Escape Tourist Hell With These Off-The-Radar Destinations

Venezuela - When Christopher Columbus arrived in Venezuela, he thought he’d encountered heaven on earth. But these days, heaven is having a hard time attracting tourists (only 700,000 people visited the country in 2013, compared with 2.1 million in neighboring Columbia) despite the many natural wonders. Venezuela is home to Angel Falls, the world’s tallest waterfall, as well as over forty national parks. There are mountains, jungles, gorgeous beaches and mysterious ruins. You can find a place to surf, climb, hike, bike, or do just about any other activity you can think of. If you travel with care and you don’t mind having to work a bit harder to put your trip together, Venezuela is a destination you’ll never forget.

Palau - The difficulty of traveling to Palau has to be the only reason it isn’t overrun with tourists. Stretching over 250 islands in the Western Pacific Ocean roughly between Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, Palau is full of natural beauty. Coral reefs are filled with incredibly diverse sea life, including 500-pound giant clams. Scuba dive among reefs, wrecks and caves, wander along remote beaches, or get to know the friendly locals.

Liechtenstein - The world’s sixth smallest country and also one of the richest, Liechtenstein is the only country located entirely inside the Alps. Filled with stunning natural beauty, quaint villages and even the odd castle, it’s a bit pricey but definitely worthwhile if you can afford it. An adventure traveler’s dream, Liechtenstein is great for hiking and biking in the summer, and absolute skiing perfection in the winter.

Dominica - Not to be confused with its neighbor the Dominican Republic, Dominica is a volcanic island that is remarkably undeveloped in a region filled with glitzy tourist spots. What it lacks in white sand beaches and massive resorts, Dominica more than makes up for in untouched areas for trekking, great snorkeling and diving, and sulphur hot springs. Dominica is home to the Waitukubuli National trail, a 185-kilometer trail winding through the most pristine rainforest on the planet.

Northern British Columbia - Maybe it’s not the first place your mind goes when you’re planning a trip, but that is exactly the point. Between the mountains and the ocean, the forests and the wildlife, you will find a lifetime of adventure. Good luck cramming it all into one vacation. Sport fishing, mountain biking, cultural museums, and hiking are just the start of what you will find here.

Make sure that you have your adventure travel insurance ready. There’s nothing wrong with traveling to the same place everyone else does. But there is something special about going to a place where no one you know has been. There’s the sense of adventure, and the fact that you won’t be overwhelmed with other tourists trying to do the same thing you are doing. You’ll have new stories to tell, and people might actually want to look at your vacation photos, since they won’t have been there and done that. The world can feel small, but that’s because we only ever think about small parts of it. Once you start looking, the biggest problem you are going to have is which adventure travel destination to choose.

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