Holidaymakers shame the iconic tourist destinations that fail to live up to the picture postcards

NEVER assume your holiday destination will look as picture perfect as a postcard. Here are some tourist hotspots that fail to live up to expectations.

Pictured: Venice, Italy. This is what you would want every holiday to look like. Picture: istock

DREAM holiday destinations can sometimes be a bit of a let-down — especially when the reality of an iconic spot fails to live up to their picture-perfect reputation seen in brochures and on the television.

Fed up with being let down, travel enthusiasts on Quora have shared their experiences of this miserable phenomenon, naming and shaming the destinations that they consider “not worth the effort”.

So, before booking your next holiday, maybe take a look at the some of these famous locations in the cold, hard un-Instagrammed light of day …

BANGKOK, THAILAND

How Rian expected Bangkok to present itself. Picture: istock

Unfortunately, what reality served up was slightly less picturesque. Picture: istock

For experienced traveller Petter Brenna Rian, a trip to Thailand left him disappointed to say the least.

Along with scamming taxi drivers, constant noise and pestering strangers, the swamps of tourists ruined Rian’s impression of the nation’s capital.

“Tourists everywhere,” Rian said.

“Especially young, white party people. Avoid tourist attractions and other popular places.

“It’s disturbing to see the old white men holding hands with barely legal Thai girls.”

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

The Little Mermaid statue is often shown against a calm ocean background. Picture: istock

However it is regularly swamped by tourists, taking away from its illusion. Picture: istock

One of the most iconic features of the Danish city is the Little Mermaid statue, gifted more than 100 years ago to the city by beer manufacturer Carlsberg.

But according to Indian traveller Ripan Dutta, it is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

“It was just another marketing gimmick to increase their sales and brand value,” Dutta said.

“It was raining and very cold the day I visited this statue and after the efforts that I took to reach there, it was just not worth it.”

BADALING SECTION, GREAT WALL OF CHINA

The Great Wall is hardly ever pictured as a ‘busy’ tourist location due to its enormous size. Picture: istock

Certain sections of the Wall attract incredible crowds and can ruin the experience. Picture: istock

One of the seven wonders of the modern world, the Great Wall is something most avid travellers have on their bucket list.

But if you’re going to make the trip out to the mammoth structure, make sure you don’t do what former Chinese resident Stephen Gilbo did on his first visit to the BaDaLing section — the most commonly visited section of the Great Wall.

“The first time I did exactly what every tourist and their tour groups did: Went up the stairs to the right,” Gilbo said.

“After a painfully slow and hot trek, I found the entire reason people went this particular direction on the wall was to see some scribbles of Mao Ze Dong on a section of the wall. Interesting in some respects, I guess, but not worth the crowds.”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro is often marketed as a vibrant city. Picture: istock

Reality is, poverty is rife in the Brazilian capital. Picture: istock

According to veteran traveller of more than 50 countries Deepak Shukla, Rio is no place to settle down.

After living in the Brazilian capital for just three months, Shukla busted a number of common stereotypes that eventually put him off Rio de Janeiro.

“The ‘blonde haired blue eyed models’ of the beach and cities DON’T REALLY EXIST,” he said.

“It’s dangerous, it’s poor.

“The locals don’t care about the Cristo Del Rey, models or ‘the good life’; they’re too busy surviving.

“The service is terrible in many restaurants and it’s monstrously hot in the summer.

“I wouldn’t be happy having any female family member walk around alone at night.”

GIZA, EGYPT

The pyramids are often seen rising from bare, undisturbed stretches of sand. Picture: istock

The massive of tourism over the years has somewhat damaged the appeal. Picture: istock

The great pyramids of Giza are a sight on the top of the list of almost every avid traveller.

But they too struggle to live up to their enormous reputation.

According to globe trotter Stephen Chollet, the experience is simply “annoying”.

“Most photos show them (the pyramids) as big, beautiful landmarks alone on the Giza Plateau,” he wrote.

“In person, they are surrounded by city, trash is everywhere, tour buses are all around, people are selling cheap tchotchke, and they have annoying light shows with music at night.”

VENICE, ITALY

Venice is supposed to be one of the most romantic cities in the world. Picture: istock

The reality is it can often be crowded, and canals can have a pungent smell. Picture: istock

Pictured as one of the most romantic cities in the world, Venice sees millions of tourists walk along its canals each year.

According to another Quora user, however, the city with no roads isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

“I thought Venice was a huge let down,” traveller Kartik Ayyar said.

“It was smelly, expensive and it was a tourist trap.

“Getting around was really slow.

“The water doesn’t look anywhere near as good as it does in such photos. It’s a muddy green as shown below.”

This article was reproduced with permission from The Sun.