Hey Pandas, Which Travel Destination Totally Surprised You? (Closed)

Which place you have been traveling to has totally changed your mind about it?

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Ireland! Beautiful views, especially if you visit cliffs of moher on a nice day, believe me, you won't regret it!

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13points

Diana Lopetaitė

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M Calad 3 years ago

True! I had the experience to live in Ireland as an exchange student. I knew very little about the country, but chose it because I was quite a James Joyce fan back then 🙈. Almost every weekend I travelled to a different place or town in Ireland. Truly beautiful and amazing funny people. I was positively surprised.

1point

Can't say I enjoyed Paris as much as expected to based on the portrayal in media. Saw a lot of homeless people and scammers and that, coming from a smaller country, I wasn't used to. I guess it's much more complex than the romantic and charming image of it and you actually have to look for those cute places and try to appreciate them with hundreds of other tourists by your side.

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Final score:

13points

Violeta Draseikaitė

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Anonymousplease 3 years ago

I went to Paris and a small town in the countryside when I went and the little village was honestly so much better. The people were so nice and it was really beautiful

6points

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Georgia. I used it as a stopover when I went to Armenia. I should have swapped them: spend only a few days in Armenia and a whole week in Georgia. They have amazing landscapes, good food, interesting history and they know their wines!

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Final score:

8points

Lola

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Sunshine Sunshine 3 years ago

Agree! No need to swap though. They are both unique and beautiful. Best of a wee tour. Make sure to include Azerbaijan

0points

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South Eastern Ohio, in the foothills of the Appalachians. 2 lane roads with occasional unobstructed view, rolling hills of giant deciduous trees, dangerously good baking, fresh apples everywhere. A really great place to either cycle or take a convertible.

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Final score:

8points

Dee on bikes

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Big Bend National Park, Texas, US— most people have never heard of the park and it’s one of the least visited national parks, but it was amazingly gorgeous. The views were amazing even from the road and there are so many amazing trails. It’s also a certified dark sky park so it can be even more beautiful after dark.

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Final score:

8points

Pilot Chick

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Jeri Woodrow 3 years ago

When you are out in nature why would you need your phone?!

1point

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I recommend going to Tirol in Austria. It's just very homely, and the Alps are just astonishing.

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Final score:

7points

Titas Burinskas

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jpaul 3 years ago

agreed alps are amazing

1point

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London I thought that it was always raining and yes it did rain but when it didn’t it was great! (This is in summer) and the people, food and sights there are amazing!

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Final score:

7points

•🧿•DJ•🧿•

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Suzanne Haigh 3 years ago

So many varied things to see, if the tourists have made it impossible with mile long queues Errggg !!

3points

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The Dolomites (Italian Alps) are stunning. Absolutely beautiful.

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Final score:

7points

T.Milly

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I'd have to say McMurdo Station, Antartica. Briefly visited (3 weeks) to replace some equipment. Mac-Town is like a small town that just happens to be on the "bottom" of the world. With weekly alcohol rations. And brunch every Sunday. Good times....

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Final score:

6points

Benjamin Thor Collier V

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howdylee 3 years ago

My husband was there for 3 terms including a winter-over! There were no alcohol rations for him, otherwise he would not have gone back! :D

1point

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#10

Paris!! Before I went there, I thought it'd be really awesome, but its so good it even turned out to be way better than I thought it would be. The food is amazing, the sights are amazing, the Eiffel Tower is AMAZING. The Louvre Museum was totally worth it. My mom and I had so much fun there, I would 100% recommend it.

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Final score:

6points

-logansucrose- (he/him)

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Phil DeBlanc 3 years ago

Agreed, but you need a lot more than a day for the Louvre. It's massive!

0points

#11

Narita, Japan: we landed there and hung for a couple of days to get over our jetlag before moving on to Kyoto. We did some walking around and exploring, and I adored it! We put in over 20,000 steps that day, and I was so interested in the park and the temple that I could barely tell.

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Final score:

6points

Susan Stead

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#12

Chichén Itzá... it's a surprising, huge place where you'll discover the ancient Aztec Pyramids and their incredible story.

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Final score:

5points

Alejandro Chiavassa

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#13

Mexico City- one of the most beautiful, cleanest, filled with the nicest people I have ever been to. So much to explore and i barely scratched the surface. I have gone 2 times and I’m going again this year.

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Final score:

5points

Diego

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#14

Romania. As beautiful as Switzerland, but a fraction of the cost. Lovely people, good food and such amazing history and architecture.

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Final score:

5points

Paula Gray

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Lola 3 years ago

I went twice already yet I always feel I missed out on something :)

0points

#15

Alaska. Just drive through the mountains from Anchorage to Fairbanks and then took the other loop/road back. It was a long drive but it was absolutely gorgeous! There were glaciers fairly close and foot a fee, one you could actually drive up to. Then there were the wildflowers along the Highway and the animals. I still have about a week and a half left on my trip and I’m trying to soak it all up before I go back home.

