The 15 Most Underrated Countries to Visit in 2025

I’m on a journey to visit every country in the world. That means the safe ones, the dangerous ones, the popular ones and the lesser-known ones.

Here we’re going to focus on the most underrated countries to visit. The countries that don’t get enough love and are often overshadowed by the Goliaths of the travel world such as France, Greece and the USA.

Some of my favourite countries are in this list. Hidden gems like Mongolia and Nicaragua that slip under the radar in favour of more illustrious neighbours. Countries like Paraguay that may not offer Santorini or the Taj Mahal, but can give you great food and an authentic cultural experience.

One of my reasons for wanting to visit every country is that the smaller names often provide the most fun experiences.

I mention France, Greece and the USA. But if I ranked those three countries alongside the nations in this list, they would be the bottom three.

I hope you can find some inspiration from this list for your next adventure. Here are the 15 most underrated countries to visit in 2025.

1) Brunei

Why Don’t More People Visit Brunei?

Brunei is a tiny Southeast Asian country on the northern coast of Borneo. A lot of people don’t know it exists, and even if they do, it is often overshadowed by neighbouring Malaysia.

Brunei is also a very strict Islamic country which may put people off if they haven’t experienced Middle Eastern countries with a similar way of life such as Saudi Arabia.

Most people associate Southeast Asia with being a budget backpacking spot with lots of wild parties. That may be the case in Hanoi or Bangkok, but it certainly isn’t in Brunei where the sale of alcohol is illegal.

Lastly, the popular YouTuber Drew Binsky said to millions of his followers that Brunei is the worst country in the world based on his own experiences.

I love Drew’s content, but with such a massive audience who respect him as a leading authority in the travel world, his words certainly didn’t encourage people to book the next flight to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei’s capital).

What Makes Brunei Worth Visiting?

Brunei is a chilled country with friendly people, cool mosques and amazing nature.

It has the adhan (call to prayer) blaring out of its gold-coloured mosques as if you’re in the heart of the Middle East. Yet a few minutes away you have monkeys swinging through the trees, and crocodiles snapping their teeth at passing boats.

It is also one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia, rivalling Singapore for top spot.

What Can You do in Brunei?

Bandar Seri Begawan isn’t everyone’s cup of air kelapa (coconut water – a popular drink in Brunei). But I thought it was a pretty cool city with some fun things to do, despite its chilled vibe.

You can start by checking out the gold mosques. The most famous one is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque which sits on a small lake in the city centre. I really enjoyed coming here at night and hearing the sound of prayer calling out across the city.

Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is another cool one. This is the largest in the whole country.

Elsewhere, check out the water houses of Kampong Ayer. People live there in small wooden houses on stilts poking out of the crocodile-infested rivers. It’s a pretty interesting thing to see.

You can take a boat tour down the Brunei River and see lots of cool wildlife including crocodiles and proboscis monkeys, famed for their giant noses.

Outside of the capital, Brunei’s most famous attraction is the Ulu Temburong National Park. A giant rainforest which you will need to cross through Malaysia to reach.

Interestingly, Brunei is made up of two small blobs of land, with Malaysia cutting the two in half.

2) Mongolia

Why Don’t More People Visit Mongolia?

Mongolia is remote, hard to get to, and cut off from most of the world. It has very poor connections with the western world, with Germany (Frankfurt) and Turkey (Istanbul) providing the only direct flights to the country from outside of Asia.

Well, Moscow too, but Moscow isn’t exactly easy to reach from the rest of Europe right now.

South Korea is one of the best-connected countries with Mongolia. And since I lived in Korea for a while, I seized the opportunity to hop on a flight straight to Ulaanbaatar.

It’s also a country without much tourist infrastructure. This is an adventure tourism destination, so it’s all about spending time in the harsh Mongolian wilderness rather than taking Insta-friendly pics with a cocktail in Rome.

Now I seem to be in the minority as someone who will take the wilderness over the cocktail. But hopefully I can sway you on this underrated country.

What Makes Mongolia Worth Visiting?

Forget Ulaanbaatar (the capital), Mongolia is all about the wilderness. Go out and spend some time with the nomadic people living in gers across some of the most beautiful landscapes.

Few countries in the world offer as much untouched natural beauty as Genghis Khan’s old stomping ground.

It can be a tricky country to get around, but it’s certainly a rewarding one. And don’t expect to see too many westerners out there.

What Can You do in Mongolia?

My favourite activity not just in Mongolia, but in many years of travel to numerous countries was staying with Mongolian nomads.

I stayed in a ger with a nomadic family, ate meals with them, and helped work with their livestock the following day.

Then we went riding horses across the Mongolian steppe. All-in-all this was a truly magical travel experience.

Elsewhere, there are several cool things to do in Ulaanbaatar. I won’t pretend they’re as fun as living the Mongolian nomadic life in the countryside, but there are still some fun activities including watching Mongolia’s famous throat singers.

The Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex is one of Mongolia’s few purpose-built tourist spots. The centrepiece is a giant statue of Chinggis (Genghis) Khan riding a horse with a face depicting pride, strength and determination. This place is a cool little sidequest in Mongolia.

And we can’t move on without mentioning the Gobi Desert. I can’t wait to revisit this country at some point in the future.

The annual Golden Eagle Festival in October attracts tourists from across the globe to see Kazakh eagle hunters showcasing their traditions.

3) Myanmar

Why Don’t More People Visit Myanmar?

