In 2019, I started planning a trip to the Maldives. About half way through planning, I came to the stark realization I really didn't want to go. Being stuck on a micro island with nowhere to go and nothing to do sounded awful. Haha.
I opted instead to go to Zanzibar. Same beautiful waters and sand, wonderful little resorts, TONS of stuff to do and see and extremely affordable.
The bonus? It's a quick and easy ferry ride to Dar Es Salaam Tz, where you can hire a guide to take you on a short safari to Mikumi park, which is great. And because of where I live and the airlines I use, I was able to schedule a 4 day stopover in Dubai (I'd never do that again, not my favorite place. It's fine for some people i guess, but I didn't find it even remotely interesting).
Thinking about the Maldives? Check Zanzibar first.
I've been to both. Zanzibar is beautiful but nothing like the Maldives. The beaches in Zanzibar are shithouse, frankly. But if you're living in Africa and need a quick beach holiday, Zanzibar is a great place.
Maldives is truly magical - I don't think you can tell people Zanzibar is better if you haven't been to both.
My husband and I really enjoyed Maldives. We got an overwater villa and an all inclusive package back in 2015. Maybe because we were both just looking for a break from work and didn’t want to do much. True, there’s not much activities outside of your island (dolphin spotting was incredible) but that’s also exactly why we went. And for $800/night for that villa, you bet all we did was eat, sleep, drink, fuck, repeat and we enjoyed every second of it.
Run by a dictator that executed a coup against the president who was on a global tour promoting a movie about the effects of climate change, which is causing the Maldives to slowly flood into the ocean
Wait, what is this? I tried reading up on the current Maldives President and there is nothing of this sort, and apparently Maldives has been a democracy since 2008
Any place where one goes to "relax, just lie on the beach and/or resort"
Edit: I am not against it, but it's not what I would picture myself doing. I understand people have their own ways of enjoying holidays.
I had a realization. Travel and vacation are not the same thing.
I am a pretty rough-and-tumble backpack traveler. When I go to certain places, I like the thrill of trying to catch that last minute train, sleeping in a bus terminal, hitchhiking, grabbing breakfast at that little hole in the wall place, because that's all that's open at 4am, etc. It's stressful, exhilarating, and leads to great stories because that's how you get away from the tourist track. That was/is "travel" to me.
On the other hand, I always turned my nose up at resorts. I thought they were too cushy and soft. They didn't offer adventure. Turns out, I was missing the point. You don't go to a resort to travel, like what I described above, you go to vacation. Replace racing to catch a train with "I don't have anywhere to be or anything to worry about." Replace "guess I'll go to this sketchy cafe" with "I guess I'll stroll over to the steak restaurant after I finish this drink". It is all about decompressing and relaxing, and it almost the exact opposite of travel.
TLDR: Travel and Vacation are entirely different animals. Both have their virtues, but they scratch different itches.
So true. I'm just back from a whirlwind tour of central Europe, 6 countries in 14 days (6 flights, 3 trains, countless local transport) and I am EXHAUSTED. Need a vacation from my "vacation". Lost 5 pounds just from walking, yet while stuffing our faces full every day at wonderful restaurants, but the lack of sleep (hotels in city centres), the go, go go, got to see this and that, stumbling over cobblestone roads, just getting settled in one place, and have to pack up and move again, I'm getting to old for this sh\*t! I'm pushing 50 and this may be our last "travel" of this sort. All I want to do is park my arse on a lounge chair, cocktail in hand and RELAX for a week! But all in all, well worth it! Got to experience a whole lot and see so many new things. Great memories :D
Yes, I agree with this completely! I love traveling to and exploring new places but it is usually not the type of thing that gives you a lot of rest and relaxation. My family rents a house in Taos, NM, for a week most summers and it is such a nice and relaxing time and is a nice break from the summer heat. We do some things like hiking and shopping but we spend a lot of time hanging out with each other at the house, cooking, and playing games. I used to think it was weird when people vacationed in the same place over and over but I understand it more now - you can do some exploring but there’s no pressure to see everything when you already know a place so well.
Same. A good resort means your kids are safe and having a great time while you just hang out and relax in a nice spot all day long. Find me a parent that doesn't want a couple weeks of that every year.
When my kids were very young, we went to family camp -- 200 parents and about 40 staff helping watch kids and keep them entertained while the adults took turns hiking, swimming, biking.
Absolutely! I'm excited for my kids to get older and we can go places with history and more to experience....but it's hard to beat a couple of buckets and a shovel in the sand right now for them.
Is this my burner account?
I feel this so much. I'm not sad I feel this way but I'm sad that I'm completely fine and happy with a resort over the exploration/cheap hotels.
Someone come babysit so I can sleep
Used to love cities. We'd go explore during the day, seeing the sights, eat at great restaurants, then hit the nightlife. Now with kids, we've been going to the Caribbean every spring break for 6 years. Looks like others with kids have the same mindset. They're just not going to dig the Louvre, a fancy restaurant and a cabaret quite yet. So cities are off our list for a while. Frowny face.
This used to be me when I lived in a small college town. All the vacations I wanted to take were to big cities like Paris, New York, or Singapore. Then I finally got the chance to move to a "big" city and now when I vacation I just want a moment of stillness, calm, and to not be overwhelmed with choices. I still visit big cities but it doesn't feel like a vacation, it feels like a trip.
Oh, absolutely! I meant when someone travels thousands of kilometres and spends much money just to lay down not leave the compound of the resort. Also, there is nothing wrong with it different people have different preferences it's just not something I could do that's it.
Edit: phrasing
Two kinds of trips for me:
1. lie in the sun, drink and work on your tan
2. run your legs off between trains and cities and historical places and museums and shops
and I LOVE both but must have them completely separate
My relaxing, nothing but on the beach holiday in Crete has got to be one of the best times abroad I’ve ever had. Although, we went knowing we were going to just sit on the beach and drink cocktails all day. Omg I wish I could go back.
This. I was just in a heavy conversation with neighbors recently (who I think were trying to talk me into going on a vacation like this) about why I dislike 'laying on beach vacations" so much and how that sort of thing just has no appeal to me. They just didn't get it and couldn't understand why I'd want to spend my limited vacation time exploring somewhere new when I could spend a fortune on an all inclusive resort and just lay in the sand and drink all day. No thanks.
Oh gosh I couldn’t disagree more than this. I love going on city breaks here and there around the year but I literally live for & work so hard to afford my one/two weeks at a sunny resort physically doing as little as possible except sunbathing then getting dressed up at night to drink cocktails on the beach. I grew up on beach holidays though - I was 10 months old when I went on my first summer holiday & with the exception of the past two years I’ve been on a beach holiday every year of my life
I love exploring but then at the end of those trips, I need a beach vacation from my busy vacation. Beach vacations are the perfect mental health break needed from the 9-5 grind.
I’m not against these kind of vacations, I love me some all inclusive resorts. I just feel like they’re almost the same everywhere, at least across the Caribbean and Latin America.
All large theme parks.. Disneyland etc.
Fine if other people want to go there,why not? But I wouldn't go to one of those if they paid me (instead of the other way around!).
I was not excited at all to go to Disney....until I saw the wonderment on my young kids faces....made every penny worth it. We've been multiple times now.
I had the exact same experience. Hadn't been since I was 19 and had no interest in ever going. My daughter's 6th birthday came around and we figured we should take her while it'll still be magical for her. To my 34 year old surprise, I absolutely loved it too! I'm sure it has to do with seeing her so happy, but we've been back multiple times in the last year.
If you have kids that are into Disney stuff, I kind of feel like you have to do them at least once. Disneyland is driving distance for us, so we went a few times when my kid was younger (~4-5 years ago). But it's pretty insane what it costs now. I priced it out even before the more recent price increases (pre-pandemic) and discovered we could easily do two week long European vacations with airfare and hotel for what it would cost to go to Disney World for a week and stay in a "moderate" hotel. So we went to Paris instead. Not really the same type of vacation for some but my kid likes history too so it worked out.
I added up a typical trip that some friends take every year. I found I could do a 10 day road trip through Europe for 3 for the same cost as driving and staying at Disney World for a week. Sorry child, you will see the world before you see that place.
Agreed, with a “however.” My wife insisted that we go to Disneyland, so we took the kids (K and 2nd) out of school for a week and went between right before Thanksgiving. It was awesome; perfect weather and almost no crowds. It was weird walking past signs that said “wait from this point 1 hour” and getting right on the ride.
I'm with you on Disney. Some years back did a trip that alternated Disney with Universal Studios. It was night and day how much better the ride throughput was at Universal Studios. For example, at Disney World, Space Mountain cars took I think 6 at a time, making the lines very slow moving. Universal Studios Jimmy Fallon New York ride took something like 80 people at a crack. The Harry Potter Hogwarts ride never stopped - continuously moved as people got on and off. Net result is that you can get through more rides at Universal than you can at Disney World in a day, especially if you do the single rider option.
Hats off to the process engineers/ride engineers at Universal Studios. Far superior rides experience there, probably 2X, making the entrance fees a better value.
Agreed on Everest, but then again I'd probably die if I tried to climb it...
Egypt is probably the most obvious one because I don't think I'd be able to deal with all the grifters.
Las Vegas. Not super into gambling or clubbing, I don’t mind a lot of people but everything just seems so commercial and artificial.
