Underrated places to visit

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

gypsy79 wrote: »

I was in Cali, Medellin, Cartagena (and all the surrounds including lost city) and Bogota. I didn't hate it but I was just very underwhelmed. I found it very European. Before I had kids I used take 4-6 weeks off every year so I would consider myself pretty well travelled. 80 ish countries. I could just never fall in love with South or Central America. I think Guatemala was my favourite country in the area

The South America trip was 5 months as a honeymoon

Remember I brought my current wife on our first holiday to a part of DRC 6 weeks after a ceasefire was declared. Not a normal traveller

It's very true that Colombia is a lot more European than people generally realise. It doesn't have much of a distinct indigenous culture compared to somewhere like Peru, although the African influence is very noticiable in parts.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Portumna is a gorgeous little town that just seems unloved and in need of some ambition. Like the community realise what they have but don’t know how to deliver it. Needs a new hotel as well.

Lough Derg, the forest park, marina, an amazing gem of a golf course, the hills, horse riding etc.

Portumna forest park is where I take the dogs for their walk, lovely little spot.

I see they're trying now to market the lake as the Lake Como of Ireland, which is more than a stretch, but it is indeed a nice, hidden gem. When I was a teenager here, I couldn't get out of the place fast enough. These days there's nowhere in the world I'd rather live.

All we need now is a Fungie or a mythical lake monster, but the Scots have that market well cornered.

PeggyShippen

gypsy79 wrote: »

I was in Cali, Medellin, Cartagena (and all the surrounds including lost city) and Bogota. I didn't hate it but I was just very underwhelmed. I found it very European. Before I had kids I used take 4-6 weeks off every year so I would consider myself pretty well travelled. 80 ish countries. I could just never fall in love with South or Central America. I think Guatemala was my favourite country in the area

The South America trip was 5 months as a honeymoon

Remember I brought my current wife on our first holiday to a part of DRC 6 weeks after a ceasefire was declared. Not a normal traveller

You must not like good looking women if you didn't like Colombia. I do get how it's European in feel. To be honest that more western a countries outlook or feel is...the more I like it.. Thats not to take away from the exotic stuff.. I haven't been in Central Africa . Id like to go to the Caucasis at some point..

gypsy79

PeggyShippen wrote: »

You must not like good looking women if you didn't like Colombia. I do get how it's European in feel. To be honest that more western a countries outlook or feel is...the more I like it.. Thats not to take away from the exotic stuff.. I haven't been in Central Africa . Id like to go to the Caucasis at some point..

Do you want me to list 10 countries with better looking women than Colombia I have visited??

But it wouldnt be one of the ways I rate countries to visit

Sharpyshoot

When we have battery tractors we can visit Kerry.

A Tyrant Named Miltiades!

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Portumna forest park is where I take the dogs for their walk, lovely little spot.

I see they're trying now to market the lake as the Lake Como of Ireland, which is more than a stretch, but it is indeed a nice, hidden gem. When I was a teenager here, I couldn't get out of the place fast enough. These days there's nowhere in the world I'd rather live.

All we need now is a Fungie or a mythical lake monster, but the Scots have that market well cornered.

Has the karting track out near Tynagh as well. Lake and river fishing. 3 farmhouse cheese places within a 30 minute drive. The monastic ruins at Clonfert. Joe Canning.



I'm sure the North Tipperary side has similar highlights.

Dick phelan

Shiok wrote: »

Taiwan

Well known obviously, yet Taipei is more often than not overlooked in favour of other cities in Asia. Fab food & night markets, diverse history, beautiful scenic mountains, gorges & lakes.

Had a friend visit there a few years ago and loved it, it's hopefully my next trip once the boarders finally open again.

PeggyShippen

gypsy79 wrote: »

Do you want me to list 10 countries with better looking women than Colombia I have visited??

But it wouldnt be one of the ways I rate countries to visit

Yes...yes I would

Hamachi

Not sure if they’ve been mentioned already..

Domestically: The Vee drive through the Knockmaledown mountains on the border of Waterford and Tipperary. Simply stunning. At the summit, you are looking over the beautiful farmland of the golden vale. An older family member compared the drive on a sunny day to your soul ascending into heaven. I’m not very religious, but I had to agree.

Internationally: Loved Luang Prabang in Laos. It’s the terminal point for the cross-border ferry from Thailand. Really interesting place that’s a mix of traditional South East Asian, with a distinct French colonial influence. It was really nice to enjoy crusty baguettes for breakfast after weeks of eating rice and noodles. There’s also loads of activities in the surrounding areas like jungle hiking and waterfall jumping.

Hamachi

PeggyShippen wrote: »

Yes...yes I would

Agree with another poster that the beauty of the local women isn’t a criterion I’d use to decide on a visit.

However, if we’re talking South America, I thought Argentinian women were beautiful. Many stunners in Uruguay also.

