Five underrated countries you need to visit

With each welcoming more than 50 million international
visitors each year, France, the United States and China
dominate the list of most popular countries for travellers.
But are the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and Great Wall
overshadowing other destinations that should be on
travellers’ bucket lists?
We turned to question-and-answer community Quora.com to
find out, asking “Which country is the most underrated? ”
From a medieval African trading town to a Mediterranean
island nation, readers weighed in on why these overlooked
outposts are worth a look.
Austria
This central European country often gets passed up in favour
of its neighbours — including Prague in the Czech Republic or
Munich in southern Germany — said Steve Estes from New
York City.
“What Americans (and some Europeans) forget about Austria
is that 100 years ago, it was a great Imperial capital of
Europe, on par with London, Paris, Rome... and then the
political fortunes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire faded,” he
explained. “So most everything that people love about, say,
Paris, goes just as well for Austria.”
That means incredible museums and art galleries and
impressive palaces like the Schonbrunn are all accessible via
the safe and clean Vienna subway system. The ski towns are
also some of the best in the world, Estes added, especially
Innsbruck: “a city by the mountains that every [US] ski town
from Vail to Stowe to Tahoe tries to copy”.
Mozambique
While plenty of African countries could be on this list, Deirdre
Beecher of Cork, Ireland honed in on this southeastern nation
for its diversity and potential.
“Mozambique has stunning white sandy beaches that are
lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean,” she said.
“There are islands off the coast that rival anything the
Maldives have to offer and are largely uninhabited.”
Visitors can enjoy many aspects of the landscape: a safari on
the Limpopo River valley, surfing and reef diving off the coast
of Tofo, or swimming with whale sharks and manta rays near
the Bazaruto Archipelago. The country’s history can be
appreciated in Mozambique’s colonial architecture or in
medieval trading towns, such as Sofala, which were
frequented by Swahili, Arab and Persian traders.
Bhutan
Nestled between better-known neighbours China, India and
Nepal, Bhutan is a small country that is well worth a visit,
said Amit Sinha of New Delhi. Located on the eastern side of
the Himalayas, the country is “peaceful” and “full of
panoramic views”, he said, including views of Gangkhar
Puensum, the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world.
The country is also known as one of the world’s happiest. In
fact, instead of measuring output in standard economic GDP,
the country measures GNH (Gross National Happiness),
based on sustainable development, environmental protection,
cultural preservation and good governance. Its capital,
Thimphu, is the only capital city in the world without traffic
lights.
Bhutan does have strict tourist requirements as part of an
official “High Value, Low Impact” tourism policy , and visitors
must have a visa and book their stay through an official
Bhutanese tour operator. A daily tourism fee of $65 is also
required, and goes toward the country’s education,
healthcare and infrastructure.
Malta
The Mediterranean island nation of Malta is warm, cheap and
accessible, making it a perfect alternative to more-visited
neighbours like Italy and Greece. Locals speak English as well
as Italian and Maltese, so Anglophones won’t have any
problem communicating.
“It has Italian food and wine without the Italian bureaucracy,”
said Deepak Shukla, who lived in Malta and now resides in
London. “There is also a culture of eating and drinking
outside,” he added — all the better to appreciate the beautiful
year-round weather.
Happily, outdoor libations are plentiful and cheap. Locals
recommend ordering the pastizzi , a traditional savoury pastry,
usually filled with ricotta, washed down with local Cisk beer.
Beyond culinary pursuits, the islandisland.CNN