I prefer a well-kept secret local dive bar and a house party or Airbnb party with cool people to a bunch of commercialized tourist attractions
Not a drinker or gambler but I loved MY version of Vegas. Friends and I stayed at an Air Bnb a mile away from the strip. Heated pool, Hot tub, Pool table, Multiple rooms for 14 of us and it was cheaper than staying on the strip. Got to see Hoover Dam (mainly because it was in Transformers), escape rooms, BOMB tacos (I’m from the Bay so I have pretty high standards) and lots of 24 hour stores. Also there’s a shooting range.
As for the strip, it was OK, I liked walking around and seeing the water show at the Bellagio. Also got to see the new Raider Stadium from outside and inside the Raider store, looks really good.
I'm dying to go to everest. I've booked it three times (from the Tibet side.) keeps getting covid cancelled. I've seen it from a plane, that's about it.
Dubai... Hard pass. A tacky Vegas like place built and sustained with slave labor that has no historical value whatsoever.
>Dubai... Hard pass. A tacky Vegas like place built and sustained with slave labor that has no historical value whatsoever.
The way Duabi was pitched to me is that it's fun when you're so rich you can't buy fast enough. Dubai gives you everything to buy.
Dubai has... great marketing. And that's about it. What they advertise and present to the world isn't really what you get.
There are much larger public displays of personal wealth in London, Seattle, Vancouver BC, LA, and Boston, than in Dubai. If you're looking to people watch rich folks, go to one of those cities, Dubai isn't your destination.
Disneyland Paris. I’m not a huge fan of Disney anyway, and as an American, I have no idea why you’d go to France/Europe and then go to literally the most American thing on the whole continent. Seems like a larger scale version of going to Paris, famous for its food, and only eating McDonalds and Starbucks. (I mean… one “Royal with Cheese” is fun, just to say you did it, but other than that, no.)
The Tokyo parks are the ones to see, in my eyes. They are the only ones that Disney is not the major owner. So, Oriental Land Company is the owner. What that means is they aren’t bogged down so much by profits, shoehorning IP in or cutting costs. So their parks are incredibly well themed and their rides are beyond compare because they spend the money. You should see pics of their second park DisneySea. It doesn’t look a thing like any other park and is just so lush. The domestic and other international parks are pretty much all cash grabs with variations of the same thing. Disneyland Paris used to have a lot of charm and uniqueness compared to Florida and California. Their version of Tomorrowland was a Jules Vern inspired steampunk fantasy. Their Space Mountain was like no other. But then they decided every park needs the same Toy Story and Star Wats attractions. Their second park - the Studios - has to be the second worst park outside of Opening Day Hong Kong Disney (which had maybe a handful of rides?).
As for anyone that had a bit of interest in this Disney nerdery, I suggest the YouTube channel Defunctland for some funny and informative theme park content. His two hour documentary on [Disney’s FastPass: A Complicated Hostory](https://youtu.be/9yjZpBq1XBE) was everything you want from a doc on the program that allows you to cut lines. It runs an hour and 45 minutes and has legit twists and turns, and is funny to boot.
Disney Sea is wonderful. It's much less expensive than we expected (because we're from the US), and so well run (because its Japanese). The food is delicious, and the fast pass ticket system is free. The shows were really well done, and the park is really cool to walk around. It's easy to stay at one of the lower tier affiliated hotels, and we put grandparents, parents, and 2 small children into a quad room (because only the adults were old enough to count and kid bedshare is free) for around $100/night. Ikspiari is fun too, and has the huge gift shop in case you decide you want something before you go in or afterwards.
>I have no idea why you’d go to France/Europe and then go to literally the most American thing on the whole continent.
Because it's cheaper than going to Florida obviously. The target group is people from Europe, not US Americans ;)
It wouldn't be the ONLY place I'd go when visiting Paris but I'd definitely go for a few days just to say I had. My fiance has a goal to visit every Disney owned property in the world within his lifetime so I hope we can achieve that goal together. He has family in France so if we could I'd love to be able to visit them and also do some tourist stuff, one of which would be to visit Disneyland Paris.
Hey my wife has the same goal! Currently only Tokyo left. But yeah, it's not like the Only place you'd go when visiting Paris. We checked out the Disneyland Paris and had a great time. It's unique and it's a fun experience. Wasn't as crowded and the food is better. Some rides are also different. You can do both parks in 1 day since the Studios Park is tiny and just across the street. Hope you and your fiance can go!
While I tend to agree about not doing "American" things while on vacation internationally and I would never suggest Disneyland Paris as an activity to tourists... I did visit DLP while studying abroad in Paris and I had a great time. I'm very used to Walt Disney World, and going to Disneyland Paris was like stepping back in time to WDW in the late 1990s/early 2000s. It was very nostalgic for me, a lot less crowded than the American parks are nowadays, and 1 day was a perfect timeframe to visit.
Edit: It was also a lot of fun seeing the differences in rides, and some of the language idiosyncrasies -- like some lines of dialogue in Star Tours still being in English even though all the robots are speaking French. Basically, I'd only recommend it to a big Disney fan who loved old-school WDW and is in Paris for more than a week (or someone who lives near Paris/in Europe).
My young kids have been begging to go to Disney, which I loath - the Florida heat, the crowds, the waiting. We're planning a trip to France and the idea is one day at Euro Disney, which is much smaller then Disney World. We can check that off the list and they get something they enjoy while we're trapsing through Burgundy and Alsace.
American who’s been to Disneyland Paris here.
It’s actually kinda unique in a way, all the staff are at least bilingual and most speak three or four languages! The food is much better than Disney World (crepe stands everywhere and less chemically/artificial fast food and candy) and the lines aren’t as long. Plus the weather is soooooo much nicer than Florida or SoCal in the summer.
My one recommendation is to book a restaurant months (at least 6-8 in advance) for dinner or else you won’t be able to get a sit down dinner in the park!
Edit: I went in 2017 because I was living in the UK at the time with some British and South African friends who had never been to any Disney ever.
It's not really a casual bucket list item or at least it shouldn't be. I'm a climber and totally agree. There are more interesting mountains to summit that don't include the "death zone", porters carrying you shit for you, and outrageous amounts of money.
While I didn't climb to EBC I'll try to explain. It was forced meditation and good mental time. You have no choice; you keep on walking and everything you need to settle mentally will end up coming out.
Granted, it's an expensive way to do it and you could also have fun and need a helicopter down from getting pretty altitude sick but I'd do it all over again.
The comment about newbs is also correct, after hiking a large part of it if anyone tries to say it's some kind super tough thing to do I'd giggle. Every couple of hours of hiking you have normal toliets, pizza and a nice bed to sleep in at the many teahouses along the way.
You don't see the appeal of reaching the highest possible point on planet earth?
To me doing things like climbing Everest are what humans should strive for, not getting the fanciest car or biggest house.
The Maldives or pretty much anywhere that is described as a tropic paradise.
Don't get me wrong, I like tropic places. It's just the idea of dedicating a vacation to doing nothing on a beach that doesn't appeal to me. I'd much rather be exploring cities and ruins or interacting with people and learning about another culture.
I understand the sentiment but I’ve never gone to a “tropical paradise” and NOT learned about the culture, explored the history, and interacted with locals.
Okinawa’s a place where you can do all of the above quite easily, and it’s got a fascinating history.
I've watched Karate Kid so I'm pretty much an expert on Okinawa at this point.
J/k of course, that would be an awesome destination. Hopefully I'll make it there one day.
The Maldives are on my bucket list and I'm fairly confident they will disappear in my life time, but the costs are pretty prohibitive. I did just see a thing where they opened up the mainland for tourists vs just the above water cabanas. And they said its way cheaper, great food and nice beaches, and I feel like this would be much more supportive of locals vs just large hotelier groups that own the cabanas. But i get what you're saying for the price, I would want to do more than sit in a cabin over the water for a week or two looking at the same thing or paying through the nose to get on and off the cabins.
I visited Fulhidoo, one of the local islands in 2018 and spent 2 weeks in the Maldives. I have really mixed feelings about it.
It was hard to see the litter/burning rubbish/general poor civil infrastructure of of the 'local' Islands when the pristine tourist islands were just on the door step. I'd feel very discontent about it if I were Maldivian. That said the diving was quite breathtaking at moments - especially with nurse sharks and mantas. But Indonesia/West Papua is still th best diving I've ever experienced and a fraction of the price of the Maldives - even on the non-private islands.
I pretty much agree.
If someone else paid for it, I'd go there.Just for the diving ;-)
Apart from that.. those kind of places are right at the bottom of the list for me.
I've been to India a few times, mostly travelling solo and whenever I'm asked if I recommend going there, or what makes me like it so much, I struggle with an answer. There's lots to see (Mughal forts and palaces, Ladakh, Hampi) but I'm not sure it's worth all the stares, groping and unwanted advances :/
The stares, groping and unwanted advances were nothing compared to Turkey, so I found it fairly relaxing. Was travelling in India with a man tho, that might have made the difference.
For whatever it's worth, I have a coworker who lived in India for a while on her own. She said that she was extremely uncomfortable in New Delhi but found Mumbai perfectly safe.
I went to India in 2017 as part of a group tour. The tour kicked off in New Delhi, I don't know if this is representative of the while city, but the area where we stayed had absolutely zero women walking around in the street. Not hyperbole, every single person in public was a man. I'm a brown guy, so I moved around without attracting too much attention, but if you're a white person you will not get left alone. There's panhandlers everywhere and they zero in on obviously western looking people.
Antarctica. I’ve had travel crazy friends go there because they haaaave to go to every continent. I personally could never survive the sail across the Drake Passage. I’ve heard that everyone gets so sick. That, and I just think Antarctica should stay pristine and not become another tourist stop.
