6 Amazing Off-the-Beaten-Path Destinations for Photographers

La Han Bay, Vietnam

You can’t travel to Vietnam without visiting the Halong Bay Area, which is comprised of three bays. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s top tourist destinations and a World Heritage site. That means it is teeming with tourists who wait in line for cruises that showcase the bay. We recommend heading out to the 300 islands and limestone outcrops of Lan Ha, which are just as beautiful as Ha Long Bay. They also include beautiful white-sand beaches that tourists miss out on by opting for the more popular cruise. The Lan Ha Bay area has few tourists, and it’s an easy day trip to organize kayak or sailing trips from Cat Ba Town.

Champagne Pool, New Zealand

A terrestrial hot spring located on North Island, the volcanic Champagne Pool was formed after a hydrothermal eruption over 900 years ago. It’s called “champagne” because there is so much carbon dioxide that the pool bubbles up, similar to champagne. Mineral deposits cause its unusual colors. The pool will wring you out, however – it tops off around 163 degrees Fahrenheit. Swim at your own risk.

Casa de Arbol, Ecuador

Ecuador is filled with nature experiences, including daily flights to the Galapagos Islands. However, you can have many low-tech organic experiences on the mainland as well. Deep into the forest is a treehouse near Mt. Tungurahua, an active volcano. The tree is actually a seismic monitoring station, which keeps tabs on the mountain. One of the tree branches contains a swing, which has been dubbed the Swing at the End of the World. For as little as $5.00, tourists can swing above the tree and mountaintops.

Istria Region, Croatia

Croatia is filled with natural wonders and some spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites. However, the country has officially been discovered by tourists, who love its beautiful beaches and beautiful luxury villas, making many of the sites very crowded. Away from the crowds of the Adriatic beaches and into the hills lies Istria and its hidden villages and abundant wine and produce. If you like medieval churches, cobblestone streets and Gothic architecture, you’ll adore Vodnjan. The Istrian wine region is home to a variety of food experiences, like truffle hunting, ham tasting, olive picking, and much more.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni, located in southwest Bolivia, is 4,068 square miles of salt flat. It is in fact the world’s largest salt flat, which was created as a result of transformations between prehistoric lakes. The landscape is amazing for photographers, since the flat, often flooded area makes it appear that you are walking on water. Salar attracts whimsical wildlife, such as pink flamingos, which favor it as a breeding ground. The city itself also contains an antique locomotive cemetery of abandoned 19th-century trains.

Snow Canyon State Park, Utah  

Utah is filled with dazzling places that are fabulous for photography. However, its natural landscape is usually teeming with tourists. If you are looking for sites with fewer people, consider one of the many parks that is not a federal park. Snow Canyon State Park is often overlooked because it is not particularly large – nor is it extremely remote. But it has a lot to see in such a small area: lava caves, slickrock, sand dunes, slot canyons, and more. It’s also a great place to go climbing, camping, cycling, and hiking.