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Final score:

4points

Kathy Thrash

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Kathy Thrash (Submission author) 3 years ago

It should be *for* not *foot*

1point

#16

Luxembourg. I was actually on my way to visit my uncle in Belgium but he had to be at Luxembourg for a few days so I met him there. Such a small country that turned out to be the highlight of my trip. I honestly felt like I was Rivendell from lords of the rings.

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Final score:

4points

Guacamole Boy

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Speedgoat 3 years ago

Lucky you! I've always wanted to see Luxembourg. Heard a lot of good about it.

2points

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#17

Ben Nevis, Scotland. I was hicking up the aforementioned mountain (about 20 years ago) on a surprisingly hot summer day, nonetheless further up there was extremely dense fog and then near the top it began to snow.

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Final score:

4points

Fred L.

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#18

Istanbul. You can stay at a bed and breakfast in an old Ottoman house for a reasonable rate. The city reeks of history - there is a fascinating find around almost every turn. And the food - the food! Any seafood you eat you know was swimming that very morning.

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Final score:

4points

Freya the Wanderer

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#19

Lake Charles, LA! Beautiful sights and an alligator park!!

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Final score:

3points

Macy

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#20

Bali, Indonesia. Was told it was a tropical paradise. Mostly consisted of dirty streets, mediocre food, and old ladies doing yoga. Just not as interesting as it had been portrayed to me.

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Final score:

3points

Nudge

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Donkey boi 3 years ago

I had exactly the same thing. Went there expecting paradise, found a mess. I did stay in the 5 star hotels, and I went on the private beaches, it was all exactly the same. I hated it!

1point

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#21

Roatan Honduras! I've been around the world, and no beach/water can compare! Better than Hawaii, Italy, Greece, etc. Water was so turquoise, yet clear. Beautiful!! Not crowded at all...

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Final score:

3points

Sportsgal

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jpaul 3 years ago

do you know the mediterranean. i mean if you like turquoise waters, you have few little gems there

0points

#22

Sweden! A friend and her family invited me to their holiday home there and I was fascinated by the nature, the pretty villages and the old towns. The people were very polite and courteous. I love the supermarkets there because everything is sold in large quantities because the towns are so far apart. I will definitely go to Stockholm again.

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Final score:

3points

wifeofweasley

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#23

Slovenian forests. I crossed the country while driving to Croatia, and was literally mind blown by the beauty of Slovenian forests, and globally the countryside. forests everywhere. as far as your sight can reach, trees. i didn't think such gem could be plausible in old Europe where growth is often the rule. I hope Europe will protect that gem. (be careful of Lyme disease if you decide to go there tho)

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Final score:

3points

jpaul

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Flopsy 3 years ago

Slovenian mountains, lakes, sea and towns are also pretty good. I love Slovenia!

1point

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#24

Israel. I was in Haifa. I was told it was steep because it was on the side of Mt. Carmel. But when I started walking it, it helps if you're half mountain goat. I literally lost 10lbs doing that uphill walk all the time. Uphill both ways! Security at the airport is interesting. I had a reason for having to hang out for 13 hours before my plane. The airport is incredibly clean. Man rides the floor washer all the time. Ladies always cleaning something. They're Israeli security. At one point I was sitting reading and a cleaning lady came up beside me and just stood there for about 90 sec and then left.. Later going through another security check the man asked me if my suitcase was in my possession THE WHOLE TIME YOU'VE BEEN HERE! THE WHOLE TIME?. Because somebody could have put a bomb in it. My answer: its never been further away than 1 ft. The question he asked and the way he asked it, I had been being closely watched the entire time. Also, I'm a people watcher. Israel is the best place to do that. And in Haifa the Baha'i Shrine of the Bab and gardens are incredibly beautiful.

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Final score:

2points

Miss Frankfurter

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#25

Canada! It’s actually nice and hot in the summer and there’s a converse store and it has an entire wall of shoelaces. Very fun place.

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Final score:

2points

THE GREAT PAPYRUS

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Viviane 3 years ago

Sounds as if you were in a large city. Which one?

0points

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#26

Egypt.... Heard so many wonderful things about the red sea area, but it was scary

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Final score:

2points

Babsevs

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Jubum 3 years ago

Why?

0points

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#27

The last time I went to Hong Kong. It was my 4th time visiting and I wanted to go to places I've never been to on my previous visit.

It's very surprising that you can still find gems on places been to.

One I like best, is the hike to the sunset peak with exit to the big buddha. I was hiking alone and the experience was tiring, scary, fun and with awesome views. I almost run from the peak to the buddha because it's getting dark and I need to catch the last bus. I would love to comeback.

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Final score:

2points

Bobot

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#28

Brussels-dark and dirty, this city is just not beautiful and the Manneken Pis is soooo tiny!

Spain surprised me so positively, Mallorca in particular is a little paradise on earth.

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Final score:

1point

Jubum

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Lola 3 years ago

One goes to Brussels for a very specific thing. It can be beers, Art Nouveau, comics... it has quite a lot to offer if you know what to look for. And it's a French person saying that ;)

2points

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#29

When i was 9 my parents went to Europe for easter break and we spent a few days in London then a few days in Paris then Brussels. But what i was so shocked about was the amount of homeless people. I literally saw someone 10 o’clock in the morning sleeping on the sidewalk. And a lot more sad things like that. Another thing that surprised me was that you cant trust a lot of cab drivers in paris. (Im not picking on paris but...)

