Interested in visiting a lesser-known country, but not sure which one? You’re in the right place! My personal Best Underrated Countries list might help you decide where to travel next… These countries deserve to be much more touristy than they currently are, because they have much more to offer than we think.
People tend to believe underrated countries are more dangerous. I think I have proved them wrong in my post 10 Reasons to Visit Underrated Countries
10. Dominica
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This is not the Dominican Republic. Dominica is a small Caribbean island country in the heart of the cruise ship and island-hopping zone. It is by far the least touristy and the most beautiful of all the islands! How is it possible? Well, the country is not interested in mass tourism to preserve its natural environment. No joke. That makes it one of the best underrated countries to visit in the world! You could go there, and have all the nature for yourself! Here you can access the photos from my visit.
Dominica is an incredibly mountainous island, a true hiking paradise. That’s why the waterfront is not very accessible, and the country doesn’t have as many beaches. That said, the island is not a favorite choice for families with young children. On the other hand, it’s perfect for people who wanna combine hiking, diving and beach time.
- Activities – hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, freediving
- Price – reasonable – cheaper than Europe, more expensive than SE Asia… Comparable to Argentina, Costa Rica, and Jamaica
- Language – English
- Safety – super safe (5 stars!)
- Keep in mind – many hiking trails are very challenging
- when swimming, which out for medusae and barracudas
- Alternative idea – St Vincent and the Grenadines
9. Togo
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West Africa is significantly greener than the more touristy east (Tanzania, Kenya) or south (Namibia, South Africa). The region is also great for exploring the customs and traditions. Visa requirements for Togo are much easier than in other countries in the region. Also, this is the only West African country where I ran across backpackers. Only a few of them, though. The bottom line is, if 20-year-old students can enjoy Togo, so can you!
- Activities – exploring the customs, traditions, hiking in the tropical rain forest (lakes, waterfalls, etc.)
- Price – cheap
- Language – French
- Safety – the cities at night are sketchy… Here you can learn from my experience
- Keep in mind – any part of the country that has even a tiny bit of tourists will also have scammers/hustlers
- Alternative idea – Benin
8. Honduras
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This Central American country has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, and it’s been like that for at least a decade. Hence, I was very intimidated before my visit. Soon enough, I have learned, gangsters, for the most part, tend to kill only other gangsters. If you’re not on their way, they won’t get in your way either. The gangsters know they can get away with shooting other gangsters. If they hurt a local, they have a much higher chance of getting caught by the police. If they hurt a tourist, the risk to them is even higher.
Understanding how gangs operate can help us understand why Honduras is one of the best underrated countries to visit
The suicides occur in large cities: San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa, and La Ceiba. I had a pleasant stay in all three of them. To stay safe, I just had to stay indoors after 7 pm.
- Activities – beaches, scuba, jungle trek, street markets
- Price – cheap (5 stars!)
- Language – Spanish, and on the Caribbean side, many people speak English
- Safety – safe enough to visit. In the cities, stay inside at night
- Keep in mind – the Bay Islands are not quite as cheap as the mainland
- Alternative idea – El Salvador
7. Eswatini (former Swaziland)
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Most of the people have never heard of Eswatini. This country does get some visitors, thanks to its popular neighbor, South Africa. Very few backpackers, while traveling in South Africa, venture to Eswatini.
So, while traveling in South Africa, I suggest crossing the border to discover one of the world’s best-underrated countries!
Some people might be intimidated by the fact that the ruler is a king with 15 wives. Another bizarre thing is the yearly festival where teenage girls parade breastless. Well, you don’t have to support nudity or polygamy. By visiting this country, you are contributing to a connection with the modern world. Which should result in less nudity and less polygamy.
- Activities – hiking and exploring the culture, festivals
- Price – fairly cheap (cheaper than South Africa)
- Safety – very safe
- Language – English
- Keep in mind – downtown Mbabane has a modern mall, in case you need to get something done
- Alternative idea – Lesotho
6. Guinea-Bissau
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This small West African country has been attracting a handful of European wanderers to the Bissagos archipelago – a group of exotic tropical islands. The two most popular ones are Bubaque and Orango.
It’s a mangrove archipelago. That said, it’s not good for snorkeling or surfing; however, the islands are perfect for experiencing the African village life! The locals are incredibly friendly. It’s an amazing place to relax and experience something new.
- Activities – beaches, kayaking, exploring the village life, customs, and voodoo
- Price – cheap
- Safety – safe
- Language – Portuguese, and many locals speak French
- Keep in mind – visas are expensive
- You can get tricked into the boat price
- Alternative idea – Sierra Leone
5. Mali
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Sahel is a geographical term for the region where the Sahara meets the Jungle. The region is incredibly unique for its landscapes (check out my photo post from Burkina Faso) and culture (Animism and Tuareg Islam). Any serious world traveler should consider exploring this underrated region. I would recommend doing it by visiting Mali.
