How often do you come across a visually appealing picture on Instagram which blows you away and compels you to visit that place and see it for yourself? Well, with travel bloggers exploding the gram these days posing at picturesque locations, we as the consumers of their content, pictures a certain place exactly the way it is being portrayed to us. Sadly, for many such Instagramable places, the reality begs to differ…
Getting extremely disappointed by seeing a much-anticipated place, which you planned to visit for a long time, is the last thing anyone would want to expect. To help you see the real picture of some of such places beyond the filters and glamor of Instagram, I am sharing with you 17 overrated places around the world that are far away in reality from all the hype and attention they got through misleading pictures and publicity.
To remain connected throughout your trips anywhere in the world – Get your Tep Wireless Portable pocket-size WiFi now!
View Contents
Antigua, Guatemala
By Kati Murwin from Stop, Drop, and Trek
I had seen photos of the bright buildings lining the cobblestone streets and couldn’t wait to get to Antigua. I was ready for amazing Guatemalan food and relaxation. Little did I know that I would be met by constant bothering and a nauseating amount of haggling. I was more than ready to have to negotiate if I wanted to buy anything from the vendors, but what I wasn’t ready for was the inability to even look at merchandise or walk down the street.
Sellers would approach you while you walked down the street, some even came into restaurants! “Hey, Lady,” “Something for your mother?” and “Basically free” are phrases I was bombarded with. So, while the textiles are stunning and the final prices tempting, be ready to be exhausted by the vendors. These reasons are enough to make Antigua one of the overrated places around the world for me.
Christ The Redeemer, Rio De Janeiro
By Or Amir of My Path In The World
Probably the most iconic landmark in Rio de Janeiro, Christ the Redeemer is a 98 feet (30 meters) statue located at the peak of the Corcovado Mountain but also one of the most overrated places around the world. It was constructed as an act of trying to restore the religious faith to the Brazilian community and was placed on top of the mountain so it would be visible from each and every corner in Rio. Over the years, it has also become a cultural symbol of the city.
Now, there’s no doubt that the statue itself is impressive and beautiful, and standing in front of it fills you with a sense of awe. BUT it’s extremely difficult to fully enjoy and appreciate it when you’re surrounded by so many people. Some are pushing others to get photos of the views over the city. Others seem to only care about having their picture taken with the statue, even though you can see hundreds of people in the background.
I know you can’t leave Rio without visiting Christ the Redeemer, but the experience should be a lot more pleasant.
Stonehenge, England
By Marta of Backpackers.wro
When I was thinking about Stonehenge, I imagined an enormous monument standing alone somewhere off the beaten track. I think I learned this already in elementary school and then watched several documentaries which confirmed this picture in my head. During my first trip to England, Stonehenge became the most thing to see in my itinerary.
When I finally got there, I was pretty shocked. No wonder this place is very crowded, there is a long queue of tourists, but what surprised me the most was that the whole monument seemed much smaller in reality than in my imagination. Also, I was sure that the stones form a perfect circle, but of course, after thousands of years, this is not possible -thousands of years have done their job. Anyway, I still think that Stonehenge is a mysterious, exciting, and worth visiting. See it with your own eyes and get your own opinion.
Savica Waterfall, Slovenia
By Eniko of Travel Hacker Girl
The Savica waterfall is often described as a “must-see” in Slovenia. I saw many photos of it prior to my trip and it looked really beautiful. While we were cycling Lake Bohinj, we decided to extend our trip and ride our bikes to the waterfall. We had to pay an entry fee, which was already disappointing. But our experience got worst. The 20-minute trail there was packed with tourists. Once we got to the waterfall I couldn’t enjoy its beauty as people were pushing each other for the “perfect shot”.
There is a small viewing platform to take the photos from, which is not nearly big enough for the number of people visiting this place. In my opinion, the Savica Waterfall is one of the overrated places around the world, over-hyped and not really worth a visit. We were lucky as we arrived by bike, but others were arguing over parking places as well. There are many gorgeous hidden gems in the area, which are free and not overrun by tourists.
Liberty Bell in Philadelphia
By Derek of Robe-trotting
If you’re looking for a fun city break, you should definitely consider a Philadelphia visit. While you’re there you’ll have an endless amount of things to do, places to eat, tours to enjoy and museums to explore. It’s a city full of American history and a vibrant and safe downtown. As great as a visit to Philly is, there are some things that you can skip or at least hold as a lower priority. One of those is a symbol of Americana – the Liberty Bell.
