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Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
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VictoriaF
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Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by VictoriaF »

coalcracker wrote:We walked through Murren and Gimmewald while on a trip in 2012, while staying in the valley in Lauterbrunnen. We were there in September and the views were stunning and weather great.

I gather the area has become somewhat of an extreme sports mecca as well. Apart from skiing, the high cliffs lend themselves to climbing and base jumping. I'll never forget jogging one morning through the valley, and someone floated down on a parachute 100 yards away. I followed his upward gaze, and 3 people were "flying" in those squirrel suits high above the valley, and then floating down after pulling their chutes.
When I am in Switzerland this summer, I'll be visiting Disentis, Ruinaulta, Brienz, Aareschlucht, Reichenbachfälle, and Brienzer Rothorn (with the views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau). Do any of these places qualify as "less obvious travel spots"?

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
plato's caveman
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by plato's caveman »

this place:

http://v-g.me.uk/Trips/T0956/T0956.htm

scramble up and across the ridge of tryfan if you have the time. say hi to the wild ponies for me if you go there.
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pinecrest
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Post by pinecrest »

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Last edited by pinecrest on Mon Feb 24, 2014 6:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Professor Emeritus
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by Professor Emeritus »

VictoriaF wrote:
coalcracker wrote:We walked through Murren and Gimmewald while on a trip in 2012, while staying in the valley in Lauterbrunnen. We were there in September and the views were stunning and weather great.

I gather the area has become somewhat of an extreme sports mecca as well. Apart from skiing, the high cliffs lend themselves to climbing and base jumping. I'll never forget jogging one morning through the valley, and someone floated down on a parachute 100 yards away. I followed his upward gaze, and 3 people were "flying" in those squirrel suits high above the valley, and then floating down after pulling their chutes.
When I am in Switzerland this summer, I'll be visiting Disentis, Ruinaulta, Brienz, Aareschlucht, Reichenbachfälle, and Brienzer Rothorn (with the views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau). Do any of these places qualify as "less obvious travel spots"?

Victoria
:D Finding non-tourist Switzerland is about as hard as finding non-tourist Venice :D
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VictoriaF
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Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by VictoriaF »

Professor Emeritus wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:
coalcracker wrote:We walked through Murren and Gimmewald while on a trip in 2012, while staying in the valley in Lauterbrunnen. We were there in September and the views were stunning and weather great.

I gather the area has become somewhat of an extreme sports mecca as well. Apart from skiing, the high cliffs lend themselves to climbing and base jumping. I'll never forget jogging one morning through the valley, and someone floated down on a parachute 100 yards away. I followed his upward gaze, and 3 people were "flying" in those squirrel suits high above the valley, and then floating down after pulling their chutes.
When I am in Switzerland this summer, I'll be visiting Disentis, Ruinaulta, Brienz, Aareschlucht, Reichenbachfälle, and Brienzer Rothorn (with the views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau). Do any of these places qualify as "less obvious travel spots"?

Victoria
:D Finding non-tourist Switzerland is about as hard as finding non-tourist Venice :D
A half of this thread is about Switzerland. I asked about "less obvious" places, not about "non-tourist."

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
Barefootgirl
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by Barefootgirl »

Swinging this back to the U.S., we have many, many out of the way travel spots here that are wonderful, in a multitude of ways.

May I suggest one dear to me - the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York. Much loved by tourists, though not overrun by them….best time for a visit would be August through October.

Also, I'd recommend Nova Scotia, anywhere.

Does any one know if there are any "old Florida" towns remaining? any not overrun by mass commercialism? Wondering if Cedar Key on the west coast maybe one of the only remaining?

BFG
How many retired people does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Only one, but he takes all day.
travelnut11
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by travelnut11 »

Nicaragua is amazing...I can definitely recommend it. Go before it becomes Costa Rica. I didn't make it here on my Nicaraguan trip but the Corn Islands in Nica are supposed to be amazing and a true "desert isle" experience.