Brazil was a major letdown in that department.

retalivity

Luang Prabang is amazing, getting up at dawn to feed the monks, temples and french style houses everywhere, boat trips on the mekong. Even the bus ride through the mountains from Vang Vieng was glorious

retalivity

retalivity wrote: »

Luang Prabang is amazing, getting up at dawn to feed the monks, temples and french style houses everywhere, boat trips on the mekong. Even the bus ride through the mountains from Vang Vieng was glorious

Stunning spot, but hardly underrated. Brangalina were there for example.

Wanderer78

Local courts, an eye opening experience into the serious dysfunctions of our modern society, and our refusal to do anything about it

Hamachi

retalivity wrote: »

Luang Prabang is amazing, getting up at dawn to feed the monks, temples and french style houses everywhere, boat trips on the mekong. Even the bus ride through the mountains from Vang Vieng was glorious

I know the cool kids turned up their noses at Vang Vieng, but I had an absolute ball partying there for a few days. My buddy and I got with two beautiful Estonian girls who were also on the backpacker trail and had an amazing time. We ended up going tubing twice in three days, which almost wrecked my liver.

I hear that tubing has virtually stopped these days and what remains is a pale shadow of the party scene from a decade ago.

Wanderer78

Hamachi wrote:

I hear that tubing has virtually stopped these days and what remains is a pale shadow of the party scene from a decade ago.

Partying overrated, but tubing great fun

Man Vs ManUre

Mount Huashan in China is one of the most awesome places I have ever been to. Never heard of it before I went to China.

retalivity

Hamachi wrote: »

I know the cool kids turned up their noses at Vang Vieng, but I had an absolute ball partying there for a few days. My buddy and I got with two beautiful Estonian girls who were also on the backpacker trail and had an amazing time. We ended up going tubing twice in three days, which almost wrecked my liver.

I hear that tubing has virtually stopped these days and what remains is a pale shadow of the party scene from a decade ago.

I was there in 2015 and the party scene was apparently dead then, but there was plenty of life around the town. Tubing was still going with the bars fishing you in from the banks, and the town itself was just a chilled out place to hang out. Plenty to do in the surrounding countryside, rent a bike/quad and take off for the day.

JimmyVik

Mad_maxx wrote: »

so you found Africa more interesting ?

ive never been , one of my sisters visited friends in South Africa about ten years ago and hated it , the whole gated culture thing and how what would be regular middle class people here , could afford a few servants

South Africa isnt real Africa though.
Wait til you have gone on safari in the Masai Mara or the Serengeti during the migration. Just wow.
Ive been to South Africa nd kruger national park and it just does not compare.

gypsy79

PeggyShippen wrote: »

Yes...yes I would

Ethiopia is a clear number one

Hamachi

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Partying overrated, but tubing great fun

Perhaps, depends on who you meet. We were fortunate to meet fun people.

Wanderer78

Hamachi wrote: »

Perhaps, depends on who you meet. We were fortunate to meet fun people.

so did i, i had great fun, so much so, one of the lads nearly drowned while partying and tubing

Hamachi

Wanderer78 wrote: »

so did i, i had great fun, so much so, one of the lads nearly drowned while partying and tubing

That’s the risk you take pouring booze down your neck and floating down a fast flowing river in an inflatable tube.

Would I do it now in my 30s and married with kids? Absolutely not. In my mid-20s, bring it on.

Wanderer78

Hamachi wrote: »

That’s the risk you take pouring booze down your neck and floating down a fast flowing river in an inflatable tube.

Would I do it now in my 30s and married with kids? Absolutely not. In my mid-20s, bring it on.

no need to be doing it at all, no need for the alcohol, tubing alone is a lot of fun, and all the jumping into water, fun times

ShineOn7

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Local courts, an eye opening experience into the serious dysfunctions of our modern society, and our refusal to do anything about it

Ah would ya ever feck off to Current Affairs with that nonsense

This thread is for the positive only

Wanderer78

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Ah would ya ever feck off to Current Affairs with that nonsense

This thread is for the positive only

oh yea, lets play fantasy land, life is all good!

Hamachi

Wanderer78 wrote: »

no need to be doing it at all, no need for the alcohol, tubing alone is a lot of fun, and all the jumping into water, fun times

You sound like a bundle of fun.

Wanderer78

Hamachi wrote: »

You sound like a bundle of fun.

oh i can be, join me on a mountain biking trip or a hill walk, its worth it

YFlyer

Barleycove beach.

thebronze14

ShineOn7 wrote: »

Why so? It's high on my list of Eastern European places to see

Loving this thread btw. It's brimming with future energy

1st of the trips I had to get 3 flights to get there and 3 to get back Dub-Luton-Istanbul-tbilisi. Same on way back. Second time I visited I lived in Manchester and my connecting flight was Doha! Third time was just the one stop over in Munich on way over and Istanbul on way back which seemed a dream but flight times were very anti-social