While the Liberty Bell is free, easy to visit and surrounded by other historical attractions, it’s a bit disappointing. Over the years, it’s become an exhibit that’s literally out of touch. You cannot touch or even get very close to the Liberty Bell. Today it’s in a covered pavilion with a long line to get up close to the main attraction. There are facts and information displayed as you weave through the long pavilion, but you’re shuffled along quickly and it’s not very exciting up close
The Liberty Bell is an adored symbol of freedom in America, but it’s not an exciting attraction. It’s Instagram-worthy, but not necessarily worth spending 30-40 minutes for a quick photo. You can even see the Liberty Bell from the outside of the pavilion through its glass windows. That could be just as exciting as waiting inside and it frees up your time to tour the nearby Independence Hall which is also free of charge.
Machu Picchu in Peru
By Sean of LivingOutLau
Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, should be an amazing place that takes everyone’s breath away. However, due to the over-tourism of the area, Machu Picchu feels like a paradise gone wrong and hence now it has become one of those overrated places around the world. Undoubtedly, the structures themselves are some of the best examples of Incan civilizations. However, if you want to take a photo at the iconic spot inside Machu Picchu, you might end up waiting for 30 minutes or more.
Everywhere you go, you are smacked in the face by selfie sticks. If not the big tour groups will block your way to a point where you have to yell just to get through. In response, the Peruvian government has implemented many different regulations to restore the beautiful place and the experience that comes with it. The result? Regulations that don’t make any sense such as having a one-way rule inside, not allowing any visitors to backtrack any of the places they have been to. Now there are many things you should know before visiting Machu Picchu to avoid having a bad time.
Coron in Philippines
By Hanna of Solar Powered Blonde
I had very high hopes for Coron in the Philippines. I had seen plenty of photos of amazing lagoons with mountains and a perfect blue sea. In reality, it was very different. I arrived in Coron town by plane from Siargao. From above, it looked great all the hills from the sky. I arrived in Coron town and was already disappointed. It is like a busy Asian capital city almost, very busy and very dirty. It was also a contrast to Siargao, which has a great island vibe and is laid back. The next thing that disappointed me was the lack of nice beaches. There are no beaches at all on Coron island that are worth visiting. I went to two and was very disappointed, you have to pay for both and they are not clean or pretty.
Essentially to see all the ‘amazing’ spots on Coron you either get a boat as part of a tour, that is fairly priced. This means you arrive with everyone else and you will be surrounded by people. Or, you get a very expensive private tour and can choose what time to leave. The best tip I have is to stay at Case Fidelis, whose tour leaves very early in the morning to beat the crowds, as the islands surrounding Coron are lovely to see but not as easy as you think!
Mykonos Windmills in Greece
By Marcos of Travel-Boo
I have to admit, one of my all-time best holidays was most definitely when we visited Greece and explored the best of the Cyclades Islands. Our first stop, after a brief stay in Athens, was the Island of Mykonos which we absolutely loved and adored. After being fetched from our ferry we checked into a stunning guest house and then decided to head out towards the Mykonos Old Town to explore some of its sights.
Imagine our complete surprise, when walking up to the iconic and often photographed Windmills, when we, in fact, realized that they are set right beside a car park with the surrounding grounds around the windmills left shabby and pretty much unkept. Not at all what we were expecting! I would definitely list the Mykonos Old Town as one of the overrated places around the world, either way, these famous Mykonos beacons are still beautiful in their own right, but it’s definitely a case of getting the ‘right angle’ to ensure you capture that perfect shot of these guys!
Copenhagen in Denmark
By Albi of Ginger Around The Globe
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark, and possibly the place where most people go to in this country. Most people get excited about the picture of very colorful houses in the herbor called Nyhavn. The truth is, that this doesn’t speak about Copenhagen at all, this place is overcrowded with tourist and those pictures with restaurants outside are great. Except for the fact that the restaurants there are constantly full and very expensive, so sitting there and getting coffee can cost you half of the low-cost budget.
Another thing where people go very often is the little mermaid statue. The little mermaid is truly a little. However, the crowd around the statue is so massive that it is hard to even see it or make a decent picture of it. Copenhagen might have nice places to visit, but it is overly expensive and those pictures often don’t show the reality of the place.
Koh Phi Phi Island in Thailand
By Lauren of Laurens Travel Diary
I’d seen countless Instagram photos and read countless stories of how beautiful Koh Phi Phi was. This island off the south coast of Thailand sounded like an idyllic slice of paradise – and I couldn’t wait to visit. I was quickly disappointed. I could tell Koh Phi Phi was indeed once a beautiful island, but it’s succumbed to the consequences of mass tourism. The ocean was lined with longtail boats, the sand was littered with trash and countless bars were stationed along the main beach.
Last year, Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation indefinitely closed Koh Phi Phi’s Maya Bay from tourists. You see, Maya Bay used to receive 5,000 tourists a day to its shores, and so pollution from countless boats, sunscreen-clad tourists and plastic waste have destroyed its natural beauty. Koh Phi Phi is without any doubt the most overrated place around the world.
