Originally Posted On: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/underrated-travel-ideas-best-vacations-without-crowds/

12 destinations to add to your travel wish list this year, from the Bahamas to Europe, Australia and Japan.

By now, you’ve already revenge-traveled. Maybe you’ve bucket-listed. You’ve braved the masses in some of the world’s most famous destinations. It’s time for something different.

Maybe the news coming out of the White House has seeped into your subconscious: Greenland, anyone? Panama, perhaps? But if you’re seeking destinations that are outside of the president’s agenda — and are not overwhelmed with fellow visitors — we have a dozen to offer.

For this list, we asked travel industry experts for their favorite less-discovered sites and considered our own interests and travels to come up with fresh, exciting and welcoming spots.

Brasov, Romania

Black Sea over Mediterranean Sea? Romania is a compelling alternative to the classic Western European vacation. A recent trip charmed Carolyn Addison, head of product for the luxury tour operator Black Tomato, with its fascinating history.

She appreciated Bucharest, the capital, for museums such as the Ceausescu Mansion, beautiful Orthodox churches, and the natural beauty of the parks and countryside. She recommends making your home base in Brasov, where visitors love the preserved old town and surrounding Carpathian Mountains.

Don’t miss: Hiking or cycling through the forests of Transylvania, some of Europe’s largest and most pristine ecosystems. For wildlife lovers, Addison suggests going to a “bear hide” — a place to safely watch Carpathian brown bears (and red foxes or boars) in their natural habitat.

Out Islands, Bahamas

In the Bahamian galaxy of islands and cays, 14 are designated Out Islands by the local tourism authority. The group sits “outside” New Providence and Grand Bahama, the heavily touristed, cruise ship parking lots. The Family Islands, as they’re called locally, share an easygoing vibe, strong community spirit and steady diet of conch. But they possess subtle differences, too.

The Exumas, known for pristine beaches and 50 shades of blue water, are “perfect for privacy and natural beauty,” said Mary Jean Tully, founder and chief executive of Tully Luxury Travel. Andros is a “haven for divers, anglers and nature enthusiasts,” she said. Long Island, home of one of the world’s deepest underwater sinkholes, is “ideal for those seeking a quieter escape.” The People-to-People Experience pairs locals with visitors interested in such topics as cuisine or culture. Available on eight Out Islands, the program turns 50 this year.

Don’t miss: On Cat Island, ascend the highest point in the Bahamas, the 206-foot-tall Mount Alvernia. The cherry at the top: the Hermitage, a medieval-style monastery built in 1939, and sweeping 360-degree views.

Salt Lake City

Between “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Utah’s capital city is having an (occasionally scandalous) moment in pop culture. Former resident Laura Barlow, owner of Explore the Magic Travel, said the shows aren’t a reflection of the culture and community — “but they do a really good job of entertaining people.”

Local Murielle Blanchard, a travel designer with Black Pearl Luxury Services, said the city is “booming right now,” praising the arts, music and dining. Those interested in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has its global headquarters downtown, can visit the under-renovation Temple Square grounds, hear the famous Tabernacle Choir or research genealogy at the FamilySearch Library. There’s also an abundance of “dirty soda” shops that provide a coffee alternative; Barlow is a big fan of the Dr Pepper, coconut, vanilla, cream and raspberry concoction at FiiZ.

Despite rules followed by many church members, don’t be surprised by the cocktail bars, coffee shops or thriving LGBTQ+ scene. Several national parks are less than five hours away from the city, but you can take shorter drives to Park City, Big Cottonwood Canyon or Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Don’t miss: A day trip to the Robert Redford-founded Sundance Mountain Resort, about an hour’s drive from the city, for skiing, mountain biking, zip lining or art studio classes, depending on the season.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Tucked in the Ozark Mountains in the northwestern corner of Arkansas, Eureka Springs might be the quirkiest city in the South. Haunted hotels, “hobbit” cave lodgings, hidden “healing” springs and a thriving drag scene are among the many perks that make this LGBTQ+-friendly “mini New Orleans” a must-visit, says Terika L. Haynes, founder and CEO of Dynamite Travel.

The entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its wealth of well-preserved Victorian buildings. Haynes sends travelers to Missy’s White Rabbit Lounge for a good dive bar with live music, and the glass Thorncrown Chapel, designed by E. Fay Jones, who apprenticed under Frank Lloyd Wright.

Don’t miss: Getting out of town for a hike to appreciate the many springs, lakes and historic trails.

