With these insider tips, you can take the road less travelled and sidestep the crowds, while saving your hard-earned dollars.
Some destinations get all the love (think Paris, London and New York). But if you’re in search of a unique, unforgettable adventure that prioritizes local experiences, consider venturing beyond the tourist circuit.
A recent poll conducted by Maru Public Opinion for Scotiabank1 says more than four in five Canadians2 (86 per cent) prioritize learning about regional customs and communities while travelling. When you veer off the beaten path, you can blend in with the locals and explore incredible places that you may never have known existed.
While popular spots like Rome, Tokyo and Costa Rica are trending this year, in nearby sort-of-secret locales you can indulge your curiosity and satisfy your vacation itch, minus the crowds. Best of all, you’ll become a traveler instead of a tourist. Here are three worthwhile destinations you won’t yet find on top-10 lists.
Reminiscent of the Italian capital, with cobblestone streets, mouth-watering cuisine and the largest complex of thermal spas in Europe, Budapest offers the added bonus of incredible art nouveau architecture, the world-famous Danube River and an elaborate network of underground caves to wander beneath the city.
Hungarian Parliament Building overlooking the Danube River
A fairy-tale-like vibe permeates both sides of the river. Sightsee on the hilly Buda side, which teems with natural beauty and culturally rich architecture, like the regal Buda Castle, the 13th-century Matthias Church, the scenic lookout towers of Fisherman’s Bastion and the Budapest History Museum, offering insights into the area’s rugged Roman past.
Riverside, the Gellért Thermal Bath and Rudas Thermal Bath provide ample space to relax and rejuvenate in a serene spa setting. Thermal baths here are revered for their medicinal purposes and are popular gathering spots to catch up with friends. Some of the baths in Budapest were founded as early as the 16th century, but even those built more recently provide a spectacular step back in time, adorned with beautiful stained-glass windows and colorful porcelain tiles.
Széchenyi Thermal Bath
On the Pest side of the city, enjoy extensive shopping and dining, coupled with lively nightlife among iconic landmarks, such as the Hungarian State Opera House, St. Stephen’s Basilica and the picturesque Hungarian Parliament Building, which illuminates the river after dark.
At night, stop by one of the city’s renowned ruin bars—unpretentious pubs and clubs that have popped up in forgotten pre-war buildings, brimming with junk upcycled into furniture and art. Each bar has its own distinct style and atmosphere, so you’ll never have the same experience twice.
Szimpla Kert, for example, offers two levels of circus-style fun bathed in colourful tapestries. Boasting nine bars serving over 400 drinks, it hosts concerts, live theatre and even a farmers’ market. Tap your Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Card for quick, easy payments and enjoy no foreign transaction fees on foreign currency purchases.4
While Tokyo is likely where you’ll begin your Japanese adventure, plan a side trip to the coastal city of Hamamatsu, just three hours away. Pro tip: save on your car rental with Avis® Preferred Plus membership with your Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite Card.4
With fewer than one million people, it’s a very manageable city to explore that’s loaded with history, culture and dramatic natural landscapes. From sprawling sand dunes and beaches to picturesque lakes and mountains (not to mention world-famous unagi restaurants), you’ll experience Japan as the locals do.
Known as the City of Music, Hamamatsu is home to a rich musical heritage, with world-renowned musical instrument companies such as Yamaha, Kawai and Roland founded there. The astounding Hamamatsu City Museum of Musical Instruments showcases more than 1,300 instruments from across the globe.
At Hamamatsu Flower Park on the shores of Lake Hamana, marvel at 3,000 varieties of plants and flowers on display year-round, including tulips, wisteria, roses and hydrangeas, along with fun mosaiculture sculptures. Take the ropeway to the top of Mount Okusa for a stunning view (and if you can, aim for sunset).
Hamamatsu Castle provides a breathtaking vista, too, surrounded by a large, well-kept park. Visit at the end of March or in early April to witness the blooming of the plum and cherry trees.
When booking a hotel, use your Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite card to find the best available rates through the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection. You’ll receive an automatic room upgrade (when available) and free Wi-Fi in your room when you check in.‡
Quiet beaches, exotic wildlife, exhilarating watersports and roadside lunches—the Placencia Peninsula, nestled between the mainland of southern Belize and the Caribbean Sea, is Central America’s best-kept secret (move over, Costa Rica). This very narrow spit of once-sleepy fishing villages is now an ecotourism hub for smart travelers, noted for its laid-back crowd, charming guest houses and ample golden sand.
The water is the main draw here, with great diving, snorkelling, boating and fishing offered throughout the day. Explore reef channels in search of parrotfish, moray eels and nurse sharks, and book tours to swim with whale sharks.
There’s an eclectic mix of delicious food, too, with some of the freshest seafood dishes prepared in the tiniest beach shacks. Cultural and culinary tours highlight the heritage and foodways of the Garifuna people.
If you need help planning a day trip, making restaurant reservations or finding event tickets, take advantage of the personalized concierge service available for Scotiabank Passport® Visa Infinite cardholders,‡ which will ensure you find what you’re looking for.
Zip lining at Mayflower Bocawina National Park
In addition to the archaeological site Lubaantun, or the “place of fallen stones” in Yucatec Maya, rainforest adventures await on the mainland. At Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the world’s first jaguar reserve, wander the jungle and take in awe-inspiring panoramic views along its winding trails.
At Mayflower Bocawina National Park, you can get an adrenalin rush waterfall rappelling and ziplining across the longest canopy-zipline course in Central America. While there, be on the lookout for pumas, jaguars, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, ocelots, pacas, armadillos and over 200 species of birds.