31 People Share Their Disappointing Travel Experiences And Reveal Overrated Famous Destinations

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Everyone likes to travel. Probably each of us has a list of places that we intend to visit when the opportunity arises.

It would be nice if everyone could travel as much as their soul desires. Unfortunately, it is usually limited by various reasons, with lack of time or finances being the main constraints. According to Farnoosh Torabi, a financial expert, "Budgeting for travel is essential; it allows you to prioritize your experiences without financial stress."

However, making plans and following good organization allows us to visit plenty of places and maybe even complete our travel list eventually. Naturally, we have already explored famous destinations online and gathered other people's experiences before deciding to visit them too.

So when we arrive, we already have some expectations that need to be fulfilled, and if they aren't, we might end up disappointed. Sadly, we often don't get what we see in vibrant and colorful travel advertisements. Dr. Brené Brown, a vulnerability researcher, emphasizes that "expectations can lead to disappointment if we don't manage them well."

As a result, some of the "must-see" famous places and tourist attractions can turn out to be disappointing and completely underwhelming experiences. This is how many travelers felt after visiting some popular tourist attractions. To save you wasted time and money, or just to lower your expectations, we have gathered 31 of these experiences. Take a look at their comments and reasons for disappointment, and decide for yourself if those places will remain on your travel list. ```

1. Dubai

"Dubai. It's the most soulless, cultureless, and artificial city I've been to.

The shameless and obscene display of bling only adds to this vibe, and the supertall skyscrapers and mega malls get old sooner or later. To top it off, all of this is built overnight on what is essentially slave labor."

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2. The Dead Sea

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3. Mona Lisa

"While the Louvre is wonderful, the Mona Lisa was a huge disappointment. The painting itself is tiny, and there are always hordes of people around it.

There are a million better things to see at the Louvre."

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4. Disney Parks

"Disney Parks. Want to eat?

Be ready to shell out $50 per person per day. Oh, you came for the rides?

Enjoy the four or five you manage to go on unless it's a busy day; on those days, enjoy the two or three."

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5. Hollywood

"Hollywood. The most disappointing, garbage-strewn, and pee-covered place on earth."

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6. The London Eye

"The London Eye. It's so overpriced, and you have to wait in a long line for your turn.

If you want a good view of London, I'd recommend checking out St. Paul's Cathedral (even if you're not religious). It's much cheaper, and if you're able to climb the stairs, you can go all the way to the top and take in an even better view."

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7. Machu Picchu

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8. Las Vegas

"I didn’t get anything out of Las Vegas. It was cool to see the themed hotels, but besides that, it was just an overpriced, cultureless, soulless city designed to entertain you."

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9. Sydney Opera House

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10. The Great Wall of China

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11. France

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12. Naples

"Naples. I did a big trip through Europe after college and spent about a month in Italy.

Naples was easily the worst place I visited. It was seedy, rundown, trashy, and unsafe.

I would never go back."

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13. Egypt

"Egypt. All the beauty and awe of the ancient civilization is completely overshadowed by how absolutely horrible the modern civilization is. Think of all the worst parts of India and then add sand to it."

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14. Casablanca, Morocco

"Casablanca, Morocco. I think it's the least interesting place in a fascinating country.

It felt like a dumpy business district on the coast. Other than one obscenely expensive mosque built by a previous king, there's nothing to see.

But the rest of Morocco? It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen.

Fez, Essaouira, the High Atlas Mountains, and Marrakesh were all gorgeous."

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15. The Guinness brewery tour in Dublin

"The Guinness brewery tour in Dublin. It was an absolute tourist trap.

They don't even brew beer at the storefront anymore."

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16. The Skybridge at the Grand Canyon

"The Skybridge at the Grand Canyon was definitely a bad experience, and an overpriced one. I don't understand why so many tourists do this.

There's the entire Grand Canyon right there for you to access for free. The park offers thousands of breathtaking views all over.

Exploring the trail with its ledges and views is thrilling enough. Walking the Skybridge is a far cry from the best experience you can have there."

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17. The Taj Mahal

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18. Bali

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19. Niagara Falls

"Niagara Falls. I didn’t expect the falls to be in a city.

I expected something more like a national park, but the entire falls and its surroundings just felt like a giant shopping mall."

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20. Calanque de Sormiou in Marseille, France.

"Calanque de Sormiou in Marseille, France. Called one of the best beaches in Marseille, I expected a wonderful, spacious, and quiet white-sand beach with crystal-clear blue water.

But what I found was a packed, small, and polluted strip of sand. Turns out you can't always trust the idyllic photos of a destination."

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21. The glass bridge over the Grand Canyon

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22. Plitvice National Park in Croatia

"Plitvice National Park in Croatia was a disappointment. I expected a stunning natural wonder and hoped it would be a little crowded on a random Monday in September (not peak season, not a weekend).

The reality: a perfectly pleasant national park that was absolutely jam-packed with the world's pushiest, screaming, selfish visitors. I was basically trapped on a boardwalk, shuffling along desperately just trying to find a space to see the waterfalls."

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23. Ha Long Bay in Vietnam

"Ha Long Bay in Vietnam was a bit of a letdown. Based on the photos, I was so excited to visit, but there was so much garbage in the water that it felt extremely polluted.

Our junk ship operators were visibly annoyed with us because we didn't want to buy any of the touristy trinkets they were pressuring us to purchase on board. I’m glad I went and experienced Ha Long Bay, but I wouldn't go back."

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24. The Temple Bar area in Dublin

"The Temple Bar area in Dublin. Sure, walking the streets is nice, and there are some neat shops and street art to see.

But going to a pub in Temple Bar? Unless you enjoy overpaying for drinks and listening to some guy sing a cover of 'Wonderwall,' I wouldn't recommend it."

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25. The Blue Lagoon in Iceland

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26. Pisa

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27. Lake Bled, Slovenia

"I wasn't a fan of Lake Bled, Slovenia. The photos make it look so majestic, surrounded by nature in solitude.

In reality, though, the entire shoreline is covered by hotels, businesses, overpriced restaurants, and touristy shops. You'll spend a lot of money to take a little rowboat out to the island, wander around for a few minutes, eat your hundredth cone of gelato, and then row back.

I'd recommend visiting Lake Bohinj instead because it's far more peaceful."

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28. Central Restaurant in Lima, Peru

"Central Restaurant in Lima, Peru, was a big disappointment. Ranked the fifth-best restaurant in the world, I was expecting an amazing meal, especially for the hefty price.

It was admittedly a very impressive meal in the sense that it was full of unusual ingredients prepared in interesting ways and plated beautifully, but taste-wise, everything was just OK. It was not nearly as good as many other, less acclaimed restaurants I've eaten at."

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29. Masaya Volcano National Park in Nicaragua

"Masaya Volcano National Park in Nicaragua. I had wanted to see it in person ever since seeing photos on Google and YouTube videos, but it really didn't live up to the hype.

I feel bad saying it, but I wasn't impressed."

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30. Mount Rushmore

"Mount Rushmore was horrendously underwhelming. Years ago, my family drove across the US. For hundreds of miles, as you drive, you see huge signs counting down the distance to Mount Rushmore.

For days, the excitement builds...and then you get there. It is just four faces on mountains.

There is nothing else there. Just four faces you've seen time and time again in pictures, textbooks, and movies."

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31. The wing mural in Nashville

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We gathered plenty of information about some popular tourist destinations. And not all of them are so bad; there is some helpful advice as well.

Do you have any "must-see" places that you would like to add to this list? We would be very grateful if you shared them with us in the comment section below.