The 21st century is well underway – two-thirds of Britons stay connected to the world via their smartphones, having a video chat with your mate who is on a working holiday in New Zealand is normal and not a mind-blowing futuristic phenomenon, even National Rail has free WiFi on some lines.
With the world at our fingertips and Elon Musk already planning an expedition to Mars, you’d be forgiven for thinking that we have nothing left to discover back here on earth. Well, if we think of a world map as an old paint by numbers activity you might be surprised by how many patches there are that still need filling in, areas still largely undiscovered by travellers that really deserve to be seen.
Amazing Albania
It sounds like the opening line of an old book: The whole of Europe has been conquered by mass tourism – only one small country holds out against it. But while that sets the stage for battles and intrigue galore, the truth is that it’s almost criminal how little Albania receives visitors to its fair shores. This striking country that with its Adriatic coastlines, is something for romantics. Dramatic mountains reach from the heavens to the sea, the beaches shine, the water sparkles and the gorgeous yet weathered cities but one in mind, once again, of the adventure novels of our youth.
Live it up in style and stay in this beautifully restored villa in the old city of Shkroda. The Rose Garden Hotel. With an ‘excellent’ rating and rave reviews from customers, its starting price of £29 is an absolute bargain.
- Flights from London to Tirana, June 13-20th from £131
- Flights from Manchester to Tirana, June 15-20th from £159
Unique Uzbekistan
Get your kicks on Route 66? Really? I mean, great road trip though it is, it’s basically a pimple on the adolescent face of the world when compared to the maturity of the Silk Road. Roughly 2000 years older, a few thousand kilometres longer and with breathtaking views and landmarks steeped in history (none of this new-world tack) you’ll be glad you chose the grown-up route. One example of these amazing landmarks can be found in Registan Square, Samarkand, where three ancient madrassahs, or Islamic schools, cast their shadows over the square like monoliths.
Spoil yourself but not your budget with a stay at the Hotel Royal Palace where a room at this centrally located hotel will only set you back around £41 a night.
Unexpected Nicaragua
Nicaragua is a country of diversity. Both culturally and landscape-wise. Even through Nicaragua’s times of political unrest have faded into the decades behind us, the country incredible and changeable beauty is only now entering the public consciousness again. This bridge between the Pacific and the Caribbean isn’t called the ‘land of lakes and volcanoes’ for nothing. A whole mountain range of active volcanoes runs through the country. Go volcano boarding or kayak out to an island that was once a pirate stronghold. Don’t forget the food. Oh, and the coffee. Yip, both are amazing.
With the Pacific Ocean cavorting right outside your window, who wouldn’t fork out £47 for a night at the Playa Hermosa Eco Resort, just one example of the many stunning resorts found in Nicaragua.
- Flights from London to Managua, May 16-22th from £442
- Flights from Manchester to Managua, May 16-25th from £486
Did you know that you can filter KAYAK Explore also by world wonders, hiking hotspots or amazing beaches, to name but a few? Enter your airport, when you want to travel and your flight budget and select your favourite filter from the right-hand side of the page. The only thing left to do is decide which of the amazing destinations you’re actually gonna choose.
Unbelievable Uruguay
Argentina’s northern neighbour attracts about 2.5 million visitors a year. When you consider that London had 31.5 million visitors in 2016, you start to get a sense of how little tourism there is in Uruguay. But does it deserve to be seen by more travellers? Yes, yes it surely does! Uruguay maintains a distinctly European feeling in its cities, yet a large portion of the country is grassland, still protected today by mounted gauchos, the South American version of the cowboy. As well as this contrast Uruguay’s coastline is populated by charming towns and unspoilt beaches. Don’t forget, Uruguay is also in the Southern Hemisphere making our winter its summer. The perfect place to escape the cold.
If you fancy a taste of Gaucho life you can overnight at the Estancia Ranch El Ceibo Ranch, just 16 kilometres from the capital Montevideo and rated ‘excellent’, where you can ride horses, go fishing or canoeing etc., from just £69 in April
If you feel more beachy, try Uruguay’s “St. Tropez” and stay somewhere like Hotel Concorde which, with an ‘excellent’ rating and a price starting from £65 a night.
Gorgeous Georgia
On a midnight train to Georgia. But which one? Not Georgia (USA), not South Georgia (South Polar Sea), but the Georgia nestled in the Caucasus mountains. Following the peaceful Rose Revolution back in 2003, Georgia has worked to share its uniqueness with the rest of the world. Its beaches on the Black Sea and its peaks in the Caucasus are unique, but with over 1,200 historic sites, UNESCO Heritage Sites, hiking trails and mineral springs, quaint towns and beautiful cities populated by rambling alleyways, resorts for every taste along the coast and a fantastic nightlife to boot you should really get to Georgia before everyone else cottons on to its endless charms.
Fancy some city slash beach time? Try staying somewhere like 4-star President Plaza Hotel in Batumi, from £89 a night in June. Alternatively, head into the mountains and greet the dawn with the most amazing views of the snow-capped peaks of the Caucasus mountains in the townlet of Mestia. Check out some of the locally run guesthouses like Manoni’s Guesthouse which is not only rated ‘excellent’ but is a steal at £11 a night.
- Flights from London to Tbilisi, June 9-15th from £192
- Flights from Manchester to Tbilisi, June 7-15th from £212
- Flights from Edinburgh to Tbilisi, May 9-17th from £222
Life-changing Laos
The Far East awaits! Those words used to sound so exotic, whereas these days they …. still sound pretty exotic, actually. Ok, while Thailand has almost become a rite of passage for young Brits looking for adventure, Laos is comparatively undisturbed and will leave you feeling relaxed like almost nowhere else in the world can. In Thailand, you have the beach, but in Laos, you have the Mekong River. Take Luang Prabang, for example, this ancient royal city encircled by jungle-laden mountains sits on the banks of the Mekong River and is the epitome of calmness and relaxation. Whether cycling along the streets, visiting the temples, watching the life of the Laotians by the river, swimming in the Mekong or just emulating the life of a Buddhist monk under blossoming bougainvillaea trees – the relaxed aura of the place is instantly infectious.
To really let go, try staying at the Golden Lotus Place, a hotel with an ‘Excellent’ rating smack bang in the middle of the city; priced from £24 in May.
Note: These rates are based on search queries made on KAYAK.co.uk on February 248th, 2017. The prices are quoted in GBP. Flight prices are based on results for a return economy flight search. Hotel prices are for double occupancy and include taxes and fees. Prices are subject to change, may vary, or no longer be available.
