There are the showstopping, see-before-you-die cities and resorts and then there are the crowds, the expense and the feeling of seen-it, done-it and could-have-done-without-it…
Read on for Cheapflights’ take on some great alternative vacation destinations for this summer — places that will give you more for less.
Oman not Dubai
Dubai has the glitz and the glamor – the Las Vegas factor – but in Oman you’ll find a more authentic vacation experience. The Arab world’s oldest independent state has a clutch of influences – Arabian of course but Indian and African too.
This former trading empire has a vast desert landscape, towering mountains and a stunning 1,240-mile stretch of Indian Ocean coastline that glimmers with marine life.
Turtles lay their eggs on the beaches at Ras al Hadd, Ras Al Junayz and Masirah Island. Dolphin-watching (from Fahal Island) and dhow cruises through Musandam’s fjords are very popular with families.
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Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, not the Mayan Peninsula, Mexico
The Mayan Peninsula guarantees sun and fun but Costa Rica – “rich coast” in Spanish – has plenty of treasures of its own. This diverse country – in nature, culture and scenery – is a peaceful slice of heaven and Costa Ricans are determined to keep it that way.
Among the jewels of the Pacific Coast are surfing and diving spot Tamarindo, world-famous Witch’s Rock and Ollie’s Point within Parque Nacional Santa Rosa.
Corcovado National Park, on the Osa Peninsula in the southwest, is the jewel in Costa Rica’s crown. Considered “the most biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity” by “National Geographic,” it’s home to some of the rarest animals in the world.
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Bolivia not Brazil
Brazil is on everyone’s radar these days. It will host the World Cup in 2014 and Rio de Janeiro will host the Olympics in 2016. It does have the Amazon Rainforest of course but so do nine other countries.
Bolivia also boasts Potosí, the world’s highest city at 13,420 feet and Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest lake at 12,467 feet, Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, the most visited protected area in the country and the stunning Salar de Uyuni (salt flats).
And it’s one of the cheapest destinations in South America so visiting the Amazon will not be as pricey as if you visited in Brazil.
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The Baltic Coast not Bavaria, Germany
Bavaria is the land of fairytale castles, show-stopping beer festivals and heart-stopping food, swooping forests, towering mountains and roiling rivers. Precisely what draws hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year.
However, in the north of the country, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has the World Heritage towns, fairytale castles and white-sandy beaches. Don’t let the words “North Sea” put you off.
The Baltic is calmer, expansive and empty. Family-friendly spots include Rügen, Germany’s biggest island, Juist (you need to take a ferry, or a seven-minute plane ride to get there) and Warnemünde, part of Rostock.
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Korcula not Corfu
We’ve been going to Corfu for a long time; it’s one of the original package-holiday destinations. This green little island has some very popular tourist resorts that are thronged between Easter and October.
If you want the sun and sea and fewer people to share it with, go to Korcula. This Croatian island (legend has it that Marco Polo, the explorer, was born here) is a sleepy place of pine forests and secluded small beaches.
Plus, there’s a stunning walled town to explore, much less busy than cruise-ship favorite Dubrovnik. It’s also cheaper than Eurozone countries right now (Croatia will join the European Union on July 1).
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Gambia not the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands are hugely popular year round with the sun-starved and wind-chilled, but fly a little farther – just 90 minutes from the U.K. – and find guaranteed sun and sandy beaches in Gambia.
The resorts of Kololi, Kotu, Fajara and Bakau on the Atlantic Coast are most popular with visitors. The wildlife in Bijilo Forest Park and the Abuko Nature Reserve is amazing too for those who want to do a little more than laze on the beach.
Finally, it’s a cheaper option ($1.50 buys around 50 Dalasi) than the Canaries where $1.50 will buy you a little more than one euro.
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Patara not Ölü Deniz, Turkey
Ölü Deniz on the Turquoise Coast boasts one of Turkey’s most popular beaches and it’s packed during the season with happy families on all-inclusive vacations. If you want to bask on a beach where the beach umbrellas are more than inches apart, Patara – about a 90-minute drive from Ölü Deniz and a few miles from Kalkan (a popular, small resort) – has a stretch of sand that is quiet and unspoiled.
So unspoiled is this beach that the endangered loggerhead turtle nests here. No high-rise hotels crowd this beach — it’s backed by dunes and marshland and accommodations veer toward low-rise hotels and pensions.
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Canyonlands not the Grand Canyon
It’s a showstopper; there’s no denying that, but, unbelievable as it sounds, the Grand Canyon gets busy!
Canyonlands in Utah has been carved into a labyrinth of canyons, buttes and mesas by the architect of the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River, as well as the Green River and their tributaries.
There are more trails and accessible places to explore here and the views are breathtaking.
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Budapest not Paris
Budapest is already nicknamed the Paris of the East and, if you’re looking for the glamor and stateliness of Paris and Vienna without the hefty Euro price tag (Hungary uses the forint), this is the place.
The Hungarian capital is divided into two by the River Danube. Most visitors go to Buda, the ancient, wooded and hilly district, and Pest is home to the Inner City, the Hungarian Parliament, Heroes’ Square and Andrássy Avenue.
One of the great pleasures of Budapest is relaxing in the thermal baths such as Szechenyi or Kiraly Bath, which dates from the 16th century.
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Orakei Korako not Rotorua, New Zealand
The power of Inner Earth in Middle Earth, Rotorua is one of New Zealand’s most popular destinations, attracting visitors for more than a century. If you want a thermal wonderland with fewer visitors, the Hidden Valley – you can only get there by boat – might just be a better bet.
Orakei Korako is situated 45 minutes south of Rotorua (and 25 minutes North of Taupo) and its geysers gush, springs soar into the sky and mud pools bubble tirelessly. The silica terraces are beautiful with romantic names such as Emerald (the largest of its kind in New Zealand), Rainbow, Cascade and Golden Fleece.
Travel bible “Lonely Planet” proclaimed Orakei Korako “possibly the best thermal area left in New Zealand.”
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(Featured image: mattk1979)