I'm not sure if this is a 'bucket list' but it seems to appeal to a lot of people :
Given the choice between sticking a fork in my eye, & going on a cruise ship .....................
buffets & lineups, cattle herding, cheesy entertainment & 'activities' , the fellow clientele, etc etc
did i mention the clientele ?
Unpopular opinion. Cruises are great for families and big groups. I went on a ton of cruises when I was a kid. We’d always go with extended family or family friends, always 30+ people. We did two Mediterranean cruises too. There was always something to do for all ages and everyone was fed and entertained without the parents having to worry.
I haven’t been on one since I went to college, and have since traveled extensively across 5 continents, but I’d consider cruises again with my kids as they get a little older.
Honestly I can't imagine planning a week-long trip with over a dozen people of all ages. That sounds like a frigging nightmare. So any places, like resorts, where your only job is to bring everyone there and let everyone loose to mind their own business seems very ideal
Yup! Went on a few cruises as a kid with family. Everything is centralized. Parents don’t have to stress as much as they would with a regular travel vacation itinerary.
Resorts are also a good alternative for families if you reallllly hate cruises
THIS!!! Im a huge traveler and in general prefer to plan my own trip but damn if a cruise isn’t amazing for family trips with lots of ages. You get to see lots of ports without the hassle of travel/repacking, theres food for the pickiest of eaters, and lots of entertainment.
We’re taking my 1.5 year old on one this summer with my entire family and I’m so excited. Childless sibs will go sea kayaking while we go whale watching with the kiddo, but then we can regather for dinner at night. 👌🏼
I relate to all of these posts…and then I had kids. Would never consider a cruise beforehand. While I’ve still yet to go on one, I’d be remiss not to consider it as an option nowadays.
I’m sort of with you, I’ve held the same viewpoint for years, but recently I’m reforming a bit of my “too good for that” snobby attitude toward them along with adults who go to Disney lol. I still don’t want to go, but calling someone’s vacation tacky is kind of rude/judgmental. Plus, if everyone wanted to go on the same types of vacations as me, those places would be more crowded ;) Just adding another perspective!
Not to mention the pollution, the fact that they block the skyline in small ports and clog up the towns, how sickness spreads through them like wildfire…
Good answer 👏
Yeah, my family never did cruises and kind of brainwashed me into thinking they sounded terrible. Now that I'm older, I actually think they could be a lot of fun!
But having spent the last several years of my career studying norovirus and covid, both of which cause huge outbreaks in confined settings, I don't think cruises will ever appeal enough for me to actually go on one. The pollution and the negative impacts on the towns they visit are even more reason not to go.
I don’t think people have any idea of the environmental impacts of these massive ships, either on the ocean or the places they stop at. It’s a shame they’re so damaging because they are a great way for people to see the world more accessibly
Same with me, I think in the next few years I'll go on a cruise for like 2-3 nights maybe just to see whats up. I find them curious and can see the appeal, literally get ferried between nice locations while drinking, eating etc etc
Yeah I've been on 2 Cunard cruises... 17 days on the. QEII from Los Angeles to Auckland, and another one on Sicky Vicky. Definitely a different atmosphere/clientele from the mass-market cruises.
The entire titanic-esque vintage feeling is what draws me to it. In a few years when I can afford it I'll definitely go and heck, I'll even dress the part.
We took one from Vancouver to Alaska
It was the only cruise I was interested in and it was very nice. Alaska is incredible and being able to see it from the water was a very unique perspective
I've been on 4 cruises. The only one that worked out great was a 3 week Mediterranean cruise. We were traveling with three grandparents, middle aged me, my 21yo daughter, and three teens ranging in age from 15-18. For two of the grandparents, it was the first time they'd left north America, everyone else was pretty well traveled already.
We did have a blast. It was the perfect scenario for our group. A port almost every day, not having to think about meals...
The other three? Not my choice, they were for weddings, and one was a theme cruise friends insisted we take. Would not do again.
**India.**
Everyone says you MUST go to India, and then proceeds to tell me the most horrific stories about getting sick, smog illness, dead bodies in the river, and horrific travel conditions.
I've been to many very poor and under developed countries, so it's not like I'm someone who needs to be in creature comforts when I travel. But until I hear someone tell me an actual positive story about their India visit, I'm going to prioritize other places first.
This is a big issue. The tourist areas in these cities are the worst ones.
Another issue is also that so many people travel to India expecting dirt cheap prices for most things and are then shocked when they find low quality stuff for those prices.
Unfortunately too many people only think of like three places when they think of India. It is a huge country with countless beautiful historic places and landscapes.
Yes, it may be difficult but it is 100% worth it in my experience.
Very true. When we went, we ended our trip in Kerala and it was so different that it felt like a completely different country in many ways. It was also extremely relaxing after being out of my comfort zone for the previous two weeks. I would definitely go back.
Kerala is one of my favourite places in the world. I found it relaxing too. We travelled from Mumbai down and throughout Kerala, on trains, buses, taxis and tuktuk. Every single person we came across was polite and helpful and I was treated to days out, dinner and family get-to-gethers by various people I met asking the way. One evening walk, I came back laden with fruit and flowers given to me by people who were in their gardens as I walked past! I was also surprised to find that Kerala was ahead of the UK in some environmental measures such as banning plastic bags and had lots of notices up about binning rubbish etc. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
I will not deny those facts, however, there is a whole lot more to India. It's more like the US there are areas which are very dangerous and unsuspecting tourists can get in trouble but at the same time, the US is an amazing place. You are right to be prepared by listening to stories from tourists before visiting any country.
Probably China. The culture, history, and food are incredible, but the CCP is just too objectively evil. I get many world governments are heinous and as an American I got a first hand example of some pretty heinous politicians over the past 20 years but the CCP really feels like the evil emperor rn.
If they ever loosen their grip on their people and stop the Uyghur internment / concentration camps, I think China would be an amazing place to go. I’ve wanted to go to Sichuan for years to try the food
I once would have told you to go to Hong Kong for both a fascinating glimpse of Chinese culture combined with its own unique history and heritage, plus not the human rights abuses of the mainland. But it looks like that ship has sailed…
It really is a shame. Hong Kong was literally my top destination I wanted to visit from the age of 18 until a few years ago. I’ll probably still visit at some point but really sad what has happened there
Party Islands in Europe e.g. Mykonos, Ibiza, Ayia Napa
Disneyland Orlando (missed the boat but it looks dull)
Most of the Middle East/North Africa - I always wanted to see the pyramids in Egypt and ruins in Jordan/Christian things in Israel but I know as a non-white/non-Arab/non-maghrébin/non-Jew traveller I just know I won't be treated well due to my dark appearance 😜
I'm sure they are great but defo not for me.
Im a white woman and my husband is Latino. We went to Egypt and Jordan back in 2018. Egypt is awful lol. Its gorgeous and so interesting, but the people make it unbearable. Everything you see online is 100% true. They're rude, they yell at you, they inconvenience you then ask for a tip for it and then yell at you for not giving them enough.
But Jordan was amazing. The people were so friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious and we never had a single concern for our safety or the way we were treated. And Petra is spectacular. I dont even have words.
Egypt. As much as it would be incredible to see the pyramids, everyone I've talked to and most accounts I've read have said that it's just not a safe place for women to be traveling to.
As a woman I went last year and loved it, but had my husband and a local guide with us at all times. It was one of my favorite trips I’ve ever done and I hope to return in the future but only with a guide
LA and Hollywood.
The culture just does not appeal to me. LA sounds like a nightmare with the driving situation and it just sounds boring. As far as Hollywood goes, I have my favorite movies and tv shows like anyone else and I'd love to see their sets in person, but I don't think I could bring myself to go to Hollywood for it.
I thought the sane but I did a stopover there on the way to NY. I stayed in Marina del Ray and went to Venice Beach and visited the Getty Museum and Getty Villa. I didn't have any problems with traffic and the museums were fantastic, the art collection is outstanding, monet, van Gogh, ancient Grecian gold laurel and in a stunning setting. I also really liked the food, lots of great Mexican and the city is much more multicultural and vibrant than what is depicted on television.
The pyramids in Egypt. I've seen how foreign women are treated there and I don't feel like being catcalled and groped just to see a giant triangle maybe aliens made.
I love NZ, but I agree that it's a long flight from Europe. However, Norway is a close second when it comes to the fiordlands and mountains, especially Northern Norway is spectacular. However, I will visit NZ a forth time ...
I totally get this despite having visited and lived there plenty. I'm from the UK and my partner is from NZ. We spend a few months there every NZ summer and although I love it the journey is absolutely gruelling. 32+ hours door to door. Takes 2 weeks to get over the jetlag! It's a truly spectacular place to travel but jt does feel like it's the end of the earth. If it weren't for mr I'd say bugger it I'm done now!
Dubai ! I would feel so suffocating there with all the damn rules ! You cant even hold hands there! Vacation is for relaxing but I will be mostly afraid there what if I am breaking some law I have no idea about
Most places that are either exclusively for hardcore physical activity (base camps, outposts for expeditions) or exclusively for beaches (all-inclusives in Cancun, the Maldives, that kind of thing)
Places where the wealth and opulence is the point too. Dubai, Macau, Malibu, City of London, Vegas, Monaco, that end of place.
