10 Best Underrated Countries to visit

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 a lot more touristy then they currently are, because they have a lot more to offer then 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

TDI: 3    What's this?

This is not Dominican Republic. Dominica is a small Caribbean island in the heart of the cruise ship/island hopping zone. It is by far the most beautiful and the least touristy from all of the islands! How is it possible? Well, the country is not interested in mass tourism in order to preserve its nature. 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 being said, the island is not a favorite pick for families with small children. On the other hand, it’s perfect for people that wanna combine hiking and beaches.

• Activities – hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, freediving
• Price – reasonable – cheaper than Europe, more expensive than SE Asia… Comparable to Argentina, Costa Rica, Jamaica
• Language – English
• Safety – super safe (5 stars!)
• Keep in mind – many hiking trails are very challenging
  • when swimming, which out for medusas and barracudas
• Alternative idea – St Vincent and the Grenadines

9. Togo

TDI: 1-2    What's this?

West Africa is significantly more green then 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 a lot easier than in other countries in the area. 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 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

TDI: 2   What's this?

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 kill other gangsters only. If you’re not on their way, they won’t get into your way either. The gangsters know they can get away by shooting other gangsters. If they hurt a local, they have a lot more chances of getting caught by the police. If they hurt a tourist, the risk is even higher for them.

Understanding how gangs operate can help us understand why is Honduras 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. In order 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)

TDI: 2    What's this?

This country does get some tourists, thanks to its popular neighbors, South Africa. However, most of the people have never heard of Eswatini. The thing is, South Africa is a pretty developed country. Other than safaris and exotic landscapes, it can feel more like Europe or the USA. So, while traveling South Africa, I suggest jumping across the border and discovering one of the best underrated countries in the world!

Some people might get intimidated by the fact the ruler is the king that has 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

TDI: 1    What's this?

This small west African country has been attracting a handful of European wanderers to Bissagos archipelago – a group of exotic tropical islands. The two most popular ones are Bubaque and Orango.

It’s a mangrove archipelago. That said, 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, also many locals speak French
• Keep in mind – visas are expensive
  • you can get tricked for the boat price
• Alternative idea – Sierra Leone

5. Mali

TDI: 1    What's this?

Sahel is a geographical term for the region where 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 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. On the south, it’s safe
• Language – French is official, 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

TDI: 1    What's this?

West Africa is full of underrated countries. Sierra Leone is very much aware of its tourist potential and this Youtube video nicely presents it. My photos can hopefully prove the same. The main obstacle for tourism is bureaucracy and corruption. Safety is really not an issue. Ebola has been successfully exterminated and the civil war has ended 20 years ago.

I got to enjoy the peace and serenity of Sierra Leone’s Banana Island. I loved it so much 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 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 then usual)
• Alternative idea – Guinea Bissau

3. Comoros Islands

TDI: 1   What's this?

I know, I know, we’re still in Africa. Well, I have no choice. The continent is unexplored and greatly underrated. On my flight from Johannesburg to Comoros, I was absolutely shocked there were 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 and it’s cheap.

Because of the strong Arabic influence, the culture reminds me of Zanzibar. Except, the Comoros islands are greener, more mountainous, and, of course, whey underrated! 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, hey, just go to another beach!

• Activities – beach, snorkeling, hiking, experiencing east African/Arabic culture
• Price – cheap
• Safety – very safe (5 star)
• 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’s 3 of them in total)

2. Guyana

TDI: 2    What's this?

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 landscape. 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 the workers from India – hence the presence of Indian culture – Hindu temples and Indian food. How can you fit so much variety in the country of population less than one million? That’s why, when I hear the word “multicultural”, I think of Guyana.

The only people that visit Guyana are middle-aged nature lovers that 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, just hiking and wandering around was more than satisfying for me
• Price – reasonable (not as cheap as countries above)
• Safety – very safe except the capital, Georgetown, at night
• Language – English
• Keep in mind – Because of the low population, inland transport is not frequent. The transport on the coast is normal because that’s where most of the population lives.
• Alternative idea – Suriname

1. Sao Tome I Principe

TDI: 2    What's this?

In the middle of the Atlantic African coast, there’s a former Portuguese colony that contains 2 paradise islands: Sao Tome, and Principe. 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 makes 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 food produce, I had to include Sao Tome on my Top 10 – the Best countries for Street Food.

• Activities – beach, snorkeling, hiking tropical rain forest, enjoying local food, drinking palm wine!
• Price – cheap except 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 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 in traveling underrated countries? There’s gotta be… In this post, I described in depth 10 Common Challenges.

Bonus – Potentially Best Underrated Countries (I am looking forward to visiting one day)

• Pakistan – My traveling friend Guilherme Canever told me amazing stories about this country. He has also posted about it here.
• Papua New Guinea – The country with the largest number of tribes, different languages, and active volcanoes in the world.
• Nauru – It seems to be the least touristy Pacific island country. I wonder why…

Do you have your list of Best Underrated Countries? Share with us in the comments below.