Are you seeking to swap your usual holiday destination for something a little more adventurous? A Latvian city break complete with a beach, or an escape to the Georgian mountains, might be what you are looking for, according to the world’s largest adventure travel company.
Tour operator Intrepid Travel released its annual “Not Hot List” on Wednesday, 9 September, highlighting 10 destinations that are overlooked by mainstream travellers.
Compiled by Intrepid’s experts, the list includes destinations with lower visitor numbers than nearby or similar spots – but that are ready to welcome new tourists.
Three destinations on the list are only a few hours away from the UK. Instead of choosing a trip to popular islands such as Crete or Santorini, Intrepid urges travellers to look to Alonnisos, a lesser-known spot in the Aegean.
Alonnisos is home to one of Europe’s largest marine protected areas, where endangered Mediterranean monk seals dwell. Accessible only by ferry or private yacht, the island remains less busy than nearby Skiathos, so it can focus on responsible, nature-led tourism.
open image in galleryLiepāja in Latvia, which is 2027’s European Capital of Culture, also made the list. It is home to a five-mile stretch of white-sand beach, often described as the “Baltic alternative to the Mediterranean”. Unlike other beach cities has considerably fewer tourists, making it easier to enjoy time on the shorefront.
The third European destination on the list is Dalsland, Sweden, an ideal destination for outdoor adventures such as kayaking, hiking and gravel biking, now all accessible via a new rail link .
The list also includes other lesser-known outdoor adventure destinations. Mestia in Georgia was chosen for its unparalleled hiking and skiing; Canada’s Whitehorse was highlighted for community-led activities such as Yukon kayaking and bear-spotting, while Sri Lanka’s Pekoe Trail was added due to its crowd-free, slow-paced hiking opportunities which support local village economies along the way.
open image in galleryTimor-Leste, one of Southeast Asia’s least visited destinations, was chosen due to an increased number of flight routes to its capital, Dili, from Kuala Lumpur and Darwin.
Over in Africa, Samburu National Reserve in Kenya shines brightly on this year’s list, chosen as an alternative place to more famous reserves which are now feeling the pressure of safari tourism.
open image in gallerySamburu can offer a quieter safari experience with lions, leopards, buffalo and cheetah alongside the “Samburu Special Five”, which are the reticulated giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Somali ostrich, East African oryx and a long-necked antelope.
Intrepid also included the Northern Highlands in Jordan and Chile’s Carretera Austral as regions of popular countries that receive fewer visitors.
The Northern Highlands offer a greener and cooler side of Jordan away from attractions such as Petra, with hiking trails and forest reserves suited for birdwatching, while Carretera Austral is home to one of the most underrated road trip routes, spanning 770 miles through Patagonia.
Intrepid Travel’s 2027 Not Hot List
- Samburu National Reserve, Kenya
- Mestia, Georgia
- Northern Highlands, Jordan
- Whitehorse, Canada
- Alonnisos, Greece
- Dili, Timor-Leste
- Pekoe Trail, Sri Lanka
- Liepāja, Latvia
- Carretera Austral, Chile
- Dalsland, Sweden
Read more: The safari that taught me to step out of the Land Rover