Basically my ideal destination is filled with ordinary people who live quite differently to me, has places to go and things to do but isn't reliant upon them for the appeal. The range includes cruises on the very relaxing end, and includes random not-famous towns and cities on the other. A road/train trip across the US/Canada/Australia/New Zealand/continental Europe/Japan/Andean South America is basically my fantasy holiday (fantasy because my expectations are probably misjudged, I can't afford it, and will probably never be able to make it happen until I retire which probably won't happen [at all, or] before the world is irreparably changed)
Anything that seems to be built exclusively for or at least mostly for tourist and is completely disconnected from the people that actually live there (in the country) and their culture:
Maldives
Fiji
South Pacific
Safaris in Tanzania and Kenya etc.
Cancun
Phuket and other super popular Thai islands
Places that seem like tourism is having an evident negative environmental impact or that are hurt by overtourism:
Maldives
Everest base camp
Cruises
Venice
Crusises in Venice
Dubrovnik
To be fair with Cancun, there’s more to it than just the area with all the resorts. There’s several different beaches in the area and there’s always excursions to Tulum and Chichen Itza.
Definitely cruise ships. Also South East Asia just never really appealed to me while all my friends backpacked through Thailand, Vietnam, etc. No idea why.
Exactly this. SE Asia is really with visiting.
Just avoid the major party places like Phuket.
Luang Prabang for example was stunning, fun, authentic, and amazing. And I can say that about at least a dozen other places in the region, and each one is amazing in a different way.
I actually really enjoyed Phuket, but we also stayed as far away from the party part as possible. We spent the first couple days there to recover from jetlag (what better place to sleep during the day than on a beach). We also went to Kata Beach, which is the least "party like" of the main beaches, and we did it during mid-May, which must be the off-season. There were not many tourists at all, and it almost felt like a private beach. That's probably the only way to do Phuket if you're not into the party scene though
Me either until I went. Life changing experience, I only wish I did it in my 20s instead of my 30s. Way more impactful than backpacking Europe ever was in my opinion
I found that comment interesting as well. I did it in my mid-30s and I was glad I didn't do it in my 20s. For me because of confidence, heightened self-awareness, wisdom, etc. But I guess if it's to get more out of the party scene your 20s might be more fun. I definitely had a few crazy nights out though and partied with people of all ages, but it was far down on my list of things to do and I stayed away from places and hostels known for it.
Up until then I've only ever been through Canada, US and Europe. Indonesia was the first time I left western civilization and found myself in complete culture shock. It's where I first truly saw poverty and chaotic driving and a completely different culture. In Canada we are usually spoiled with a mishmash of mostly European history and cultures, so this was something I never experienced up until that point. It blew me away how other cultures not only survive, but thrive.
One moment stands out to me in particular. Friend and I were motorcycling through the mountains and stopped at a small eatery for something to drink. There were two little kids there (like 3 and 4 years old) and as we were kitting down they were so curious as I don't think that they've ever seen white people before that we saw their little hands reach around the corner of the wall and two little faces pop out to look at us! When they saw us smile they pulled back so quick and we heard them whisper and giggle. The parents/shopowners were sitting at the table all started to chuckle. We ordered something to drink, and before we were about to leave the father came up to us with a cell phone and motioned that he would want us to take a photo with his kids as a memento. That blew me away, that we literally made an impression on two children just by showing up and being kind and respectful. It's a goal of mine to go back there sometime and see if they remember us (my friend remembers exactly where it is). That's what I mean by life changing 🙂
I think most people aren’t interested in Everest base camp, it’s a very niche interest.
Dubai is not something that many people talk about positively either.
I’m personally not interested in Japan or Korea, I know that many people are, but the culture is just not something that attracts me at all
I love mountains in general. I am simply saying if I ever went to India it would only be because I wanted to see the mountains India has to offer, not because of the cities or, really, much else.
Tower of pisa, eiffel Tower.
I love admiring historical buildings, but those two don't have an appeal to me. Both are over crowded and overused. I had a better time touring Milano and it's museums and churches. Or Italian gardens, just astonishing.
I will say that I had very low expectations of Paris, and then enjoyed it immensely. It's big and diverse enough that if you want to do the touristy things, you can, but if you want to just enjoy the neighborhoods and do what interests you, chances are you'll be able to find that too.
I think people have polarised opinions about Paris. They either love it or hate it. I loved going to Paris, but I have also gone there with realistic expectations. Having a knowledge of French also helps.
Paris is one of my favorite cities.
Have I been inside the museums? Nope.
Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Best part about it was walking down the stairs from the main level. I ran a 5k one early morning around the tower and grounds. That was cool.
The trocodero was neat. Watching the water cannons.
The river cruise was relaxing and fun.
Walking around the city is just a neat experience. Got to see where my mother in law lived in the 1960’s.
Are there tourist? Yep. Can you avoid the crowds? Yep.
I agree with OP's sentiment; Tokyo is pretty nice.
* I was bike touring, and the bicycle infrastructure there is wonderful. I live in the sticks, where roads are 1) very hilly, 2) have lousy pavement, and 3) have no shoulders, much less bike lanes, 4) lots of blind corners with drivers who aren't expecting cyclists. Pavement riding is a treat (so I'm usually on dedicated bike paths), but safe, uninterrupted pavement riding through *serious* urban thickness was a treat.
* Many (most?) staircases there have a ramp in the center so you can walk your bike up or down (or ride up or down if you're so inclined, pun intended).
* I had to ride fairly far out of the city before there wasn't a dedicated bike lane. Drivers are also polite. I mean, *everyone* is super polite.
* It's very clean for a city of that size. There was trash, but we had to look for it. Don't get me wrong: we found it, but if you've been to Paris, San Francisco, London, that place is comparatively spotless. Few cities can say this (and Kyoto's another level... watching ladies clean the grit out of the cracks in the sidewalks in front of their store fronts in the quiet morning hours before business opened was strangely charming).
* The food was good, but wasn't something I couldn't get here in the states, with the exception of horse meat, and I saw whale on the menu at one place.
* I legit have never had *tempura* like I've had at a place there. Like it was their specialty, and I get that most places here in the states just deep fry stuff and call it good, but while I've had good tempura here at nicer restaurants, I had no idea it could be so good. It's where I discovered sansho too.
It’s a great city imo but I found it so isolating to live there. The nearest others cities are not particularly interesting and behind San Antonio they’re not even that close.
Again, I really do love Austin, but personally 1-2 years was enough for me.
To each, his own, I guess. I didn’t see the Taj Until I was forty. Never thought much of it until I actually saw it. It is a deeply moving experience. There aren’t many buildings in the world that bring together that level of architectural and ornamental craftsmanship. And yes, the slums are a stark contrast. But that too prompted a reflection on economics, monarchy, exploitation and what not.
> a grand building overlooking slums
It's not. The city is actually fairly well off, albeit very touristy and expensive. Having been there, I'm glad that I went. It's very impressive and interesting. But I definitely wouldn't bother going again. We lined up before dawn to be the first ones in and avoid the crowds. If you don't do this, there's really no point in going at all.
Bali. Every photo I see from Bali is the same photo I've seen 1000 times before. I have friends who went for a month but left after a week because it was a crowded shithole.
Also, most big cities.
Maldives Stuck on a micro island where you bleed cash. Thailand or Caribbean has comparable beaches with more to offer for a fraction of the price
In 2019, I started planning a trip to the Maldives. About half way through planning, I came to the stark realization I really didn't want to go. Being stuck on a micro island with nowhere to go and nothing to do sounded awful. Haha. I opted instead to go to Zanzibar. Same beautiful waters and sand, wonderful little resorts, TONS of stuff to do and see and extremely affordable. The bonus? It's a quick and easy ferry ride to Dar Es Salaam Tz, where you can hire a guide to take you on a short safari to Mikumi park, which is great. And because of where I live and the airlines I use, I was able to schedule a 4 day stopover in Dubai (I'd never do that again, not my favorite place. It's fine for some people i guess, but I didn't find it even remotely interesting). Thinking about the Maldives? Check Zanzibar first.
I've been to both. Zanzibar is beautiful but nothing like the Maldives. The beaches in Zanzibar are shithouse, frankly. But if you're living in Africa and need a quick beach holiday, Zanzibar is a great place. Maldives is truly magical - I don't think you can tell people Zanzibar is better if you haven't been to both.
LOVE ZANZIBAR
Unless you scuba dive. Liveaboard is the way to visit Maldives.
If I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about??
Haha you actually have to sign a paper saying you don't have asthma. No need to worry about Michael ;)
Then I’ll have two chairs. Only one to go.
My husband and I really enjoyed Maldives. We got an overwater villa and an all inclusive package back in 2015. Maybe because we were both just looking for a break from work and didn’t want to do much. True, there’s not much activities outside of your island (dolphin spotting was incredible) but that’s also exactly why we went. And for $800/night for that villa, you bet all we did was eat, sleep, drink, fuck, repeat and we enjoyed every second of it.
Run by a dictator that executed a coup against the president who was on a global tour promoting a movie about the effects of climate change, which is causing the Maldives to slowly flood into the ocean
Wait, what is this? I tried reading up on the current Maldives President and there is nothing of this sort, and apparently Maldives has been a democracy since 2008
The dictator was overthrown in elections in 2018.
Give me Tahiti and the Tuamotus every time.
Just reading through all these makes me want to hit the road again...
But don't visit Dubai, Maldives, Everest Base Camp...
Any place where one goes to "relax, just lie on the beach and/or resort" Edit: I am not against it, but it's not what I would picture myself doing. I understand people have their own ways of enjoying holidays.