Valparaíso, Chile

Visit the urban sprawl of Santiago, and you’ll spend a lot of time looking up; the white-tipped Andes and the Gran Torre Costanera, the tallest skyscraper in South America, are never out of sight. Go west to “Valpo,” and you’ll find equally impressive views peering down at the Pacific from any number of places on the steep, winding hills of Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción. (Watching cargo and navy ships float through the port is particularly soothing from the terrace of Hotel Boutique Acontraluz.)

Other tourists are sure to be about, but there’s plenty of room to roam: cobblestone streets, stairs through parks, funicular stations. Solid pastels paint the colorful houses that aren’t covered in graffiti and murals, teasing the art galleries and workshops behind every other door. There are espresso-slinging cafes, empanada shops and sit-down restaurants for enjoying ceviche or fried hake. If Chilean wine or craft beer doesn’t sound appealing, check out Oui Oui, a cocktail bar run by French expats, to try a riff on a pisco sour with kiwi.

Don’t miss: Ride the Metro from Valparaíso to Viña del Mar to see a “Garden City” with more beachfront and adjacent neighborhoods full of restaurants and hotels. The palms and fountain of Plaza Vergara are a warm welcome, steps from the Viña del Mar station. From there it’s a short walk to Museo Fonck, where you can come face to face with a moai statue from Rapa Nui.

Brisbane, Australia

It might sound odd to feel attached to a place because of cartoon dogs. But for parents across the world, Australia’s third-largest city by population comes to life — in its sun-dappled, subtropical, waterfront glory — on the hit show “Bluey.” A new immersive attraction called Bluey’s World opened there last year, but you can trace the characters’ steps in real life along the South Bank river walk, in New Farm Park or at the Queen Street Mall. “It really does show some of the best of Brisbane in the show,” said Sharon Tidbury, owner of the travel agency Aspire Down Under, which put together a “Bluey”-inspired itinerary.

To experience what she calls the city’s laid-back, “alfresco” vibes, explore restaurants and bars at Howard Smith Wharves under the Story Bridge or tool around by ferry. The city is within easy reach of mountains, rainforests and beaches on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. “You don’t even have to go very far to get a really diverse experience,” said Jessica Taylor, an Australia-focused travel adviser with Audley Travel.

Don’t miss: The Mount Coot-tha Summit Lookout, Brisbane’s highest point, is a few minutes’ drive away from botanic gardens. “It’s just a great spot to get a whole feel of what the whole landscape looks like,” Tidbury said.

Swedish Lapland

Near the top of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Lapland is an Arctic wilderness where you can feel tiny in the boundless nature. The biggest difference between the Finnish and Swedish sides? Large-scale tourism. Finland leans toward it; Sweden veers away from it. “It feels quieter and less commercialized compared to its neighbors,” said Anna Hård, a destination specialist with 50 Degrees North, a Nordic tour company.

In winter darkness or summer’s midnight light, the Arctic region is always a ball of activity. Visitors can ice fish, go reindeer sledding with Indigenous Sámi guides, kayak around Bothnian Bay, hot sauna and cold plunge, or sleep in a treetop UFO or the original Icehotel. For northern lights chasers, Graeme Richardson, a Nordic specialist with Arctic Getaways, recommends Abisko National Park in September or March, when temperatures are milder. He also encourages guests to partake in a local excursion, such as foraging in the forest, cinnamon-bun-baking classes or learning firsthand about the Sámi, the Indigenous people who have long lived in Sápmi.

Don’t miss: Huskies outnumber people in some areas, and the sporty dogs are always game for an adventure. Richardson, who reassures visitors of the animals’ ethical treatment, suggests bundling up for a self-drive sled ride or snowshoe trek with the burly dogs. When the snow melts, switch to a husky-drawn cart or hiking boots. The Swedish Lapland Visitors Board lists a number of operators on its site.

Trancoso, Brazil

The coastal village in Bahia state is wild, but not in the same sense as Rio de Janeiro. “It’s a destination for those who prefer nature and peace,” said Fabia Fuzeti, a Brazilian travel blogger. Another lure: “The sea of Trancoso is not freezing like in Rio!”

Over the past few years, Brazilian celebrities and high-end travelers have descended on Trancoso, but Fuzeti said it has not become an internationally hyped destination. The main plaza, Quadrado, is quaint but engaging, with boutique hotels and shops, charming restaurants serving Bahian specialties, such as acarajé (fried black-eyed pea fritters), moqueca (coconut milk fish stew) or cocada (a traditional dessert), and laid-back beaches, including Praia dos Coqueiros and (a bit farther out) Praia do Espelho and Praia dos Nativos. “These beaches are more serene and secluded compared to Rio’s bustling stretches like Ipanema and Copacabana,” said Tully, of Tully Luxury Travel. Of course, when in Bahia, you must try a caipirinha with a local fruit twist of cupuaçu.

