Best Travel Dupes
The 10 best alternatives to famous destinations, period.
How we ranked this
Ranked by how closely each destination matches the experience of its famous counterpart, combined with value for money and how uncrowded it still is today.
Alternative to Santorini 🇬🇷
Albania
The clearest 1-to-1 match on this list: Santorini's turquoise water, a third of the price.
Alternative to Switzerland 🇨🇭
Georgia
Switzerland-level hiking with wine and hospitality most alpine resorts can't touch.
Alternative to Croatia (Dubrovnik) 🇭🇷
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dubrovnik's charm, minus the cruise-ship crowds and the cost.
Alternative to Thailand 🇹🇭
Vietnam
Everything that made Thailand famous, still finding its footing in places.
Alternative to The Amalfi Coast 🇮🇹
Montenegro
Amalfi Coast drama in a bay you can still afford to sleep in.
Alternative to Peru 🇵🇪
Bolivia
A landscape — the Uyuni Salt Flats — that Peru simply doesn't have.
Alternative to Bali 🇮🇩
Sri Lanka
Bali's range of experiences, packed into an island with far less traffic.
Alternative to Costa Rica 🇨🇷
Nicaragua
Costa Rica's volcanoes and surf, at the prices Costa Rica used to have.
Alternative to Jordan (Petra) 🇯🇴
Uzbekistan
Architecture that rivals Petra, with almost none of the tour-group queues.
Alternative to Mexico (Riviera Maya) 🇲🇽
Guatemala
Tikal at sunrise beats a crowded Chichen Itza any day.