Beat the crowds: 19 under-the-radar countries you should visit now

Where is the next great foodie destination? Where is there a culture of high-quality cuisine that remains underappreciated by the hungry masses? Where are there unknown wineries with thousands of years of history? Where do these attractions exist in a place of great beauty, with verdant valleys backed by snow-capped peaks? The answer is Georgia (with its capital, Tbilisi, named in this special Traveller collection as one the world’s next big things in terms of cities).

This country, which straddles both Europe and Asia, is home to a richly complex gastronomic culture, one that takes its influence from two great continents. The wine industry dates back over 8000 years, and Georgian-style “orange” wine is rapidly gaining worldwide recognition. And the physical beauty? You’ll have to see it for yourself. See georgia.travel

Albania

In considering the potential charms of Albania, take a look at the country’s neighbours: Greece to the south, Montenegro and Croatia to the north, North Macedonia to the east, the sparkling confluence of the Adriatic and Ionian seas to its west. This is a country with plenty of natural riches, flawless coastlines and rugged mountains, as well as ancient Greek and Roman history, plus unique modern culture and cuisine. Albania was largely shut off to the rest of the world until 1990, and has been slow to attract too many Australian travellers since, despite its affordability and off-the-beaten track allure. Surely though, that will soon change. See albania.al

Peru

For a terrible while there, Peru was on the precipice. Waves of violent protests swept the nation after president Pedro Castillo was ousted in early December last year, and travel to Peru all but ceased for several months. Now, however, the country is more stable, peaceful, and open for business once again. It’s also a confirmed foodie hotspot. The latest iteration of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list crowned Central, the Lima fine-diner run by chef Virgilio Martinez, number one in the world. It also ranked fellow Lima restaurants Maido at number six, Kjolle at 28, and Mayta at 47. It’s not just fine-dining, either: Peru has a diverse and affordable eating culture that should attract legions of passionate foodies. See peru.travel

Vietnam

Vietnam has been a favourite destination among Australians for some time, and visitor numbers have already returned to pre-pandemic levels. Still, there’s room for more given the dramatic increase in flight services recently, with budget carriers Vietjet and Bamboo Airways joining Vietnam Airlines and Jetstar in flying direct from Australian ports to Vietnam. The country has also been investing heavily in tourism, with pushes to move visitors on from perennial favourites such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Halong Bay to the beachy likes of Con Dao in the north and Phu Quoc in the south. Wherever you go, you know the food in Vietnam will be amazing, and the country will be very good value. See vietnam.travel

Chile

South America has been relatively slow to bounce back from the pandemic among Australian travellers, and Chile is a case in point. In May 2019, some 1.430 Australian residents returned from short-term travel to Chile. In May of this year – the most recent figures – that number was only 680, a little less than half. This is a country, however, with a huge amount to offer tourists, from high-and-dry Atacama in the north to famous Patagonia in the south, via the colour of Valparaiso, the beauty of the Lake District, and the ever-present majesty of the Andes. With flight availability to Santiago increasing and airfares dropping, watch for Chile to gain in popularity. See chile.travel

Mexico

Untapped potential. That’s Mexico. This is a country with something of an image problem, one it’s been dealing with for several decades now – still, Mexico is one amazing place that will reward those who give it a chance with a destination that goes so far beyond the beachy goodness of Cancun and Cabo. This, after all, is the land of the Maya and the Aztecs, a country littered with archaeological sites. It’s a place of great artistic and creative talent. It’s a country of diverse, unique cuisines. It’s a country of colour and of tradition. It’s ripe for discovery by Australian travellers. See visitmexico.com

Egypt

Egypt is back. This perennial favourite, which slipped off many travellers’ radars due to the pandemic and recent political unrest, is once again shaping up as a big-hitter. It helps, of course, when Time Magazine names not one but two locations – the Pyramids of Giza, and the ancient village of Saqqara – on its list of “World’s Greatest Places of 2023″. Nile River cruises, too, are surging in popularity, so much so that Egypt specialist Viking Cruises has added three ships to its fleet in the last two years to keep up with demand. And then there’s the Grand Egyptian Museum, due to open in Giza later this year, an estimated $US1 billion project that will become the world’s largest museum, housing more than 100,000 ancient Egyptian artefacts. See egypt.travel

Portugal

When we say the next big thing here, we mean the really big next big thing. Because Portugal is already popular. People already understand that this is an Iberian destination with beaches galore in the south, rich culture in the likes of Lisbon and Porto, river cruising on the Douro, and the warmest of welcomes throughout the nation. Still, the number of Australians visiting Portugal pales in comparison to the likes of France and Italy. In May this year, just 1790 Australians returned from short-term trips to Portugal. That figure for Italy was almost 20,000. Portugal has huge potential for growth, and it can only be a matter of time. See visitportugal.com