Don’t miss: Kayaking or hiking in Rio do Brasil, a private nature reserve in the Atlantic Rainforest and a habitat for hundreds of species, including capuchin monkeys, giant anteaters, sloths and rare, long-billed Margaretta’s hermit hummingbirds.

Lion’s Head Mountain, Taiwan

Sacred to Taiwanese Buddhists and cherished by hiking enthusiasts, Shitoushan — or Lion’s Head Mountain — is home to a network of trails connecting temples built into cliffs. Travel writer and photographer Chris Schalkx, who goes to Taiwan at least once a year to see family, recommends a side quest to the spiritual mountain region for an off-the-beaten-path adventure. The region also gives travelers an opportunity to learn about Taiwan’s Hakka people and Indigenous Atayal and Saisiyat cultures.

About 60 miles southwest of Taipei, Shitoushan is visited by some people for a day of hiking, but Schalkx vouches for spending the night. At the Taoist Quanhua Temple, for example, “the guesthouse adjoining the temple is very basic,” he said, “but few Taiwanese hotels can match that early-morning view of the valley draped in mist.”

Don’t miss: Hiking to the peak of Lion’s Head by either the Kaishan Temple Trail from Quanhua or the Shishan Historic Trail.

New Brunswick

Wedged between Quebec and Nova Scotia, whose official languages are French and English, respectively, New Brunswick is Canada’s only official bilingual province. With 85 percent of its land forested, however, you might be spending a lot of your trip humming to yourself.

The beaches — considered the warmest saltwater north of Virginia — are equally subdued. “We have these beautiful, long, uncrowded beaches,” said Neil Hodge, the province’s travel media representative. “It’s easy to find privacy and your little piece of heaven.” The expansive nature acts like a switch, extinguishing the light pollution so the constellations can shine at four Dark-Sky Preserves.

For more urban adventures, Saint John, Canada’s oldest incorporated city (1785), packs about 85 independent bars and restaurants into a 10-square-block area by the port. (Cruise ships dock here, but mainly in the fall.) Visitors with a sweet tooth can drop by any of the 100 maple sugar camps, which start tapping in mid-March.

Don’t miss: At the Bay of Fundy, site of the world’s highest tides, you can attend a three-course dinner party on the ocean floor on select dates from June through September at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. Once the tide rises and the dishes are cleared, go kayaking in up to about 50 feet of water.

Nagano prefecture, Japan

After a surge of visitors rocked Japan in 2024, the country seemed to be on the breaking point of overtourism. But leave the well-worn tourist track of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, and you’ll find a different story.

In the center of Japan’s main island, Nagano prefecture (similar to state) may be best known for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1998 and is indeed home to the “Japanese Alps,” a premiere ski destination (or hiking, if you visit when the snow melts). But it also offers vibrant cities, farm-filled countrysides and hot-spring towns devoted to rest and relaxation.

The region is easily accessible by train, or travelers can rent a car and plan a road trip around mountain towns, soba shops, extraordinary inns (like Kanaguya in Shibu Onsen, said to have inspired the bathhouse in Hayao Miyazaki’s film “Spirited Away”) and important temples, like Zenko-ji in the capital.

Don’t miss: Matsumoto, about an hour by train from Nagano City. The second-largest city in the prefecture is much more petite than that title makes it sound, yet it’s brimming with incredible restaurants, tiny cafes serving seasonal pastries, art museums — Yayoi Kusama is from Matsumoto — a miso brewery and one of the country’s best-preserved historic castles.

Zambia

With 20 national parks and 34 game management areas, Zambia is teeming with animals but not too many bipeds dressed in khaki. Though the number of visitors has been ticking upward — the country welcomed about 2 million tourists last year, up from about 1.3 million in 2019, according the Ministry of Tourism — the southern African country does not struggle with the paparazzi-like mobs. “It is truly a wild, wild place,” said Mike Paredes, a safari leader and board president of Dazzle Africa, a U.S.-based tour operator that donates its profits to Zambian community and conservation projects.

Free movement is central to the Zambian experience, the birthplace of the walking safari. (In addition to a guide, Paredes said all walking safaris in South Luangwa must have an armed government scout.) No fences surround the national parks, and in South Luangwa, a government-enforced code of conduct allows only six vehicles at one wildlife-sighting spot. “Even then, you hardly ever see six vehicles,” said Paredes, whose favorite time of the year is the emerald season. From late November through early May, which includes the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, he said, “you have this beautiful wilderness all to yourself.”

Don’t miss: Sunset is a sacred event in Zambia, celebrated with a drink and a moment of reflection. One of the best places for a sundowner is on a boat on the Luangwa River, floating by elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles and hippos bathed in a red-orange glow.