For better or for worse, social media has a huge impact on the way we travel. And there’s no doubt that we develop our own expectations of a certain place based on the way that destination is portrayed on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. So Redditor u/Amphotoxic asked, “What travel destination is nothing like how it’s portrayed on social media?” Here’s what people, including members of the BuzzFeed Community, said in response.
1.
“Ibiza. It’s portrayed as a party island, but in reality, it’s a beautiful and peaceful place with many quieter towns to explore. It offers way more than just the DJ scene.”
2.
“Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Kyoto is much smaller and more crowded in real life than it’s often portrayed.”
3.
“Bali. The island is wonderful, don’t get me wrong. But it has become a huge Instagram destination; it’s sad. There is a temple (Lempuyang, if my memory serves me well) with a huge photo queue. On Instagram, you’d see it as a gate with a ‘reflection,’ you’d think there’s a fountain or a lake nearby. But in reality, there’s just staff holding a mirror below your phone so you can have the photo. I understand many tourist spots offer this kind of photo opportunity, but this is an actual place of worship for locals. It felt so weird seeing a long line of tourists just for photos and not even paying respects to the place.”
4.
“Chicago. You would think it’s a warzone based on how people talk about it. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to go back. It was a very cool city.”
5.
“The Leaning Tower of Piza. It’s the most disappointing place I ever visited. You get off the train and walk down a street that is full of touristy stores. Eventually, you get to the tower, which is fine enough, but it’s absolutely packed with people doing the iconic ‘holding it up’ photo. It felt way too much like Disneyland for me. What a waste of a day.”
6.
“Iguazu Falls is an all-out assault on the senses. It’s a place you have to feel. Photos and videos don’t even come close. It’s so powerful.”
7.
“Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. It was easily one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen, and photos don’t do it justice. I knew it’d be nice, but damn. The way the water flows from lake to lake, often in very small rivulets surrounded by beautiful green moss. I would love to go back.”
8.
“Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. It was so much better than how it’s portrayed on social media. It was so beautiful, and the wildlife was stunning.”
9.
“Tulum, without question. The beach has been completely built up to the point where there are no natural stretches anymore. Most of the year, whatever beach remains is plagued with massive amounts of seaweed. Plus, everything is wildly over-priced. Tulum is the only place I’ve ever traveled that I have vowed never to visit again.”
10.
“Cappadocia is stunning and is even better in person than on social media. However, the typical social media influencer photo, which features someone enjoying an extravagant breakfast while looking out at the hot air balloons, is totally fake. People take turns sitting in that same spot and get their photo taken.”
11.
“Lake Tahoe. Believe it or not, the lake is even bigger and more beautiful in person.”
12.
“The Grand Canyon is even more magnificent. It’s a vista you’ve seen so many times in movies that when you’re approaching, you think you know more or less what you’ll see. Then, all of a sudden, the wind gets knocked out of you.”
13.
“Amsterdam. I thought I would hate Amsterdam since it’s often portrayed as a seedy city that smells like weed everywhere, but wow, what a gorgeous place.”
14.
“Livraria Lello, Porto’s famous book store. It’s portrayed as this gorgeous place, but I went and found it to be so crowded. It’s basically just an attraction you walk through.”
15.
“Iceland. While this country looks spectacular when the weather is great, those good weather days are few and far between.”
16.
“Times Square, NYC. It’s much less impressive in real life than in film or photos. It’s just a couple of blocks filled with giant screens and advertisements. The novelty shops are also nothing to write home about. A giant Subway with a sparkly sign still sells the same subpar sandwiches as the one on any old street corner, and the big M&M store still sells the same sweets you can get from any vending machine. The people in costumes that I encountered also just made me uncomfortable.”
17.
“Venice. This Italian city was so crowded and overrun with tourists that I couldn’t even stop to enjoy the sights and experiences around me.”
18.
“Santorini. You see the pictures and think there’s no way an island can actually look like that…but it really does.”
19.
“The Amalfi Coast. Sure, the towns of Sorrento, Positano, and Amalfi have a charm. But frankly, the views from the drive along the coast were much nicer than the towns themselves. They’re also tiny. It was cool to see for a day trip but overrated overall.”
20.
“The Alhambra in Granada, Spain. It was so crowded, especially considering how small it actually is. I’d seen so many photos of the Alhambra, which looked so stunning, and I envisioned it being this serene palace. In reality, though, it was beyond packed with tour groups. Perhaps this is a good instance of how inaccurately social media can represent popular tourist destinations.”
What is a destination you’ve visited that was nothing like what you expected based on how social media portrays it? Tell us in the comments or drop it into this anonymous form.