Germany

It’s time for Australians to spread their wings in Germany. This is already a popular country with Antipodean travellers, but the bulk of those visits are to the likes of Berlin and Munich, with occasional river-cruise wanderings along the Rhine. There’s much more to experience. What about Heidelberg, with its vibrant student population and its historic old town; or the Harz Mountains, dotted with picture-perfect alpine villages; or Saxon Switzerland National Park, with its rugged vistas; or Leipzig, following in Berlin’s alternative footsteps? Germany is the ideal country to avoid overcrowded destinations and yet still feel you’re getting the best of Europe. See germany.travel

China

China is open to tourism. But how many people are actually going? There’s movement between our two countries, but it’s a fraction of the numbers seen pre-pandemic, and still fewer are travelling for tourism. That’s understandable – news stories of entire cities being locked down in a flash, and long-term quarantine for COVID-19 sufferers live long in the traveller’s mind. That will eventually fade. It may take a year – it will probably take several. But at some point there will be a feeling among many Australians that it’s safe to return to China for leisure travel, to explore this vast and diverse land once again. See travelchina.org.cn

Zimbabwe

The inclusion of Zimbabwe in our list rests with how tensions play out after last month’s election. If the country remains peaceful that will boost the confidence of travellers to continue trickling into this troubled though incredibly beautiful and underrated destination. They will come, of course, for Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s best-known attraction; however, this is also one of Africa’s best safari destinations, where low visitor numbers and facilities ranging from adventurous bush camps to ultra-luxury lodges make this country a big hit for those in the know. See classicsafaricompany.com.au

Norway

It’s hard to know how much stock to put in the title of “European Capital of Culture”. There are three named every year, after all; 68 cities have held the position since 1985. Just how exceptionally cultural can they all be? Still, next year it’s the turn of Bodo in Norway (along with Tartu in Estonia and Bad Ischl in Austria), which is as good an excuse as any to discover a little more about this famously beautiful country. Bodo is a fishing town just above the Arctic Circle, and a gateway to the rugged Lofoten Islands – though next year the focus will be on the indigenous Sami culture and a generally creative bent. And after Bodo, the rest of Norway awaits. See visitnorway.com

India

Remember India? The myriad cultures, the diverse attractions, the joy, the beauty, the all-encompassing, all-pervasive humanity of the place? We remember India. Only, we don’t go there so much at the moment. The rush for post-pandemic travel to countries perceived as safe – the UK, the US, New Zealand, Thailand – has left travel to India mostly to those re-establishing family connections. That, however, is already beginning to change. As travellers regain confidence, their scope of potential destinations expands with India once more enticing those up for a culture-soaked adventure. And with increased appreciation for India’s regional differences, even those who have visited before will feel the pull of this amazing place. See incredibleindia.org

Morocco

Morocco is already kicking off. Tour companies are seeing plenty of interest in this destination that’s perceived as adventurous, as different – and yet not too adventurous, or too different. Morocco enjoys a location very close to Western Europe, too: you can get here by ferry from Spain. On the ground, you have a diverse and fascinating country, from the time warp that is Fez, to the bustle of Marrakesh, the multiple cultures and creative history of Tangier, the heights of the Atlas Mountains and the lows of the Sahara. Morocco will continue to thrive. See visitmorocco.com

Australia

Yes, Australia. Not just any old country, but the most important country in the world when it comes to places to explore over the next decade or so. As the effects of climate change become ever more obvious, as do the contributions made to that change by travellers indulging in long-distance travel, it’s going to become more and more important to space out overseas journeys with adventure closer to home. And what more excuse do you need to appreciate everything we have here? Great cities, myriad national and marine parks, the world’s best beaches, cultures that are tens of thousands of years old, and vast swathes of open space to lose yourself. See australia.com

Colombia

Here’s another country that many experts have been predicting big things for, for some time now, without Colombia really hitting the mainstream. Still, ever since the early 2000s, when the Colombian government began reaching a series of peace deals with the guerilla group FARC, international tourism has been increasing. And why wouldn’t it? Colombia is one of the most biodiverse nations on the planet, with ecosystems that range from the tropical Amazon, to the mountainous Andes, to Caribbean and Pacific coastlines and islands. There’s history, coupled with vibrant modern culture. About the only thing Australians have to get over is the tyranny of distance. See colombia.travel