Just as Myanmar’s tourist industry was beginning to take off, the military overthrew the government in 2021. Different ethnic groups have clashed in Myanmar for decades, but much of the country is now embroiled in a full-scale civil war.

Funnily enough, warzones don’t sound like the most attractive places for tourists to visit. Myanmar is safe outside the conflict areas, which are mostly centered around border regions, but understandably, many people choose to be cautious and stick to Thailand or Malaysia for their Southeast Asian temple fix.

Due to the conflict and bad relations with other countries, Myanmar is also difficult to reach. Land borders have mostly been shut for many years, and only a handful of countries offer flights there, with no links to Europe or North America.

What Makes Myanmar Worth Visiting?

Temples, temples and more temples! Oh, and the authentic culture that this stunning country brings.

Myanmar has some of the coolest Asian architecture around. And with so few tourists, you will be just about the only one to enjoy it.

Many people have described it as being like Thailand was a few decades ago, before the tourist industry took off.

What Can You do in Myanmar?

There are many cool places to visit in Myanmar. My favourite is the former capital city, Yangon. And more specifically, Shwedagon Pagoda.

This is the most important Buddhist site in the country, and it’s really cool to see all the monks there in red robes with shaven heads praying.

Yangon is also home to many other cool temples. The reclining Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi Buddha Temple was another of my favourites, with a giant reclining Buddha lying across the temple whilst worshippers prayed.

Elsewhere, the temples of Bagan were really awesome. There are 2,000 temples spread across a seemingly never-ending plain.

Many haven’t been accessed in decades, a lot have been taken over by nature, and some still function as Buddhist places of worship.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also somewhere that can be seen from the air, with Balloons over Bagan offering sunrise hot air balloon rides over the plains for spectacular views.

And don’t miss out on sunset over the Irrawaddy River in the evening.

Elsewhere, I also visited the city of Mandalay. It had some cool spots like Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to the world’s largest book with 730 “pages” which are actually giant stone slabs.

I would say however that Yangon and Bagan were the real stars of the show here.

4) Sri Lanka

Why Don’t More People Visit Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is the first country on this list that does attract a fair few western tourists every year. But given what this amazing country has to offer, it’s still pretty underrated and it definitely deserves more.

Sri Lanka is a small island country just south of India. With such a famous neighbour, Sri Lanka is often overlooked. You also have the Maldives further south which are known for their luxurious and romantic vibe.

What Makes Sri Lanka Worth Visiting?

This is one of my favourite countries in the world. It’s strange how such a tiny island can feel like multiple different nations just a few hours apart.

You can go to Kandy and soak up some local culture, whilst admiring Buddhist monuments including a giant statue and the Temple of the Tooth where Buddha’s tooth is held.

Then you’ve got Yala, a safari park with elephants and other cool animals roaming around.

Then you have the beaches of Mirissa, the chilled town of Ella up high in the hills and so much more.

Sri Lanka is a country with a bit of something for everyone.

What Can You do in Sri Lanka?

I’ve mentioned a lot of the main things already. Safari in Yala is a highlight.

Check out the Buddhist sites in Kandy and Anuradhapura.

Chill in Ella and check out the Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam’s Peak.

You can also visit the famous Sigiriya Rock in the country’s centre.

Other cool places include the Hindu city of Jaffna in the far north, beaches of Mirissa where you can go whale watching, and surfers’ paradise Arugam Bay.

I will say that the capital city Colombo is pretty uninteresting. But once you get out of there, Sri Lanka has a lot to offer.

5) Taiwan

Why Don’t More People Visit Taiwan?

Taiwan slips under the radar a little, with East Asia visitors tending to prioritise the likes of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong or Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand over Taiwan.

It’s also a country that mostly generates negative news headlines. Back home in the UK, we only ever hear Taiwan mentioned if it’s in relation to China threatening to start a war. For those who don’t know, Taiwan claims to be an independent country, yet China considers it part of their own nation.

What you don’t hear much about is just how cool Taiwan is in real life and you never learn about how many cool things it has to offer.

What Makes Taiwan Worth Visiting?

Taiwan is a really cool, ultra safe country with a lot to offer. To be honest you can just stay in the capital Taipei and not get bored.

It has a big gaming culture with claw machines absolutely everywhere, and street arcades drawing locals out to play.

The street markets are really awesome. They sell foods ranging from everyday East Asian street snacks, to exotic dishes such as snake.

You also have a fair few Chinese temples in Taiwan. It’s cool to see religions that we never learnt about at school. Despite the huge political differences, Taiwan has a fair few things in common with China, and that includes a significant number of people following Chinese folk religions.

Outside of the capital, Taiwan is full of nature. There’s an awful lot to see in such a tiny country.

What Can You do in Taiwan?

I did a little experiment in Taiwan. For the first time ever, I ran out of time to plan my trip, and decided to follow an itinerary created with AI.

And you know what? It took me to some really cool places. Click the link above to see every input, suggestion, and place I went to.

One fun thing you can do is visit a Chinese temple. I went to Taipei Tianhou Temple in the capital, and spent a while observing locals as they prayed to the Chinese Sea Goddess Mazu.

At night, Taipei has some of the world’s most interesting street markets. Huaxi Night Market is the one I found with the snakes for sale.

I also went to Raohe Night Market, which is pretty crowded but still fun.

It’s also worth checking out the many gaming shops. Even if you don’t want to win a fluffy bear in the claw machines (or more likely, lose all your money), it’s still enjoyable to watch the locals try their luck.