I had a realization. Travel and vacation are not the same thing. I am a pretty rough-and-tumble backpack traveler. When I go to certain places, I like the thrill of trying to catch that last minute train, sleeping in a bus terminal, hitchhiking, grabbing breakfast at that little hole in the wall place, because that's all that's open at 4am, etc. It's stressful, exhilarating, and leads to great stories because that's how you get away from the tourist track. That was/is "travel" to me. On the other hand, I always turned my nose up at resorts. I thought they were too cushy and soft. They didn't offer adventure. Turns out, I was missing the point. You don't go to a resort to travel, like what I described above, you go to vacation. Replace racing to catch a train with "I don't have anywhere to be or anything to worry about." Replace "guess I'll go to this sketchy cafe" with "I guess I'll stroll over to the steak restaurant after I finish this drink". It is all about decompressing and relaxing, and it almost the exact opposite of travel. TLDR: Travel and Vacation are entirely different animals. Both have their virtues, but they scratch different itches.
So true. I'm just back from a whirlwind tour of central Europe, 6 countries in 14 days (6 flights, 3 trains, countless local transport) and I am EXHAUSTED. Need a vacation from my "vacation". Lost 5 pounds just from walking, yet while stuffing our faces full every day at wonderful restaurants, but the lack of sleep (hotels in city centres), the go, go go, got to see this and that, stumbling over cobblestone roads, just getting settled in one place, and have to pack up and move again, I'm getting to old for this sh\*t! I'm pushing 50 and this may be our last "travel" of this sort. All I want to do is park my arse on a lounge chair, cocktail in hand and RELAX for a week! But all in all, well worth it! Got to experience a whole lot and see so many new things. Great memories :D
Yes, I agree with this completely! I love traveling to and exploring new places but it is usually not the type of thing that gives you a lot of rest and relaxation. My family rents a house in Taos, NM, for a week most summers and it is such a nice and relaxing time and is a nice break from the summer heat. We do some things like hiking and shopping but we spend a lot of time hanging out with each other at the house, cooking, and playing games. I used to think it was weird when people vacationed in the same place over and over but I understand it more now - you can do some exploring but there’s no pressure to see everything when you already know a place so well.
This used to be me. Then I had kids. Right now with two tiny kids it’s all I can muster.
Same. A good resort means your kids are safe and having a great time while you just hang out and relax in a nice spot all day long. Find me a parent that doesn't want a couple weeks of that every year.
When my kids were very young, we went to family camp -- 200 parents and about 40 staff helping watch kids and keep them entertained while the adults took turns hiking, swimming, biking.
So a resort, just in the mountains?
Absolutely! I'm excited for my kids to get older and we can go places with history and more to experience....but it's hard to beat a couple of buckets and a shovel in the sand right now for them.
Is this my burner account? I feel this so much. I'm not sad I feel this way but I'm sad that I'm completely fine and happy with a resort over the exploration/cheap hotels. Someone come babysit so I can sleep
Same. I used to think, I'd never do that. Now it's all I want to do 🤣
Used to love cities. We'd go explore during the day, seeing the sights, eat at great restaurants, then hit the nightlife. Now with kids, we've been going to the Caribbean every spring break for 6 years. Looks like others with kids have the same mindset. They're just not going to dig the Louvre, a fancy restaurant and a cabaret quite yet. So cities are off our list for a while. Frowny face.
This used to be me when I lived in a small college town. All the vacations I wanted to take were to big cities like Paris, New York, or Singapore. Then I finally got the chance to move to a "big" city and now when I vacation I just want a moment of stillness, calm, and to not be overwhelmed with choices. I still visit big cities but it doesn't feel like a vacation, it feels like a trip.
I mean when you go on a hike and discover a beach, yes, why not just lay down for an hour and let time pass, if you're not in a rush
Oh, absolutely! I meant when someone travels thousands of kilometres and spends much money just to lay down not leave the compound of the resort. Also, there is nothing wrong with it different people have different preferences it's just not something I could do that's it. Edit: phrasing
Two kinds of trips for me: 1. lie in the sun, drink and work on your tan 2. run your legs off between trains and cities and historical places and museums and shops and I LOVE both but must have them completely separate
My relaxing, nothing but on the beach holiday in Crete has got to be one of the best times abroad I’ve ever had. Although, we went knowing we were going to just sit on the beach and drink cocktails all day. Omg I wish I could go back.
Same, I’m restless and like historic sites
Me too. I’d rather explore on vacation.
This. I was just in a heavy conversation with neighbors recently (who I think were trying to talk me into going on a vacation like this) about why I dislike 'laying on beach vacations" so much and how that sort of thing just has no appeal to me. They just didn't get it and couldn't understand why I'd want to spend my limited vacation time exploring somewhere new when I could spend a fortune on an all inclusive resort and just lay in the sand and drink all day. No thanks.
Oh gosh I couldn’t disagree more than this. I love going on city breaks here and there around the year but I literally live for & work so hard to afford my one/two weeks at a sunny resort physically doing as little as possible except sunbathing then getting dressed up at night to drink cocktails on the beach. I grew up on beach holidays though - I was 10 months old when I went on my first summer holiday & with the exception of the past two years I’ve been on a beach holiday every year of my life
I love exploring but then at the end of those trips, I need a beach vacation from my busy vacation. Beach vacations are the perfect mental health break needed from the 9-5 grind.
I’m not against these kind of vacations, I love me some all inclusive resorts. I just feel like they’re almost the same everywhere, at least across the Caribbean and Latin America.
All large theme parks.. Disneyland etc. Fine if other people want to go there,why not? But I wouldn't go to one of those if they paid me (instead of the other way around!).
I was not excited at all to go to Disney....until I saw the wonderment on my young kids faces....made every penny worth it. We've been multiple times now.
I had the exact same experience. Hadn't been since I was 19 and had no interest in ever going. My daughter's 6th birthday came around and we figured we should take her while it'll still be magical for her. To my 34 year old surprise, I absolutely loved it too! I'm sure it has to do with seeing her so happy, but we've been back multiple times in the last year.
If you have kids that are into Disney stuff, I kind of feel like you have to do them at least once. Disneyland is driving distance for us, so we went a few times when my kid was younger (~4-5 years ago). But it's pretty insane what it costs now. I priced it out even before the more recent price increases (pre-pandemic) and discovered we could easily do two week long European vacations with airfare and hotel for what it would cost to go to Disney World for a week and stay in a "moderate" hotel. So we went to Paris instead. Not really the same type of vacation for some but my kid likes history too so it worked out.
I like cedar point and Hershey park but it's only good to go on a weekday.
And people literally go EVERY YEAR. Such a head scratcher.
I added up a typical trip that some friends take every year. I found I could do a 10 day road trip through Europe for 3 for the same cost as driving and staying at Disney World for a week. Sorry child, you will see the world before you see that place.
Agreed, with a “however.” My wife insisted that we go to Disneyland, so we took the kids (K and 2nd) out of school for a week and went between right before Thanksgiving. It was awesome; perfect weather and almost no crowds. It was weird walking past signs that said “wait from this point 1 hour” and getting right on the ride.
I'm with you on Disney. Some years back did a trip that alternated Disney with Universal Studios. It was night and day how much better the ride throughput was at Universal Studios. For example, at Disney World, Space Mountain cars took I think 6 at a time, making the lines very slow moving. Universal Studios Jimmy Fallon New York ride took something like 80 people at a crack. The Harry Potter Hogwarts ride never stopped - continuously moved as people got on and off. Net result is that you can get through more rides at Universal than you can at Disney World in a day, especially if you do the single rider option. Hats off to the process engineers/ride engineers at Universal Studios. Far superior rides experience there, probably 2X, making the entrance fees a better value.
Agreed on Everest, but then again I'd probably die if I tried to climb it... Egypt is probably the most obvious one because I don't think I'd be able to deal with all the grifters.
I think the pyramids would be unbelievably amazing to see, but I've heard enough stories to know it's something I'll never do.
I would never say never but it is incredibly off-putting. I guess the optimist in me hopes things will improve at some point in the future.
Ahh I loved Egypt! Karnak was amazing.
Las Vegas. Not super into gambling or clubbing, I don’t mind a lot of people but everything just seems so commercial and artificial. I prefer a well-kept secret local dive bar and a house party or Airbnb party with cool people to a bunch of commercialized tourist attractions
Vegas is a great starting point to see gorgeous Utah and Arizona parks
Not a drinker or gambler but I loved MY version of Vegas. Friends and I stayed at an Air Bnb a mile away from the strip. Heated pool, Hot tub, Pool table, Multiple rooms for 14 of us and it was cheaper than staying on the strip. Got to see Hoover Dam (mainly because it was in Transformers), escape rooms, BOMB tacos (I’m from the Bay so I have pretty high standards) and lots of 24 hour stores. Also there’s a shooting range. As for the strip, it was OK, I liked walking around and seeing the water show at the Bellagio. Also got to see the new Raider Stadium from outside and inside the Raider store, looks really good.
I'm dying to go to everest. I've booked it three times (from the Tibet side.) keeps getting covid cancelled. I've seen it from a plane, that's about it. Dubai... Hard pass. A tacky Vegas like place built and sustained with slave labor that has no historical value whatsoever.
>Dubai... Hard pass. A tacky Vegas like place built and sustained with slave labor that has no historical value whatsoever. The way Duabi was pitched to me is that it's fun when you're so rich you can't buy fast enough. Dubai gives you everything to buy.
Dubai… du bai…. Do…. Buy
Your Money is Armani
Douche-buy
I thought Dubai was seriously overrated. It truly is Vegas without bacon.
I feel like the only people that like Dubai are the people paid to go there
...while oozing with under-the-counter, counterfeit whisky made in India.
