Wonderful world attractions that are rarely visited

Off the tourist trail

The world is filled with amazing underrated places and attractions that for one reason or another don’t get the attention – or the number of visitors – they deserve. Sometimes it’s because of civil unrest and government warnings. At other times it’s because a destination is unfashionable or difficult to get to. Sometimes, people just don't know they're there.

Read on for a selection of truly world-class attractions that don't get the love they deserve...

Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia

The Colosseum in Rome remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world with more than four million visitors each year, but there’s another ancient amphitheatre on the other side of the Mediterranean that's equally impressive. The Amphitheatre of El Jem in Tunisia was built in the 3rd century and is considered by some to be even better designed and more elaborate than its counterpart in Rome. With tourism in Tunisia still recovering after terrorist attacks in 2015, you might have this ancient wonder all to yourself.

Chinggis Khaan Equestrian Statue, Mongolia

He's one of the most notorious conquerors in world history, so it's not surprising that Chinggis Khaan (better known as Genghis Khan) has had an enormous 131-foot-high (40m) glistening silver statue erected in his honour. Constructed in 2008 from stainless steel, the statue depicts him astride an equally monstrous steed, gazing out across the epic Mongolian steppes in Tuv Province, 34 miles (54km) from the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Sadly, the statue's remoteness means that visitor numbers don’t reflect its subject's place in history.

Hegra, Saudi Arabia

The ancient rock buildings in Hegra near Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia may remind you of the fabulous ruins of Petra in neighbouring Jordan. They were both hewn from the red sandstone by Nabataean craftsmen, and were both important centres on the international spice route that ran through the region between the 4th and 1st century BC. But while Petra ranks among the most popular attractions in the Middle East and is on many people's bucket lists, Saudi Arabia and its sights are only just properly opening up to international tourism.

The Witches’ Pass, San Marino

Tiny San Marino sits high above vast plains, entirely surrounded by Italy, yet despite its beauty it's often named Europe's least-visited country, alongside Liechtenstein. It is dominated by Mount Titano and the three medieval towers that have long protected this venerable republic. You’ll spot them above you as you drive up the winding road leading into the country, but for a more intimate encounter a walk along the Witches’ Pass is highly recommended. This beautiful path connects the towers and is named after a folk tale about maidens who danced around the fire here on moonlit nights.

Picos de Europa National Park, Spain

The Picos de Europa is a stunning national park in northern Spain that has 40 summits over 8,200 feet (2,500m) high. The local Spaniards appreciate its undeniable charms, but, surprisingly, the jagged peaks, alpine lakes, untouched rural villages and unique mountain cuisine remain relatively unknown to the 85 million international tourists that descend on Spain each year. The mighty Naranjo de Bulnes massif, seen here, is reminiscent of Italy’s Dolomites – but with fewer crowds.

Persepolis, Iran

Iran is not a country on most people’s travel radars. In fact, both the British Foreign Office and the US State Department advise against all travel there. Which means the incredible ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis remain largely without international visitors. The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Persian Empire between roughly 500 and 330 BC, the ruins of the once-mighty temples and delicately carved statues now lie scattered across the bleak plains of Marvdasht, a monument to the might of the city's founder, the king of kings Darius I.

Hsinbyume Pagoda, Myanmar

Another destination on the UK Foreign Office and US State Department no-go lists due to ongoing civil unrest, Myanmar is nonetheless home to some of the world's most extraordinary attractions. These include the Hsinbyume Pagoda on the western bank of the Irrawaddy River near the fabled city of Mandalay. The blindingly white 19th-century complex is set over seven concentric terraces, representing the mountains that rise up to the mythical Mount Meru. There are niches containing secret statues hidden all over the pagoda.

Khor Virap Monastery, Armenia

While neighbouring Georgia has been the darling of tourist hotlists for a few years now, Armenia has remained relatively under the radar. That means medieval gems like the Khor Virap Monastery, perched on a ridge and backed by Mount Ararat (of biblical fame), get very few visitors. Established in 642 AD, its name means 'deep dungeon'. You can still see the pit where Saint Gregory the Illuminator was supposedly imprisoned for 13 years in the early 4th century.

Wandjina cave paintings, Western Australia, Australia

The Kimberley coast in far northwest Western Australia is one of the most remote corners of Australia’s most remote state. A land of rocky islands, soaring red sandstone cliffs and epic ocean waterways, it is also an area of huge importance for the local Aboriginal people. You'll find countless hidden caves here festooned with artworks, like this one in a cave at Raft Point. Painted by the Wandjina in prehistoric times, the striking images represent mythological beings associated with the story of the creation of the world.