One of the first big things on your itinerary should be checking out the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial. It’s now a museum, but it’s also a magnificent building surrounded by equally impressive examples of East Asian architecture.

Taipei’s most famous building is a skyscraper called Taipei 101. You can go inside a large shopping mall in the building itself, but the best thing to do is hiking up Elephant Mountain to see the building at sunset.

Get there early though, as you’ll be competing with a load of professional photographers otherwise.

Outside of Taipei, you should take a tour of the island. It’s easy to arrange one from the capital.

They will take you on a bus, and you want one that includes the likes of Shifen Waterfall, a really impressive natural spot.

Avoid Shifen Village if possible, it’s a major tourist trap and not that interesting.

Jiufen is a fun mountain village with great views and bustling street markets. There’s certainly a lot going on here.

And Yehliu Geopark offers something a little different, with all sorts of funny-shaped rocks that have been formed by centuries of erosion.

I only scratched the surface in Taiwan and never made it down to the south of the island. This is a seriously underrated country with a lot of cool stuff to see and do.

Don’t hesitate to make Taiwan your next trip abroad.

6) Bosnia Herzegovina

Why Don’t More People Visit Bosnia Herzegovina?

When people go on holiday in Europe, they will most likely go to one of the big-name countries such as Greece, Spain, France or Italy.

If they expand their horizons a little, then they may go as far as Croatia or Slovenia. Yet nearby Bosnia Herzegovina often gets overlooked. A real shame when you see how cool this country is.

And that’s what makes it such an underrated gem. Bosnia is one of my favourite countries in Europe, if not my very favourite (it competes with Italy for top spot).

What Makes Bosnia Herzegovina Worth Visiting?

Beauty and history. Bosnia has some of the most scenic city views on the entire continent. Yet it’s also a very interesting country with a chequered history.

Bosnia was where World War One started with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in capital Sarajevo.

It later joined Yugoslavia and suffered perhaps more than any other nation during the Balkan wars of the 1990s.

The people of Bosnia are very stoic and resilient. Everyone over 30 knows someone who met a tragic end in the 1990s, they have some fascinating stories to tell.

Going back further through the historical archives, and Bosnia was part of the Ottoman Empire for just under 500 years. As a result, you will see lots of Ottoman architecture around still today.

What Can You do in Bosnia Herzegovina?

I really recommend visiting Mostar, one of Europe’s most scenic cities. You can walk around, view the rivers and mountains which give this city its charm, and take a free walking tour where locals can tell you all about the heavy damage this city took in the 1990s.

On a lighter note, Mostar is home to a bridge which became a popular diving spot called Stari Most. You can take a few practice jumps with the local diving club, and if they deem you ready, you can even dive off Stari Most whilst being surrounded by crowds of onlookers.

Outside of Mostar, make sure you visit the capital Sarajevo. You can learn more about the country’s dark history, whilst also exploring a more positive aspect of the country’s past by seeing the old bobsled track used when Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics.

And don’t forget to check out Bascarsija, the old Ottoman Bazaar, which also has some local food places selling great cevapi (minced meat).

7) Estonia

Why Don’t More People Visit Estonia?

Estonia is wedged into the northeast corner of Europe, just on the edge of Russia, and a ferry ride away from Finland.

Estonia is a victim of its small size, with Europe’s tourism giants such as Germany, Italy and Portugal taking the attention away from this wonderful country.

The country does alright regardless. It knew it needed to become good at something, so it ended up becoming a world leader in cybersecurity.

But when you see how awesome Estonia is, it’s definitely a place that deserves more visitors.

What Makes Estonia Worth Visiting?

Tallinn the capital has a quaint old town with a traditional European feel, and medieval turrets pointing up into the skies.

This is a country best visited for its scenery. Although I also recommend the Christmas markets in Tallinn during December.

What Can You do in Estonia?

Explore Tallinn! I recommend a free walking tour to see the highlights and learn more about the country.

Tallinn is a great spot for a city break. Where some of the Asian countries on this list offer a variety of activities and landscapes across vast distances, Estonia is more laid back and offers a more relaxing alternative to these adventure spots.

8) Latvia

Why Don’t More People Visit Latvia?

Latvia is one of three countries that make up the Baltics, alongside neighbours Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south.

The three countries have a lot in common. Just like Estonia, Latvia is also overlooked in favour of some of Europe’s bigger-name countries.

What Makes Latvia Worth Visiting?

The capital Riga is worth a visit. Home to traditional markets, old-school European architecture and cosy bars, this is an enjoyable city to visit.

What Can You do in Latvia?

Just like in Estonia, you can have a lot of fun exploring the capital’s old town. Even better if you come here in December for the Christmas markets. I saw traditional folk dancers having fun whilst providing entertainment for visitors to the markets.

Many people also suggest eating at Lido, a traditional Latvian buffet restaurant. Must admit I personally didn’t think it was anything special, but then again I’m no foodie, so maybe you will appreciate it more than I did.

I would also recommend a free walking tour to learn about the country’s history, from Nazi and Soviet occupation, to the free Latvia of today.

9) Lithuania

Why Don’t More People Visit Lithuania?

For the same reasons as Estonia and Lithuania really. Lithuania is another small Baltic country. The three of them have a pretty shared history and a close bond due to their past struggles bringing them together.

I think more people should visit Lithuania, because it’s another real gem.

What Makes Lithuania Worth Visiting?

The capital Vilnius is a very interesting city. You can get some great views from above at viewpoints such as the Three Crosses Monument or Gediminas Tower.

