Ten overlooked metropoles: The biggest cities on Earth that no tourists visit

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Ten overlooked metropoles: The biggest cities on Earth that no tourists visit

By David Whitley
The cityscape of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh.

The cityscape of Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. Credit: Getty

Some enormous cities are also well-justified tourist magnets. Visitors flock to the likes of Tokyo, Mexico City and Istanbul, having a fantastic time while there. But some of the world's biggest urban areas might as well be in the middle of nowhere as far as leisure travellers are concerned. Do these overlooked metropoles have something to offer, though?

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Population: 22.5 million

For the purposes of this list, we're excluding any city that's on the Euromonitor or Mastercard 100 most visited cities lists, and taking populations from World Population Review. And, on these terms, the Bangladeshi capital is by far the biggest unpopular city in the world.

If you do go, however, heritage buildings are the key attraction. The 17th century Lalbagh Fort is stuffed with art, and the pink-tinged Ahsan Manzil Museum is the former palace seat of the Dhaka Nawabs. Both are suitably photogenic.

Chongqing, China

Population: 16.9 million

Credit: iStock

A one city per country rule is needed to prevent this list from filling up with largely ignored but massive Chinese regional hubs. However, the biggest of these is Chongqing. This ridiculously sprawly city is big on manufacturing and tech.

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For visitors, the Three Gorges Museum – focusing largely on the Yangtze River – is a highlight. Meanwhile, on the northern outskirts with the city, the Zhaomushan Forest Park brims with tens of thousands of plants and animals.

Karachi, Pakistan

Population: 16.8 million

Credit: iStock

If in doubt in Karachi, head to the beach. Clifton Beach is the old favourite, and you can take sunset camel rides by the Arabian Sea here. The pink and yellow-stoned Mohatta Palace is also in Clifton, and the museum inside covers cultural heritage.

The striking white marble Mazar-e-Quaid mausoleum, meanwhile, is Pakistan's modernist take on the Taj Mahal.

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Population: 15.6 million

Credit: Alamy

Kinshasa has famously had visitors in the past – Muhammad Ali and George Foreman fought the Rumble in the Jungle here. But the world's biggest Francophone city has dropped off the radar somewhat.

Tourist pickings are rather slim – although you can enjoy some chest-beating boosterism at the National Museum or visit orphaned apes at the Lolo ya Bonobo Sanctuary.

Luanda, Angola

Population: Nine million

Credit: Getty

Arguably the city on this list with the most to offer, the Luanda capital has a seaside location and plenty of genuinely interesting cultural attractions. Most prominent is the Fortaleza de São Miguel, a 16th century Portuguese fortress in the shape of a slightly squashed star. The National Slavery Museum explores the city's role in the transatlantic slave trade and the Ilha de Luanda is ideal for some beach time.

Baghdad, Iraq

Population: 7.5 million

Credit: iStock

Instability tends to keep tourists away from Baghdad. Those with incredibly generous insurers, however, can enjoy the Iraq Museum – a treasure trove showcasing the riches of Mesopotamian culture.

Meanwhile, the Al-Shaheen Monument – a gigantic green bulb split down the middle by an eternal flame – is one of the most visually striking war memorials on earth.

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Population: 7.4 million

Credit: Nelson Aloyce\iStock

No longer the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam, is usually skipped through as quickly as possible on the way to Zanzibar or the Serengetti. If you stay a while, the National Museum and Gothic-style St Joseph's Cathedral are decent tourist fodder.

But you're probably better off paying a boatman to whip you over to Mbudya Island, then enjoying cold drinks in a beachside cabana in-between snorkelling sessions.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Population: 6.2 million

Credit: Alamy

For football fans, Belo Horizonte is primarily known as the place where Germany hammered Brazil 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup semi final. The Brazilian Football Museum is at the Mineirão stadium.

There's genuine urban energy in BH, with the Mercado Central offering the obvious buzzy starting point. The Memorial Minas Gerais Vale goes into local culture and history with considerable interactive flair, but you're better off heading to the surrounding caves and mountains.

Khartoum, Sudan

Population: 6.2 million

Credit: iStock

Suffering similar destination marketing issues to Baghdad, Khartoum probably deserves a fairer crack of the whip. It's where the White Nile and Blue Nile join forces around Tuti Island.

Elsewhere, Al-Musawwarat as-Safra is an impressive ancient Egyptian temple complex, the Khartoum Grand Mosque is a proud architectural stunner and the Sudan National Museum covers a history that goes back millennia.

Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

Population: 5.5 million

Credit: Getty

Like Dar Es Salaam, Abidjan has been deposed as the national capital while blatantly remaining the country's engine room. Even those who quite like Abidjan admit it's not Africa for beginners.

There are, however, a couple of examples of fabulous African modernist architecture in La Pyramide and Cathedrale St Paul. You're probably best off heading to the Parc du Banco rainforest reserve in the north of the city, however.

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