the overrun places...
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instead, try...
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destination
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Tourist numbers have been capped on the Inca Trail for some time now, but recently measures were put in place to limit overcrowding at the site itself, with visitors forced to stick to strict time slots
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Choquequirao is another hilltop Incan ruin that's currently only accessible via a two-day hike from Cusco – the perfect alternative.
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Machu Picchu
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This UNESCO World Heritage site has become phenomenally popular, particularly with Australian travellers, and it's now beginning to show signs of wear and tear
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Some of the other 72 temples or other buildings of importance on the same site
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Angkor Wat
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Authorities eventually decided to leave the island open, but have flagged entry will soon cost $US1000 for an "annual membership"
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The Raja Ampat island chain, just off West Papua, is remote, quiet and stunningly beautiful.
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Komodo Island
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One of Europe's great destinations is overrun with tourists, as visitors pour in from cruise ships and tour buses daily. Full hotels, traffic is clogged, pavements are packed and Airbnb affects locals' rental prices
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Girona. This is another beautiful Catalan city with history, charm, and in El Celler de Can Roca, one of the world's best restaurants
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Barcelona
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The insane popularity of this TV series has translated into insane popularity for its filming locations. The most popular sites in Croatia, Iceland and Spain are battling with the sheer number of people arriving
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Just avoiding the filming locations. In Croatia, go to Zadar or Spilt instead of Dubrovnik. In Iceland, visit the isolated Westfjords. In Spain, try Zaragoza or Galicia instead of Seville or the Basque coast.
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Any Game of Thrones location
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A relatively small city of 1.5 million people, yet it hosts more than 50 million visitors annually. Already the city has had to introduce measures to stop littering and prevent tourists from hassling geishas
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Kanazawa has a similar geiko and teahouse culture, only with a fraction of the tourists
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Kyoto
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in 2019 the last florist at the city's famed Bloemenmarkt shut up shop, blaming tourist groups for crowding out his customers.
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For canals and charm, try nearby Utrecht, a lively student town. For architecture, give Rotterdam a go
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Amsterdam
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There's the heavily touristed side, including Kuta and Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud, but regardless of where you go, it has problems: huge issues with garbage, water management; and tourists behaving badly
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Sumatra has much to recommend it, not least of which is the lack of fellow travellers
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Bali
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For a weekend in April this year, these North Atlantic islands will close to tourists. No one will be allowed in, except for volunteers who are keen to help locals clean the place up
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The Shetland Islands, Scotland's northern outpost, which has a healthy dose of windswept charm
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Faroe Islands
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Everyone remembers this photograph: Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purjah snapped a shot of its peak, with an incredible queue of people waiting for their moment of mountain-conquering glory
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Though most of us will only ever make it to Base Camp, there are still great alternatives. Try the Gokyo Ri trek for unparalleled views
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Mt Everest
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This beach, on Koh Phi Phi Le, was made famous by the movie The Beach, and it remains closed to tourists. It will remain so until at least the middle of next year
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Koh Yao Noi is a beautiful Thai island off the Andaman coast, just 30 minutes by boat from Phuket, but another world away in terms of popularity and infrastructure
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Maya Bay
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Though plenty of these destinations are suffering from over-tourism, the problematic influence of tourism is a possibility anywhere in the world now, given the sheer number of tourists
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Travelling off-peak in 2020
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Anywhere in peak season
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