6 Off the Beaten Path Countries to Visit This Summer

There is something about summer that makes us antsy for adventure. But with the whole wide world waiting, narrowing down a destination can be a daunting endeavor. Whether you are looking for an African safari, a step back in time, or skiing down a volcano, we put together this list of a few places that you might not have thought of for your next summer trip. We’ve also thrown in a few hidden gems in places you might have on your list already. Go ahead and pick one so you can start planning—summer will be here before you know it!

1. Georgia

No, not the state Ray Charles famously sang about, but the former Soviet Republic tucked between the Black Sea and the Caucasus Mountains. Georgia offers a captivating mélange of experiences—from Black Sea beaches to medieval mountain villages to historic wine-producing regions like Kakheti—all while being one of Europe’s most affordable destinations.

Located along the Caucasian branch of the ancient Silk Road, Georgia still showcases mingling cultural influences. Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, is threaded with charming alleyways, open-air bazaars like the Dry Bridge Market, and engaging historical edifices. Check out the 4th-century Narikala Fortress, best accessed via cable car ride beginning in Rike Park, showcasing the city’s Old Town and the Mtkvari (Kura) River.

In northern Georgia’s Svaneti region, mountains and medieval history mingle. The area is home to the villages of Ushguli, the loftiest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, and it’s all framed by the 17,037-foot Mount Shkhara (one of the highest peaks on the continent).

Another reason to add Georgia to your travel bucket list? The gastronomic delights. The country has laid claim to being the birthplace of wine-making, a tradition believed to date back nearly 8,000 years. Georgian cuisine, including iconic dishes like khachapuri (a flatbread filled with melted cheese and topped with an egg), is being discovered and devoured by foodies all over the globe.

2. Trinidad and Tobago

Hurricane season in the Caribbean can threaten to put the kibosh on that well-earned summer beach escape. But just off the coast of Venezuela and south of the aptly-named hurricane belt, the dual-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago is a safe bet, offering a blend of natural, historical, and cultural treasures.

Trinidad is the larger of the two islands and best known for Carnival, the vibrant celebration of everything forbidden during the lean days of Lent. But the country is also home to historical highlights like the 213-year-old Fort George, a defense against roving Napoleonic flotillas, and the so-called "Magnificent Seven", an eclectic collection of early 20th-century colonial mansions. Among the buildings you’ll find Queen’s Royal College, attended by Nobel Prize-winning author and native V.S. Naipaul, and the impressive Stollmeyer’s Castle.

Then there’s the Asa Wright Nature Center and Lodge, a 1,500-acre protected area spread over the island’s Northern Range, where you can look for channel-billed toucans and blue-headed parrots. Bird watchers should also check out the Caroni Swamp on the west coast of Trinidad. It’s one of the biggest mangrove forests in the country and is home to more than 100 species of birds, including the brightly colored scarlet ibis.

Two-thirds of the smaller island of Tobago is covered by the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reserve is the Western Hemisphere’s oldest protected area, and is laced with hiking trails. The short trek to the terraced flumes of 175-foot Argyle Falls, tumbling into the perfect plunge pool, is especially beautiful, or go deep into one of the many caves along the coast.

3. Tanzania

This bucket list safari destination offers everything from sleepy beaches to snow-capped summits, including the continent’s loftiest peak, Kilimanjaro. In early summer, after the long rains end in May, Tanzania also plays host to one of the most magnificent spectacles on the planet. Each year, nearly 1.5 million wildebeest make tracks for their dry season digs in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, creating a moveable feast for trolling predators.

Aside from boasting some of the continent’s most iconic natural wonders, Tanzania is also sprinkled with overlooked treasures. While Kilimanjaro is the focal point for most visiting peak baggers, the often ignored Udzungwa Mountains National Park is one of the continent’s biodiversity hotspots—home to a greater diversity of primates than any other protected area in Tanzania. The park is sprinkled with waterfalls and secluded swimming holes, and crowned with nearly 8,500-foot peaks.

