tropical destinations

My spouse imagined a relaxing week with meals, drinks, and entertainment already arranged, while I wanted local restaurants, historic sites, and spontaneous days beyond the hotel gates. Neither vision was wrong, but choosing one without discussing the other was almost guaranteed to leave somebody disappointed.

I had pictured clear water and clean sand, but thick brown seaweed covered the shoreline for nearly the entire vacation. Forecasting tools are improving, yet travelers still cannot know with complete certainty what one specific beach will look like months after they book.

When it comes to visiting iconic landmarks, seasoned travelers know that hype often obscures reality. Here are some of the most overrated tourist attractions, and the underrated gems worth visiting instead.

Discover the Lacandón People of Mexico, the last primitive tribe to make contact with the outside world. Living a traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle, the Lacandón people live deep in the rainforest hiding their cultural customs from outsiders, desperately trying to preserve their traditional way of life.