If you dream about travel as much as we do, it's likely your list of dream destinations has grown unrealistically long. Should the next trip be the white sand beaches of the Caribbean or a capital across the globe? Has binging Emily in Paris made you long for a trip back to France, where you can spend your days indulging in croissants and endless amounts of wine on a terrace?

We understand the urge to stick with someplace you know and love, but if you’re looking for a new kind of adventure (because you’ve already checked off so many on your bucket list), why not travel to a place you’re less likely to see popping up in all of your friends’ Instagram posts?

We polled our vast network of travel writers and editors to hear what underrated countries top their list of places everyone should visit (yet aren’t at risk of over-tourism). The responses zigzag across the globe from quiet coastlines in Africa to island countries rich in music and mountainous terrain—plus everything from coral reefs and UNESCO World Heritage Sites to national parks and underground museums. 

In a twist of irony, the “hub” of Central America is also the most overlooked when it comes to vacation spots. The literal crossroads of two oceans and two continents, Panama is a tropical wonderland packed with a surplus of mountainous cliffs, breathtaking beaches, and rich culture. It's enough to make you forget about that famous canal.

Panama is often compared to—and passed over for—Costa Rica, its sought-after neighbor to the north. (Confession: I did it too—at first.) But Panama actually beats CR in a lot of categories. It has even more remote mountain and island retreats—the San Blas Archipelago alone houses a labyrinth of nearly 400 outlying islands, almost all of which are unnamed, uninhabited, and/or comprised entirely of coral. And unlike Costa Rica, Panama maintains a higher level of internet connectivity as the business epicenter of Central America (ahem, Panama City!). In other words, it’s ideal for those wanderlust-fueled travelers hell-bent on avoiding beaten paths, but still need to stay connected. 

If you’re in the Kyrgyz Republic, you’re probably on top of a mountain. A range called Tian Shan (“Heaven Lake” in Mandarin Chinese) covers about 80% of the country, and most of it is at least 1,000 meters above sea level. Its geological features vary from peak to peak, but the landscape is tied together by exquisite, swoon-worthy beauty. You can traverse the country by foot or by horse, embracing the nomadic life by staying in yurts and feasting on stews. And if that all sounds near-mystical, you’ll be surprised to discover how truly wondrous the country is. But first, you have to discover it exists at all.

This Central Asian country rewards exploration and effort, from its capital of Bishkek to the sprawling countryside that comprises most of its landscape, where eagles soar and livestock roams. In the Kyrgyz Republic, the large, circular tents are lined with felt or skins and usually heated with dried cow dung-powered iron stoves. After a 12-mile hike up and down three dozen types of rocks, laying down in one of them feels like sleeping on the world’s softest fleece-lined leggings.