It’s completely natural to feel excited before a big trip! There are so many great sights to see, foods to sample, and people to meet. But one of the dangers of having high expectations is that even if your overall experience is good, it still won’t come close to what you imagined.
However, in some cases, real-life trips really do match—and sometimes even exceed!—all the hype. The adventurous souls of the r/travel community spilled the tea about their most brilliant trips abroad that were deeply magical. Scroll down for their tales. And be sure to take notes for some travel inspo!
Bored Panda reached out to u/tophog, the author of the viral thread, for a friendly chat about travel. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on keeping our expectations in check, the upsides of solo travel, and what to keep in mind if you decide to visit Japan. Check out our full interview with the traveler below!

#1

Probably a boring one but Rome. The history, the food, the architecture, everything blew me away. Went last year with my wife for our 10 year anniversary and we are back in a few weeks with the kids to do it all again!

Image credits: mosleyowl

The travel and tourism industry is absolutely massive! The market is projected to grow from $916 billion (with a 'b') in 2024 to $1.114 trillion (yes, with a 't') by 2029. Hotels make up the biggest chunk of this industry, with around $426.4 billion in value in 2024.

However, Statista points out that there is a caveat. The tourism industry is a bit harder to define than others because there isn't one specific, clear product. There are lots of different areas that make up the market, from things like accommodation and transport to attractions.

On a global level, travel and tourism contributed roughly $7.7 trillion to various countries' gross domestic product in 2022. That's around 7.6% of the global GDP.

#2

Scotland. incredibly beautiful and the people are all kinds of awesome.

Image credits: tiny_bamboo

#3

Saved for four years to go to Alaska. Was worried I would be disappointed but lived up to it and more. Most incredible place I’ve ever seen.

Image credits: Ashamed-Background52

Statista notes that the United States and China are the leading travel markets on Earth. However, France has the highest number of inbound tourists worldwide. For instance, a jaw-dropping 7.7 million travelers visited the Louvre in the French capital, Paris, in 2022.

'Our World in Data' reports that 48.4 million people visited France from abroad in 2021. That was in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, so naturally, the numbers were lower due to lockdowns and travel restrictions. Compare that to 2019, before the pandemic, when 90.9 million tourists visited France.

The number of tourists quickly rebounded to 93.2 million in 2022 and a whopping 100 million in 2023.

We were very curious to hear about the inspiration behind the captivating online discussion. The author, u/tophog, opened up to Bored Panda that he "wanted to mentally travel through everyone's responses," as he was unable to leave the house due to an ankle injury.

“I had also traveled to Taiwan earlier this year, largely because of the recommendations from r/travel. I haven't stopped thinking about that trip ever since. The people in this community are such a great resource and largely align with my travel mindset and style, too," he said.

#4

New Zealand with a campervan.

You get all the benefits from staying in remote outdoor places. Lots of small camp sites that are right next to a lake or an other beautiful nature spot with very few other people if you go off the beaten path.

You can do this in many other places but few are able to offer that with the convenience that NZ offers. Every small town or popular hiking spot has a public toilet and drinking water. Clear signs and information offered by the department of conservation. In addition the country is very safe while being able to offer a middle of nowhere experience.

Also the beautiful scenery is very diverse on a relatively small scale. BC/Alberta Canada for example is very beautiful but driving for 6h it is more of the same while in NZ you can go visit rain forests, glaciers, alpine mountains, empty grasslands all kinds of coasts within that same time frame.

Image credits: 53bvo

#5

Norway. One of the most naturally beautiful countries I’ve visited. It helped I didn’t do that much research going in, but everywhere we went felt effortlessly scenic.

Image credits: stephenchung

#6

I loved Cinque Terre, Italy. Visited in 2017 first week of June. Was warm enough to swim but the crowds weren’t too bad!

Image credits: thestrokesfanca

Meanwhile, the traveler urged anyone who wants to keep their hype in check to travel with a "healthy amount of skepticism." It's for the best. Overhyping is a very common thing to do, but it's also important to have some appreciation and a positive attitude for the places you visit, too. "These places have hype for a reason."

Something else you can do is explore some lesser-known areas in the city or country you're vacationing in. That can help you gain some "non-touristy insights into the local culture." There’s a lot of satisfaction to be found in discovering places on your own and at your own pace.

Bored Panda wanted to hear a bit more about u/tophog's trip to Japan, which he mentioned in the original post. He last visited the country back in 2017 as a solo traveler and had lots of practical advice for anyone hoping to travel there. The author urged anyone visiting Japan to try the convenience store food. "The quality of food in Japanese 7-Eleven will shock anyone from the US," he shared with us.

#7

Corsica, France. The island is basically all the most gorgeous nature spots of California cranked up to level 10. Absolutely gorgeous.

