8 Underrated Countries You Should Visit in 2024

Looking for hidden gem destinations? Check out these 8 off the beaten track countries to visit.

While the crowds flock to Thailand or London, there are many off the beaten path travel destinations around the world where you can have a great vacation & authentic experience without tons of tourists. From the spectacular Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia to hidden beaches in Albania to the Northern Lights and dog sledding in northern Finland, here are our top picks for underrated countries to visit in 2024.

red lake laguna colorada in bolivia, an Underrated country to visit

Bolivia is an underrated country in Latin America. Laguna Colorada near Uyuni. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved

1. Bolivia: Hidden Gem Destination in Latin America

  • Spectacular Uyuni Salt Flats, magical Lake Titicaca, & Amazon Rainforest. Very affordable country.

  • Go to Bolivia if you like: Peru, Yellowstone, natural wonders, Crater Lake, Amazon rainforest, Brazil, Latin American culture, Pisco Sours.

Bolivia is teeming with culture and natural wonders, yet it’s much more affordable than most other countries in Latin America and feels very off the beaten path. It’s the cheapest country to see the Amazon rainforest, and then it also has the stunning Uyuni Salt Flats, Lake Titicaca, hiking in the Andes mountains, and very friendly people. It’s also the home to empanadas, fascinating Andean culture, a coca museum (!), and vibrant La Paz city. We’ve traveled to several Latin American countries, but we especially loved Bolivia for its charm and hidden gem feeling. We would go back in a heartbeat.

Top things to do in Bolivia:

sunrise on island in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, an underrated country to visit

Seeing the sunrise at the Salar de Uyuni is a once in a lifetime experience. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved

The Uyuni Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni) (see photo above) and surrounding red lakes, lagoons, moon-like landscapes, and geysers feel out of this world. There are 2 main options for seeing the salt flats and the area:

  1. Do a day trip from Uyuni. This is a great option if you don’t have a ton of time. This is a reliable day trip tour that I recommend. You get to tour the salt flats in a 4x4, visit the Isla Incahuasi island, & take amazing photos. If you’re in La Paz & want to do the whole thing in one day, this is a good tour from a reliable company.

  2. Do a 3 to 5 day trip from Uyuni. The 3-5 day trip from the Uyuni salt flats to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile is a magical, once in a lifetime experience. You need to book a 4x4 tour company to take you on this trip. We recommend this tour for the 5-day option. Just note that the second night for EVERY tour that goes through here is in a cold hotel, so bring a warm jacket and hat.

  3. You can also visit the area the other way around, from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile to Uyuni (we did).

đŸ™ïž The City of La Paz is teeming with life as well. Visit the Plaza San Francisco and the Basilica and monastery. It’s an excellent place for people watching and seeing the frescos and carvings. Try some of Bolivia’s best food & cocktails at Yati or a gourmet meal at Mi Chola.

sunset and boats on lake titicaca, bolivia, an Underrated country to visit

Lake Titicaca, between Peru and Bolivia, has an island you can visit in the middle, Isla del Sol. Photo by Karla Villaizan on Unsplash

More things to do in Bolivia:

  • 💩 Sapphire blue Lake Titicaca (see photo below). The gorgeous blue lake, which borders Peru, is definitely worth a trip. The best way to visit Titicaca is to go to Copacabana (not the one in Brazil), which is a charming Bolivian town on the lake that’s a 3 hour bus or car ride from La Paz.

    • đŸ›„ïž Option 1: Day trip. You can do this as a day trip from La Paz, which takes you to the lake and the lovely Isla del Sol (see below) & back. This is a good day trip tour we recommend.

    • đŸ›„ïž Option 2: Stay in Copacabana. You can also stay a couple of days at the lake. Take a boat ride to the charming Isla del Sol, where you can hike around, and enjoy a pisco sour when you get back (they’re very good).

      • 🛌 Where to stay: We really LOVED this hotel, Las Olas (see below) there that has individual houses with suites and huge windows that look onto Lake Titicaca — it’s where we got engaged!

  • 🌳 Amazon rainforest: Bolivia may be the easiest and cheapest way to see the Amazon rainforest.

đŸ”„ Hot tip: Bring layers of clothing. The high altitude means that it can be warm in the sunny daytime, but very cold at night.

  • ✈ Getting there: You need a visa in order to travel to Bolivia, but it’s easy to get in advance at a Bolivian embassy. There are direct flights from New York to La Paz, which is is an overnight 10 hour, 45 minute flight.