Lithuania, as with the other Baltic nations, is a great Christmas destination. However unlike the other two, it’s not the markets that make it good (Vilnius has tiny Christmas markets which aren’t anything to write home about).

Instead it has some of the best Christmas decorations around which really give a festive feel to the place.

It also has a quirky self-proclaimed “country” called the Republic of Uzupis, right in the heart of Vilnius. Uzupis is a fun quirky spot that gives Lithuania something a little unique that its neighbours don’t have.

What Can You do in Lithuania?

As mentioned above, the Three Crosses Monument and Gediminas Tower are great for views of Vilnius.

Uzupis is a fun place to explore. You can learn all about why this joke “country” was set up. It even has fun souvenirs such as its own currency.

On a darker note, the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights educates visitors on the dark days of Nazi and Soviet rule. I even went down and saw grim places including ice-cold prison cells and execution chambers from when the museum was a prison in the past.

10) Moldova

Why Don’t More People Visit Moldova?

Moldova is Europe’s least-visited country. It’s a tiny slither of land wedged between Ukraine and Romania which isn’t really well known about outside hardcore travel circles.

It has no well-known companies, pop stars or successful sports teams, although its biggest football team Sheriff Tiraspol did cause one of the Champions League’s greatest ever upsets with a win at Real Madrid in 2021.

Half of the country isn’t even controlled by Moldova. The eastern part of the country is known as Transnistria, and is controlled by a separatist government who have preserved it as a throwback to the Soviet Union. A really cool place by the way.

Moldova is also known as “Europe’s most boring country”. Now as you can perhaps guess from its inclusion in this list, I strongly disagree with that! Moldova is great fun.

What Makes Moldova Worth Visiting?

If there’s one thing Moldova does have a bit of a reputation for, it’s wine. Moldova has been producing wine for over 3,000 years and has more land covered by grape vines than any other country.

So it’s fair to say, they’ve had a lot of time to perfect their craft out there.

The capital Chisinau is a big reason why Moldova gets its “boring” reputation. Many travellers don’t even head outside the city. However, Chisinau is actually pretty cool if you give it a chance, with lots of architecture that reminds you of the Soviet times.

Then you’ve got Transnistria. Chisinau has some Soviet Union throwbacks, but Transnistria takes it to a whole new level. Unlike Chisinau and the rest of “Moldova-controlled Moldova”, this place is very proud of its USSR past and does everything to preserve it.

Transnistria is like nothing else in Europe. It’s a completely unique and interesting place with Lenin statues dotted all over the place, and proud displays of the communist hammer and sickle.

Moldova is a seriously underrated country that deserves more tourists.

What Can You do in Moldova?

A fun place to start in Chisinau is the eternal flame, which burns endlessly to remember Moldova’s WWII victims. The interesting part is the impressive red murals surrounding the flame which show images of brave-looking soldiers preparing for battle.

It’s also fun to see some of the communist symbols and Lenin statues that still remain in the capital.

But the real fun starts once you hop across the “border” into Transnistria.

Firstly you will stop in the border city of Bender. There are two fun things to do here.

The first is to check out the Soviet monuments around the Bender Amusement Park. The hammer and sickle, tanks and the Transnistrian flag are all visible here. They give you a taste of what’s to come as you head further into this cool territory.

The second is Bender Fortress (also called Tighina Fortress). It’s an old 16th-century fort with a torture museum inside where you can see some medieval torture instruments that were used in the past.

The fortress also has some great views of the surrounding area, which includes Alexander Nevsky Church, a cool-looking Russian Orthodox Church with gold domes on the roof.

Bender is just the warmup however. The highlight of both Transnistria and Moldova overall is Tiraspol, the “capital” of the breakaway region.

I would recommend staying at Like Home Hostel. This odd little place with a giant Lenin bust in the front entrance has a lot of memorabilia from the USSR.

I met a few interesting characters here, including a French guy who apparently still lives in the hostel today. You can read more about my Transnistria experiences here.

I urge you to walk around Tiraspol and see what you can find. It’s an incredibly rich open-air museum in some ways. Genuinely the most interesting place in Europe.

Aside from the many Soviet relics, you have the Green Market which is a great place to witness locals going about their daily life in a city that seems like it could only be real on the History Channel.

One of the coolest buildings in the city is the House of Soviets. In true Transnistria style, there’s a Lenin statue right outside the entrance.

11) El Salvador

Why Don’t More People Visit El Salvador?

Until recently, El Salvador was the murder capital of the world. It built up a reputation for gang violence, with one homicide per hour reported at its lowest point.

As a result, this wasn’t a country attracting many tourists.

Even in 2022, over 60 people were killed in a single day whilst I was in neighbouring Guatemala. My dad texted me with this story and said I shouldn’t go to El Salvador.

Two weeks later, I went anyway. But this single day of violence sparked a major crackdown with mass arrests that turned El Salvador into a safe country.

I was there for a fortnight and felt very safe in the country, far more so than in Guatemala or Honduras. I arrived at the very beginning of its transition phase from dangerous to safe however.

The country’s negative reputation will take a while to fully subside. And it is starting to see an uptick in tourists. If you visit El Salvador now, you’re arriving whilst it’s still a hidden gem. Trust me when I say it will be a tourist hotspot in the next few years.

What Makes El Salvador Worth Visiting?

El Salvador has a bit of everything.

President Nayib Bukele has sparked a rebrand where the country is known as a world leader, not in homicides, but in Bitcoin.

