Want to boldly go where no tourists (well, a few) have gone before? TripAdvisor’s emerging holiday destinations will provide the alternative travel inspiration you need.
It’s all very well and good craving a holiday somewhere off the beaten track, but how do you actually go about planning one?
You see, without somewhere receiving enough tourism to be put ‘on the map’ in the first place, how do we know about it, and what the area has to offer?
Well, if you’re keen on being at the forefront of a travel trend and love booking a flight (or train) to somewhere your friends have never heard of, one place to look for wanderlust inspiration is the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
This year’s awards have a whole category dedicated to the alternative travel destinations rising in popularity. That’s right, you won’t find city break favourites like Paris or Amsterdam on here, or even honeymoon destinations like Corfu or South Africa. Instead, expect to unearth some far-flung gems that you may never have even heard of before.
The locations chosen are considered ahead of the curve, and have recently received an influx of activities from “smart travellers” who are already saving to their Trips on Tripadvisor – a great indicator of up and coming hotspots.
The overall winning location on the emerging list is Kaliningrad, which is a very small part of Russia between the Baltic Sea, Poland and Lithuania.
TripAdvisor says this stunning city blends the culture and architecture of eastern Europe and Russia together like nowhere else. Its buildings are adorably twee, many painted in different pastel colours and have lovely views sitting on harbours.
Credit: Unsplash
Second on the list is Saranda in Albania. Although Albania isn’t necessarily the first place that might spring to mind when planning a summer break, this country’s coastline and rugged, natural beauty is something to shout about. Saranda sits between the Ionian Sea and hills of olive groves, on a horseshoe-shaped bay which is edged by beaches and a promenade. What could be dreamier?
If neither of those places tickle your fancy, you can get more inspiration from the full list below:
- Kaliningrad, Russia
- Saranda, Albania
- Beirut, Lebanon
- Luxor, Egypt
- Naoussa, Greece
- Rugen Island, Germany
- Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam
- Monopoli, Italy
- La Paz, Mexico
- Curaçao, Caribbean
Images: Unsplash
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