You’ve been to Mexico. You’ve been to Canada. You have pictures of yourself standing in London with Big Ben in the background and holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. What now?
If you want to add some unique stamps to your US passport, consider these 5 undiscovered destinations. While not technically secret, these countries are off the radar for most US travelers but definitely worth visiting.
The Maldives: This remote chain of islands in the Indian Ocean is home to some of the most pristine beaches you’ll ever see. The weather is warm and the water is the clearest cerulean blue. The Maldives is not easy to get to, and you’ll most likely have to fly through London or Dubai. It’s also not cheap, as this Gadling post illustrates: a “shoestring” budget over there is about $280 per couple per day, and prices can be much higher. What price paradise?
Albania: Albania, on the other hand, is a budget traveler’s paradise. Delicious Greek-style cuisine, gorgeous scenery and Mediterranean beaches make this country a winner. Why is it still relatively undiscovered? Until recently, Albania suffered under a repressive Communist dictatorship. The country is still poor and has not joined the European Union yet, but conditions are much improved from the “bad old days” and according to the Department of State, the country is mostly safe as long as you avoid demonstrations.
Macedonia: Like Albania, with which it shares a border, Macedonia’s liberation from an oppressive regime is relatively recent. Macedonia is somewhat wilder, with incredible hiking, superb skiing and lots of ancient ruins to explore. The best way to enter the country is through Albania or Kosovo.
Tasmania: Technically, Tasmania isn’t its own country- it’s part of Australia. However, it’s isolation from the mainland means that even native Australians have just recently begun to discover its charms: gorgeous beaches, great food and wine and stretches of wilderness that hold wildlife that lives nowhere else on the planet.
Of course, visiting any of these countries requires a US passport. Make sure you apply ahead of time if you don’t already have one- it can take up to six weeks from the time you submit your application for your US passport to be issued. Even if you pay the extra $60 for expedited processing, it can still take at least three weeks.
To get your passport faster, you can either make an appointment at one of the State Department’s 24 regional passport agency offices or choose a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport for faster, more convenient service with no appointments needed.
Get your US passport today!