  • Getting around Bolivia: You can take buses to Lake Titicaca (Copacabana), Uyuni, or Rurrenbaque, or internal flights to Uyuni (around $125-150) or Rurrenbaque. Local buses to Copacabana cost around $3 and depart throughout the day from the La Paz General Cemetery. Direct buses depart twice daily (8am and 1pm) from from La Paz central bus terminal and cost around $7.

đŸ”„ Hot tip: If you’re planning to visit any of these countries as a solo traveler, check out Maddie’s great tips of how to prepare.

baby mountain gorilla in bwindi, uganda, one of the best Underrated countries to visit

Baby mountain gorilla in Bwindi National Park, Uganda, an underrated country in Africa. Photo: Max Christian, Unsplash.

2. Uganda: One of the Best Hidden Travel Gems in Africa

  • Fantastic safaris, gorilla trekking, hike with white rhinos, good weather year-round, and extremely friendly.

  • Go to Uganda if you like: Kenya, safaris, warm weather year-round, gorillas, Crater Lake, mountain hiking.

While everyone goes to Kenya or South Africa to safari, or maybe Tanzania, almost no one visits Uganda comparatively. And yet
. Uganda is less expensive, its national parks are under visited but amazing, you can do gorilla trekking, and the people there are extremely friendly. I daresay, maybe the friendliest on earth. Yes, I’m a bit biased since I lived there for 2 1/2 years, but it is a wonderful place & a very underrated country to visit in Africa.

Best things to do in Uganda:

  • 🩁 Visit Kidepo National Park, where you can hear lions roaring at night & see cheetahs, giraffes, elephants, buffalos, & more. Kidepo gets far fewer visitors than Uganda’s other national parks, so you get a more up-close, authentic experience.

  • 🩍 Go mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga National Park in southwestern Uganda. This is a really special experience, as you track the gorillas as they move around in the dense mountain forest. Mgahinga receives fewer visitors, so we recommend that park a bit more. You’ll need to book ahead of time, as this is a popular activity.

    • If you want to do a tour, the one below is great. If you want to do arrange it yourself, you can also do that. Bea Adventurous recently did the Bwindi trip & has a great blog on how to do it here.

white rhino in field, Ziwa rhino sanctuary, uganda, underrated countries to visit

Walk around with white rhinos on their turf in Uganda at the Ziwa sanctuary. Photo by Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved

More things to do in Uganda:

  • 🩏 Walk around with white rhinos. A hidden gem is the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, one of the very few places in the world where you can track rare white rhinos in a sanctuary. If you’re in Kampala, the tour below is a great way to do this.

  • Relax on Lake Bunyonyi, a magical blue lake where you can paddle around in a dugout canoe, relax, and stay in a small resort. One of the deepest lakes in Africa, Bunyonyi is in Southwestern Uganda near the gorilla trekking sites, so you can combine the two activities.

  • ⛰ Hike Mt. Elgon, a beautiful volcanic mountain that you can trek for 4 to 5 days, sleep in a cave under a waterfall, and explore the volcanic caldera. Sasha did this and it was a fantastic experience — we barely saw any other people. This is a very underrated, wonderful outdoor adventure that few people do in Uganda. Combine this with nearby Sipi Falls, a 225 foot (75m) waterfall in a spectacular setting. You need to book guides & porters with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip: Combine mountain gorilla tracking in southwestern Uganda with a visit to charming Lake Bunyonyi. And don’t sleep on Kampala - it’s a vibrant city with many fun bars, world class Indian food and local roasted pork.

gorgeous green water and mountains, komani lake, Albania, Underrated countries to visit in Europe

Albania is a very underrated country to visit in Europe. This is Komani Lake, Albania, with its Caribbean colored water. Photo: Johnny Africa via Unsplash.

3. Albania: A top European Underrated Country to Visit

  • Think Croatia’s incredible coast & nature but at 1/3 the price.

  • Go to Albania if you like: Italy, Croatia, beautiful beaches, fjords, grilled meats, European history, pristine Alpine lakes, friendly Balkan culture.

Albania is one of the more off the beaten track places in Europe, yet it offers almost all of what Croatia does (and in some ways more) but at a fraction of the cost. It’s a quite friendly country and one that you feel like you could stay in for a long time, between the beaches, mountains, and very affordable prices. And it definitely has the off the beaten path feeling: Albania receives less than half the number of tourists of Croatia. It’s truly one of the best hidden travel gems in Europe.

