"Never Again For Us": 22 Travel Destinations That Were Truly Underwhelming, According To Travelers Who Completely Regret Their Time There

Traveling is all about surprises, for better or for worse. And unfortunately, not all destinations can live up to the hype. Every now and then, somewhere you've talked up in your head falls short of your expectations. So, here are some of the places that travelers found seriously underwhelming, according to Redditors and members of the BuzzFeed Community.

1."Dubrovnik. It was the final stop of my two-week trip through Croatia, and it was by far the most touristy place I visited. I had previously stayed in a lot of small towns and rural, less-populated places, so ending my trip in a place that was saturated with so many tour agencies and souvenir shops on every single street was a bit sad. It's still a beautiful place, but it was a bit of a disappointment from the unspoiled city I was envisioning from the scenes of Game of Thrones."

Outdoor plaza with people dining at tables, surrounded by historical buildings and a statue in the center, during evening time
Danny Lehman / Getty Images

2."Cabo San Lucas. There were massive ships blocking the horizon, panhandlers who would stand in front of you so you couldn’t see the ocean, and hordes of people getting in the way at every snorkeling spot. There were beach chairs packed like sardines. I love other parts of Mexico, but Cabo was generally an underwhelming experience."

Cruise ship sailing near rocky cliffs, accompanied by small boats, in open water

—Anonymous

Ed-ni-photo / Getty Images

3."Puerto Rico. It is one place I would not choose to go to again. I was so disappointed to find that it is very, very Americanized there. Most of the restaurants are American type fast food places (Burger King, McDonald, KFC), and you really have to go far inland to find good authentic food and culture. Plus you don’t need to stay more than three days to see everything. Old San Juan is by far one of the best things to see and do on the island, but I did not find anything special about it."

Colorful houses line the coast with a historic fortress in the background
Maremagnum / Getty Images

4."Palawan in the Philippines. It’s constantly called one of the best islands in the world, and judging by the endless stream of crowds, people have caught onto the idea... but I have to disagree. Palawan was alright but definitely overhyped, IMO. The coral reefs were just OK compared to what I've seen elsewhere, it’s overcrowded, the beaches were just fine, and the prices were hardly a bargain."

Boats float on water with limestone cliffs and a coastal town in the background
Paul Biris / Getty Images

5."Santorini was pretty disappointing, in my opinion. I feel like the photos I've seen online must have been photoshopped. I expected beautiful views but ended up having to crop graffiti and dirty buildings from the backgrounds of my pictures. It was also so expensive. The cheapest lunch option I found was a small wrap for 11 euros. It really felt like a tourist trap. Rhodes, on the other hand, was gorgeous and affordable. This island was home to beautiful beaches and old medieval buildings. I would avoid spending much time in Santorini, considering how much more expensive it is than other, equally beautiful Greek islands."

People walking along a narrow path in a scenic, white-walled town with blue domes, typical of Santorini, Greece

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Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images

6."Venice. I know that sounds like blasphemy to some people, but I found it stinky, dirty, and unnecessarily expensive. I was bored within six hours, and I had three days to fill. I ended up traveling out of the city and exploring the lovely surrounding cities and countryside instead of spending my time in Venice."

A crowded bridge with people walking and sightseeing near an ornate building with arches
Michael Duva / Getty Images

7."Disneyworld. My whole family was so excited about this Florida vacation, and we could not wait to get there. But we spent more money than planned (we still can’t even stomach how much we spent), we fought more as a family than we ever had, and we stood in line after line after line. The most fascinating part of the whole vacation was realizing that many people live for this place. The crowds…the prices…the lines. Never again for us."

Crowd walking towards Cinderella Castle at a theme park, with flags waving and detailed architecture visible

—Anonymous

Melvyn Longhurst / Getty Images

8."Mount Rushmore was a complete letdown. We could see it from the car and saw the $20 parking fee to get closer and decided to keep driving. But the Badlands are a little farther down the road, and they are absolutely stunning! Highly recommend if you’re ever nearby."

A crowd of visitors observes Mount Rushmore's carved presidential faces in a natural landscape setting
Owaki / Getty Images

9."Goa, India: People tout Goa as a legendary beach destination, but it really wasn't that great. The beaches themselves were subpar, it was so busy, the water can be polluted, and it's not really the relaxing beach destination you might expect."

Outdoor market under palm trees with stalls displaying colorful clothing and textiles
Darren Robb / Getty Images

10."Egypt. I was so excited to go, but it was the worst place I’ve ever traveled to. Everyone tried to scam me relentlessly, from the airport clerk to the taxi drivers and the pyramids tour guide. People will tell you they recognize you from the day before, and they'll try to get you to ride their donkey and follow you even when you say multiple times that you’re not interested. It was impossible to walk half a block from my hotel to try to buy water without people constantly stopping me trying to get money in some way and some form. It was absolutely exhausting."

