We, of all people, understand that there is a world of adventure waiting for you to explore. The feeling of not ticking places off of your bucket list can leave so much left almost unexplored and, therefore, undervalued in your life. Adventure is fun and, most importantly so, valued by many. However, many tend to base their travel inspo based on the favourites of other travellers, social media and what they’ve seen in the movies… some of these locations simply don't deserve their accolades. When planning your next trip, overlook the overrated and overtouristed and choose the underrated instead - ‘Build your own Skratch map!’

It is in our best interests to encourage our readers and app users to travel the globe, visiting where they dream of exploring; however, this blog post is to simply offer alternatives and help you plan your travel wisely. Keep scrolling to see the places that maybe shouldn't be so high up on your bucket list:

Cairo, Egypt 🇪🇬

Unfortunately, tourism has seen a steady decline in recent years in Egypt due to safety concerns with tourists. However, safety isn’t a singular factor that has seen tourists on the search for alternatives in cities throughout Egypt, especially Cairo.

With huge amounts of congestion throughout the city, and drivers known to have aggressive attitudes as a result of trying to drive sales, as well as causing safety concerns for pedestrians, there is no wonder people are beginning to avoid this destination for enjoying a peaceful excursion. In addition to this, when visiting the magical and mysterious Great Pyramids of Giza, be prepared to pay a pretty penny if you take advice from guards, vendors, or cameleers trying to give you a history lesson or if you wish to take a photo of them. In addition to visiting the Sphinx and Pyramids, you will need to be relatively fit to climb and explore as well as last in the scorching heat of the Egyptian sun.

Alternative Location: Istanbul, Turkey

Pisa, Italy 🇮🇹

There’s one main reason why people head out to Pisa in Italy, and that is to witness and snap the cliche holding picture of… The Leaning Tower of Pisa! We’ve all seen a snap on insta or from a family member of them joyfully pretending to hold the tower upright from a distance!

Despite its grand look in the pictures, the tower is much smaller in real life than you think. After taking your picture and enjoying the beautiful architecture of the surprisingly small building, you’ll be left wondering why you travelled to Pisa for just that. There isn't much else to see or do outside of the Leaning Tower, making it a somewhat meaningless and overrated journey for the ordinary selfie-taker, although over a million tourists visit each year.

Alternative Location: Tuscany, Italy

Las Vegas, Nevada 🇺🇸

Vegas isn’t your everyday city break, no. There are only a few occasions when you can enjoy the bright lights, set money on fire and take a spin on the roulette wheel. After the fun and games, literally, Vegas becomes a pretty underwhelming tourist spot.

The ideal location for stags and hens to enjoy their final days of freedom, living it up and partying in the colossal hotels that are built to rinse you of your hard-earned cash! A flashy, and sometimes tacky, spot that has a fabulous nightlife and a huge array of casinos, mega hotels and high-end restaurants that cater to the party-go-ers. The city itself lacks authenticity, history and culture that represents historical America.

Alternative Location: Macau, China

Mykonos, Greece 🇬🇷

Have you been suckered into booking a trip to Mykonos with the intent of seeing the lush white sandy beaches and the rows of white-washed buildings? Well, you would be just one of the millions of tourists that visit each year to see just that too!

Sadly, like many of the Greek islands, Mykonos is feeling the impacts of the heavy tourism, which is slowly starting to have a bit of wear and tear on the blue-and-white tilled paradise. Mykonos, in particular, which has come to be known for its party-hard reputation, is plagued by poor transportation, pickpockets, narrow alleys swarming with tourists, and over-the-top hotel rates. And visitor numbers are only rising. If you want a traditional Greek trip that is authentic, it may be best to steer clear of this Island as it is becoming heavily commercialised to the tastes of the party-go-ers

Alternative Location: Symi, Greece

Paris, France 🇫🇷

After that dreamy, romantic Parisian getaway? Everyone dreams of wandering down the lanes, stopping for coffee and fresh pastries and enjoying the views from the majestic Eiffel tower. However, Paris isn’t as picturesque as it's made out to be…

The French capital is also known for scams, lots of queuing, being filthy and sometimes stressful driving and transport systems. At best, Paris is full of art and culture, while at worst, it is a hotspot for crime and stress. To queue for the Eiffel Tower, you can expect waits of anything between one to three hours – and perhaps longer. In addition to the notoriously long queues that you wouldn’t even see at Disney Land, be prepared to give up your right to personal space. While the tower is certainly unique, we must agree that up close; it's a bit underwhelming. Underneath the glistening lights illuminating the structure at night are plain old wrought-iron beams… is that worth the three-hour queue?

Alternative Location: Eze, France

Starting from Skratch? Here Are a Few Tips to Get Started:

https://www.skratch.world/post/inside-macau-what-its-like-to-visit-asias-gambling-capital

https://www.skratch.world/post/the-best-greek-islands-to-visit-in-summer

https://www.insider.com/overrated-places-around-the-world-2018-6