Stonehenge: ancient wonder of the world, or notorious tourist trap?
IS STONEHENGE, Niagara Falls or Oktoberfest on your travel bucket list? You should probably give them the flick.
That’s the advice on a new Reddit thread that reveals the most overrated tourist drawcards in the world.
The advice comes as Australia’s own Bondi Beach was slammed as “overrated”, “ugly” and full of “tossers” on Sydney radio this morning.
From oversized crowds to overpriced entry tickets, Redditors from across the globe have offered their brutally honest critique of the things and places that have made their countries famous among foreign travellers.
In some cases, they have even offered insider tips on much better alternatives to check out instead.
Here are a few of the best.
The waterfalls are beautiful but the tourist traps surrounding them are terrible, locals say,Source:Supplied
Niagara Falls, US and Canada
Tourists themselves have taken the appeal right out of Niagara Falls, the awe-inspiring series of waterfalls that straddled the US-Canadian border, Reddit users said.
“The American side of Niagara Falls (is) always crowded with tourists and you don’t even get a great view,” user Paigemars said.
“Go over the border to the Canadian side for a much better view.”
A Canadian Redditor said it wasn’t all that great on Canada’s side, either.
“Don’t get me wrong, the horseshoe (and the curtain) falls are both beautiful natural wonders, but literally everything around it is tacky as sh*t,” they said.
“Ugly casinos, ugly hotels, ugly tower. And don’t even get me started on Clifton Hill. I’m sure if you look up ‘tacky tourist trap’ it will just point you to that. And everything is overpriced.”
Don’t blame Belgium if you were expecting something bigger. Picture: Francisco AntunesSource:Flickr
Manneken Pis, Belgium
A Reddit user from Brussels said they couldn’t understand the appeal of the Manneken Pis, the 61-centimetre bronze statue of a little boy urinating into a fountain that has become a symbol of the city’s rebellious spirit.
The user, Zyygh, said: “People hate on Belgium because Manneken Pis is such a tiny, unremarkable statue.
“Funny thing is, that statue was never meant to become a tourist attraction; it’s just a little fountain like hundreds in any city (that) became famous because it’s pretty unique and humorous.
“So now all our tourists hear about the statue and expect it to be something huge and significant with eons of history.
“Well nope, should have done your research.”
Tourists need to go to a bit of effort to kiss the Blarney stone at Blarney Castle in Ireland.Source:Supplied
Stonehenge, UK and Blarney stone, Ireland
It is one of the ancient wonders of the world but Stonehenge’s high cost of entry offered little bang for your buck, Redditors warned.
“As you go down the road near it, you can see it perfectly, but you decide to park up and pay a fortune to go inside to get a better view,” one user warned.
“It’s currently £15.50 ($AU28.60) to get in and you can’t see anything more than you can for free from the road and the accompanying audio guide is hardly enlightening.
“Almost £16 is a ridiculous price to pay to ... get literally a couple of feet closer to them, than what you are for free from behind the fence.”
Speaking of stones: the iconic Blarney stone in Cork, Ireland, has been popular with tourists thanks to an enduring legend that anyone who kissed it would gain the gift of eloquence.
“It’s just a stone and I’m pretty sure it has been peed on a few times,” BigShowFardy said.
The Hope Diamond, one of the most famous pieces of jewellery in history. For some reason. Picture: Blue Diamond PhotographySource:Flickr
The Hope Diamond, Washington DC, US
Millions have flocked from around the world to Washington DC to witness the Hope Diamond, an impressive gem once owned by King Louis XIV of France, which is now housed at the National Museum of Natural History.
Redditors in DC agreed the museum was worth the visit — the thing was, the Hope Diamond was one of the least interesting things in it.
“But only because you can barely see it since it’s surrounded by a bunch of a**holes all trying to take the exact same photo of it,” angrylawyer said.
“It’s locked in a glass case and it spins slowly, just google it and you’ll find better photos.”
User popejubal said: “The shiny rocks that are in the section near the hope diamond are even more amazing to look at.”
They said tourists in DC should put Theodore Roosevelt’s monument and the Smithsonian Aerospace Museum in nearby Virginia on their itinerary instead.
Some people believe there are better things to do in London. Picture: Danny E. Martindale/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Madame Tussauds London, UK
It may be the wax museum that started them all, but Madame Tussauds wasn’t worth anyone’s time in London, locals said.
“I really can’t understand why so many tourists flock to Madame Tussauds,” Setsomethingablaze said.
“You’ve come all the way to one of the most vibrant cultural cities in the world, and you’re going to spend several hours queuing to see a mannequin dressed like Princess Diana?”
Others agreed the entry cost was too expensive, the queues were too long and the museum was “filled with screaming children”.
Several users said tourists should check out the “vastly superior” London Dungeons for its gory history and thrilling gallows ride instead.
This isn’t even as beautiful as Hawaii gets. Picture: Hawaii Tourism Authority / Tor JohnsonSource:Supplied
Waikiki Beach, US
If you asked any traveller to Hawaii where they would be lapping up the sun, sand and surf, their answer would be the world-famous Waikiki Beach, right?
But locals said there were much prettier beaches elsewhere on Oahu island.
“It’s the ugliest part of the island,” user tootles wrote.
Turtle Bay, Sunset, Waianae and Makaha were among Oahu’s much better beaches, others said.
User goosebusiness said tourists should pay more attention to the island of Kauai.
“It’s my absolute favourite spot in Hawaii. You can snorkel, scuba dive, climb through caves, hike through forests, eat fresh fruit.
“I love it. Not to mention there’s a beautiful canyon to look at!”
SO MANY PEOPLE. Picture: AFP / Christof StacheSource:AFP
Oktoberfest, Germany
A user from Munich complained about how overcrowded the region’s annual Oktoberfest celebrations had become.
“Crowded, the ground covered in all kinds of bodily fluids and the beer is WAY overpriced,” AlmightyWorldEater said.
“Almost impossible to get a seat in a Festzelt without waiting very long ... only to get that overpriced beer which is mostly foam.”
But it’s not all bad news for people wanting to get into the spirit of the Bavarian folk festival.
“Seriously, drive a bit out of Munich, go to a beer garden and enjoy good beer for a good price at a nice place that doesn’t smell like the vomit of five continents,” they added.
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