A crowd of tourists gathers near the Great Pyramid of Giza, with some riding camels and others walking on a paved area
Xinhua News Agency / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images

11."Antalya, Turkey. This was once a beautiful, ancient city, but it seemed to be ruined by the massive number of tourist traps. During my stay in the city, I had the constant feeling I was going to be ripped off in shops, cafés, and restaurants."

Aerial view of a scenic beach with lounge chairs, blue umbrellas, and people swimming and sunbathing near rocky cliffs and clear water
Nancy Brown / Getty Images

12."Bali. This Indonesian island is still great in many ways, but it is increasingly overrun by obnoxious tourists and expats. I'm talking vapid, entitled influencer (or wannabe influencer) kinds of tourists/expats who wait in long lines to take selfies at historical/spiritual sites that they don't bother to learn anything about."

People relax on colorful bean bags under vibrant umbrellas at a lively beach setting
Irina Marwan / Getty Images

13."The Maldives. Unless you are newly married and want to spend most of your time in bed or wanna do nothing but lay on the beach, you WILL get bored. Don't get me wrong, the islands are beautiful and the beaches are breathtaking, but if you are on a smallish island (most of them are small) with one resort, you will get bored of it pretty quickly unless you are willing to pay big bucks to do activities or just to get drunk."

Tropical overwater bungalow with thatched roof on turquoise ocean water, set against a clear sky
Nurphoto / NurPhoto via Getty Images

14."Geneva, Switzerland. While it was a pretty city, the soul-crushing cost of everything definitely weighed down my experience there. I never expected to pay 24 francs for a hamburger in my life."

Lakeside promenade with a stone railing, colorful flower pots, and a large water fountain spraying into the lake amidst a scenic cityscape and mountains
Stockbym / Getty Images/iStockphoto

15."The Blue Lagoon, Iceland. "I was shocked by how pricey it was for the experience, especially considering most of the public hot baths are free and there are geothermic springs everywhere in Iceland. I felt like I had to check it out, but in the end, it felt like a rip-off."

People enjoying a day at a large natural hot spring with steam rising in the background, surrounded by rocky hills
Matthew Micah Wright / Getty Images

16."Casablanca, Morocco. I think it's the least interesting place in a fascinating country. It felt like a dumpy business district on the coast. Other than one obscenely expensive mosque built by a previous king, there's nothing to see. But the rest of Morocco? It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen. Fez, Essaouira, the High Atlas Mountains, and Marrakesh were all gorgeous."

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, stands by the ocean with a partly cloudy sky backdrop
Sergio Formoso / Getty Images

17."Prague. This might be controversial, but I was underwhelmed. While Prague definitely boasts beautiful architecture, I felt that was pretty much the only draw. There was not much to do there as a tourist. I visited four other countries on the same Eurotrip and had some incredible food, but I found the food in Prague to be very lackluster. In fact, we didn't have a single good meal in three days there. IMO, you don't need much time there because you can see the whole city in 48 hours."

Charles Bridge with snow, statues, and people walking. Prague Castle and cityscape visible in the background. Overcast sky
Maremagnum / Getty Images

18."Cinque Terre, Italy. This one may be controversial, but I found this handful of villages in coastal Liguria to be very boring and overly touristy. All the hiking trails were closed. Either way, it's a day trip at best, and I would recommend visiting the Amalfi Coast over Cinque Terre."

A crowded ferry arrives at a rocky coastal dock, with people disembarking while others wait to board
Marco Bertorello / AFP via Getty Images

19."Paris. I visited for the first time this year, and I don't think 'hated' is the proper word, but Paris definitely didn't blow me away. There are some amazing sites to see there, although most of the buildings are within a few hundred years of creation. Other cities and towns in Europe have much more of their Middle Ages architecture left. For residents of one of the cities in the world that attract the most tourists, the people of Paris do not seem to like outsiders at all. I think they would be perfectly content with only Parisians existing in Paris."

People relaxing and having picnics on a grassy field with the Eiffel Tower in the background on a sunny day
Owen Franken / Getty Images

20."Dubai. It's talked up as one of the best tourist destinations in the world, but when I was there it felt like an amusement park under construction. I felt like I was constantly being shuttled from one tourist trap to another."

Train traveling through a modern city with tall skyscrapers, capturing an urban scene
Muhammad Owais Khan / Getty Images

21."Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. Once you leave Waikiki, there's so much more of the island to explore, with beautiful beaches, good food, and more authentic culture than what you get in this one tiny area."

People walking on a sandy beach lined with palm trees, with buildings in the background and ocean waves nearby
Glowimages / Getty Images/Glowimages RF

22."Monaco. I was in southern France and decided to take a quick bus ride over to Monaco one day because I heard it was like paradise. I was thoroughly disappointed with the place. There was nothing but high-end clothing stores, along with extremely overpriced, terrible food and yacht docks. There was a complete absence of anything interesting. It felt like a place for ultrarich people to sit around and goof off."

Street view with ornate, historic buildings, outdoor café seating, and umbrellas. Lush palm trees and a clear sky in the background

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Andia / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Have you traveled somewhere that left you feeling underwhelmed or disappointed? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.