Lincoln Cathedral, England, UK

There are more than 40 cathedrals scattered across Britain, each magnificent in their own way. Lincoln Cathedral is surely among the most impressive, a huge Gothic pile first built in 1072 on a hill overlooking the sprawling fens of Lincolnshire. It's also among the least convenient – far from major motorways, poorly served by public transport and overshadowed by more accessible minsters in London, Canterbury and York. But those who make the effort are well-rewarded, and the magnificent building is just across the way from Lincoln Castle, home to a copy of the Magna Carta.

Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA

While huge unruly crowds descend on Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser every year, more intrepid travellers are visiting another thermal phenomenon further south in Nevada instead. This rainbow-coloured geyser on a ranch in Nevada’s Hualapai Geothermal Flats was the result of human error when an energy company drilled in the wrong place in 1964. Over the years minerals from the water have been deposited on the surface, creating multiple cone-shaped openings up to six feet (1.8m) tall.

Pink sand beach, Antigua and Barbuda

This beach on the tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda is the stuff of dreams. Lapped by warm turquoise waters and often completely empty, the patch of pink sand stretches between Spanish and Palmetto Points. The colour is created by millions of tiny shells and is at its most intense between October and January. It’s not easy to reach. The ferries that run six days a week from nearby Antigua are sometimes cancelled because of rough seas, and the tiny airport is served by an equally tiny seven-seater plane.

Caracol, Belize

The ruins of the ancient city of Caracol in Belize rank among the most impressive Mayan sites in Central America – and they're also among the most difficult to reach. Nestled deep within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the west of the country, it lies at the end of a long and bumpy road almost obscured by dense jungle. Considered a gem of the middle Classic period around 600 AD, much of the site remains uncovered, and some preliminary surveys suggest it may even have been bigger than Tikal, the Mayan megacity in Guatemala.

Philosopher’s Path, Japan

The ancient Japanese city of Kyoto is one of the most visited cities in the world with more than 43 million tourists in 2022 alone – that's about 30 times the city's population. It is possible to escape these apocalyptic crowds though. Just 330 feet (100m) north of Eikando in Higashiyama you’ll find the Philosopher’s Path, a contemplative canal-side walkway that leads to Ginkakuji Temple. There are cafes, restaurants, temples and shrines to explore along its length, though be warned that its cherry trees mean it can attract crowds during blossom season.

Iceberg Alley, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta top the Canadian bucket list for most travellers, so smart globe-trotters are heading to the quieter provinces along the country’s gorgeous Atlantic coast. Newfoundland and Labrador is in the bottom three provinces for international visitors, higher only than Prince Edward Island and Nunavut. But every spring and summer it is home to one of the world's most extraordinary sights: giant 10,000-year-old icebergs making their way south after ‘calving’ in Greenland. This photo was taken in Goose Cove, one of the most popular viewing points along the province’s appropriately named Iceberg Alley.

Paricutin, Mexico

One of Mexico’s most extraordinary sights is also one its most difficult to get to. The church of San Juan Parangaricutiro is in the state of Michoacan, and is easy enough to reach in and of itself. But what's left of the church is surrounded by a field of jagged lava after being almost entirely engulfed during a volcanic eruption in 1943. The eruption lasted for nine years and produced Paricutin, one of the world's youngest volcanoes. The site is best viewed on horseback from the nearby village of Angahuan.

GeoSea, Iceland

With volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula causing all kinds of trouble, Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon thermal baths spent parts of 2023 and 2024 closed. This has opened up opportunities for Iceland’s other thermal bath establishments, like Sky Lagoon near the capital Reykjavik. An even more intriguing option is the GeoSea geothermal sea baths in the old northern whaling town of Husavik. The steaming baths here feature naturally heated seawater and stunning views across the Skjalfandi Bay, plus a bar you can swim right up to.

Rainbow Mountains, China

The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have hit tourism in China hard, as the country's foreign visitor numbers are still down more than 60% from pre-pandemic levels. That means even fewer people are making their way out to the Rainbow Mountains in the remote Zhangye National Geopark. Tucked away in Gansu Province in the northwest of the country, the mountains here are made up of colourful layers of sandstone and minerals formed over millions of years. The result is a dazzling display of riotous rainbow colours, especially when the sun is out.

