5 underrated travel destinations

Romania

Where to go: region of Transylvania (cities of Sibiu, Sighisoara, Brasov), Transfagarash highway.
How to get from Moscow: the cheapest flight via Bucharest will cost about 30,000 rubles. The flight will take from 6 to 10 hours, depending on the duration of the connection.
Visa: needed. If you have an open Schengen area, you can visit Romania. You cannot enter other EU countries with a Romanian visa.
Currency: Romanian leu (~ 15 rubles).
When is the best time to go: in spring (note that it is rainy in May), in autumn or winter (in ski resorts). In summer, the region is very hot, with daytime temperatures reaching + 45 ° C.

Rare travelers come to Romania - and they most often add up their impression about the entire territory of the capital. At the same time, Bucharest is not the most interesting, perhaps even boring city, which cannot be said about the country itself. It is a land of rocky peaks and forests, beautiful castles and picturesque towns, vineyards and breathtaking landscapes.

Travel experts from OneTwoTrip advise planning a trip directly to Transylvania. You have definitely heard of it as the homeland of the famous prince Vlad Tepes, nicknamed Dracula. He was born in the town of Sighisoara, and it is worth coming here not only and not so much in order to look at the house where it happened. The small settlement is today included in its entirety on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the few surviving medieval citadel cities.

Be sure to include in your plan a trip along the high-mountainous Transfagarashan highway, which is called one of the most beautiful highways in Europe. Just check out a photo on the internet or the 2009 Top Gear edition of the sports car presenters here, and you’ll figure it out for yourself.

What you need to know: in Romania it is not advised to drink tap water; it is recommended to use bottled water for cooking and brushing your teeth.

Uzbekistan

Where to go: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva.
How to get from Moscow: flies to Tashkent with a direct flight Aeroflot, UTair and Uzbekistan Airways. Travel time is about 4 hours, tickets will cost about 20,000 rubles.
Visa: Russian citizens do not need a visa, only a passport valid for the entire time of their stay in the country.
Currency: Uzbek sum (0, 0073 rubles).
When is the best time to go: from April to June or September to October. It is too hot in summer and cold in winter.

Central Asia is not yet the most explored region by tourists. And this is worth fixing: there is something to see, while the trip is not too expensive, and many locals speak Russian. Uzbekistan stands out among other countries of Central Asia: there are very beautiful natural attractions and stunning ancient cities. Tashkent is famous for its bazaars: be sure to visit Chorsu, which has been operating for several centuries.

Take a train to Samarkand (3-4 hours on the way) to see the most famous regan - the main square in the city center. It is surrounded by an ensemble of three old madrasahs (Muslim religious schools): a unique sight that you will not see anywhere else.

If possible, rent a car and drive to Khiva - a traditional Central Asian city with rich mosques and narrow streets, the center of which (Ichan-Kala) is included in the UNESCO List.

What you need to know: Uzbekistan is a secular country, and although most of the population is Muslim, there is no street dress code for tourists. Note that it is customary to bargain here, especially in the bazaars. So the price can be reduced by 40%.

Oman

Where to go: Muscat, Salalah.
How to get from Moscow: the capital of Oman, Muscat, can be reached by direct flight Oman Air for 6 hours and 30,000 rubles.
Visa: placed at the airport upon arrival (if a tour is purchased) or issued online on the Oman visa website.
Currency: Omani rial (163, 73 rubles).
When is the best time to go: from September to April. It is too hot in summer, the coastal area is very humid, and inland regions, on the contrary, are very dry.

Oman is the most picturesque country in the Arabian Peninsula, while it is absolutely safe for tourists. The capital Muscat is located on the shores of the Gulf of Oman. It is a beautiful green city with many luxury hotels ideal for a beach holiday. Also worth a trip to Salalah, where the remains of the palace of the Queen of Sheba are located.

There is beautiful nature here: mountains, waterfalls, tropics and even fjords - unusual rock formations in the north, in Musandam. Oman managed to preserve the identity of the Arab East, as if they had not heard of globalization here. At the same time, the country has a lot of attractions and opportunities for recreation: from excursions to diving and go-karting. Be sure to visit one of the national parks, where you can see rare animals (oryx, Arabian tahr and wolf, striped hyena).