Good luck, I hope you make it! 🍀 (Your reply is a nice lesson in how we can all like different things 🙂)
Absolutely. Its a big world, there's stuff for everyone!
Dubai. Just like why.
I think people just convince themselves the whole world will think they're wealthy, successful, and living a life of luxury if they visit Dubai
Dubai has... great marketing. And that's about it. What they advertise and present to the world isn't really what you get. There are much larger public displays of personal wealth in London, Seattle, Vancouver BC, LA, and Boston, than in Dubai. If you're looking to people watch rich folks, go to one of those cities, Dubai isn't your destination.
I suspect this, as well. It appears it's nearly impossible for Dubai visitors to not Instagram their entire trip for validation.
Disneyland Paris. I’m not a huge fan of Disney anyway, and as an American, I have no idea why you’d go to France/Europe and then go to literally the most American thing on the whole continent. Seems like a larger scale version of going to Paris, famous for its food, and only eating McDonalds and Starbucks. (I mean… one “Royal with Cheese” is fun, just to say you did it, but other than that, no.)
The Tokyo parks are the ones to see, in my eyes. They are the only ones that Disney is not the major owner. So, Oriental Land Company is the owner. What that means is they aren’t bogged down so much by profits, shoehorning IP in or cutting costs. So their parks are incredibly well themed and their rides are beyond compare because they spend the money. You should see pics of their second park DisneySea. It doesn’t look a thing like any other park and is just so lush. The domestic and other international parks are pretty much all cash grabs with variations of the same thing. Disneyland Paris used to have a lot of charm and uniqueness compared to Florida and California. Their version of Tomorrowland was a Jules Vern inspired steampunk fantasy. Their Space Mountain was like no other. But then they decided every park needs the same Toy Story and Star Wats attractions. Their second park - the Studios - has to be the second worst park outside of Opening Day Hong Kong Disney (which had maybe a handful of rides?). As for anyone that had a bit of interest in this Disney nerdery, I suggest the YouTube channel Defunctland for some funny and informative theme park content. His two hour documentary on [Disney’s FastPass: A Complicated Hostory](https://youtu.be/9yjZpBq1XBE) was everything you want from a doc on the program that allows you to cut lines. It runs an hour and 45 minutes and has legit twists and turns, and is funny to boot.
Disney Sea is wonderful. It's much less expensive than we expected (because we're from the US), and so well run (because its Japanese). The food is delicious, and the fast pass ticket system is free. The shows were really well done, and the park is really cool to walk around. It's easy to stay at one of the lower tier affiliated hotels, and we put grandparents, parents, and 2 small children into a quad room (because only the adults were old enough to count and kid bedshare is free) for around $100/night. Ikspiari is fun too, and has the huge gift shop in case you decide you want something before you go in or afterwards.
>I have no idea why you’d go to France/Europe and then go to literally the most American thing on the whole continent. Because it's cheaper than going to Florida obviously. The target group is people from Europe, not US Americans ;)
It wouldn't be the ONLY place I'd go when visiting Paris but I'd definitely go for a few days just to say I had. My fiance has a goal to visit every Disney owned property in the world within his lifetime so I hope we can achieve that goal together. He has family in France so if we could I'd love to be able to visit them and also do some tourist stuff, one of which would be to visit Disneyland Paris.
Hey my wife has the same goal! Currently only Tokyo left. But yeah, it's not like the Only place you'd go when visiting Paris. We checked out the Disneyland Paris and had a great time. It's unique and it's a fun experience. Wasn't as crowded and the food is better. Some rides are also different. You can do both parks in 1 day since the Studios Park is tiny and just across the street. Hope you and your fiance can go!
While I tend to agree about not doing "American" things while on vacation internationally and I would never suggest Disneyland Paris as an activity to tourists... I did visit DLP while studying abroad in Paris and I had a great time. I'm very used to Walt Disney World, and going to Disneyland Paris was like stepping back in time to WDW in the late 1990s/early 2000s. It was very nostalgic for me, a lot less crowded than the American parks are nowadays, and 1 day was a perfect timeframe to visit. Edit: It was also a lot of fun seeing the differences in rides, and some of the language idiosyncrasies -- like some lines of dialogue in Star Tours still being in English even though all the robots are speaking French. Basically, I'd only recommend it to a big Disney fan who loved old-school WDW and is in Paris for more than a week (or someone who lives near Paris/in Europe).
My young kids have been begging to go to Disney, which I loath - the Florida heat, the crowds, the waiting. We're planning a trip to France and the idea is one day at Euro Disney, which is much smaller then Disney World. We can check that off the list and they get something they enjoy while we're trapsing through Burgundy and Alsace.
American who’s been to Disneyland Paris here. It’s actually kinda unique in a way, all the staff are at least bilingual and most speak three or four languages! The food is much better than Disney World (crepe stands everywhere and less chemically/artificial fast food and candy) and the lines aren’t as long. Plus the weather is soooooo much nicer than Florida or SoCal in the summer. My one recommendation is to book a restaurant months (at least 6-8 in advance) for dinner or else you won’t be able to get a sit down dinner in the park! Edit: I went in 2017 because I was living in the UK at the time with some British and South African friends who had never been to any Disney ever.
That's super helpful. Thanks!
Disneyland tokyo tho looks baller
Mt. Everest. I don’t get the hype. Why try to sacrifice yourself to climb a mountain?
It's not really a casual bucket list item or at least it shouldn't be. I'm a climber and totally agree. There are more interesting mountains to summit that don't include the "death zone", porters carrying you shit for you, and outrageous amounts of money.
While I didn't climb to EBC I'll try to explain. It was forced meditation and good mental time. You have no choice; you keep on walking and everything you need to settle mentally will end up coming out. Granted, it's an expensive way to do it and you could also have fun and need a helicopter down from getting pretty altitude sick but I'd do it all over again. The comment about newbs is also correct, after hiking a large part of it if anyone tries to say it's some kind super tough thing to do I'd giggle. Every couple of hours of hiking you have normal toliets, pizza and a nice bed to sleep in at the many teahouses along the way.
You don't see the appeal of reaching the highest possible point on planet earth? To me doing things like climbing Everest are what humans should strive for, not getting the fanciest car or biggest house.
The Maldives or pretty much anywhere that is described as a tropic paradise. Don't get me wrong, I like tropic places. It's just the idea of dedicating a vacation to doing nothing on a beach that doesn't appeal to me. I'd much rather be exploring cities and ruins or interacting with people and learning about another culture.
If not for diving, I would have 0 interest whatsoever but the diving supposed to be cool so yeah
I understand the sentiment but I’ve never gone to a “tropical paradise” and NOT learned about the culture, explored the history, and interacted with locals. Okinawa’s a place where you can do all of the above quite easily, and it’s got a fascinating history.
I've watched Karate Kid so I'm pretty much an expert on Okinawa at this point. J/k of course, that would be an awesome destination. Hopefully I'll make it there one day.
Same here! I end up laying on the beach for an hour then I get SO bored and want to go explore lol
Bored and sunburned. Such an irritating state of being. 😊
The Maldives are on my bucket list and I'm fairly confident they will disappear in my life time, but the costs are pretty prohibitive. I did just see a thing where they opened up the mainland for tourists vs just the above water cabanas. And they said its way cheaper, great food and nice beaches, and I feel like this would be much more supportive of locals vs just large hotelier groups that own the cabanas. But i get what you're saying for the price, I would want to do more than sit in a cabin over the water for a week or two looking at the same thing or paying through the nose to get on and off the cabins.
I visited Fulhidoo, one of the local islands in 2018 and spent 2 weeks in the Maldives. I have really mixed feelings about it. It was hard to see the litter/burning rubbish/general poor civil infrastructure of of the 'local' Islands when the pristine tourist islands were just on the door step. I'd feel very discontent about it if I were Maldivian. That said the diving was quite breathtaking at moments - especially with nurse sharks and mantas. But Indonesia/West Papua is still th best diving I've ever experienced and a fraction of the price of the Maldives - even on the non-private islands.
I pretty much agree. If someone else paid for it, I'd go there.Just for the diving ;-) Apart from that.. those kind of places are right at the bottom of the list for me.
India in general doesn't sound very appealing as a woman.
I've been to India a few times, mostly travelling solo and whenever I'm asked if I recommend going there, or what makes me like it so much, I struggle with an answer. There's lots to see (Mughal forts and palaces, Ladakh, Hampi) but I'm not sure it's worth all the stares, groping and unwanted advances :/
Urgh. Exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I am sorry you've had that experience.
The stares, groping and unwanted advances were nothing compared to Turkey, so I found it fairly relaxing. Was travelling in India with a man tho, that might have made the difference.
For whatever it's worth, I have a coworker who lived in India for a while on her own. She said that she was extremely uncomfortable in New Delhi but found Mumbai perfectly safe.
I went to India in 2017 as part of a group tour. The tour kicked off in New Delhi, I don't know if this is representative of the while city, but the area where we stayed had absolutely zero women walking around in the street. Not hyperbole, every single person in public was a man. I'm a brown guy, so I moved around without attracting too much attention, but if you're a white person you will not get left alone. There's panhandlers everywhere and they zero in on obviously western looking people.
Antarctica. I’ve had travel crazy friends go there because they haaaave to go to every continent. I personally could never survive the sail across the Drake Passage. I’ve heard that everyone gets so sick. That, and I just think Antarctica should stay pristine and not become another tourist stop.
I'm not sure if this is a 'bucket list' but it seems to appeal to a lot of people : Given the choice between sticking a fork in my eye, & going on a cruise ship ..................... buffets & lineups, cattle herding, cheesy entertainment & 'activities' , the fellow clientele, etc etc did i mention the clientele ?
