You know that world-famous site that you’ve always dreamt of seeing IRL, only to arrive and find it covered in scaffolding, graffiti, or just not as cool as it looked online? That place won’t be on this list.
That’s because this is a roundup of the world’s most underrated destinations, ones you might have slept on, only to be blown away by their grandeur when they’re in front of you. It’s been compiled by Capital One UK, who asked 2,000 Brits which landmarks met – and exceeded – their expectations.
Topping the list as the world’s most underrated landmark is Angkor Wat, the ancient temple complex that happens to be the largest religious monument in the world. According to the study, 60 percent of the people surveyed said it exceeded their expectations.
It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been so since 1992, with the organisation’s webpage describing it as ‘one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia’.
And Angkor Wat really is quite something. It dates back to the twelfth century and was commissioned by Khmer King Suryavarman II, also acting as his tomb, with the wider area of Angkor stretching for 400 square kilometres. The site was also at the centre of some controversy recently given it was the backdrop for the ‘Temple Run challenge’ trend on TikTok, which garnered quite a lot of criticism from conservationists.
In second place was the Grand Canyon, and in third place was Machu Picchu. We’d argue they’re not exactly underrated, but here’s the full list anyway.
These are the world’s most underrated landmarks
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Grand Canyon, USA
- Machu Picchu, Peru
- Niagara Falls, USA
- Pompeii, Italy
- Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe
- Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
- Petra, Jordan
- Great Wall of China, China
- Chichen Itza, Mexico
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