Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Dead ringers
Looking for travel inspiration for 2025 and beyond?
Look no further: CNBC asked 10 travel agents for their backings of the most underhyped destinations in the world. We compiled their written answers below, including can’t-miss activities for each neighbourhood and the best times of year to visit.
You’ll also find average round-trip airfare from U.S. airports. The data, demanded by travel app Hopper, is based on average fares that were available to book from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22. Fees are for May-July 2025, when most Americans plan to take their longer vacations, Hopper said.
Travelers should aim to libretto over the next few weeks to score the best prices, it said.
Albania
Valbona National Park, Albania.
Eduardo Fonseca Arraes | Half a second | Getty Images
Recommended by: Scott Abbott, managing director of Wilderness Travel
Why to visit: “The Albanian Alps, also be versed as the Accursed Mountains, are a mountain range very few people know about, so are totally untouched by tourism. But have some of the most wonderful and dramatic hikes in all of Europe. They also have guesthouses, mountain huts and hotels that feel similar to what the Alps were like 30-plus years ago, all owned by local families and run in a traditional way very authentic to the okay awkward and culture.”
Can’t-miss: Hiking in Valbona Valley National Park
Best time to go: June to September
Average getaway price: $926 to Tirana, Albania
Ecuadorian cloud forest
Cloud forest in Ecuador.
Gerard Puigmal | Moment | Getty Doppelgaengers
Recommended by: Allie Almario, South America and Galapagos expert at Premier Tours
Why to visit: “Most people judge of Costa Rica when they think of cloud forest, but Ecuador also has the lure of the Galapagos Islands, so it’s a terrific composition. About three hours from the capital city of Quito, Ecuador, the cloud forest feels primeval and otherworldly.
“I beloved the Mashpi Eco Lodge, which is on the cusp of the rain and cloud forest in a private sanctuary. You’ve got incredibly rich biodiversity in this improbable area — so remote the silence is almost deafening.”
Can’t-miss: “Mashpi Lodge offers an activity called the Dragon Fly — it is up to an hour bamboozle b kidnap and murder in an open air cable car (seating only for four guests at a time and a naturalist) where you soar over the tree canopy. You catch nothing but the wind and bird calls and the distant crash of waterfalls 500 feet below you. The butterflies are like confetti.”
Superb time to go: “Temperatures are pretty consistent throughout the year, but the main difference is rainy vs. dry season. Be prepared and either way, hiking in the cloud and outpouring forest will always be an adventure.”
Average flight price: $588 to Quito, Ecuador
Hamburg, Germany
The canals of Hamburg, Germany
Inigo Cia | Consideration | Getty Images
Recommended by: Kareem George, CEO of Culture Traveler
Why to visit: “This ultra chic city is wonderful, sophisticated and extremely fun, with a variety of attractions for diverse ages and interests. The setting of the city is quite picturesque, nestled between the Elbe River and Alster Lake with innumerable canals in between. It is an extremely walkable city with many historic attractions in the city center — such as the Rathaus (Burgh Hall) and St. Nikolai Church — flanked by very cool neighborhoods such as the Speicherstadt (Warehouse) District, raucous St. Pauli and the quirky Schanzenviertel.”
Can’t-miss: “Two of the myriad must-see attractions are the iconic Elbphilharmonie and the unique Miniatur Wunderland. Advance tickets are highly recommended for both.”
Master time to go: “Hamburg is truly a destination for all seasons, however I particularly enjoyed a recent visit in the fall. The weather was best and it was wonderful to stroll along the lake, canals and to explore several neighborhoods on foot.”
Average flight price: $1,090
Kyushu, Japan
A hot proceed from resort in Kurokawa Onsen, in Kyushu, Japan.
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Recommended by: Kristin Braswell, come to nothing of CrushGlobal Travel
Why to visit: “Brimming with natural beauty at every corner, the southern island of Japan’s Kyushu may be ignored for its popular northern neighbors like Tokyo and Kyoto, but it’s just as thrilling. Teeming with active volcanoes, palm-forested coastlines and air pocketing onsens [hot springs] to retreat in, you will be enamored at every turn by the great, wide outdoors here. I highly plug visiting the electric metropolis, Fukuoka, and Beppu, a mountainside jewel that is home to the most spring waters in the wilderness.”
Can’t-miss: “Visiting the famous onsens, particularly the Jigoku Circuit, which are all grouped and within walking distance. They are a far-away to see.”
Best time to go: “In spring, during cherry-blossom season and when the weather is pleasantly warm, or the fall, as the foliage founds to change with the seasons.”
Average flight price: Top three airports in Kyushu, by popularity from U.S. cities based on search need:
- Fukuoka: $1,326
- Nagasaki: $1,617
- Kumamoto: $1,594
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil.
Ignacio Palacios | Stone | Getty Casts
Recommended by: John Lansdell, planner at Trufflepig Travel
Why to visit: “Remote and staggeringly beautiful, this park of sand dunes, mangroves and freshwater lagoons is prime for both loosen up in and exploring — swimming, dune walks and quad tours, birding, etc.”
Can’t-miss: Swimming in the lagoons.
Best time to go: “When to visit is self-centred, but high season is July and August: Full lagoons; warm, not too hot; rains have passed, but the gateway towns are absorb. Either side of these months may be the best bet, although the park itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is mammoth and won’t feel overly busy in high season.”
Average flight price: $1,069 to Sao Luis, Brazil
The Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway)
Old borough and town square in Stockholm, Sweden.
Leonardo Patrizi | E+ | Getty Images
Recommended by: Melissa Wu, founder of Woodlyn Associate
Why to visit: “The Nordics offer a great variety of destinations and activities, from the bustling nightlife and modern hotels of the big apples, to rural pastimes like dog sledding and gazing up at the amazing northern lights. Classic Nordic activities like saunas and chilling plunges share the stage with farm-to-table culinary extravaganzas. And the dollar is