- Activities – hiking in unique landscapes, street markets, and exploring the unique culture
- Price – cheap
- Safety – Terrorists are present in the remote (up north in the Sahara) parts of the country. In the south, it’s safe
- Language – French is the official language, but not everybody can speak it
- Keep in mind – the police at highway checkpoints will not let you pass through if they think it’s too risky. They are protecting you. As a matter of fact, everybody in the country wants to make sure you stay safe during your stay.
- Alternative idea – Burkina Faso
4. Sierra Leone
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West Africa is full of underrated countries. Sierra Leone is very much aware of its tourist potential, and this YouTube video nicely presents it. Hopefully, my photos can prove the same. The main obstacle to tourism is bureaucracy and corruption. Safety is really not an issue, except when the night falls in the cities. Ebola has been successfully exterminated, and the civil war ended about 25 years ago.
I got to enjoy the peace and serenity of Sierra Leone’s Banana Island. I loved it so much that I got stuck for too long and had no time to see the other interesting parts of the country. Next time…
- Activities – exploring cool small islands, hiking in national parks, great country for meeting locals
- Price – cheap
- Safety – safe, but be careful in Freetown at night
- Language – English
- Keep in mind – visas are expensive, and a lot of supporting documents are required (nothing crazy, but definitely more hustle than usual)
- Alternative idea – Guinea-Bissau
3. Comoros Islands
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I know, I know, we’re still in Africa. Well, I have no choice. The continent is rarely explored and greatly underrated. On my flight from Johannesburg to Comoros, I was absolutely shocked to find only 2 tourists on the plane. How can a tropical paradise not be touristy? Comoros is safe, friendly, easy to fly to, easy to get a visa for, and cheap.
Because of the strong Arabic influence, the culture reminds me of Zanzibar. Except that the Comoros islands are greener and more mountainous. Because the country is “Real Africa”, not a resort country like Seychelles, it does happen that you get to the beach that’s unfortunately full of garbage… But, all it takes is walking away to another beach!
- Activities – beach, snorkeling, hiking, experiencing East African/Arabic culture
- Price – cheap
- Safety – very safe (5 stars)
- Language – French
- Keep in mind – the islands are close to the shore (North Mozambique), but there is no official boat transport (unless you hustle with private boat or cargo.)
- Alternative idea – another Comoros island (there are 3 of them in total)
2. Guyana
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Welcome to the most underrated part of South America! Guyana’s got plenty of variety. Inland, where the Native American population is dominant, you can enjoy Amazon-style jungles or lush savanna landscapes. On the other hand, the coast has more of Black Caribbean culture with Dutch-style canal-digging architecture. The former colonial masters used to bring workers from India – hence the presence of Indian culture, Hindu temples, and Indian food. How can you fit so much variety in a country with a population of less than one million? That’s why, when I hear the word “multicultural”, I think of Guyana.
The only people who visit Guyana are middle-aged nature lovers who pre-book accommodation with one of the Eco-lodges in the middle of nowhere. I really enjoyed my more economical camping/backpacking style visit.
- Activities – the country promotes pricey jungle boat eco-tours, but just hiking and wandering around was more than satisfying for me
- Price – reasonable (not as cheap as countries above)
- Safety – very safe except in the capital, Georgetown, at night
- Language – English
- Keep in mind: because of the low population, inland transport is infrequent. Transport along the coast is normal because that’s where most of the population lives.
- Alternative idea – Suriname
1. Sao Tome I Principe
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In the middle of the Atlantic, along the African coast, there’s a former Portuguese colony that contains 2 paradisiacal islands: São Tomé and Príncipe. Those two islands together make the best, less touristy country to visit. I recommend checking out my Image Gallery from Sao Tome. There is tourism, though, but it’s very minimal.
Empty pristine beaches, quiet exotic treks, and high safety make Tao Tome The Best Underrated country to visit
The country is pretty isolated, which makes it culturally more unique. It almost feels like a continent on its own. Because of the abundance of fresh produce, I had to include São Tomé on my Top 10 – the Best countries for Street Food.
- Activities – beach, snorkeling, hiking in the tropical rain forest, enjoying local food, drinking palm wine!
- Price – cheap except for the online booking of accommodation (use Airbnb or move to a cheaper hotel once you get to the island)
- Safety – the only thing I could think of is a coconut falling on your head
- Language – Portuguese (and nothing else!)
- Keep in mind – Credit cards and ATM cards don’t work on the island, so bring cash!
- Alternative idea – There is absolutely no alternative for this country!
Is there a downside to traveling to underrated countries? There’s gotta be… In this post, I described 10 common challenges in depth.