Top things to do in Albania:

  • 🏖 Long, white sandy beaches: Three beach towns we recommend are SarandĂ«, DhĂ«rmi, and Ksamil.

    • SarandĂ« has excellent food and rocky cliffs along with a good beach. You can even take a ferry to the Greek island of Corfu for the day! DhĂ«rmi has both excellent beaches and a charming Byzantine town.

    • See our hidden beaches blog for more info on beaches in Albania.

  • Visit the UNESCO World Heritage city of Berat. Berat on the Osum River in the south of the country, is a 2,400-year-old city with an ancient castle and “the city of a thousand windows” on the old Ottoman homes. The tour below is great!

Llogara Pass in Albania, a hidden gem, is an amazing drive from mountains to the sea, underrated countries to visit

The Llogara Pass drive near the Albanian coast, a hidden gem. Just do it. Photo by Elion Jashari.

More things to do in Albania:

  • 🚗 Go for a scenic drive: The Llogara Pass (pictured) is an out of this world drive in the mountains and water through the Llogara National Park.

  • ⛰ Go hiking: Our top tips for hikes are in the Valbona Valley National Park and the famous Valbona-Thethi hike, both of which are spectacular.

  • ⛰ Guided tour: If you prefer a guided tour to the mountains, this is a really good one that goes to both national parks in the “Albanian Alps.” You get picked up in Tirana and then go to Komani Lake, Valbona Valley, and Thethi National Park.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip: Albania is NOT in the EU Schengen Zone, so it’s perfect to visit if you’re doing long-term travel in Europe and need to get out of the Schengen for 3 months.

✈ Getting there & visa: No visa is needed U.S., U.K., or E.U. member country citizens.

Quito old city rooftops church and green mountains, Ecuador, Underrated countries to visit

Ecuador, is another underrated country in Latin America & Quito its capital does not disappoint. Photo by Mauricio Muñoz on Unsplash

4. Ecuador: Underrated Country to Visit in Latin America with Mountain Climbing, the Galapagos


  • Climb some of the world’s highest mountains without needing special training, see the Amazon rainforest, or scuba dive in the Galapagos.

  • Go to Ecuador if you like: mountain hiking and climbing, the Rockies, Sierra Nevada, Alps, the Caribbean, scuba diving, sea life, the Amazon rainforest, exotic bird watching, Costa Rica.

Ecuador kind of has it all — from scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands to high peak mountain climbing in the Andes to jungle adventures in the Amazon to beach towns on the Pacific. We really loved the fact that the capital Quito is surrounded by both high mountains and the rainforest, meaning you can do day trips from the city to hike gorgeous peaks and explore the jungle. And it’s still fairly off the beaten track, so enjoy it while that lasts!

Top things to do in Ecuador:

  • 🌳 Rainforest/jungle adventure: There are amazing rainforests just a couple of hours from Quito that have jungle hikes with beautiful waterfalls and gorgeous tropical birds. You can take a day trip from Quito, this is a great, affordable tour that we did that does that. Or you can


    • Do a 3-day trip to the Amazon rainforest, which is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We recommend this tour if you have time to do that, where you get to stay in a really cool Amazon lodge in the jungle, and hike around with a local guide. Their guides, Bryan and Carlos, do a fantastic job.

  • Galapagos Islands: Where to begin? The Galapagos is a world wonder. Go scuba diving, see giant tortoises, swim at beautiful beaches, and hike the Sierra Negra volcano.

iliniza norte Mountain in ecudaor, an underrated country to visit

Mountain climbing is special in Ecuador, a hidden gem of Latin America. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved.

More things to do in Ecuador:

  • ⛰ Mountain hiking and climbing in the Andes: book a mountain guide and hike high Andes mountains within reach of Quito (we booked this one and highly recommend them). This is a wonderful experience — we hiked four mountains and made it to the top of three.

    • Keep in mind that the altitude is high — all above 10,000 feet, e.g. with Cotopaxi at 19,300 feet. So you need to take time to acclimatize. We failed in our final summit attempt at Cotopaxi (but had a blast). And we did make it to the top of a 17,500-foot peak called Iliniza Norte (pictured above), which was an incredible experience.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip: Combine an amazing scuba diving/snorkeling and island experience on the Galapagos with mountain trekking in the Andes.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip 2: Make sure you allow enough time for acclimatization — a couple of days in Quito at least — if you plan to do mountain climbing.