El Salvador attracts cryptocurrency enthusiasts who are keen to see how the country’s crypto ecosystem develops.

El Zonte is known as “Bitcoin Beach” with the idea that everything can be bought with the digital currency.

Even when I was in El Salvador in April 2022, I met someone who was in Miami for a crypto conference and flew to El Salvador on a whim to explore its crypto scene. She had no idea of the country’s dark past.

Already, just two weeks after one of the lowest points in its recent history, El Salvador was receiving tourists who associated the country with Bitcoin rather than violence.

Elsewhere, El Tunco is a beach just along the coast from El Zonte that attracts surfers from across the world, either to surf casually or compete in competitions.

It also has cool colonial architecture in the likes of Santa Ana and capital San Salvador, as well as many cool volcanoes.

El Salvador is one of Central America’s best countries and it’s definitely worth checking out.

What Can You do in El Salvador?

Santa Ana is a great place to start. You can explore the colonial city centre to begin with. But the real fun starts outside the city.

Santa Ana Volcano is a fairly simple hike. Gone are the days when you needed an armed escort to avoid being mugged up here. I found this trek to be very safe and easy. It’s fairly “touristy” now, so you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Although I will say the buses back to the city were unreliable during my visit. Hopefully that’s changed since.

From Santa Ana Volcano, you have great views of Coatepeque Lake. You can spend some time exploring the lake which is a very scenic one.

El Tunco and El Zonte are loved by surfing fans and crypto enthusiasts respectively. If I’m honest, I have no interest in either of those things, went to the beaches anyway, and didn’t love them. The black volcanic sand at El Zonte is cool if you haven’t seen that sort of thing before though.

If you’re going purely because you love beaches however, you may not enjoy these so much. El Tunco is a rocky beach rather than a sandy one.

Capital San Salvador is another enjoyable place. The historic centre is full of cool colonial buildings where you can get a taste of authentic Salvadorean culture.

The west side of the city is a lot more modern with several giant American-style shopping malls. So the city has options ranging from raw Central American culture to modern western comforts.

And there’s also El Boqueron, a volcanic crater on the outskirts of the city which you can reach by Uber. It takes around 5 minutes to hike up if you take this route, making it accessible for anyone who’s not into challenging treks.

El Salvador is a great country, and I recommend visiting whilst it’s still an underrated gem. Because it certainly won’t be for much longer.

12) Guatemala

Why Don’t More People Visit Guatemala?

Guatemala is often overshadowed by neighbouring Mexico and other more popular Central American countries such as Panama and Costa Rica.

And to be honest, few people outside of the travel world have even heard of Guatemala.

Tell someone you’re going to Costa Rica, and they will have images of jungles and wildlife in their heads, even if they can’t quite point it out on a map.

Tell them you’re going to Guatemala on the other hand, and their reaction is more likely to be “what’s that?”

Even amongst those who do know about this country, some people may be dissuaded by the gang violence taking place in many places, especially within Guatemala City.

I had to go to the doctor in Bogota, Colombia. And he told me he used to work in Guatemala City. He was telling me how every single day there would be numerous patients coming in with gunshot wounds when he worked there in the early 2010s.

Guatemala can be done safely, but I would recommend taking tourist shuttles rather than local buses. Then you can enjoy this hidden gem without worrying too much about safety.

What Makes Guatemala Worth Visiting?

It’s a country that many have never heard of, yet it’s home to some of the coolest places on the planet.

Did you know that it’s possible to see a volcano erupt here? You can see lava coming out of the crater and spewing out into the air. Perhaps not great news for the environment, but an awesome travel bucket list activity that you will never forget.

And if you’ve been to Mexico, you may well have been to Chichen Itza, a Mayan ruin site near Cancun which is most famous for being one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

But what if I told you that there’s a far more impressive Mayan ruin site just south of the border?

There is, and it’s called Tikal. More on that below.

Overall, Guatemala is one of the most fun adventure countries in the world, and needs to be on your bucket list.

What Can You do in Guatemala?

Let’s start with the two activities we’ve briefly touched over.

You can hike up Volcan Acatenango near the city of Antigua, and camp on the side of the volcano overnight.

It’s challenging, it’s freezing cold up there, but it’s 100% worth it when nearby Volcan de Fuego erupts, which generally occurs every 15 minutes.

Now we saw lava only once. Throughout the afternoon, fog obscured our view. And often there will be minor eruptions where the volcano billows smoke into the air, without releasing any more than that.

If you do nothing else in Guatemala, make sure you do this one incredible activity.

Now let’s talk about Tikal. You can generally take a Tikal tour from Flores, a small lake town in the country’s north.

Tikal is awesome for three reasons. One is the Mayan ruins which as I say, are better than their more famous counterpart in Mexico.

Another is the wildlife. Tikal is bang in the middle of the jungle, and it’s home to all sorts of awesome creatures including the raccoon-like coatimundis and monkeys. Even jaguars live near there, but jaguars are very rare and even most locals will never see one.

Thirdly, you have the culture. The Mayan people still exist today, and I saw tourists taking part in traditional Mayan ceremonies during my Tikal trip. They were dressed in traditional local clothing whilst walking in circles around a bonfire and chanting, with locals joining them. Cool stuff to see.

These are the two absolute must-visit sites that Guatemala has to offer. However, there are other cool stops too.

One of these is Semuc Champey. This is a natural wonder in the mountains near Lanquin, which has become a popular hub for adventure tours.

In Semuc Champey, a typical tour starts with a sweaty hike up to the viewpoint where you can see the stair-like wonder below, with several pools of water surrounded by greenery.

