Calling an entire country ‘overrated’? Sounds like snobbery

Overrated list overrated

Dismissing entire nations or cities as “overrated” (Traveller, December 12) indicates a lack of curiosity or perhaps elitism. Travel is a luxury, and everyone who looks can find rewarding, memorable experiences by exploring beyond what a travel expert recommends. If “visible homelessness, pricey cities, overcrowding, humidity, traffic congestion, kitschy tourist traps [and] sprawling metropolises” make tourist destinations overrated, then it’s a wonder anyone visits Australia.
Simon Tatz, Newport, Vic

Letter of the week: Go beyond

Your travel team’s dismissal of Venice as being “overrated” (Traveller, December 12) reveals more about their approach than the city itself. Venice rewards those willing to look beyond the obvious. Stay in Cannaregio, not San Marco. Rise early when locals reclaim their streets. Wander eastern Castello where neighbourhood bacari serve Venetians, not tourists. That €15 ($26) spritz in Piazza San Marco costs €3 or €4 ($5.50 to $7) three canals away. Yes, Venice has tourist traps, as does Paris, Rome and every beloved destination. The tragedy isn’t that Venice is overrated, it’s that surface-level tourism has convinced people it is.
Chris Jack, Dee Why, NSW

Cistern act

Istanbul may be overrated as a cheap destination (Traveller, December 12) but take a step away from the main “drawcards” and your hip pocket will be happy. Visit the Little Aya Sofya for free, smaller than her big sister means no queuing, and you’ll enjoy peace and quiet. And instead of the Basilica Cistern (again with exorbitant entrance fees and queues) not far from the Grand Bazaar is the Serefiye Cistern. At half the entrance fee, it’s smaller but with fewer people, it’s a wonderful experience and definitely underrated. Not forgetting the friendliest locals we met anywhere in the Mediterranean, Istanbul is definitely worth the visit.
Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic

Azores point

Your characterisation of The Azores as “the Hawaii of Europe” is not entirely accurate (Traveller, December 19). Yes, like Hawaii, there are hot springs and ponds of boiling mud, but the weather is hardly tropical and, by the way, whale-watching tours occur only in summer. We visited Sao Miguel, the largest island, in April, 2024, and it was wet, chilly and so windy that our plane couldn’t land. We had to return to Lisbon and try again the following day, a regular occurrence. On the upside, there is an interesting tea plantation and lush, semi-tropical vegetation, albeit with clear evidence of frequent heavy mud slides. Hikers beware.
Merona Martin, Meroo Meadow, NSW

Steering committee

Michael Gebicki’s recent column about motoring abroad (Traveller, November 24), was amusing, but I strongly disagree with his conclusion “regardless of how local drivers behave, don’t do anything you wouldn’t do at home”. After 60 years driving aboard in all sorts of vehicles, conditions and road rules, my advice would be exactly the opposite. Watch how the locals drive, and blend in to their system. Insistence on little-known Australian concepts of correct etiquette is a sure way of getting into accidents. I’ve found Bangkok and Taipei to be two of the most challenging cities in Asia, although I still self-drive hire cars in Phuket and Kaohsiung in the same two countries.
Bruce Maxwell, Hervey Bay, Qld

Pillow talk

Lee Tulloch’s column on hotel cleaners (Traveller, December 13), aptly describes our rooms cleaned and prepped by an army of housekeepers. Yes, they are mainly women, underpaid, overworked, undervalued, employed to do the most menial job, endure long shifts, low pay and lack of opportunity to move up the career ladder. Keeping that in mind I always leave a tip on my bed daily with a note thanking them for their service. Wouldn’t it be nice if the majority of the hotel guests do this and perk up their lives even if for one day?
Sanda Aye, Footscray, Vic

Air enforce

Airlines really should enforce the rule of one cabin bag per passenger only. In addition, the storage space above your seats is the designated place for your cabin bags. If you bring too many bags and can’t store them above your seats, then you need to check in your luggage.
Vincent Chong, Beecroft, NSW

Qantas bagging

If Rob Murray had been successful claiming for his damaged case from Qantas he would still be disappointed. We claimed successfully but rather than cash or a credit note of some kind we were sent to an obscure shop in the city to choose a replacement. Common brands were not available, and it was a matter of choosing from a limited range of luggage.
Megan Peniston-Bird, Kew, Vic

Worst Indies

My handful of Christmas cards posted November last year, while in St Lucia in the Caribbean, have finally reached home. Presumably they swam. I shall never critique Australia Post ever again.
Mark Latchford, Seaforth, NSW

Overtourism overstated

With all forms of media carrying stories of overtourism, we decided to focus our seven-week road trip in the south-west of the US on the lesser-known places. We were rewarded with equivalent spectacle, interesting histories, and quirky geology – shared with dozens, not thousands and without the glitz and queues. There are so many off-the-radar places to choose from that we only saw one tenth of what is available. Pecos and Bandelier Pueblos, Nambe Badlands, Chaco Canyon, the oil town of Farmington, Durango, Tonto cliff dwellings to name a few. Each place has its own story, and they are much more enriching when enjoyed in relative solitude. And while I am at it, please remember a meal in a diner or a visit to Walmart can be just as rewarding and insightful to the American way as the grand monuments.
John Stone, Brunswick, Vic

Not easy being greener

Be warned that the 500 Greener Stay points earned on IHG Hotel reservations only apply to stays of at least two nights on the same booking reference. Due to a change of plans, I was forced to make two separate bookings for a three-night stay at Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise recently. Despite being gratefully allocated the same Sea View Room, IHG only allocated Greener Points for one instead of two nights. Forgoing eco-wasteful daily room service comes with a catch: long stays in the same room have to be consolidated into a single booking reference. Smacks of IHG green-casting and short-changing the eco-conscientious tourist.
Joseph Ting, Carina, Qld