  • ✈ Getting there: No visa is needed. There are direct flights to Quito from Atlanta, Miami, Houston in the US.

orthodox priest in rock cave church in tigray, ethiopia, one of the most Underrated countries to visit

Ethiopia is an underrated country to visit in Africa. Orthodox Priest in a rock church in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev - all rights reserved

5. Ethiopia: One of the Most Underrated Countries to Visit in Africa

  • Fascinating castles & rock hewn churches, a volcano you can hike to, delicious food, fantastic local jazz.

  • Go to Ethiopia if you like: visiting historic places, particularly ancient churches, Israel, adventure travel, Yellowstone, hiking, spicy food, good coffee.

Ethiopia offers a fascinating, unique travel experience, and has far fewer tourists than South Africa or Kenya. Its historic rock-carved churches, castles, and natural wonders like geysers are completely different from other parts of Africa. And the delicious food and coffee
 We’ve toured the country several times together, and Megnote is originally from Ethiopia. Here are some of our top recommendations for this hidden travel gem.

Top experiences in Ethiopia:

  • Lalibela: The 14th century churches rock-hewn in the northern city of Lalibela, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are an architectural wonder and are magical to see. They’re still active, so you can see a service & even take a tour from a local priest.

  • đŸœ Ethiopian food: Simply put, it’s unique, full of flavor (and spice if you like it), and much better (and with more variety) in Ethiopia than it is abroad.

    • Try doro wot (spicy chicken stew), tibs (grilled meat tips), kitfo (ground, spiced beef), Injera, the spongy bread made of the grain teff.

    • See our underrated cities blog for Addis Ababa restaurant recommendations.

  • ⛰ Simien Mountains National Park: excellent hiking and trekking amid Ethiopia’s highest mountains and the chance to see the unique Gelada baboons. Another UNESCO World Heritage site.

magical green formations in Dallol, afar, ethiopia Underrated countries to visit

Dallol is an underrated, fascinating place to visit in northern Ethiopia. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved.

More things to do in Ethiopia:

  • Danakil Depression: The 3-day tour of the Danakil in Afar in the north is truly spectacular, making Ethiopia one of the most underrated countries to visit.

    • 🌋 It includes a volcano trek — the closest you can get to an active lava lake in the world.

    • Yellowstone-like geysers: Danakil also has a geyser/hydrothermal system analogous to Yellowstone called Dallol, salt flats, and a visit to a fascinating “salt mine” where locals trek with a camel caravan for a week to gather salt from a lake.

    • 🚗 Recommended tour: You have to book a guide (with a land cruiser) to see these areas because of permits, etc. We had a wonderful experience with this tour and recommend it. It got great reviews and did not disappoint. Day 1 takes you to the salt lake and hot springs. Then on Day 2 you do the amazing trek to the volcano. And then on Day 3 you see the totally unique camel caravans & salt “mine.” It’s about $500 per person, which includes accommodation and meals.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip: The tour of the Danakil Depression is one that you’ll never forget — it’s truly out of this world. The tours now leave from Semera instead of Mekelle.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip 2: Save a couple of days to explore Addis Ababa — there’s great local jazz, fun bars, good new museums and parks, a good new zoo. Read more on our underrated cities blog.

  • ✈ Getting there: You now need to get an Ethiopia visa online in advance if you’re not from another African country ($50), but this actually makes arrival at Addis Ababa airport much easier. Ethiopian Airlines offers direct flights from many locations, and it’s a decent airline.

northern lights aurora in ivalo, finland, one of the best Underrated countries to visit

Northern Lights, aka Aurora Borealis in Ivalo, Finland, an underrated country to see them. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev - all rights reserved

6. Finland: Northern Europe’s Most Underrated Country to Visit

  • Highlights: See the northern lights without the crowds, have an authentic sauna experience, & watch reindeer racing.

  • Go to Finland if you like: Iceland, Northern Lights, architecture, Norway, saunas, Marimekko design, lake retreats, cross-country skiing.

While the crowds flock to the Norwegian fjords or Stockholm, Finland remains a fascinating, underrated country to visit among the Nordic countries. We’ve been to Finland twice and really liked soaking up both the Nordic culture and quiet, pristine nature. See the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in a much less touristy environment than Iceland, relax at an outdoor sauna and dip in a nearby lake, experience authentic Finnish culture, go dog-sledding, or go cross-country skiing.

The word sauna is actually Finnish, and going to an outdoor savusauna (smoke sauna) is a real highlight, including dipping in a frozen pond between sessions. We’ve been to Finland twice and really liked soaking up both the Nordic culture and quiet, pristine nature.

