Where is the most overrated holiday destination you’ve been?

[phoanymoany]

Where have you been on holiday and thought “wow, that was a waste of my time and money”.

Mine was travelling to a fairly remote tropical island where people were supposed to be so friendly. Unfortunately we found the people we interacted with in the hotels and restaurants to be anything but nice. It piddled down with rain and then we almost got scammed.

Wouldn’t go back to Malta. Enjoyed the boat trip, lovely accommodation but disappointed by the island itself

Kuta in Bali. Not very nice. But other parts of Indonesia fantastic.

Sydney. Can’t comment on the rest of Australia but found people quite unfriendly and dare I say, racist?

Been to Paris twice and have been underwhelmed, but not giving up yet!

Dubai. People who love it need to open their eyes a bit and look underneath the surface. You don’t need to look far to see it

YES. Really was not keen on it. Stayed in a Timeshare hotel and it was all just very soulless (no offence to anyone from there - we all like different things I guess).

I also really disliked Santorini, despite my mom having been there and loved it. Found it over developed (and I generally enjoy Greek islands).

Oh what a shame. What time of year did you go?

My friend had an extortionate honeymoon booked there for October until her travel agent called to ask if she wanted to re-think as it's the rainy season.

Anyway, Dublin never fails to disappoint but I bloody love Paris.

Gib was great when the border was closed, we were living there in the 70s and revisited about 10 years ago, lots of awful Essex sur Mer development, it was very disappointing in many places.

@Zanatdy agreed!!! Really don’t understand the amount of people that travel there, I personally wouldn’t even have a connected flight through their airport 🫣

I agree Paris and we actually found a dog shit on the floor in our hotel room 🤢 Absolutely not even kidding.
We went to reception to tell them, a lady came to look and said “oh do you want to change rooms then?”
No I want to sleep next to a chuffing dog turd 💩

LA, it's just roads.

Thailand
Hated it.
Tried 3 times but it never got better.

LA as well, and I don't get Monaco at all so just as well I'm not super rich and don't need to live there for the tax breaks.

Of course Venice is stunning, you will have your breath taken away. It can get very crowded especially if there are cruise liners docked. But anyhow get a ticket for the vaporetto that goes all around the Grand Canal. It is cheap and cheerful (and crowded!) But this time of year the city will be quiet enough I'd say.

Try to avoid the temptation of sitting for a coffee anywhere along the water near St. Mark's Square. You will need another mortgage, but sometimes it's nice just to do it and to hell with it. Also keep an eye on the Aqua Alta which is the flooding that happens now and then. Stilts would work for you lol. Enjoy.

Paris. The only place in the world where I have run out of a bank flicking Vs at all the cashiers.

Prague.

It was overcrowded, so could appreciate the ancient buildings and didn't seem to have any vibe to it. I encountered a rude waitress too. The underground metro had ugle weird 70s style artwork/paint. Plus, it was a bit seedy at night too.

I've been to other places in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and really liked them.

I also liked Riga. Lovely old town and a good city, laid out well, good transport.

Thailand- shithole

Brilliant!

LA for me. Awful place.
I also really couldn’t stand Miami

Bali…agree with PPs it’s grubby and unpleasant. Eat Pray Love has a lot to answer for.

Japan I wanted to love and was so excited about going and I couldn’t wait to get home. I’m wondering if I need to give it another go and just missed the trick entirely because by all accounts it’s exactly the type of place I SHOuLD love!

Sharm el sheik in the mid-noughties - got our drinks spiked on the first night, ripped off by a bar bill, agreed to a henna tattoo which ended up saying the tattooists name in Arabic on my arm for bloody ages afterwards! Trapped in a perfume shop for two hours until I bought the stuff just to get out (fun fact, the friend who was with me and I would pass the perfume to each other for our birthdays for the next five years).

Just couldn’t go anywhere without catcalls, over familiarity, ridiculous conversations.

Also got food poisoning off a Pizza Hut pizza (trying all the local delicacies!) and ended up going home two days early.

I actually bought the holiday on eBay from someone who was meant to be going for her honeymoon but her soon to be husband had jilted her so it was probably cursed from the start.

Barcelona. Been 4 times. Don't get it. Had a ball the last time but only because of my travel companions. Could have been anywhere.

Florence.

I love Paris, Marrakesh and Madeira! But different strokes for different folk I guess.

I’m not that keen on Barcelona though, nor Dubai.

I LOVED Japan. I hope no one is put off. I would love to go again.

This doesn't really make sense though - why would a limited imagination make them dislike places? They don't need to imagine these places - they are there!

What you mean is that these people perhaps aren't keen to embrace new things, perhaps. Or not the same new things you enjoy. It doesn't reflect anything about their amount of imagination one way or another.

I have a vivid imagination and can imagine all kinds of different scenarios. Hasn't stopped me disliking some places I have been in their actual reality.

Ibiza. It’s overhyped and too expensive.

Ignore them. It's bloody wonderful and exceeded my very high expectations. Have a great time!