There are 197 countries in the world, but for some reason, from year to year, the overwhelming number of tourists from Russia fly to Turkey, Greece, Spain and Cyprus. When school geography is left somewhere in the past, you have to choose from what is heard, and these most often turn out to be hackneyed resorts. Especially for those who have no time to use their imagination, but want to go to some new interesting place, when colleagues hear about it they will say: “Wow” – we have compiled a list of extraordinary travel destinations.
Oman
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Without understanding the details, this Arab country is often overlooked due to the tense situation in the east, although in fact the Sultanate of Oman is one of the safest countries in the Persian Gulf, with a high standard of living and a rich history. And also one of the most picturesque: the Sultan is seriously concerned about the environment, so the country has many national parks and reserves, a protected coastal zone, mountains, waterfalls, deserts and oases, fjords and an impressive underwater world. The cultures of ancient Persia, Africa and India are intertwined here in an interesting way, and the historical monuments are impressive in their scale, for example, in the Sheikh Qaboos mosque you can see the world’s largest carpet, which weighs 21 tons.
Where to go:First of all, it is worth visiting the capital of Oman, the city of Muscat, which is located on the coast. Among other popular resorts, the most interesting are the oasis city of Nizwa, which used to be the main economic and trade center of the Country, the city of Salalah – the capital of the Southern region and a real tropical paradise, the ancient port city of Sohar, in which, according to legend, the famous Sinbad the Sailor was born, and the fishing village the village of Sur with a rich history of shipbuilding.
Albania
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Surprisingly, Albania, which borders the very popular Greece and Montenegro, is still being bypassed by the tourism boom, although this Balkan country is not inferior to its neighbors in terms of natural beauty and the hospitality of the local people. Prices for holidays in Albania are very reasonable, especially for a country with such a rich cultural heritage, picturesque mountains and canyons, clean beaches and delicious traditional cuisine. Here you can find the largest ancient Roman amphitheater in the Balkans, real medieval castles and an archaeological park where excavations of ancient Greek settlements are underway. Add to this the gentle waters of the Ionian and Adriatic seas, and you will understand why you should spend your summer vacation here.
Where to go: The capital of Albania, Tirana, meets all the criteria of a tourist city: it has a beautiful historical center, cultural attractions, and modern areas with bars , restaurants and active nightlife. The best way to get acquainted with history is in the city of Berat, which is more than two thousand years old, built in tiers on the mountainside, which is why it is often called the “city of a thousand windows.” The city of Vlora borders the Adriatic and Ionian seas, so you can swim in both in one trip.
Madagascar
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This island is called a continent in miniature, referring to the huge diversity of the animal world, but this nickname also applies to impressions: in a couple of weeks of vacation you can get as many of them as in a long trip across a large continent. You should go to Madagascar primarily for the exotic: to see rare animals, for example, the dwarf lemur, and unique species of trees, including several types of baobabs. The island has an extinct volcano, high rocky cliffs and a dead lake, about which there are frightening legends. And, of course, heavenly lagoons with clear warm water and golden sand.
Where to go:International flights land in the capital Antananarivo, known locally as Tana. The city was built in a valley between the hills and is famous for the architectural ensemble of palaces and tombs of Madagascar rulers, as well as the Zuma street bazaar – one of the largest in the world. The main resorts include the “white city” of Tulear, located on the shores of the bay of St. Augustine and Ifaty, and the city of Morondava on the west coast, the main attraction of which is the Avenue of the Baobabs with trees up to a thousand years old. Also worthy of attention is the small island of Ile Sainte-Marie, which once served as a hideout for pirates sentenced to the gallows, and now invites tourists to relax on the ocean and see the migration of humpback whales that swim here from July to September.
Bolivia
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Far from being the most popular country among tourists, South America can boast many other superlatives: the highest mountain in the Southern Hemisphere, with the driest, wettest and saltiest regions on the continent. Bolivia has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites: monuments of ancient civilizations, historical centers of the colonial era and national parks. Rarely a schoolchild did not giggle at the name of Lake Titicaca, and so part of its coast belongs to Bolivia, and amazes with the beauty of the surrounding green mountains with snow-capped peaks. The salt desert of Uyuni, the humid jungle of the Amazon basin, the peaks of the Cordillera – this is not a complete list of what remains forever in the memory after a vacation in this wonderful country.
Where to go: The official capital of the country, the city of Sucre, is built on a high plateau, and is famous for its rich colonial architecture, with the picturesque narrow streets of the old city , magnificent palaces and a luxurious city theater. La Paz is the de facto capital of the country and its real heart. Built on the slopes of a canyon and in the dry bed of an ancient river, this city has many unusual museums and a striking contrast of distinctive local traditions with 16th-century Spanish architecture. Cochabamba is a developed modern city, the Bolivian analogue of Rio de Janeiro with its own carnival and an exact copy of the statue of Christ on the hill, which is even slightly higher than the original.
Text author: Irina Krokhaleva
Preview photo: @majinmdub