Aitutaki Lagoon, Cook Islands

The Cook Islands in the South Pacific are a long way from anywhere, and the tiny island of Aitutaki is remote even by Cook Islands standards – a bumpy 40-minute flight from the capital Rarotonga. But as you gaze across the stunning turquoise Aitutaki Lagoon you’ll know it was all worth it. The lagoon here is paradise on earth, a place where you can snorkel among brightly coloured fish, laze on sugar-white beaches and feast on seafood, freshly plucked from its crystal-clear waters.

Exploradores Glacier ice caves, Chile

The otherworldly ice caves in the Exploradores Glacier in Chile have always been difficult to reach. Located in Chile’s remote Patagonia region, just getting to the glacier's frontal moraine involved planes, jeeps and a moderately challenging trek. Then, in October 2023, it went from difficult to impossible when a huge chunk of ice fell off the glacier and the government banned visitors from hiking it. Local guides are agitating for the glacier to be reopened, but the future remains uncertain.

Darvaza Gas Crater, Turkmenistan

The Darvaza Gas Crater is a 229-foot-wide (70m) crater in the heart of the Karakum Desert that has been burning since 1971. It's nicknamed 'the Gates of Hell', and on a clear desert night with the stars pressing down and the pit hissing and spitting, you’ll see why. The story goes that Soviet scientists set it on fire to burn off noxious gases after a drilling mishap, and it's been burning ever since. It's easy to see why it's under-touristed – you need a letter of introduction and a local sponsor just to get a Turkmenistan visa.

Dal Lake, India

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state in India and an area of extraordinary natural beauty. The Himalayan foothills, flower-filled meadows and mirrored lakes here have long drawn visitors – particularly hippies in the 1960s and 1970s. Dal Lake is famous for its brightly coloured houseboats, but the whole region has been the centre of a dispute between India and Pakistan ever since Partition in 1947. The resulting unrest is why both the UK Foreign Office and US State Department advise against visiting.

My Son Sanctuary, Vietnam

There’s a well-worn tourist trail in Vietnam that sees most visitors follow the coast between Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south. This covers off most of the country’s iconic sights, but it means that equally worthy attractions like the temples at My Son, about an hour’s drive inland from Hoi An, are comparatively neglected. Nestled in a naturally dramatic setting, the intriguing Hindu temples here date from between the 4th and 13th centuries and are all that remain of the capital of the mysterious Champa civilisation.

Lake Sorvagsvatn, Faroe Islands

Seen from the right angle, Sorvagsvatn Lake in the Faroe Islands looks like it is sitting suspended over the ocean below. It takes a little getting to, as flights to the Faroes are infrequent and expensive (although a new direct flight from London could change that). Once you’re on the right island you’ll need to trek for an hour from Miovagur and then on to the lake’s southern tip to best experience the optical illusion.

Thimphu Tshechu Festival, Bhutan

Wedged high in the Himalayas, the tiny Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan has spent much of its existence cut off from the rest of the world. As a nation it values 'gross national happiness' over anything else, and only opened its doors to tourists on the condition that they pay a daily charge for the privilege. As of August 2023 that charge halved from $200 (£158) to $100 (£79), meaning now is as good a time as any to visit, particularly during September to witness the spectacular masked dancers at the Thimphu Tshechu Festival.

Fingal’s Cave, Scotland, UK

Fingal’s Cave is a mesmerisingly geometric cave on the southwest coast of Staffa, an island of the Inner Hebrides in western Scotland. The cave’s hexagonally jointed basalt columns and arched roof create remarkable natural acoustics that echo the harmonious sound of the swelling ocean waves crashing within it. The cave can only be reached by boat and seen from the sea, but that didn't stop it inspiring Jules Verne, JMW Turner, Felix Mendelssohn and even Pink Floyd, who all created works about it after visiting.

Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Sierra Leone

For many years Sierra Leone was known as the land of diamonds. But after a historic visit by primatologist Jane Goodall in 2019, the chimpanzee was declared the national animal and subsequently the new face of tourism in the country. That's not to say that Sierra Leone is exactly on the tourist map, but when it is, the 100-acre Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, right on the edge of Freetown, should be your first stop. Here chimps rescued from around the country are rehabilitated, gently re-socialised and then left to roam free.

Aral Sea, Kazakhstan

The Aral Sea in the former Soviet Union was once the fourth largest lake in the world. But when the Soviet government diverted the rivers that fed it to irrigate cotton farms in 1960, the Aral Sea began to shrink dramatically, leaving vessels stranded where they once docked. This ecological disaster has created an unlikely tourist attraction, albeit one that is challenging to properly experience, considering the lake once covered a staggering 26,300 square miles (68,000sq km).

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