12 Hidden Vacation Gems Still Waiting to be Discovered
Those looking for authentic experiences are more attracted to hidden vacation gems. They tend to discover a retreat from the tourist crowds for these lesser-known places, with cultural immersions and natural settings.
Often, these destinations facilitate an authentic connection to their environment and people, resulting in memorable and meaningful experiences.
Okanagan Valley, Canada
Many award-winning wines are produced in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. The region’s wines were once rich, sweet, and high-alcohol, but over the past two decades, it has worked to establish a separate identity.
Outdoor activities such as boating on Okanagan Lake, cycling the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, and festivals and farmers markets are popular pastimes in the Okanagan Valley.
Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA
Over 3,500 years ago, Jekyll Island was inhabited. The island was once the hunting, fishing, and shellfish gathering grounds of the Native Americans. Sir Joseph Jekyll was the name given to the island in 1733 when General James Oglethorpe named it after a friend and financier from England.
Many mammals, reptiles, and birds find homes on Jekyll Island. Besides being a turtle sanctuary, the island prohibits artificial beachfront lighting and flashlights for sea turtle hatchlings.
Los Roques, Venezuela
The Los Roques archipelago comprises over 300 islands, cays, and islets in the Caribbean Sea. The island is emerald and turquoise, with white sand, beaches, and coral reefs.
Los Roques National Park and Refuge, also a national park, continues to attract many species of birds, reptiles, and sea mammals. It also includes some of the best-preserved coral formations in the Caribbean.
El Chaltén, Argentina
El Chaltén is located in the Santa Cruz province of Argentina, on the northern edge of Viedma Lake and at the mouth of the Fitz Roy and Las Vueltas rivers. It is about 220 kilometers north of El Calafate.
El Chaltén is an Argentinian trekking capital, a base for climbing glacial lakes and mountainous areas. It is also known for its mountain sports, natural splendor, and beautiful mountain environment.
Colmar, France
The Roman word for dovecote is ‘colmar.’ Some say Colmar’s buildings have a German look with a strong dash of France mixed in. Little Venice is also visitor-friendly, allowing visitors to take a boat ride on the canal, see the old town, and hear the history.
Picos de Europa, Spain
CTTC Bike Tours states that ‘Picos de Europa’ means ‘Peaks of Europe.’ It was named by sailors (who had ostensibly returned from sailing to the Americas) because it was the first sight of Europe they had encountered.
The Picos de Europa mountain range falls in the provinces of Asturias, Cantabria, and León. Visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, paddleboarding, canyoning, and caving in the Picos de Europa.
Jiufen, Taiwan
During the Japanese period, Jiufen was a prosperous gold mining town, but after World War II, the industry could not support itself economically. The town’s name translates to Golden Mountain City.
Despite its popularity, Jiufen is worth a visit. Although it is often crowded, getting lost in the crowd is easy.
Koh Rong, Cambodia
There are islands of Koh Rong off the Cambodian coast: white sand beaches and blue water. There are 23 white-sand beaches and lots of types of marine life, including turtles, sea eagles, and hornbills.
Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda
It’s a serene haven within the terraced hills of southern Uganda’s southwestern Uganda. The sprawl is 22 kilometers long and six kilometers wide at its most wide.
Gorilla Trekking reports that the lake has 29 islands, and one island is called Bucaranuka Island, or upside down island. After a gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, it’s an excellent relaxing place.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Ali ibn Rashid al-Alami founded the town as a military outpost to counter the Portuguese invasion. Chaouen was the name of the city until Moroccan independence in 1956. Now a center for tourism in Morocco, the walls of Chefchaouen are repainted yearly in blue.
Lord Howe Island, Australia
Lord Howe Island is exceptional in beauty and biodiversity, and UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1982. The island has 241 indigenous plant species, 207 bird species, and 1600 insect species.
Savai’i, Samoa
Savai’i is 654 square miles (1,694 square km) with an approximate length of 50 miles (80 km) and a width of 25 miles (40 km) at the widest point. The island is mountainous, with a gently sloping profile comprising a maximum elevation of 6,095 feet (1,858 meters) at Mount Silisili.
It’s covered in rainforests, palm-fringed beaches, and coral reefs around the island.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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