Petra in Jordan
Nick from The Danish Nomads
The Mountain City of Petra in Jordan was the capital of the ancient Nabatean Kingdom. More famously, it was the location used for scenes in Indiana Jones and The Mummy. It’s one of the 7 Man-Made Wonders of the World, and of course, Petra is also a Unesco World Heritage Site. As you can see, it even looks gorgeous on photos. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is ruined by enterprising salesmen and animal mistreatment. It’s impossible to walk around in peace. You are constantly harassed by touts, and the place is dirty.
You walk into a prehistoric building, only to find out it’s being used by locals as a toilet. Young kids are running around on donkeys, out of control. They are not just a major nuisance, but downright dangerous as they try to control animals many times their own size. In their effort to do just that, they beat them with wooden sticks. Petra ticks pretty much all the right boxes to qualify as an ultimate bucket list destination, but unfortunately, we have to say it is not.
Laguna 69 in Peru
By Halef of The RTW Guys
Laguna 69 is an Instagram sensation. Photos of vivid blue water and smiling hikers make Laguna 69 out to be one of the most picturesque scenes in Peru. To get here though, you need to get to Huaraz – a 7-hour drive from Lima. From Huaraz, you’ll do a 3-hour bus ride over some of the roughest roads you’ll ever drive. Then, it’s a 7km, 3-hour, 700m ascent to reach the lake at 4600m.
Once there, you’ll have an hour to take photos before you start the 2-hour hike down. Finally, you’re back on the bus for the 3-4-hour journey to Huaraz. Laguna 69 is nice and the hike up is undoubtedly gorgeous but didn’t feel it was worth nearly 34 hours to see the lake for less than an hour. Laguna 69 is the perfect case study where great photo-editing has transformed a place into something more magical than it actually is making it to the list of the overrated places around the world.
Chichen Itza in Mexico
By Josh of Peanuts and Pretzels
Sometimes it’s the way you visit a destination that can make or break your experience. That’s how we feel about visiting the famous Chichen Itza, in the Yucatan region of Mexico. The photos you see online depict a calm, serene, deeply historical and special site. Most tourists imagine wandering the complex with few others around. However, the reality can be quite different.
Chichen Itza is a popular day trip from major resort towns like Cancun or Tulum. This means the site is packed with tour groups from mid-morning through the afternoon. Even if you get away from the tour groups, you may run into vendors walking around the ruins trying to sell you local trinkets (sometimes a bit aggressively). And let’s face it…it’s hot during that time of the day in Mexico! This can really impact your experience in a negative way.
The best way to visit Chichen Itza is by renting a car in Cancun and staying overnight at a nearby hotel. Then you can visit the site either in the morning or after the tour groups have left. It’s more quiet, enjoyable, cooler…and the annoying vendors have gone.
Luang Prabang in Laos
Ania from The Travelling Twins
When I visited Luang Prabang with kids, I was full of expectations. The town is listed by UNESCO for its unique synthesis of Buddhist and French Colonial design. Our first impressions ran on the same track. We arrived in the evening just as the light festival finished, and the place looked magical – a wonderland of temples festooned with lanterns.
The problem started with the accommodation – our not-so-cheap hotel’s cockroaches were not only crawling but also flying out of the AC units. In the light of day, the town was still beautiful, but for the first time in the Far East, we felt unwelcome almost everywhere we went. It seemed that most of the restaurants here are owned and run by Europeans. Prices were expensive by any standards, and our impressions grew during our stay that the name of the game here was financial.
South East Asia is a great place to visit with kids because there are lots of friendly beautiful and cheap places to explore. Luang Prabang was missing it. Yes, there were activities to do with kids, but businesses in this town were extracting about $100 for any half-day activity I signed up for, definitely making it one of the most overrated places in the world I have been to.
I reached my limit when we went into an empty restaurant and my six years old headed for the toilet before we ordered. The French restaurant owner came screaming at me. If we had been wondering whether to stay here our minds were now made up. Not just this restaurant, but the whole of Luang Prabang had just blown away the charm of family-friendly South East Asia. I cut short our intended stay in Laos and we headed straight back to our favorite Hanoi.
Las Vegas in USA
By Gemma of Two Scots Abroad
Las Vegas just didn’t sparkle for me. Hollywood sold me a lie! I love the USA but my trip to Vegas, which was part of a big three-week road trip from San Francisco to New York, just didn’t do it for me. Maybe it was because of the contending cities and places I’d visited just before such as San Fran and Yosemite or maybe it was the fact that I don’t gamble and found the boastful nature of the men partying there boring?
However, I did love Strip Burger, the balmy nights and the karaoke! If you like a party and high energy cities try losing your liver New Orleans for cocktails, live music, and hangover food instead. If I was to go back to Vegas I’d go to a pool party, get myself to The Neon Museum to see where signs go to die and see a show. Visiting Vegas on a budget is not recommended!