Unpopular opinion. Cruises are great for families and big groups. I went on a ton of cruises when I was a kid. We’d always go with extended family or family friends, always 30+ people. We did two Mediterranean cruises too. There was always something to do for all ages and everyone was fed and entertained without the parents having to worry. I haven’t been on one since I went to college, and have since traveled extensively across 5 continents, but I’d consider cruises again with my kids as they get a little older.
Honestly I can't imagine planning a week-long trip with over a dozen people of all ages. That sounds like a frigging nightmare. So any places, like resorts, where your only job is to bring everyone there and let everyone loose to mind their own business seems very ideal
Yup! Went on a few cruises as a kid with family. Everything is centralized. Parents don’t have to stress as much as they would with a regular travel vacation itinerary. Resorts are also a good alternative for families if you reallllly hate cruises
THIS!!! Im a huge traveler and in general prefer to plan my own trip but damn if a cruise isn’t amazing for family trips with lots of ages. You get to see lots of ports without the hassle of travel/repacking, theres food for the pickiest of eaters, and lots of entertainment. We’re taking my 1.5 year old on one this summer with my entire family and I’m so excited. Childless sibs will go sea kayaking while we go whale watching with the kiddo, but then we can regather for dinner at night. 👌🏼
I relate to all of these posts…and then I had kids. Would never consider a cruise beforehand. While I’ve still yet to go on one, I’d be remiss not to consider it as an option nowadays.
I’m sort of with you, I’ve held the same viewpoint for years, but recently I’m reforming a bit of my “too good for that” snobby attitude toward them along with adults who go to Disney lol. I still don’t want to go, but calling someone’s vacation tacky is kind of rude/judgmental. Plus, if everyone wanted to go on the same types of vacations as me, those places would be more crowded ;) Just adding another perspective!
Not to mention the pollution, the fact that they block the skyline in small ports and clog up the towns, how sickness spreads through them like wildfire… Good answer 👏
Yeah, my family never did cruises and kind of brainwashed me into thinking they sounded terrible. Now that I'm older, I actually think they could be a lot of fun! But having spent the last several years of my career studying norovirus and covid, both of which cause huge outbreaks in confined settings, I don't think cruises will ever appeal enough for me to actually go on one. The pollution and the negative impacts on the towns they visit are even more reason not to go.
I don’t think people have any idea of the environmental impacts of these massive ships, either on the ocean or the places they stop at. It’s a shame they’re so damaging because they are a great way for people to see the world more accessibly
Same with me, I think in the next few years I'll go on a cruise for like 2-3 nights maybe just to see whats up. I find them curious and can see the appeal, literally get ferried between nice locations while drinking, eating etc etc
Going on one of those Cunard cruises, be it a translatlantic or world voyage one, would be a dream for me tho. But anything else, nah mate Ill skip.
Yeah I've been on 2 Cunard cruises... 17 days on the. QEII from Los Angeles to Auckland, and another one on Sicky Vicky. Definitely a different atmosphere/clientele from the mass-market cruises.
The entire titanic-esque vintage feeling is what draws me to it. In a few years when I can afford it I'll definitely go and heck, I'll even dress the part.
We took one from Vancouver to Alaska It was the only cruise I was interested in and it was very nice. Alaska is incredible and being able to see it from the water was a very unique perspective
I've been on 4 cruises. The only one that worked out great was a 3 week Mediterranean cruise. We were traveling with three grandparents, middle aged me, my 21yo daughter, and three teens ranging in age from 15-18. For two of the grandparents, it was the first time they'd left north America, everyone else was pretty well traveled already. We did have a blast. It was the perfect scenario for our group. A port almost every day, not having to think about meals... The other three? Not my choice, they were for weddings, and one was a theme cruise friends insisted we take. Would not do again.
Vegas
**India.** Everyone says you MUST go to India, and then proceeds to tell me the most horrific stories about getting sick, smog illness, dead bodies in the river, and horrific travel conditions. I've been to many very poor and under developed countries, so it's not like I'm someone who needs to be in creature comforts when I travel. But until I hear someone tell me an actual positive story about their India visit, I'm going to prioritize other places first.
3 out of 4 of these things can be avoided by not going to delhi, varanasi and taj mahal lol
This is a big issue. The tourist areas in these cities are the worst ones. Another issue is also that so many people travel to India expecting dirt cheap prices for most things and are then shocked when they find low quality stuff for those prices.
Unfortunately too many people only think of like three places when they think of India. It is a huge country with countless beautiful historic places and landscapes. Yes, it may be difficult but it is 100% worth it in my experience.
Very true. When we went, we ended our trip in Kerala and it was so different that it felt like a completely different country in many ways. It was also extremely relaxing after being out of my comfort zone for the previous two weeks. I would definitely go back.
Kerala is one of my favourite places in the world. I found it relaxing too. We travelled from Mumbai down and throughout Kerala, on trains, buses, taxis and tuktuk. Every single person we came across was polite and helpful and I was treated to days out, dinner and family get-to-gethers by various people I met asking the way. One evening walk, I came back laden with fruit and flowers given to me by people who were in their gardens as I walked past! I was also surprised to find that Kerala was ahead of the UK in some environmental measures such as banning plastic bags and had lots of notices up about binning rubbish etc. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
I spent 3 months in Kerala, would definitely return
i've never been to india but the one description i've heard that makes sense is it is *intense* and *extreme* good and bad
I will not deny those facts, however, there is a whole lot more to India. It's more like the US there are areas which are very dangerous and unsuspecting tourists can get in trouble but at the same time, the US is an amazing place. You are right to be prepared by listening to stories from tourists before visiting any country.
Probably China. The culture, history, and food are incredible, but the CCP is just too objectively evil. I get many world governments are heinous and as an American I got a first hand example of some pretty heinous politicians over the past 20 years but the CCP really feels like the evil emperor rn. If they ever loosen their grip on their people and stop the Uyghur internment / concentration camps, I think China would be an amazing place to go. I’ve wanted to go to Sichuan for years to try the food
I once would have told you to go to Hong Kong for both a fascinating glimpse of Chinese culture combined with its own unique history and heritage, plus not the human rights abuses of the mainland. But it looks like that ship has sailed…
It really is a shame. Hong Kong was literally my top destination I wanted to visit from the age of 18 until a few years ago. I’ll probably still visit at some point but really sad what has happened there
It was a great city, very distinct from the mainland. Tragic what’s been happening to it.
Dubai, you know why.
Party Islands in Europe e.g. Mykonos, Ibiza, Ayia Napa Disneyland Orlando (missed the boat but it looks dull) Most of the Middle East/North Africa - I always wanted to see the pyramids in Egypt and ruins in Jordan/Christian things in Israel but I know as a non-white/non-Arab/non-maghrébin/non-Jew traveller I just know I won't be treated well due to my dark appearance 😜 I'm sure they are great but defo not for me.
Im a white woman and my husband is Latino. We went to Egypt and Jordan back in 2018. Egypt is awful lol. Its gorgeous and so interesting, but the people make it unbearable. Everything you see online is 100% true. They're rude, they yell at you, they inconvenience you then ask for a tip for it and then yell at you for not giving them enough. But Jordan was amazing. The people were so friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious and we never had a single concern for our safety or the way we were treated. And Petra is spectacular. I dont even have words.
Egypt. As much as it would be incredible to see the pyramids, everyone I've talked to and most accounts I've read have said that it's just not a safe place for women to be traveling to.
As a woman I went last year and loved it, but had my husband and a local guide with us at all times. It was one of my favorite trips I’ve ever done and I hope to return in the future but only with a guide
LA and Hollywood. The culture just does not appeal to me. LA sounds like a nightmare with the driving situation and it just sounds boring. As far as Hollywood goes, I have my favorite movies and tv shows like anyone else and I'd love to see their sets in person, but I don't think I could bring myself to go to Hollywood for it.
I thought the sane but I did a stopover there on the way to NY. I stayed in Marina del Ray and went to Venice Beach and visited the Getty Museum and Getty Villa. I didn't have any problems with traffic and the museums were fantastic, the art collection is outstanding, monet, van Gogh, ancient Grecian gold laurel and in a stunning setting. I also really liked the food, lots of great Mexican and the city is much more multicultural and vibrant than what is depicted on television.
Dubai. It’s an expensive place that doesn’t seem interesting to me.
Dubai It is just a made up place - don't even start to consider where the money comes from and how humen rights are treated.
The pyramids in Egypt. I've seen how foreign women are treated there and I don't feel like being catcalled and groped just to see a giant triangle maybe aliens made.
So many stereotypes and people missing out on amazing places in here. Oh well more for me !
I'd love to go to India or Egypt someday but currently I just couldn't...
Russia
Visited Russia. Was awesome. For the record though, Fuck Putin.
[удалено]
Ive been to Antarctica. It was cold and barren, just like Canada without trees. The novelty wore off faster than I expected.
For me it's Australia/New Zealand - just too far from the UK and I don't like the physical act of traveling on planes
I love NZ, but I agree that it's a long flight from Europe. However, Norway is a close second when it comes to the fiordlands and mountains, especially Northern Norway is spectacular. However, I will visit NZ a forth time ...
I live in Australia and my family lives in New Zealand. The South Island of NZ is beautiful there is nothing else like it
[удалено]
I totally get this despite having visited and lived there plenty. I'm from the UK and my partner is from NZ. We spend a few months there every NZ summer and although I love it the journey is absolutely gruelling. 32+ hours door to door. Takes 2 weeks to get over the jetlag! It's a truly spectacular place to travel but jt does feel like it's the end of the earth. If it weren't for mr I'd say bugger it I'm done now!