Then you come down and have the chance to swim in the small pools here.

Next up is a caving adventure. We ended up wading through neck-deep water through a pitch black cave to get to a small hole which some people jumped through, into a pool that wasn’t visible amidst the darkness.

I was horribly ill the next day, so be very careful not to swallow any of the water here. Let’s just say it’s full of bat… you know…

Anyway, the last part of the tour is tubing down a river, and you can even drink a beer along the way.

Getting to Semuc Champey is an adventure itself. I ended up standing in the back of a truck, on top of bags of cargo, whilst the truck drove wildly throughout the mountains. Semuc Champey is no place for the faint hearted.

Lastly, Guatemala is also home to Lake Atitlan. The lake is surrounded by several small towns, each with a different vibe.

Some of them are small towns with few tourists, others are wild party towns packed with visitors. I went to San Pedro la Laguna which is one of the more chaotic party towns, and Panajachel, a more laid-back town with local craft markets.

Although due to illness, I barely explored the latter.

Guatemala has a lot to keep you entertained.

13) Nicaragua

Why Don’t More People Visit Nicaragua?

Nicaragua is just north of popular Costa Rica.

Costa Rica has all the marketing and the fame, it’s known around the world, and people are drawn to its jungles and wildlife.

Nicaragua on the other hand is relatively unknown.

Like Moldova, nothing really notable comes out of Nicaragua. Unless you’ve been there, you probably won’t know any Nicaraguan food, pop stars, footballers, businesses or really anything to do with the country.

Nicaragua is mostly known amongst the hippie backpacking types who tend to frequent the “Gringo Trail” which stretches all the way from Mexico to South America.

What Makes Nicaragua Worth Visiting?

Everything. Nicaragua is one of my favourite countries in the world. I’ve been to all Central American countries, and Nicaragua is the best of all. Make sure you add it to your Central America trip itinerary.

This country is known as “the land of lakes and volcanoes”. So you can have a guess as to what some of the main attractions are here.

It should also be said that Nicaragua is really cheap. One of Latin America’s cheapest countries for sure.

Nicaragua is also fairly safe by Latin American standards. Not quite in the Argentina, El Salvador, Uruguay bracket, but certainly safer than the likes of Honduras, Colombia and Mexico.

What Can You do in Nicaragua?

A lot. But I would suggest starting with the colonial city of Leon. The city itself is pretty cool, but the real highlight is one of the world’s most unique activities, only available near Leon.

You can go volcano boarding down Cerro Negro Volcano at speeds of up to 70km per hour.

Nicaragua is the only country in the world where you can take a volcano boarding tour, which includes all equipment, safety briefings and advice on how to do it.

Firstly you need to hike to the top of the volcano. It’s not a long walk (about 40 minutes), but it can be pretty challenging in the baking Nicaraguan sun. There’s no shade here, so nowhere to shelter.

What comes up must go down. And that means you. And you won’t be walking back down. Instead, one-by-one, you will take it in turns to sit down on your board, lean back, and let gravity do the rest.

It’s really hard to keep control as you pick up speed, so it’s vital to wear all the protective gear you’re given, including goggles to protect your eyes.

At the bottom I lost control and came flying off. Fortunately the equipment saved me from injury.

But this is one of the country’s most fun activities.

Elsewhere, the city of Granada is also cool. You can take a free walking tour to learn more about the history of the city. I would recommend staying at Oasis Hostel to arrange tours and socialise. They even handed out free rum during happy hour! Rum is very popular in the country.

One of the best tours was to Volcan Masaya. You could previously see lava inside one of the craters there. Unfortunately, as of January 2025, this is no longer possible as a landslide blocked off the crater.

There is no word as to when lava will be visible there again, if ever.

However, you can still go to Masaya and hike around the crater.

Near Granada, you have a hostel in a treehouse inside the jungle. The hostel is the main attraction here. You have to hike through the humid jungle and climb a little to reach it in the first place.

Once you’re there, you can relax in a hammock whilst enjoying the sights and sounds of the jungle. Howler monkeys swing through the trees, whilst the sunsets are pretty magical.

The hostel hosts a few activities each week, including quizzes and community tour. Their main attraction however, is a wild party every Friday night.

Now parties aren’t my kind of scene, so I can’t tell you if that’s worth it (I arrived the next day and guests who were there on Friday said it was awesome). But the hostel is a fun place to spend a night in its own right.

To be honest I’ve barely scratched the surface of what to do in Nicaragua. I’ve covered a lot more in my Nicaragua itinerary for 1-2 weeks.

There are two more main stops I recommend which I will mention here.

The first is Ometepe Island. You take a boat across, and can explore natural areas, waterfalls and volcanoes for a few days.

Ometepe is home to two large volcanoes: Maderas and Concepcion. These are pretty tough hikes, so make sure you go with a guide if you do attempt them, as they can be dangerous otherwise.

My favourite place on the island however is Charco Verde nature reserve. I was almost the only tourist here, and seemingly had the whole place to myself at times.

I saw wild horses, howler monkeys, dung beetles, butterflies and more. Anacondas even live here, although I couldn’t spot any unfortunately.

Charco Verde is one of the travel experiences that makes me realise why I do this. It didn’t have any of the tourist hordes that neighbouring Costa Rica had in its many jungles. It was just me, alone in nature with the sun shining through the trees. Pure bliss.

Back on the mainland, there’s one more place you should go in Nicaragua: San Juan del Sur.