Along the popular Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti safari circuit, the sometimes overlooked Lake Manyara National Park on the western escarpment of the Rift Valley is known for tree-climbing lions.

Offshore, island hoppers can explore everything from Zanzibar’s historic and heavily Arab and Indian influenced stone town, to the off-the-radar, coral-reef-bedecked waters of the Mafia Archipelago. The sheltered waters of Chole Bay are diveable all year, and the Mafia Marine Park is believed to harbor exceedingly rare dugongs.

4. Chile

Rather spend summer vacation on the slopes than in the sand? Head for the southern hemisphere, where you can relish all the delights of winter in Chile, home to some of South America’s most iconic and longest-enduring ski resorts. With plenty of options for heli-skiing and snowcat-forged excursions, adventurous power-seekers can check off bucket list items like skiing a volcano in the Parque Nacional Villarrica. Bomb down the flanks of Volcan Osorno, a doppelganger for Mount Fuji located just outside Puerto Montt, portal to Patagonia and the Lake District. About 100 miles from Santiago, the famed ski resort Portillo (the oldest in South America) hosts two slopeside celebrations of Chilean wine in August during the Top Wines of Chile week and the annual Wine Fest.

Another reason to visit Chile this summer? In March, the country pledged to add 11 million acres of national park land, combining Tompkins Conservation’s million-acre donation of Parque Pumalín and Parque Patagonia with a mammoth swath of federal land. Paving the way for the creation of the 1,500-mile Route of Parks, ribboning from Puerto Montt south to Cape Horn, this trail will eventually connect 17 different national parks.

5. New Zealand

Summer in the northern hemisphere means winter in New Zealand, and the off-season for tourism means off-peak rates. The country is well set up for choose-your-adventure road trips with an array of accommodation options, including bed-and-breakfasts, holiday parks, over 200 conservation area campgrounds, and even the option to ‘free-camp’ in some locations (with restrictions varying by region).

The so-called ‘winterless north’ offers timeless, sun-soaked road trips like the jaunt from Auckland north to the Bay of Islands by way of the Northland’s stands of ancient kauri trees with a stop at Waipoua Forest.

To really get away, visit the less-populated South Island. Get your camera ready for the Southern Alps while traveling from Christchurch to Greymouth on the spectacular TranzAlpine train route, then hop off at Arthur’s Pass National Park to hit the slopes at the Temple Basin Ski Area.

If New Zealand’s South Island isn’t far-flung enough, there’s tiny Stewart Island. Called Rakiura by the Maori, meaning ‘the land of glowing skies,’ Stewart Island is an ecological time capsule, rife for exploration by sea kayak. Almost 85 percent of the island is part of the Rakiura National Park, with shorter trails and longer backpacking routes just waiting to be explored.

6. Cambodia

While many people visit the Southeast Asian countries of Vietnam and Thailand, sandwiched right in between and offering a beguiling mix of cultural and natural marvels is Cambodia. Summer means warm temperatures and wet weather—including storm bursts with heavy rain— but is also less touristy, with the high season falling between November and February.

In Siem Reap, a visit to the stunningly ornate temples of Angkor Wat can be combined with an exploration of other more far-flung archaeological wonders, like the three Rolous temples, built during the 9th century, or jungle-shrouded Beng Mealea about 40 km east.

After you can sunrise at Angkor Wat, explore Cambodia’s later colonial history and the lingering French influence with a visit to the lesser-known Battambang. Nestled along the Sangke River, you can explore by kayak, or go 23 km south to climb 358 stone steps up to Prasat Banan for the best views around.

Tack on a trip to the beach with a stint exploring the islands off the coast of bustling Sihanoukville. Koh Thmei is an overlooked stretch of beach, home to a handful of globally endangered birds like the Brahminy kite. The island is part of the larger Ream National Park, filled with a variety of threatened and endangered species. With everything from rivers to waterfalls and rainforests to mangroves, it’s one of the most diverse natural areas outside of the Amazon rainforest.

Originally written by RootsRated for Craghoppers.

Featured image provided by John Strother