Do you want to visit a place with no tourists?

One of the things i hear the most often among travelers is: “I’m looking for a place with no tourists”. But when I suggest a place with no tourists, they start objecting. Because there is “nothing to see”. How do they know that when they have never been there? Because they read it in a guidebook or on a travel website probably.

Because I am often cycling around countries for long periods, I get to visit both the touristy place and the places that hardly see any foreign visitors. I personally like to visit these places away from the tourist trail, where people are genuinely curious about a visiting foreigner.

But I also like to visit the places where the internet works. The accommodation choice is a little wider. And where I can have a chat with another world traveler if I am lucky.

I am ok with other tourists in most cases.

A place with no tourists will not have a lot of big famous sights. But they have plenty of locals who would like to speak to a passing foreigner. And that is another thing people tend to tell me. That they want to meet the locals. But for most people, the locals tend to be those who end up serving them food and drinks. And give them the key for their hotel room

What I notice with most people who moan about the other tourists, then they never moan about their own group. They moan about the other groups.

backpackers moan about luxury tourists.

Old people moan about young backpackers.

Western Tourists moan about Asian and Russian tourists.

Sober tourists moan about drunk tourists.

City tourists moan about the tourists from the cruise ships.

Etc etc etc.

But almost nobody seem to ever see a problem with whatever group they belong to themselves.

So when people tell you that they want to discover a place with no tourist, then I can assure you that 90% of them just want to find a place with likeminded tourists.

If not, then my advice is for them to seek a place that Lonely Planet. Not in Conde Nast, or any major tourist publication. And avoid the places bloggers rave about too 🙂

That was my little rant for today. Hope to see you all out there. Even if you are not a Danish tour cyclist who likes to drink beer 🙂

And by the way: Try to speak to some of all these tourists that you don’t like. They are often very nice people. Just like you are 🙂

Travel the world by bicycle if you want to visit places with no tourists.