Frustration, when expectations don’t match reality, is normal. So, it’s not surprising that some tourists are very upset when the city of their dreams turns out to be beautiful only on a patch of 100*100 meters in the center, but otherwise leaves much to be desired. And, in fact, there are a lot of overrated places.
Fun fact: for example, tourists annually spend 44 billion US dollars (3.3% of global spending) in Italy and 61 billion US dollars (4.6% of global spending) in France, while the main locations of these countries (Paris, Naples, Pisa) often disappoint visitors.
Of course, if visiting a particular location is your dream, then we are unlikely to stop you from traveling. However, be aware of the features of this location and be prepared for the fact that the reality is worse than the images from the advertising booklet.
Sihanoukville, Cambodia
This location is quite exotic and is often suggested by travel agencies due to the beautiful views. You can really find beautiful views there, but they will definitely not be as deserted as in the photographs.
An abundance of sleazy homeless people, people offering low-paid child labor (cleaning, cooking, washing cars), and an incredible number of bad tourist bars will definitely not appeal to the average visitor. In addition, aggressive drivers who ignore the rules of the road also bring little pleasure.
Naples, Italy
Naples is about aesthetics and incredible views, right? Maybe, however, most tourists complain about the horror that on the streets — they are littered with garbage, buildings a little further than historical locations are falling apart, and the locals are quite aggressive. There were stories when, at a stop in front of a traffic light, people begin to wash the windshield of a tourist’s car, and if they don’t pay, then there is a risk of getting glass broken.
Isla de Corón, Philippines
Another tourist trap with blue water and huge mossy rocks. We hasten to upset you: the abundance of jellyfish and sand flies on the beaches will quickly degrade your tourism experience here. In addition, the island is teeming with stray dogs, the local cuisine is often replete with pork fat, and housing prices are simply cosmic.
Cairo, Egypt
Visiting the Egyptian pyramids is a pretty popular dream, but be aware that the available tours involve a fairly short stay inside the legendary buildings of Giza. The excursion to the museum lasts only half an hour, although there are just mountains of works of art. There is an incredible queue at the pyramids (are you ready to stay at least an hour in the hot desert sun?), and the time spent inside varies from 3 to 5 minutes.
Pisa, Italy
Pisa and the Leaning Tower… Yes, it’s a legendary tourist spot, but do you really want to go there for one mainstream photo? The fact is that the city itself is not that big, and most of the eating places are quite expensive restaurants, where you need to go in decent clothes, and not in comfy shorts and a T-shirt. And the local beaches are quite small and not very suitable for tourists.
Paris, France
Beautiful architecture, delicious food, and the Eiffel Tower will certainly enchant, but in general, the city has a few critical flaws. First of all, the rubbish — the streets are extremely dirty. There is also social and ethnic segregation in Paris, causing a number of demonstrations that increase the danger in the city. In addition, in public places you cannot wear any religious signs, so be prepared to remove even cross pendants if you do not want to become the object of attention.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Tours to North Korea are quite popular and cost at least $1,000. In exchange for that kind of money, tourists get an incredibly strict and very propaganda-heavy visit that does not reflect anything from the local culture at all. Someone rightly remarked: “A tour to Pyongyang is something like a trip to Nazi Germany to walk along the street and ignore the smell of burning coming from a concentration camp next door.”