Big dipper

Simon Johanson’s article on the Hurtigruten coastal voyage in Norway from Bergen brought back memories of a similar trip I did nearly 50 years ago. My plan was to see the midnight sun, so I carefully chose and booked my sailing date. I was not disappointed. Seeing the sun dip down to the water, not quite touching, and then rising again brought gasps of awe from those of us sitting on the deck in the cool early morning light. This fascinating voyage is part of the many scenic delights of Norway.
Marjie Williamson, Blaxland, NSW

Tip of the week: Gone on the Ghan

We recently travelled from Darwin to Adelaide on The Ghan. What a wonderful experience. We were in Platinum class and our cabin was very functional with a small bathroom and comfortable beds. The trip was all-inclusive with a regionally inspired menu paired with a selection of local wines. The staff were warm, friendly and helpful. Our off-train experiences in Katherine, Alice Springs and Coober Pedy were memorable. A highlight was dinner under the stars at the historic Telegraph Station in Alice Springs where we enjoyed a wonderful meal, music with a live band and a guide who showed us the stars in the dark sky using a laser pointer. Our fellow travellers came from all over the world including a young couple from New York on their honeymoon.
Alison Steinmetz, Chipping Norton, Vic

Planet Planit

We used the website Planit.co as our booking agency for a two-week New Zealand holiday, and they exceeded expectations. They organised all our activities – many at discounted rates – with fast, friendly communication and excellent local knowledge. Their recommendations for car-hire, tours, skydiving, rafting, glacier hikes and black-water caving were all top-quality. Despite unpredictable West Coast weather, they stayed in constant contact and proactively helped reschedule plans, keeping everything stress-free. We couldn’t have managed such a full itinerary without their professional and caring service.
Sara Brims, Bentleigh East, Vic

Plaice of worship

Many travellers will know the experience, driving into a town and then at dinner time, trying to find somewhere to have a meal, however, when your hosts are locals it makes it easier. In Port Pirie, South Australia, the oldest stone church in the city, the 1878-built Congregational Church on Florence Street is now the centre of worship for those seeking sustenance for the sole. The Church of Fish & Chips (originally Barnacle Bill’s) provides a menu well beyond the loaves and fishes recorded in the Good News. Dining in, you can marvel at the architectural grandeur of the former worship space, while those waiting for takeaway can take a pew.
Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook, NSW

Driving force

We holidayed in Albania in October, hiring a local car with a driver from Fatmir Aliko at Limitless Albania. They arranged all of our accommodation in hotels suitable to us, consulting us throughout the planning process. Our driver, Marin, was courteous and knowledgeable, taking us to off-the-beaten-track locales. He was a font of information about local flora and fauna, history, politics and economic matters. The car was a small Toyota that had seen some miles, but it was reliable and served its purpose. For the service and convenience, we thought that it was good value.
Doug Vorbach, Narwee, NSW

Local heroes

My best travel tip is to use Tours by Locals. I highly recommend them, especially when travelling overseas because the tour guides’ passion and profound knowledge of the area truly provide an excellent insight.
Rachael Stanley, Williamstown, Vic

Adored paradors

Travelling in Spain for us has always been significantly enhanced by staying in paradors, Spanish government-run hotels in historic buildings such as castles, and monasteries. On occasions, they were specially built to showcase views, such as in the cities of Segovia and Toledo. Paradors vary in price, but many are reasonable and all have great character and individuality.
Louisa & Lachlan Pitcher, Surrey Hills, Vic

Baristas, bar none

I have recently returned from a holiday in Germany, Switzerland and the Lombardo area in Italy. I found the coffee in these countries disappointing, especially in Germany. Many bakeries have automatic coffee machines that produce a tasteless, fluffy flat white. I thank our Australian baristas, who take making coffee seriously. They give time to sourcing the right beans and often roast the beans themselves. And, of course, they have proper espresso machines.
Pam Montgomery, Pretty Beach, NSW

Happy places

Editor’s note: We recently launched a new series, My Happy Place, where Traveller’s writers reflect on the holiday destinations in Australia and around the world that they cherish the most. We also invited you to submit your happy places. Here’s a selection.

Donegal, Ireland is my happy place. Rolling green hills, dotted with shaggy black-faced sheep, whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs, whispers of smoke as hints to continued occupancy: bliss. To sit, warming hands around a mug of tea beside a peat fire, in a cottage in rural County Donegal, gazing out at a wind ruffled loch, is beyond happiness – it is total contentment.
Boronia Davie, North Rocks, NSW

For me it is Ku-ring-gai National Park. Only several kilometres from home, it’s where I always find myself. Swimming at McCarrs Creek, midsummer night fishing at Akuna Bay, tackling the vertical trek down to Flint and Steel Beach. I’ve stumbled upon rock paintings and ancient middens newly revealed after a deluge, and wandered inland tidal beaches where the last of the Barrenjoey people lived and died, reflecting on all that has been lost but what remains eternal.
Luisa Moore, Castlecrag, NSW

My happy place is Penang and Malaysia in general, with its swaying palms and beautiful beaches, friendly locals, amazing food from the amalgamation of Chinese, Malay and Indian cuisines, nature hikes, street art and urban shopping malls with goodies to buy, there is something for everyone. In writing this, I realise what truly makes a “happy place” special and extraordinary are the people. People who love to eat and proudly tell you where the best places to eat are, people who help you find a secret bar down an alleyway. People who welcome others with open arms. That’s Malaysia.
Min Lim, Fitzroy North, Vic

The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com

The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com

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