Phuket in Thailand
By Hannah & Adam of GettingStamped
As Thailand’s largest island and also one of the most popular ones for tourists, Phuket wasn’t all that we thought it would be when we visited on our Thailand honeymoon. Don’t get us wrong – it is full of beautiful beaches and scenery, culture and history, but there are so many other peaceful, gorgeous places we recommend traveling too over Phuket.
Since it is so popular with millions of travelers visiting each year, it is difficult to really enjoy yourself due to the overcrowding. It’s hard to really immerse yourself in the culture when you’re surrounded by tourists every which way and takes away from the true experience.
Another part of Phuket people don’t really talk about is the sex tourism found on Bangla Road in Patong. Bangla Road is where tourists are told to check out for its nightlife and fun bars, but sex tourism is quite overwhelming and ultimately ruins the experience making Phuket a very overrated place around the world.
Eiffel Tower in Paris
By Karolina of Lazy Travel Blog
The Eiffel Tower is probably one of the most overrated tourist attractions in the world. Although it is considered an iconic symbol of France, a tour of Paris does not have to include climbing up a looming gray tower that can be seen from anywhere in the city. It looks absolutely romantic in pictures but it is disappointingly different in reality. In order to get to the top, you need to wait in a long queue.
Depending on the season, it can even be a few hours! It is impossible to find romance in a crowded tower that may provide a view that looks more like you are standing in a prison cell.
This makes the waiting in a long line not worth the effort. To be honest, the Eiffel Tower looks best from the distance, so if you are traveling to Paris, don’t bother getting to the top of this famous landmark.
Now that you are done reading about the overrated places around the globe – here’s a list of 30 abandoned places in the world that no one visits! This roundup of all the overrated places around the world would be an eye-opener for many. I am not here to discourage anyone to visit these places – I am just educating you on what to expect from the place before you visit there. After all, no one loves unpleasant surprises, right?
Loved It? Pin It!
Over-tourism is unpleasant thing, though I have visited some of the places mentioned and the situation was not that terrible. I admit, we have visited Machu Picchu at the end of 4 days Inca Trail and a day before we were alone in Winay Waina, so we just consider the Inca metropolis to be the last stop on the journey. It’s a big site and tourist get spread.
Chitzen Itza was quite bad and coming early did not really help. There were crowds from the early morning, though we managed to find the parts of this big monument where we were alone. The sellers are annoying and I hope that some wise people organize activities which will help the locals understand that selling the same thing like 100 people around is not very inspiring way how living. We have enjoyed Uxmal and Ek Belam which are not far away almost alone and there are only a few sellers.
I guess that all the articles advising how to enjoy the sites have one thing in common – come early. Though there are places like Yala park on Sri Lanka, where even this will not help, because at 5:00 am you can get a ticket with queue number being over 100. The other way is to support guides and tours which do it some other way, however this often goes with higher cost, which is not what the budget travelers look for. Soon we will get good enough virtual reality, that you will be able to enjoy all of these trips from home, but meanwhile thanks for the reality check article and good luck, no crowds and beautiful experiences on your trips.
Thank you so much for such a thoughtful and insightful comment.
Two of the most over instagrammed places I visited were Antelope Canyon, and the Mori Digital Art Museum in Tokyo. Sooooo many people, all using the trickiest angles to get any decent shot without the swarms of people in the background.
Yeah, I can see why these places are considered overrated. I’ve visited Bali and everyone talks about crowds of tourists. I agree if you go to Nusa Penida. But, exactly as you say, there are other amazing places with not so many tourists. I think you just need to do more research and ask the locals. You can discover some interesting places. I’m a bit disappointed of Petra but I still want to see it.
Thank you for sharing this post it made my day! So many things today in the travel world are blown out of proportion and we stop enjoying them for what they are. For me, this was Casa Batllò in Barcelona.
This is so interesting and I absolutely agree with all of the places you have mentioned, especially Macchu Picchu and Rio. There is a point where you just can’t enjoy it anymore or you need to wake up super early 🙂
Interesting post, this disenchantment has happened to me with a few places, Paris is one of them.
I know some places are overrated, or better said over traveled… but I would still love to go to Machu Picchu and Petra. And they might be cliches, but it also depends on what you want to discover and manage to overpass. I know Paris is overcrowded and dirty, but Montmartre on a quiet morning is beautiful. In the end, for me it’s about the connection I make with that place, despite the hoards of tourists.
Unfortunately some places are just built around tourism now. I felt the same about the Eiffel tower, and that was a decade ago! I mean it makes sense why tourism is so high in these places but we should spread out money around a bit in places and try to eat local, buy local and see other things that are less well known. 😊