What you need to know: since it is a Muslim country, there are strict rules of conduct. Women in public places should not wear revealing clothes; it is advisable to cover their shoulders and knees. Long trousers and shirts are recommended for men. It is forbidden to sunbathe topless. You can drink alcohol only in specially designated places (hotels and restaurants that have a license to sell alcohol).

Myanmar

Where to go: Yangon, Bagan.
How to get from Moscow: the most convenient way is to fly to Yangon. There are no direct flights from Russia to Myanmar, the cheapest is Thai Airways via Bangkok (about 21,000 rubles), but be prepared to spend almost a day on the way.
Visa: needed. It can be issued at the embassy or online on the Myanmar visa portal website and received upon arrival at the Yangon, Mandalay or Naypyidaw airport.
Currency: Myanmar quat (0, 042 rubles).
When is the best time to go: from late November to mid-February, when the temperature does not exceed +31 ° C.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a little-known and not very popular region of Southeast Asia among tourists. Until the 90s of the last century, it was closed to foreigners, and tourism began to develop literally in the last decades, so it did not have time to gain such popularity as neighboring Thailand and Vietnam. At the same time, Myanmar is in no way inferior to them in the beauty of nature.

The country has a huge number of religious architectural monuments: Myanmar is called the country of a thousand pagodas. Most Buddhist temples and monasteries are open to the public and tolerant towards members of other faiths. The most famous religious monument is the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. According to some sources, it is over 2,500 years old.

Another place worth visiting is the ancient city of Bagan, which consists entirely of Buddhist holy sites. More than 2,000 stone pagodas and stupas of the medieval era have survived to this day. You can fly over the city in a hot air balloon and admire the amazing beauty from above.

There are also international-class resorts in Myanmar: for vacation you need to go to Ngapali and Ngwe Saung, whose beaches are in no way inferior to the best resorts in Tai and Indonesia.

What you need to know: to enter the country, vaccinations against hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis and comprehensive vaccinations for tropical countries are required. Myanmar is a Buddhist country, so here you need to observe certain norms of behavior: you should not walk in too open clothes, and you should take off your shoes and even socks before entering the temples. If you plan to rent a car, please note that traffic in Myanmar is right-hand.

Cape Verde

Where to go: Praia, Sal.
How to get from Moscow: it is more convenient to fly to the capital of Cape Verde, Praia. The cheapest way to get there from Moscow is Wizz Air (about 22,000 rubles, transfer in Budapest). The same Wizz Air can fly to the city of Sal at a slightly lower price (about 20,000 rubles).
Visa: needed. It is affixed upon arrival when passing through passport control at any international airport in the country.
Currency: escudo (0, 64 rubles).
When is the best time to go: in August-October - not very hot and a minimum of rain. During the day, the temperature rises to a maximum of + 35 ° C.

Cape Verde is a real piece of paradise relatively close to Europe. Here is a rare combination of the highest level of service and wild, almost untouched nature, while there is no influx of tourists. People come to Cape Verde to take a break from civilization and go diving or windsurfing.

The country is located on 10 large and 5 small islands. The capital island of Santiago is the most significant in terms of area and population, Fogo has an active volcano, and Brava is called the island of flowers. Sal is the most popular among travelers, followed by San Vicente, whose capital regularly hosts festivals and carnivals.

The islands of Cape Verde are attractive for their beaches: wide, sandy and very clean. If you want to look around the area, we recommend taking a sightseeing tour of one of the islands (usually it takes a whole day).

Divers will be interested in the islands of Sal, Santiago and Boa Vista. Cape Verde has many interesting diving sites, including reefs, cliffs, grottoes and wrecks. Lots of dive centers are waiting for both pros and beginners. Surfers will love Sal Island, where the waves are great and there are six surf centers.

What you need to know: There are no special rules of conduct in the country, and you do not need to be vaccinated for entry. In Cape Verde, it's easy to find a Russian-speaking guide: some locals once studied in Moscow.