Two overlooked countries worth a visit

Popular tourist destinations often steal the spotlight, leaving many incredible countries overlooked. These hidden gems offer unique experiences, rich cultures, and breath-taking landscapes. Below are two of these underrated countries that are worth a visit.

Guyana

Markedly, Guyana is one of the least-visited countries in South America. Two factors that may contribute to this are the limited number of flights available and the dense Amazon rainforest, which makes it a challenging place to explore.

However, in recent years, more airlines have started flying to the capital Georgetown, the largest city in Guyana. These include British Airways, American Airlines, and United Airlines. As a result, 2023 was its best-ever year for visitors, with just over 319 000 tourists.

Reasons for travellers to visit Guyana

Guyana is known as the ‘Land of Many Waters’ in its native Amerindian language due to the numerous rivers, creeks and streams that flow throughout its length and across its breadth.

Rainforest covers some 80% of Guyana and, with much of it untouched, a multi-day expedition through untamed jungle is an unforgettable experience.

Guyanese culture is a mix of various influences, featuring around 80 000 indigenous people from nine unique ethnic groups. These groups have been caretakers of the land for thousands of years, and some of them now operate eco-lodges in remote areas of the rainforest.

Djibouti

This often-overlooked country on the Horn of Africa has a remarkable variety of different landscapes. It features volcanic crater lakes and expansive, rough canyons as well as steaming hot springs and limestone rock formations scattered across barren, surreal plains.

French colonialists established Djibouti City in 1888, and it’s now a vibrant, multicultural capital that showcases the country’s mix of African, Arabic and Asian influences.

Djibouti is one of the smallest countries in Africa.

Info for travellers

Bottled water is a safer option than tap water.

The average work week in the country runs from Saturday to Thursday, from 8:00 to 14:00. Many private companies reopen in the afternoon from 16:00 to 19:00.

A recommended traditional dish to try while in Djibouti is skoudekharis. It is a one-pot dish of rice and spices that includes generous portions of lamb.