Image credits: joebrosb

#8

- Tanzania. Specifically the Serengeti. You have more up close experiences with animals there than you would in a zoo.
- Machu Picchu. Utterly surreal once you get to the top, although I think hiking there provides a lot of the magic.
- Antarctica. It has the most insane reviews and completely lives up to it. If you’ve been to Antarctica, then you’ve probably travelled the world over, yet chances are Antarctica is still your favourite place.
- Taj Mahal. Most beautiful building on the planet, easily.
- Japan. Nothing in particular, but the entire place is just.. lovely.
- New Zealand South Island. I actually went in being skeptical, thinking it is any better than Alaska or Norway. I think it is, and either way it lives up to its hype!

Image credits: The-Smelliest-Cat

#9

Edinburgh, Scotland.
When you walk around the old town, it truly is like walking back in time.
Untouched from the 13th century.

Image credits: napoleon_bonapart_

"Japan is a very cash-based society, so always have cash on hand. I also discovered that bank cards are not always inserted into an ATM with the same orientation as they are back in the United States. So if your card spits out, check for the correct orientation."

Furthermore, the traveler suggested getting a transit card, such as the Suica Card or (cutely designed) Pasmo Card, for trains and buses around Japan. "I went 3 days in Kyoto paying with cash on the bus before I realized I could just use my metro card from Tokyo. As an American not used to transit cards with functionality across multiple systems in different cities, this was not immediately obvious to me," he pointed out.

According to u/tophog, there's a lot of fun to be found in solo travel. However, some people are very hesitant about doing it. So, a step-by-step approach to stepping outside your comfort zone is best. "I highly encourage everyone to try it at least once. I was really scared to do it until my late 20s. I started with 'easier' destinations first and ventured farther over time. Nothing else in my life has forced me to grow as solo travel has, and I appreciate the many highs (and some challenges) that went along with that experience.”

#10

Basic answer, but Japan. Met and exceeded all my expectations. Even my partner, who wasn't overly fussed on going, fell in love with it.

Easily the best country I've visited (yet). I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Image credits: NastyMothman

#11

Patagonia: the nature, the remoteness, the atmosphere, the wind ?. It is one of my favorite places on earth and wish to visit again someday.

Image credits: Optimal_Lab_6145

#12

Angkor, Cambodia.

Bagan, Myanmar.

Madagascar.

Image credits: Benjamin_Stark

The dangers of over-the-top hype are best summed up in two words: Paris Syndrome. It’s a widely known phenomenon that describes the culture shock travelers feel when they finally visit a place that they’ve idealized, romanticized, and built up in their minds for a long time.

Originally, the syndrome was meant to describe how some Japanese tourists felt shocked, underwhelmed, and culturally isolated when they visited Paris. They expected to visit the love and romance capital of the world. What they saw instead was, well, Paris as it is. A huge metropolis with all of its pros and cons: beautiful architecture, parks, and culture, but also noise, filth, and throngs of people.

In some cases, Paris Syndrome can even land tourists in the hospital, as they feel nauseous and dizzy, and their heart rate goes up. For some visitors, things get so bad that they even start hallucinating.

#13

The Grand Canyon. Hoooooly. I swear to you there has never been a photo taken of it that prepares you for the reality or does justice to how unbelievably awesome it is.

Image credits: ElDinero87

#14

London, many people will disagree but idc.

Image credits: Serious_Journalist14

#15

I loved Santorini. I know it's touristy, but it was my first trip with my gf, and I loved the views. It was my first time in Greece too.

Image credits: 370H55V--0773H

One of the best travel tips that you’ll ever hear from us (aside from being open-minded) is to manage your expectations. Let’s say it loud enough so that even the Pandas in the back can hear. Manage. Your. Expectations!

Avoid hyping yourself up. Keep your expectations realistic or at least reasonably optimistic. (This actually applies to all aspects of life, not just travel.)

By avoiding sky-high expectations, you’ll probably have a pretty good time no matter what happens on your trip. And the odds are that something will go wrong on your adventure. It always does!

But if you have a growth-oriented mindset and embrace travel fully—with all of its ups and downs and loop-de-loops—then you’re likely to see any challenges and frustrations as lessons and opportunities.

#16

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. The pictures are beautiful, but actually walking through the valley and looking up at the cliffs is mind blowing. .

#17

Wadi Rum and Petra in Jordan, Alberobello in Italy, Tokyo in Japan, Masai Mara and Diani beach in Kenya.

Image credits: Mundane-Ad-2692

#18

Amalfi Coast. Yes, it is touristic but it also has one of the most beautiful coast lines with picturesque towns (and great food if you don't fall for the tourist traps). There's a reason why it's so popular.

Image credits: ktrna92

‘Perfect’ trips are impossible. Interesting, unusual, and surprising adventures, though? They’re extremely common.

If you’re flexible enough to adapt to anything your trip might throw at you, you’ll have a far better time than if you vent, fume, and rage about things being different than you imagined. Reality is a lot less stressful when we experience things as they are, not as we’d ideally like them to be.