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Final score:

1point

welly1738

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jpaul 3 years ago

french social system allows you to avoid the street. but for some reason some people don't ask for their rights. i don't know how to explain this

1point

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#30

Hong Kong. Overseas trips from Australia used to give a stopover in either Singapore or Hong Kong. I always seemed to get Singapore which was lovely but I thought I was missing out on something regarding Hong Kong. People raved about bargain shopping etc. When I finally went to Hong Kong I found it more expensive than Australia, full of knockoff products at the price of the genuine article and very dirty.

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Final score:

1point

Rose the Cook

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#31

Central Asia (along the Silk Route: Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent, Dushanbe) all old Soviet town

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Final score:

1point

All's Gravy

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jpaul 3 years ago

soviet towns have charm for sure. i visited Pripyat who got stuck forever into the soviet era. it was really enjoyable

0points

#32

Montepulciano, Cinque Terra and Sienna are a few of the places I've visited in Italy and would love to revisit. The food, the sights and the people were all wonderful.

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Final score:

1point

Phil N DeBlanc

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Jazmine Dandridge 3 years ago (edited)

I lived in Siena in 2011 and went back in 2017 and it was like I never left. Love that place so much.

0points

#33

The Big South Fork National River and recreation area in Tennessee and Kentucky. It’s a national “dark sky “ area because of the lack of light pollution. Way less crowded than the Great Smoky Mountains national park. Great hiking with beautiful vistas. There’s a scenic railway trip that originates in Stearns,KY that is one of the most beautiful trips imaginable in the fall with all the beautiful leaves changing colors. Beautiful views of the plateau created by the Smoky mountains. Way under rated and cheap vacation.

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Final score:

1point

George Ryan

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#34

Palestine.

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0points

cassiushumanmother

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#35

Brussells. Being from postcommunist central European country I grew up in "religion" that everything in the West is better, nicer, cleaner and more decent. It wasn't horrible or anything, just not what I expected in "civilization". Bags of trash on the streets without trash cans, hookers in the streets, whole district with half naked hookers in shopping windows, people in public transport absolutely don't understand the concept "first going out, then going in" and "don't f*****g stop walking while you are still in the middle of the door". And everything is so expensive.

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Final score:

0points

Lilith the Demon Panda

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#36

Wakatobi ( Indonesia )
At first i thought it was sucks.. but believe me, the coral reef was the most amazing thing i've ever seen in my whole life

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0points

Donald Crumb

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#37

Las Vegas. I don't drink and have no desire to gamble, but it was like spending time in a really exotic alternate universe that took me completely out of my boring everyday life. Just watching my friends gamble was fascinating; the whole culture of it is like some alien ritual. You walk into a hotel and there are lions lounging on a piece of glass right over your head. Totally unexpected enjoyment.

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0points

yellowphantom

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#38

New York City. The first time I went I was just so enthralled with the fact that I, a naive southern girl was even there. I was so happy to be there nothing could ruin it for me. The second time I went, hoping to relieve that fantasy, wasn’t as great. I guess the rose colored glasses came off bc I noticed the entire city was disgusting. We went to the metropolitan museum of art and just across the street down the block there was garbage just piled high. I can emphatically say I will not go back.

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0points

Candice Lewis

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Viviane 3 years ago (edited)

I checked out one of the bigger museums, the Modern -- very crowded. I opted for the smaller museums and enjoyed that more. Since my husband likes jazz, we attended two concerts in Harlem (we were staying in Harlem). One was in a jazz musician's living room. It was one of my favourite moments, not just for the music - it was fun that my husband could chat about jazz with other people and the host urged us to go down to the basement to see his wife's office -- he was really proud of his wife's academic career. Going off the beaten path can make for great moments.

0points

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#39

Cave tubing in Belize. When we got off the ship, and saw the city we docked in, it was not very nice. The countryside was just ok and I wrongly assumed the tubing was going to s*ck. The state park we went to was beautiful. The river was pretty and the caves were stunning. The tour guides made everything informative and fun. Never ASSume anything….

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Monica A. M.

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#40

Winnipeg! Total shocker. Very diverse inhabitants and tourists from around the world, terrific museums, parks, blues bars, and the best Indian food I ever had.

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Barbra Pemberton

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#41

Disney world. I thought it was a room with Mickey Mouse In it. Keep in mind that I was 5

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the Me_greatest

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#42

Prague. It was my first time traveling to Europe and I was so concerned with people being rude because I didn’t speak the native language. I learned a bit of German and French but didn’t have time to learn Czech. It was completely the opposite. Everyone spoke English also and were genuinely happy to help with directions, recommending their favorite local entertainment and restaurants. It was absolutely my favorite part of Europe.

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0points

Elizabeth Klomp

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#43

Idaho! I went to visit a friend and she showed me hot springs, sand dunes and beautiful rivers. There are also alpine lakes within decent driving distance. I was really surprised and even though I wouldn't want to live there, I will certainly go back for a visit!

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Final score:

0points