Everyone knows about the Pyramids of Egypt or the Eiffel Tower in France. But what about those hidden gems? You know, the ones that make great tourist spots despite the fact nobody really knows about them? If you are a regular reader then you’ll know we absolutely love discovering hidden gems on our travels and last year we fell in love with Grindelwald in Switzerland! Here’s another five incredible hidden gems around the world that are well worth making the journey to visit!
[spacer height=”10px”]1. HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA
The Himachal Pradesh region of India lies near Kashmir which is situated on the border next to Pakistan. The area is comprised of extreme natural beauty, with immense deep valleys and peaks reaching up into the heavens. You can tackle Himachal Pradesh on foot, or take to the winding dirt tracks to get an adrenaline thrill by flying round tight bends. White-water rafting, rock-climbing and trekking also make this hidden adventure more than worthwhile. The best part is that nobody else will be around to spoil your views from the top of one of the many cliffs.
2. CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY
The easiest way of describing Cappadocia is by saying it looks remarkably like the desert planet from Star Wars! The area is heavily populated with craters and sand, but is far from barren. Fantastic buildings dominate the landscape, with the unique terrain feeling like something from a story rather than a real life location. Massive caverns are also located throughout the region, with immense areas of human history to explore and sink your teeth into. For a huge open space, there is a surprising amount to do such as hiking, staying in a cave hotel and hot air ballooning!
3. MARGARET RIVER, AUSTRALIA
While the eastern coast of Australia generally draws in the most tourists (with Melbourne, Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef all situated there), Margaret River in the west often goes unnoticed. Despite being referred to as a river, the area is anything but – with a sky blue sea and a beautiful golden coastline providing an immense area of natural beauty, as well as a stunning visual contrast of colour. Surfing, hiking and caving are all possibilities in the region, which is relatively quiet all year round as a result of being overlooked in favour of more prominent holiday destinations, meaning you’ll most likely have this paradise all to yourself!
4. HALLE FOREST, BELGIUM
This forest is often described as magical by anyone who visits it – and when you take a trip to the picturesque woodland paradise it’s not hard to see why! The Halle Forest looks like it was plucked right off the page of a fairy-tale, with a narrow winding path that leads you through a dense forest of pinewood trees. The Grass on either side is often more purple than green too, thanks largely to the large amount of magical bluebells growing there – enchanting stuff, to say the least!
5. TIANZI MOUNTAIN NATURE RESERVE, CHINA
We started with an amazing natural hidden gem, so why not end with another one? The Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve in China served as the inspiration for the popular movie Avatar, with some of the landscapes on the planet Pandora based on the seemingly floating mountains. This destination is so vast, you’re more than likely to never run into another person when travelling there. The reserve serves as the perfect place to relax and explore one of the most natural and awe-inspiring landscapes on earth.
Our opinions are as always, our own.