This beach town is popular with surfers, although it has other activities if you aren’t into that.

You can hike up to a nice viewpoint by Cristo de la Misericordia (Christ of the Mercy) and enjoy some great views of the bay.

If you’ve ever been to Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, you will know that seeing Christ the Redeemer is one of the best things to do there.

Cristo de la Misericordia is like a mini Christ the Redeemer. It may not have the same grandeur of its more famous counterpart, but it has similar views and none of the tourist crowds.

Party lovers will enjoy the popular weekly bar crawl, Sunday Funday.

And the sunsets on the beach are some of the best I’ve ever seen. San Juan del Sur is the perfect way to round off an incredible Nicaragua trip.

14) Bolivia

Why Don’t More People Visit Bolivia?

For Americans, Bolivia isn’t the easiest country to visit. That’s because a US$160 visa is required. Other nationalities can check if you need a Bolivia visa here.

For anyone else, Bolivia can often be overlooked with more famous neighbours such as Argentina to the south, Peru to the west and Brazil to the north.

It’s a real shame, because Bolivia has one of the world’s most interesting cultures, and some of the coolest landscapes on the planet such as the Uyuni salt flats.

I was hesitant to put Bolivia in this list, because it is more popular than many countries here like Mongolia or Brunei, but it deserves its place as it doesn’t receive the same appreciation as its neighbours. And in reality, Bolivia is as good as any country round here.

What Makes Bolivia Worth Visiting?

Short answer: everything.

Long answer: let’s start with the culture.

Bolivia retains strong indigenous traditions, and the locals here love dressing up in their native clothing. You will often see cholitas (ladies with pigtails, bowler hats and puffy skirts) walking around the streets.

This is also a country with incredible scenery, most notably across the Bolivian altiplano where you have geysers, lagoons, volcanoes and the most notable destination of all, Salar de Uyuni.

Also Bolivia is crazy cheap right now. It’s the cheapest South American country at the best of times. But now you can exchange US dollars for very favourable rates.

We exchanged money for over 50% extra compared to the formal rate. A long-distance bus from the Villazon border to Uyuni cost just £4/US$5.

Bolivia is an easy top five country in the world for me. Looking forward to my third trip there within weeks of this post coming out.

What Can You do in Bolivia?

Have fun. And lots of it.

For starters, you have Lake Titicaca on the border with Peru. I stayed in Copacabana for a night. There’s nothing overly special about this small border town (the sunset was nice though), but the main reason you come here is to take a boat across the lake and stay on islands built of reeds by the indigenous Uros people.

Then there’s the main city (not the capital, contrary to popular belief) La Paz.

La Paz is bonkers, perhaps the second-craziest place I have ever been to after Varanasi in India.

One of the main reasons why is the Witches’ Market (Mercado de las Brujas). Here you will find a series of stalls selling all sorts of unusual trinkets that locals use in witchcraft practices. Perhaps the most graphic are the llama fetuses which hang from many of the stalls.

Witchcraft is still practiced in Bolivia, and my free walking tour guide told me that they even bury people alive here as sacrifices still. Yikes.

Next to La Paz is the highest major city in the world, El Alto.

You can take a cable car up to El Alto, and explore the giant market which sells all sorts of unregulated objects, including weapons.

The main reason to be there however is for something even more unusual than the Witches’ Market.

Cholitas wrestling.

Here you have indigenous ladies wearing traditional clothing fighting each other in a ring in front of audiences that are generally made up of foreigners these days.

It’s one of the most bonkers things I have ever seen, and I must admit it gets repetitive after a while, but you should definitely check it out, as this doesn’t take place anywhere else in the world.

And of course, the highlight of Bolivia is Salar de Uyuni. The salt flats are known for their magical scenery, which peaks during the rainy season from December-April.

I’ve been twice now. The first time I was lucky enough to see large puddles in August. If you can see the picture of my silhouette on the home page or in the sidebar (bottom of the page on mobile), that was taken in a wet part of Uyuni as the sun set.

The Uyuni tour also includes a visit to an abandoned train graveyard (not as cool as it sounds in all honesty), a market full of products made from salt, a Dakar Rally monument, a salt labyrinth (new addition when I did this tour a second time in 2024) and Incahuasi Island.

The island is a cool little oasis in the middle of the salt flats where you can hike up some rocks whilst surrounded by cactuses.

All of this comes from a day trip however, and that’s not even the best bit about the salt flats. You need to take the 3-day tour from Uyuni to Atacama in Chile. That’s where the real magic is.

Day 1 is what I’ve just told you about, followed by a night in a hostel made of salt.

Day 2 will take you all over the altiplano where you visit several lagoons full of flamingoes chilling in their natural habitat. There are also some smaller stops including a volcano viewpoint and seeing viscachas (giant rodents that look more like bunnies).

Day 3 starts with an ascent to a really cool geothermal field with powerful geysers blasting up into the skies.

Be careful though, your guide drives up pretty quickly and you can easily get altitude sickness here. It’s a really horrible experience to have, and yes, I know because I picked it up here.

Lastly, you will relax in thermal baths just before you finish your tour by crossing to Chile. The hot water was the perfect cure to my altitude sickness.

15) Paraguay

Why Don’t More People Visit Paraguay?

Like some of the others on this list, Paraguay is overshadowed by bigger and more famous neighbours.

The country shares borders with Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. Two of those are amongst the best countries I’ve every visited. Brazil I personally don’t love, but many people do, so it’s easy to see why Brazil also dwarfs Paraguay as a popular travel destination.