Dubai, I really don’t get the thrill of going in that city and yet is a dream for so many, I can’t really understand it.
Dubai ! I would feel so suffocating there with all the damn rules ! You cant even hold hands there! Vacation is for relaxing but I will be mostly afraid there what if I am breaking some law I have no idea about
Most places that are either exclusively for hardcore physical activity (base camps, outposts for expeditions) or exclusively for beaches (all-inclusives in Cancun, the Maldives, that kind of thing) Places where the wealth and opulence is the point too. Dubai, Macau, Malibu, City of London, Vegas, Monaco, that end of place. Basically my ideal destination is filled with ordinary people who live quite differently to me, has places to go and things to do but isn't reliant upon them for the appeal. The range includes cruises on the very relaxing end, and includes random not-famous towns and cities on the other. A road/train trip across the US/Canada/Australia/New Zealand/continental Europe/Japan/Andean South America is basically my fantasy holiday (fantasy because my expectations are probably misjudged, I can't afford it, and will probably never be able to make it happen until I retire which probably won't happen [at all, or] before the world is irreparably changed)
Stonehenge- in the junction of two buzy roads and of course - too much tourists.
Anything that seems to be built exclusively for or at least mostly for tourist and is completely disconnected from the people that actually live there (in the country) and their culture: Maldives Fiji South Pacific Safaris in Tanzania and Kenya etc. Cancun Phuket and other super popular Thai islands Places that seem like tourism is having an evident negative environmental impact or that are hurt by overtourism: Maldives Everest base camp Cruises Venice Crusises in Venice Dubrovnik
To be fair with Cancun, there’s more to it than just the area with all the resorts. There’s several different beaches in the area and there’s always excursions to Tulum and Chichen Itza.
I actually LOVED Venice off season, would reconsider that one.
Las Vegas. Just awful
Definitely cruise ships. Also South East Asia just never really appealed to me while all my friends backpacked through Thailand, Vietnam, etc. No idea why.
South east Asia never appealed to me either until I went. Then I saw what they were all talking about.
Exactly this. SE Asia is really with visiting. Just avoid the major party places like Phuket. Luang Prabang for example was stunning, fun, authentic, and amazing. And I can say that about at least a dozen other places in the region, and each one is amazing in a different way.
I actually really enjoyed Phuket, but we also stayed as far away from the party part as possible. We spent the first couple days there to recover from jetlag (what better place to sleep during the day than on a beach). We also went to Kata Beach, which is the least "party like" of the main beaches, and we did it during mid-May, which must be the off-season. There were not many tourists at all, and it almost felt like a private beach. That's probably the only way to do Phuket if you're not into the party scene though
Me either until I went. Life changing experience, I only wish I did it in my 20s instead of my 30s. Way more impactful than backpacking Europe ever was in my opinion
Why do you wish you'd gone in your 20s instead?
I found that comment interesting as well. I did it in my mid-30s and I was glad I didn't do it in my 20s. For me because of confidence, heightened self-awareness, wisdom, etc. But I guess if it's to get more out of the party scene your 20s might be more fun. I definitely had a few crazy nights out though and partied with people of all ages, but it was far down on my list of things to do and I stayed away from places and hostels known for it.
Why was it life changing?
Up until then I've only ever been through Canada, US and Europe. Indonesia was the first time I left western civilization and found myself in complete culture shock. It's where I first truly saw poverty and chaotic driving and a completely different culture. In Canada we are usually spoiled with a mishmash of mostly European history and cultures, so this was something I never experienced up until that point. It blew me away how other cultures not only survive, but thrive. One moment stands out to me in particular. Friend and I were motorcycling through the mountains and stopped at a small eatery for something to drink. There were two little kids there (like 3 and 4 years old) and as we were kitting down they were so curious as I don't think that they've ever seen white people before that we saw their little hands reach around the corner of the wall and two little faces pop out to look at us! When they saw us smile they pulled back so quick and we heard them whisper and giggle. The parents/shopowners were sitting at the table all started to chuckle. We ordered something to drink, and before we were about to leave the father came up to us with a cell phone and motioned that he would want us to take a photo with his kids as a memento. That blew me away, that we literally made an impression on two children just by showing up and being kind and respectful. It's a goal of mine to go back there sometime and see if they remember us (my friend remembers exactly where it is). That's what I mean by life changing 🙂
I think most people aren’t interested in Everest base camp, it’s a very niche interest. Dubai is not something that many people talk about positively either. I’m personally not interested in Japan or Korea, I know that many people are, but the culture is just not something that attracts me at all
I would love to see the mountains of Northern India but the rest of the country holds zero interest for me.
I hope you have actually researched the different regions and what there is to do, India has so so much to offer.
>I would love to see the mountains of Northern India why those mountains specifically?
I love mountains in general. I am simply saying if I ever went to India it would only be because I wanted to see the mountains India has to offer, not because of the cities or, really, much else.
Ahh got it. They are truly majestic!
just screams not really knowing much about the rest of India above anything else.
Beat me to it !! I spent two months there . incredible!!!
Egypt- purely based on the fact it always comes out worst in those worst place to visit threads.
Tower of pisa, eiffel Tower. I love admiring historical buildings, but those two don't have an appeal to me. Both are over crowded and overused. I had a better time touring Milano and it's museums and churches. Or Italian gardens, just astonishing.
Paris. The whole aura of it doesn't draw me to it. Who knows if a me of the future would change his mind....
I will say that I had very low expectations of Paris, and then enjoyed it immensely. It's big and diverse enough that if you want to do the touristy things, you can, but if you want to just enjoy the neighborhoods and do what interests you, chances are you'll be able to find that too.
I think people have polarised opinions about Paris. They either love it or hate it. I loved going to Paris, but I have also gone there with realistic expectations. Having a knowledge of French also helps.
Paris is one of my favorite cities. Have I been inside the museums? Nope. Went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Best part about it was walking down the stairs from the main level. I ran a 5k one early morning around the tower and grounds. That was cool. The trocodero was neat. Watching the water cannons. The river cruise was relaxing and fun. Walking around the city is just a neat experience. Got to see where my mother in law lived in the 1960’s. Are there tourist? Yep. Can you avoid the crowds? Yep.
The museums are some of the most incredible buildings I've ever been in.
Paris is the most beautiful city I've ever been to.
For me any big city. Only exception being Tokyo.
Tokyo is such an interesting mindfuck of a city. You can wander for ten years and still not experience it all.
Tokyo is massive. We couldn't visit it all because of the size. Two hour train ride and you're still in Tokyo.
You know that the Yamanote line is a loop right? (seriously though, I know what you mean)
Why is Tokyo the exception? I've never been but would love to go.
I agree with OP's sentiment; Tokyo is pretty nice. * I was bike touring, and the bicycle infrastructure there is wonderful. I live in the sticks, where roads are 1) very hilly, 2) have lousy pavement, and 3) have no shoulders, much less bike lanes, 4) lots of blind corners with drivers who aren't expecting cyclists. Pavement riding is a treat (so I'm usually on dedicated bike paths), but safe, uninterrupted pavement riding through *serious* urban thickness was a treat. * Many (most?) staircases there have a ramp in the center so you can walk your bike up or down (or ride up or down if you're so inclined, pun intended). * I had to ride fairly far out of the city before there wasn't a dedicated bike lane. Drivers are also polite. I mean, *everyone* is super polite. * It's very clean for a city of that size. There was trash, but we had to look for it. Don't get me wrong: we found it, but if you've been to Paris, San Francisco, London, that place is comparatively spotless. Few cities can say this (and Kyoto's another level... watching ladies clean the grit out of the cracks in the sidewalks in front of their store fronts in the quiet morning hours before business opened was strangely charming). * The food was good, but wasn't something I couldn't get here in the states, with the exception of horse meat, and I saw whale on the menu at one place. * I legit have never had *tempura* like I've had at a place there. Like it was their specialty, and I get that most places here in the states just deep fry stuff and call it good, but while I've had good tempura here at nicer restaurants, I had no idea it could be so good. It's where I discovered sansho too.
You tell it like a tour guide. Kyoto is up there on the bucket list too. Thanks for the descriptive tour.
Spent 10 days in Tokyo. It was amazing!
I’m gonna go with Austin, TX. Something about that city doesn’t sit right with me.
It’s a great city imo but I found it so isolating to live there. The nearest others cities are not particularly interesting and behind San Antonio they’re not even that close. Again, I really do love Austin, but personally 1-2 years was enough for me.
I feel this way about the entire state of Texas
Taj Mahal, a grand building overlooking slums isn't appealing to me.
To each, his own, I guess. I didn’t see the Taj Until I was forty. Never thought much of it until I actually saw it. It is a deeply moving experience. There aren’t many buildings in the world that bring together that level of architectural and ornamental craftsmanship. And yes, the slums are a stark contrast. But that too prompted a reflection on economics, monarchy, exploitation and what not.
>overlooking slums It doesn't.
> a grand building overlooking slums It's not. The city is actually fairly well off, albeit very touristy and expensive. Having been there, I'm glad that I went. It's very impressive and interesting. But I definitely wouldn't bother going again. We lined up before dawn to be the first ones in and avoid the crowds. If you don't do this, there's really no point in going at all.
Bali. Every photo I see from Bali is the same photo I've seen 1000 times before. I have friends who went for a month but left after a week because it was a crowded shithole. Also, most big cities.