In the Alternative Destinations section of our twice-monthly newsletter, ‘Pitch by Letter,’ we suggest cities worth visiting instead of famous tourist spots swamped by overtourism. Shift your gaze just slightly away from the well-known sights, and experiences that connect you deeply with nature and local life are waiting. Here are five recommended destinations for anyone searching for a secret retreat where they can have a quiet beach all to themselves.
Words Pyo Youngso
Siargao Instead of Boracay
Boracay is the Philippines’ best-known beach resort. It is famous for its White Beach, set against emerald waters, and because the island is compact, its accommodations, restaurants and bars are clustered close together. It is ideal for travelers who want to relax in comfort amid beautiful scenery. Travelers from around the world began flocking to Boracay in the 2010s, when global travel magazines such as ‘Travel + Leisure’ and ‘Condé Nast Traveler’ named White Beach one of the best beaches in the world. Along with the crowds came serious environmental problems, including growing piles of garbage, polluted seawater and unregulated development, and in 2018 the Philippine government closed the island for six months. Since it reopened, overtourism has eased considerably, but continued management is still needed. Siargao, which has drawn attention over the past few years, offers a more natural landscape than the well-groomed resort of Boracay. Instead of calm beaches, it has rock formations, coral and distinctive tidal pools shaped by waves and wind, and a surf culture that has grown up around Cloud 9, a world-famous surf break. Reusable tumblers and eco-bags are part of everyday life at cafés and markets, and small local stays outnumber large resorts, so it is also a good place to travel sustainably. If you want a free and easygoing atmosphere, a range of water activities and a nightlife where locals and travelers mingle, this island will not disappoint.
Con Dao Instead of Phu Quoc
Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, news reports said that Phu Quoc, Viet Nam, was becoming a “favorite” destination for Korean travelers. According to Booking.com search data from last October to mid-January this year, searches for Phu Quoc jumped more than 70 percent from the previous year. Tourism infrastructure that has steadily expanded in recent years, a variety of direct flights and reasonable prices are cited as reasons Phu Quoc is gaining favor as an alternative to established family destinations such as Guam and Saipan. Along with that popularity, services tailored to Korean visitors and Korean-language signage have spread quickly, which makes it easy to travel there. Of course, travelers who value new and unfamiliar experiences over convenience may already have lost interest.
Con Dao (Con Dao), a small island off Viet Nam’s southern coast, is a perfect fit for those who prefer a private getaway. It consists of 16 large and small islands off the coast of Vung Tau (Vung Tau), and it offers wild nature, unspoiled beaches and lush tropical rainforest, including Con Dao National Park. Unlike Phu Quoc, which is being actively developed with massive capital investment, it has no wide range of entertainment, resorts or restaurants, but it does offer activities that put you in touch with nature, such as hiking, diving and wildlife watching. The main resorts and tourist facilities, including Six Senses Con Dao, are concentrated on Con Son (Côn Sơn), the largest island in the group, and VietJet Air operates direct flights to Con Dao from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Milos Instead of Santorini
Greece is a country of some 6,000 islands. If you had to name the most famous, it would probably be Santorini. A volcanic island in the Cyclades in southern Greece, it draws travelers from around the world with its dramatic scenery: a mysterious caldera, coastal cliffs and the deep blue Aegean Sea. Picturesque villages of whitewashed buildings clustered along steep slopes, local food and a lively nightlife add to its appeal. This summer, Santorini capped cruise-ship arrivals at 8,000 visitors a day and imposed a tourist tax of 20 euros per person. The measures were meant to address the environmental damage and the intrusion on residents’ daily lives that worsened last year, when crowds peaked at around 15,000 people a day.
Milos, in the southwest of the Cyclades, is a volcanic island like Santorini. It is more than twice the size, but its population density is about a third as high, so the atmosphere is far quieter. You will find distinctive volcanic terrain, limestone cliffs, turquoise beaches and humble fishing villages, and family-run restaurants and guesthouses let you feel the local spirit in full. A rental car is essential for exploring every corner of the island, and some roads are unpaved, so travelers who want to leave typical tourist spots behind for new adventures and exploration will surely be satisfied. From Athens, Milos takes 40 to 50 minutes by plane or about four hours by ferry.
Menorca Instead of Mallorca
Mallorca, floating in the middle of the Mediterranean off Spain’s east coast, has been one of the hottest overtourism flash points in Spain in recent years, along with Barcelona. Thanks to its mild climate and beautiful nature, it became known early on as a retreat for European artists and the upper classes, and today it is so popular that more than 13 million people visit each year. Given that the island has fewer than one million residents, its tourism density relative to its size is remarkably high. Resort-centered development and cruise tourism have damaged coastal ecosystems and pushed up rents, hurting local residents’ quality of life, and last summer fierce protests broke out.
Menorca belongs to the same Balearic Islands but is relatively less developed, and it may be a good alternative to Mallorca. For a start, it is about one-fifth the size of Mallorca, and as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve it has no large resorts. Small, bay-shaped coves known as calas are scattered all over the island, so crowds rarely pile onto any one beach. It has less shopping, nightlife and city sightseeing than Mallorca, but you can relax on hidden beaches, stroll through villages and enjoy short hikes. Distances on the island are short, which makes it ideal for those who prefer slow travel. As with Mallorca, direct flights run to Menorca from major European cities, and you can also get there from Mallorca by plane or ferry.
Hana, Maui, Instead of Waikiki, Hawaii
Waikiki, where most visitors to Hawaii end up, is the emblematic center of the state’s tourism industry. Hotels, resorts and other accommodations line Waikiki Beach, and shopping malls and other major commercial facilities cluster nearby, so overcrowding, marine pollution, noise and trash are among the area’s key social issues. A growing number of people no longer find the overly commercialized atmosphere of Waikiki appealing.
Hana (Hana), at the eastern tip of Maui, is one of the least commercialized places in Hawaii. The journey begins with the drive from Kahului (Kahului), where the airport is, to Hana along the Hana Highway (HI-360), known as the “Road to Hana.” Over its 620 curves and 59 bridges, you pass spectacular scenery: dense tropical rainforest, waterfalls pouring down from deep within valleys, black sand beaches and coastal cliffs. Once you reach Hana, you can enjoy its simple, laid-back atmosphere. Eco-friendly stays, local restaurants and shops cluster together, and there is a cultural center where you can experience traditional Hawaiian culture. A farmers market is held every Friday, and the workshops and galleries of local artists are another distinctive sight. Swim at Hamoa Beach and the black sand beach in Waiʻānapanapa State Park, or head out on a trek in Haleakala National Park.