Top things to do in Finland:

  • Explore Helsinki: Helsinki is a fun city with great bars and restaurants, excellent fish, a world class art museum, and fascinating architecture and design scene.

  • đŸœ Sample Finnish cuisine. For restaurants in Helsinki, we recommend:

    • đŸœ The authentic Finnish Restaurant Saaga, which has delicious reindeer, fish, and a cosy all-wood atmosphere.

    • đŸœ For a fancier restaurant, Finnish specialty KultĂĄ is fantastic, with 5 course meals & a world class wine list.

sauna with window to outdoor snow, finland, one of the best Underrated countries to visit

Sauna is a Finnish word, and the saunas are a special experience in Finland. Photo by HUUM on Unsplash

More things to do in Finland:

  • Try a “smoke sauna”: Go to the smoke sauna (savusauna) experience just outside Helsinki at KuusijĂ€rvi in Vantaa. It’s phenomenal — you’re in the woods, you sit in a hot smoky sauna (not dangerous) and then dip in a cold lake and swap out. And it’s not expensive, only 13 euros per person.

  • See the Northern Lights: Skip the rather touristy Rovaniemi and take an internal flight to Ivalo, where you can do dog sledding, see the northern lights, do cross-country skiing, and watch reindeer races without large crowds of people. See our blog on the Ivalo experience here.

đŸ”„ Hot tip: Consider going in March or April when you can still see the Aurora and experience snow and winter but without the bone chilling cold or darkness.

  • ✈ Getting There: Finland is part of the EU Schengen zone. Finnish Air operates direct flights to Helsinki from New York, Chicago, and LA.

dhow sailboat on the beach in zanzibar, one of the most Underrated countries to visit

Fisherman on a dhow boat in Zanzibar, Tanzania, an underrated country in Africa. Photo: Pixell via FreeImages.

7. Tanzania: Hidden Beaches, Safari, & Mt. Kilimanjaro

  • Go to Tanzania if you like: Kenya, South Africa, safaris, Caribbean beaches, Hawaii, mountain climbing, Ecuador, Switzerland.

When I (Sasha) lived in Uganda, I would always tell people to visit Tanzania. We’ve traveled there several times ourselves, both by road and plane, and loved the combination of beach, safari, mountains, and friendly people. And it definitely felt less touristy than neighboring Kenya. The spectacular beaches and vibrant Swahili culture are fantastic.

Best things to do in Tanzania:

  • 🏖 Zanzibar beaches: This is one of our favorite islands in the world — we’ve been 4 times. There are gorgeous beaches, and our top recommendations are Mtende and Paje, which are not so touristy and have gorgeous water. See our more detailed blog about Zanzibar’s best beaches here.

    • đŸ€ż The scuba diving is top notch here, and at certain times of the year you can see whale sharks (not dangerous) and sea turtles. See our beaches blog for our recs on the best scuba diving experiences.

  • ⛰ Mt. Kilimanjaro: Kili is the highest mountain in Africa. You can hike to the top without technical mountaineering skills.

    • The normal trek takes 5-7 days. Don’t do it in fewer days than that because you need to properly acclimatize. Otherwise you risk getting altitude sick and have to head down the mountain instead of summiting.

    • Recommended guide: This is a really good 7-day guided tour that I recommend. The price is reasonable, the food that the guides cook is quite good, and the guides are entertaining. Most importantly, the full week allows for you to have fun while acclimatizing, instead of struggling with altitude issues.

wildebeest migration across the river in tanzania, an underrated country to visit

Seeing the Wildebeest migration in the Serengeti is an incredible experience. Photo by Jorge Tung on Unsplash

More things to do in Tanzania:

  • 🩁 Safari: Tanzania has arguably the world’s best safari park in the Serengeti.

    • The best time to go is the Wildebeest Migration, which is usually in late May or June, but that’s also when big crowds come to the park, so that’s a tradeoff to consider.

  • Zanzibar town (aka Stone town): is also fascinating, with small, windy streets. It’s worth it for the doors alone (see below, photo by Patricia Hokororo).

    • Take a spice tour, a 1 to 2 hour tour where you see & sample the plants that make spices such as cloves, lemongrass, etc. Sensory memory of a lifetime!! We recommend the one below.