#19

I'd say Prague. Down by (and on) the Charles Bridge is a bit of a circus and the fake weed stores and other tourist traps are annoying but I really love the city. The food is delicious and affordable (cheap even) and some of the best beer I've ever drunk was there. Plenty of history and things to see.

Definitely lived up to the hype.

Image credits: thefirstchampster

#20

Lisbon, Portugal. Mostly because I knew literally nothing about it before getting there. I had just gotten a mistake fare $250 round trip ticket from west coast USA. So my expectations were that I got a cheap ticket to a country I’d never been to. I was met with the nicest people, delicious food, and I never felt weird being alone on a solo trip. It was just a wonderful country. And you can’t beat sintra tbh.

#21

Istanbul.

Image credits: yourlocallidl

What is the best place you’ve ever visited that definitely lived up to or even exceeded your expectations, Pandas? On the flip side, what is the very worst place you’ve visited? Have you had any trips where you were super hyped, only to feel deeply disappointed?

We’d love to hear all about your travels! If you’re taking a short break from your adventures, feel free to swing by the comments to share your experiences with everyone else.

#22

Brazil. As a young man visiting the Amazon River and jungle had long been something that deeply enchanted me. And I've always been a big fan of travelling for nature and wildlife. Particularly landscapes exotic to my own. Waterfalls, tropical beaches etc. I also love to travel for music & drinking. And as a young man I was obsessed with football and still love the game. And Brazil has all of the above in f*****g bundles. The Amazon, the pantanal, bonito, Iguazú, ilha grande, paraty, Rio, baile funk, carnaval, caipirinhas, football on the beach, swimming with caiman, river dolphins and piranha. If I could design a country, it would be Brazil. And I spent 6 weeks there in 2010 and it's the best thing I've ever done pretty much. It actually exceeded expectations.

Image credits: HarryBlessKnapp

#23

Iguazu Falls is amazing.

Image credits: redvariation

#24

I agree with Machu Picchu! Also the Eiffel tower. Been to Paris 7 times and never cease to amaze me and stop to admire.

Image credits: Weak-Introduction665

#25

Alaska was life changing. I have never felt so humbled seeing Denali from the air and landing on the glacier on a crystal clear day. Indescribable and unforgettable.

Image credits: me_mark77

#26

I was surprised that Niagara Falls lived up to its hype.

Image credits: LeilaDFW

#27

Nara Park Japan. Not super crowded when I went, tons of temples and deer literally everywhere.

Image credits: disregardhoes

#28

Victoria Falls. Microlight flight over the falls was incredible. Rafting the Zambezi was also amazing and a bit scary.


Kalambaka Greece was also stunning. 


Judhpor India during Holi. .

#29

Blue Lagoon in Iceland. I genuinely thought it would be crowded and overrated. Not really that crowded feeling because of the size and worth every bit of hype. Side note: Iceland is genuinely one of the most amazing places on the planet.

Image credits: fkdurmom420

#30

Japan is still really good. Have gone multiple times over the years, there's always something...

Istanbul/Turkiye...10 years ago or before that. It's still nice and all, but the inflation (and the consequences of it) is something else....

Image credits: -Babel_Fish-

#31

Greece. In every sense it outdid itself. It exceeds any expectation. 
On contrary, Italy was the most dissatisfying every time I go there. .

#32

Cappadocia, Turkey. It was amazing!

Image credits: Shizz-happens

#33

Hiking in Western Canada. Banff and Jasper national parks are even better than what I expected.

#34

Taj Mahal. Better than any photo and changes throughout the day according to the light. Breathtaking.

Image credits: Crawfordknows

#35

Paris - admittedly I didn't love it right away, but it's become my favourite city in the world, and the destination I've frequented the most.

Venice - also a city that I didn't love at first glance (St. Mark's Square on a day heavy with cruise ship visitors is a nightmare) but it's such a unique location, with water and canals truly everywhere. I loved the more chill vibes in the evenings, and over on Giudecca. I will say...I find the food here, more hit and miss than anywhere else I've been in Italy.

London - every time I visit, I think, why don't I come here more often? I love how much green and public space there is. And then I get my credit card bill - cries in Canadian.

Hong Kong - I instantly thought "I could move here" (this was back in 2014). The food was fantastic, so much to see and do, and even though the city is teeming with life and skyscrapers, it's pretty easy and quick to get out to nature.

Oahu - one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. We stayed in Kailua, and I watched the most gorgeous sunrise come up over the beach.

Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai, Thailand. I did the overnight visit, and the overall stay was incredible for this animal lover. One of my favourite moments was when I got to walk a 3-legged rescue dog in a doggy-wheelchair, we walked by an elephant just roaming freely around and I remember thinking to myself "THIS is the Good Place.".