The Five Under-the-Radar Travel Destinations the UN Says You Should Visit

As a year of travel that was marked largely by overtourism protests in Barcelona, Oaxaca and Venice draws to a close, the appeal of offbeat vacations continues to grow.

To wit, consider these spots you’ve likely never heard of: secluded Graciosa Island on the Azores, the remote fishing village Roches Noires in northeastern Mauritius, or mountainous Wukirsari, Indonesia, 270 miles east of Jakarta. They’re among the 55 small, rural escapes around the world that earned a spot in the 2024 edition of UN Tourism’s “Best Tourism Villages.” The list of winning destinations, previewed exclusively by Bloomberg News, was released on Nov. 14 at the organization’s Executive Council meeting in Cartagena, Colombia.