    • đŸ›ïž Stay at the wonderful Emerson on Hurumzi hotel (formerly Emerson and Green). It’s one of the most memorable hotels we’ve ever stayed at in the world, with completely unique rooms, including breakfast on your own private balcony overlooking the town.

woman in front of beautiful wooden door in zanzibar, one of the most Underrated countries to visit

đŸ”„ Hot Tip: Combine a safari and beach trip, and even a Mt. Kilimanjaro climb if you’re up for it. Zanzibar is a very short plane ride or ferry trip from Dar es Salaam, the biggest city in the country.

  • Bring layers: Keep in mind that the weather is VERY different in each of those areas. Zanzibar is hot and humid, and Kilimanjaro is quite cold — and freezing if you get to high elevations.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip 2: Stay and eat at a unique place in Zanzibar, a Japanese-Zanzibari place in Paje with some of the freshest sushi I’ve ever tasted — Paradise Beach Bungalows. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. When we stayed there, they asked us in the morning, “what kind of sushi do you like? We’ll try to catch it today and serve it you for dinner.”

✈ Getting there & visa: You need a Tanzania visa but can get one online easily. The biggest city where flights go is Dar es Salaam, but you can also book a flight directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport or Zanzibar. If you do go to Zanzibar, we recommend the short flight, which is only 40 minutes and cheap, as the ferry docks are not fun arrival points.

gorgeous lake kotor mountains lake and town, Montenegro, one of the best underrated countries to visit

The charming town of Kotor amid mountains in Montenegro, an underrated southern European destination. Photo by George Kedenburg III on Unsplash.

8. Montenegro: Underrated Southern European Destination

  • Highlights: Norway-like fjords, some of Europe’s best national parks, & lovely beach towns.

  • Go to Montenegro if you like: Norway, Croatia, Italy, beautiful beaches, fjords, grilled meats, European history, pristine Alpine lakes, friendly Balkan culture.

Montenegro, mostly unknown to the outside world, has incredible nature, with mystical fjords, crystal clear beaches, mountains just next to the sea, and charming historic towns. It isn’t as cheap as Albania (but still less than Croatia), but it is charm, friendly people, much smaller crowds, and gorgeous nature make it a lovely place to vacation or spend an extended period. Montenegro is starting to become not as off the beaten path as before, so go soon before it gets off the hidden travel gem list!

Top things to do in Montenegro:

  • Gorgeous Lake Kotor in the mountains is a highlight, with an wonderful walking area in the old city of Kotor and water activities such as boating and paddleboarding on the lake.

  • ⛰ Durmitor National Park is an excellent destination for hiking and exploring nature, or white water rafting. The great tour below takes you to the park and the wonderful Ostrog Monastery.

Sveti Stefan island and beach, montenegro, one of europe's most underrated countries to visit

You can stay on iconic Sveti Stefan or just explore the beach & historic town. Photo by Miljan Mijatović.

More things to do in Montenegro:

  • 🏖 The coast, just down from Croatia, is phenomenal as well, including Ulcinj, which has a lovely old town with cobblestone streets and isn’t as crowded as other cities. Sveti Stefan (pictured) is one lovely spot that’s worth exploring — it’s a bit of a magical place. If you’re not staying there, you need to reserve a spot at one of the restaurants.

  • 🏖 The famous beach town of Budva is awesome for nightlife, partying, and restaurants if you are looking for that, and has beautiful, if busy, beaches at Kamenovo, Jaz, and Becici.

đŸ”„ Hot Tip: Like Albania, Montenegro is NOT in the EU Schengen Zone, so it’s practical to visit if you’re doing long-term European travel and need to exit the Schengen for 3 months.

  • ✈ Getting There: No visa is needed for for citizens of the U.S., U.K., or E.U. countries. There are no direct flights from the U.S. to Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, but you can either

  • Fly to Dubrovnik, Croatia and drive 2 hours from Dubrovnik to Budva; or

  • Fly to another major European city and take a discount airline — several offer cheap flights to Budva, including Wizz Air, Ryan Air, Easy Jet, and others. I highly recommend renting a car to explore the country when you get there because public transport isn’t the best in Montenegro.

Did we miss any hidden gems? Send in yours & get featured

Hi! We’re Sasha & Megnote

We’ve traveled to 50 countries on 5 continents & have been full-time travelers for the past 2 years with our now 5-year-old son. He now teaches us how to skateboard


We got engaged in Bolivia, started a nonprofit in Uganda, and love outdoor adventures (& a good pisco sour).

We’re writing the book Travel More, Spend Less to help people get to full-time travel.

We’re passionate about finding hidden travel gems & off the beaten path destinations, and we want to share our tips with you. Come explore with us!

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