I just came back from Luang Prabang and while it was lovely it is definitely not "off the beaten path." I was there during Chinese/Vietnamese New Year and it was a mob scene. I did get outside of LP for a bit up the river to Nong Khiaw which was amazing. I would say the rest of Laos is off the path but Luang Prabang is definitely on it.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrowmindedness ...and many of our people need it solely on these accounts. - Mark Twain | | Life is either a daring adventure or it is nothing. - Helen Keller
halfnine
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by halfnine »

VictoriaF wrote:When I came to Isla del Sol, I checked into a hostel on the South side and the next day walked to the North side, planning to take a ferry back South where my backpack with the belongings was. While waiting for the ferry, I was invited to play cards with a group of backpackers. They were very excited about the place they've just spent a night in and insisted that I have to go there instead of returning to the South side. I jokingly suggested that if I lose my next game, I will stay overnight in the North.

Lo and behold, I lost and decided to do what I said. The ferry came and left. I waved to my cardgame-mates and went on a search of the hostel they've recommended. I have not encountered any people on my way, I did not have a map, and at some point I thought I was lost, but eventually I've arrived to the place. It lived up to all the descriptions, and more. It was one of the most enchanted nights of my travel.

Victoria
Did the place look something like this?

Image
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VictoriaF
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Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by VictoriaF »

halfnine wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:When I came to Isla del Sol, I checked into a hostel on the South side and the next day walked to the North side, planning to take a ferry back South where my backpack with the belongings was. While waiting for the ferry, I was invited to play cards with a group of backpackers. They were very excited about the place they've just spent a night in and insisted that I have to go there instead of returning to the South side. I jokingly suggested that if I lose my next game, I will stay overnight in the North.

Lo and behold, I lost and decided to do what I said. The ferry came and left. I waved to my cardgame-mates and went on a search of the hostel they've recommended. I have not encountered any people on my way, I did not have a map, and at some point I thought I was lost, but eventually I've arrived to the place. It lived up to all the descriptions, and more. It was one of the most enchanted nights of my travel.

Victoria
Did the place look something like this?

Image
A little bit. I slept in a house on stilts right next to the lake. I had a room to myself; to get in I had to climb a ladder. The room was bare except a few mattresses on the floor. But the night was spellbound. Through uncovered windows I could see the Moon and I could hear the sound of the Titicaca waves. I think they had some tables on the side of the house, but my lodging was the most memorable.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
halfnine
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by halfnine »

VictoriaF wrote: A little bit. I slept in a house on stilts right next to the lake. I had a room to myself; to get in I had to climb a ladder. The room was bare except a few mattresses on the floor. But the night was spellbound. Through uncovered windows I could see the Moon and I could hear the sound of the Titicaca waves. I think they had some tables on the side of the house, but my lodging was the most memorable.

Victoria
Definitely a different place. Sounds like you made a great choice.
halfnine
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by halfnine »

As far as less obvious travel spots:

Sri Lanka. Seems to fall off most people's radar. Except for the Germans.

Japan. Most people just don't travel too widely in Japan. Probably the combination of cost, the limited time most people allot to the country and the language barrier. But, for whatever reason, it leaves a lot of Japan well off the beaten track.

Bangladesh. If you ever want to get off the beaten track without even having to try to get off the beaten track.
Traveler
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by Traveler »

Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal are all wonderful
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pinecrest
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Post by pinecrest »

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Last edited by pinecrest on Mon Feb 24, 2014 6:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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SecretAsianMan
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by SecretAsianMan »

In northeastern Turkey, there's a great little town called Yusufeli where I spent several days playing backgammon against old men in cafes and hiking in the area. There is supposedly some good rafting in the area that makes it a tourist spot, but I didn't see any other tourists while I was there.

I highly recommend the Kurdish region of Iraq. Americans can get a 10-day visa on arrival. The people there are simply amazing. Every day I received multiple offers to stay at random people's houses. A day I spent in the village of Akre with some friends I met on the bus ride there and their family (and the rest of the neighborhood that came for the feast that night) was the most incredible experience I've ever had. The city of Sulaymaniyah was also pretty nice. And virtually no foreign tourists.

SAM
dgdevil
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Re: Less Obvious Travel Spots

Post by dgdevil »

I'm wrapping up 2 days each in surprisingly pleasant Bahrain and Kuwait, and didn't see Rick Steves or an LP-toting tourist the whole time (though plenty of expat businessmen and lowly workers). Flights here can be cheap - about $800 from the West Coast. I don't know if I would recommend them as a destination in themselves, but if you are already in the general area, say Turkey or UAE, then it's an easy excursion. Qatar also, which I did last year, and has a huge Damien Hirst exhibition right now. And for a longer stay - Oman, which has a few more (European) tourists and must be the tidiest country on the planet.
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