Paraguay also lacks major tourist attractions. You’ve got some lovely spots here, but they’re often overshadowed by places elsewhere. The Saltos del Monday waterfalls are really cool, but just across the border is Iguazu Falls. The Chaco region has lots of wildlife, but across the border you have the Amazon Rainforest and the Pantanal.

Peru has Machu Picchu, Bolivia has Uyuni, Argentina has Patagonia, and Paraguay just can’t compete with these places.

Also, Paraguay is quite a poorly-connected country. The main airport in Asuncion connects to major places in South America such as Bogota, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo, but little beyond that. Its only connection with Europe is a flight to Madrid (and they aren’t cheap).

What Makes Paraguay Worth Visiting?

Paraguay is a great country to experience authentic local culture away from the tourist crowds that dominate almost every other South American country.

I’ve spent several months in Paraguay during multiple trips here, this is the country of my girlfriend, and I can count on my fingers the number of westerners I’ve seen (I currently recall 5 in total).

Therefore, this is a fantastic opportunity to get off the beaten track and experience something a little different.

It’s also a pretty safe country, making it a What Are The Best South American Countries For First Timers?

Oh, and Paraguay has incredible food. It’s similar to that in neighbouring Argentina in many ways, albeit not quite as widespread.

Read my guide on Asuncion’s best restaurants for more on what you can eat there.

Paraguay is also one of the more affordable South American countries. It doesn’t quite reach Bolivia or Peru levels of cheap, it’s more comparable with Colombia overall. Accommodation is a bit pricy due to the lack of options (this country receives few tourists), but everything else brings the average down.

Away from tourism, Paraguay has favourable tax laws which have led to a burgeoning expat community, particularly around Asuncion.

Paraguay admittedly isn’t a destination for everyone, but if you want to explore a little more of the local culture over crowded tourist attractions, then this is the place to come.

What Can You do in Paraguay?

For a longer version, you can check out my week-long Paraguay itinerary. But we’ll summarise each place worth seeing below.

Most people will start in Asuncion, the capital. Asuncion is great for a couple of days at least.

There are several fun things to do in Asuncion including checking out the Pantheon of Heroes, a mausoleum where the country’s most respected individuals are buried. You can also explore local life at Mercado 4, drink cocktails at Negroni Sky Bar, shop until you drop at Paseo la Galeria, and eat delicious all-you-can-eat steak at Paulista Grill.

A fun day trip from Asuncion is Aregua. This small city on the banks of Lake Ypacarai is very laid back, you can take boat rides (but don’t swim in the polluted lake), chill on the beach, or my favourite activity, eat strawberries!

Aregua is famous for its annual Strawberry Expo that takes place in the winter (generally from mid-July until September). I would recommend this as the best time to visit.

On the other side of the lake is the resort town of San Bernardino. This is where Paraguay’s richest spend their summer holidays. You can come here to relax on the beach, use the many sports facilities, ride across the lake, eat delicious steak and more.

When I first went in August 2024, we happened to be there on a national holiday. During this time, there were many traditional dance performances, craft markets, and stalls serving up delicious asado.

In the south, one of Paraguay’s biggest cities is called Encarnacion. I wouldn’t recommend this city itself, but it is a good base to see the country’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Jesuit Missions of Jesus de Tavarangue and La Santisima Trinidad de Parana.

As a bonus, there is a third Jesuit site which isn’t recognised by UNESCO, but is definitely worth a separate day trip: San Cosme y Damian.

Make sure you’re done by 4pm here, as it’s super remote and you don’t want to get stranded by missing the only bus back to Encarnacion (as I nearly did).

San Cosme y Damian has a space observatory which comes with a free tour guide. You will only understand him if you speak Spanish however.

There are two more places worth visiting in Paraguay.

One is Ciudad del Este, a rugged border city that connects Paraguay with both Brazil and Argentina.

On first glance, Ciudad del Este is nothing special. But that’s because both attractions of note are on the outskirts of the city.

To the south you have the Saltos del Monday waterfalls. A lot of people don’t like them because nearby Iguazu Falls are so much more impressive. I love them though, for one good reason.

These falls are very quiet. We literally had the whole place to ourselves when we went. And you certainly don’t get that at Iguazu where huge crowds tread along the trails on both the Argentina and Brazil sides.

To the north of the city is the Itaipu Dam. This massive structure straddles the Parana River connecting Paraguay and Brazil. You can take a free tour on the Paraguay side as well (you have to pay on the Brazil side).

And lastly we have one of the most underrated places in one of the most underrated countries: the Chaco.

Unfortunately the Chaco is hard to reach without local contacts, and without much of a tourism industry here, your best bet is to rent a vehicle if you don’t know any Paraguayans.

But if you do get the chance to go, it’s well worth it. The Chaco is awesome for two reasons: the nature and the indigenous tribes who live there.

We got the change to visit a village belonging to the Toba people, who showed us their traditional way of life, and even had their own take on “indigenous Jesus” tied to a cross in the village.

It was really cool to see how people live outside of mainstream civilisation.

Elsewhere, there’s loads of nature here. We saw cows and goats roaming freely with no one around. Unlike cows back home in the UK, these ones just belonged to the wild.

There are also several more exotic creatures living deeper inside the Chaco such as crocodiles and even jaguars. Although jaguars are so rare that even most locals will never see one.

If you haven’t quite worked it out by my lengthy summary of what to do here, Paraguay is an underrated country worth visiting.