see, but the city’s soul is escaping.Credit: iStock

No longer South-East Asia’s sleepiest city, Phnom Penh is booming under Chinese investment, pumped into neon-lit casinos rumoured to be money-laundering dens of corruption. Eight skyscrapers higher than 200 metres have transformed the skyline, while many French colonial heritage buildings are being razed to create shopping malls and office blocks. Sad to say, the city’s soul is rapidly being sapped.

Bucharest, Romania

Grey concrete commie condos, vast soulless squares, terrible tangles of traffic and choking pollution … Bucharest, especially in the winter, is one of the bleakest capital cities in Europe. Romania is a stunning country, but you have to get out into the Transylvanian Alps to experience the landscapes and sites, such as Bran Castle, the inspiration behind Count Dracula. See visitbucharest.today

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh: Scotland’s Barcelona.Credit: iStock

Edinburgh has lots of beautiful buildings and history, but it’s Scotland as designed by Disney, with streets swarming with tourists and dressed-up Harry Potter characters hassling them for paid-for selfies. In many ways, it’s Scotland’s Barcelona, but when the wind whips in from the North Sea, it’s more like Iceland than Iberia. Glasgow is a vibrant alternative where you’ll meet real Scots. See edinburgh.org

Cancun, Mexico

A hotspot for mega-resorts and American tourists… Cancun.Credit: iStock

In the 1990s, this was a beautiful idyll of glorious sun, sea, white sand beaches and Mayan ruins. Today, it’s a nightmare vision of overdevelopment, noise, sleaze and 10 million tourists a year. Resorts demand nightclub-style identity bracelets to keep track, waiters deliver overpriced drinks balanced on their heads, and escorts hustle constantly for trade. See govisitcancun.com

Bourbon Street, New Orleans

It’s the best-known street for jazz and entertainment in the city, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best. The narrow thoroughfare can get jammed with visitors, entertainers and drunks, it’s loud, it’s noisy and it can become exceedingly messy. Try Frenchmen Street as an alternative for great music and a more laid-back atmosphere – it’s the one locals prefer, too. See neworleans.com

Ireland

Ireland has great literature and music and witty and talkative people. But this insignificant corner of Europe is rainy, pricey and lacks premier sights. Its history is almost unrelievedly grim. Ubiquitous Irish immigrants have given this small nation a reputation far bigger than its size, and the result is expectations not matched by what you get. See ireland.com

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Yes, it has that European old-town cuteness, from castle ramparts to fine architecture and dragon motifs. Yet, Ljubljana is too kitschy and lacks oomph; even the graffiti is polite. The tourist crowds will give your elbows exercise, but the buzz created doesn’t deliver much. Have a beer or an ice cream, and off you go. See visitljubljana.com

Cinque Terre, Italy

The Cinque Terre’s largest sand beach at Monterosso draws crowds just as large.Credit: Getty Images

No doubt, the five seaside towns that form the Italian Riviera’s Cinque Terre look incredible in photos. Clinging to steep cliff faces that descend into the sparkling Ligurian Sea, the visuals are stunning. In reality, the towns are completely overrun by day trippers, especially in summer. Public transport options are complicated and crowded. There are better Italian coastal options.

Cartagena, Colombia

Do you enjoy visiting overcrowded, overpriced cities where you’ll be relentlessly hassled by pushy vendors and touts at every turn? How about melting into a pool of your own sweat in a stifling hot, humid climate, with the added bonus of no beaches nearby that are worth visiting? You’ll love Cartagena, Colombia.

Istanbul

Sharpen your elbows, folks, you’re going to need defensive skills in Istanbul. The aggressive sales pitches for everything from expensive carpets to tacky postcards are exhausting. Personal space has a different definition in the Turkish city of more than 15 million residents, and not just in the hectic Grand Bazaar.

Iceland

Everyone has “discovered” Iceland now.Credit: iStock

Remember when everyone “discovered” Iceland about a decade ago and raved about its incredible thermal baths, fresh seafood and low prices? Those were the good old days. The tourism industry, residents, and infrastructure were never fully prepared to welcome the millions of tourists who now visit each year. It’s jumped the shark.

Overrated travel trends

AI-created itineraries
How can you trust a travel guide who’s never been anywhere? Itineraries created by AI (artificial intelligence) algorithms might be able to point out the best museums in Paris, but they don’t have the expert human knowledge and experience that’s needed to plan a truly great trip from start to finish.

Insta-attractions
So, someone took a beautiful photo of a particular spot, and now it’s insanely popular because everyone else wants to get the same photo. Obviously, this is not tourism done right. It is, however, the way social media works these days, with everyone chasing the famous photos in the locations that are now rammed with people queuing up to get their snap in that one spot. Don’t fall for it.

Destination dupes
Marketing masterminds have come up with a plan to entice us all to steer clear of popular destinations in favour of lesser-visited, more affordable places with a similar vibe. Trouble is, Bodrum is not St Tropez, Liverpool is not London, and Pattaya is certainly not Bangkok. This dupe trend is silly.

CONTRIBUTORS Ben Groundwater, Belinda Jackson, Brian Johnston, Katrina Lobley, Kristie Kellahan, Rob McFarland, Julie Miller, Tim Richards, Sue Williams

What about the other side? Here’s our list of the world’s 38 most underrated destinations.