Most disappointing destinations

[RooFlyer]

Intellectuals can spend weeks in Canberra without flinching !!

<snip>

That's because they died from boredom after the first day.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

I am going to add Shanghai to the list, 3 or 4 days is enough, our fault as we did 8 days and when it rains there it is a very dark grey old place to be.

 

[mushez]

I am going to add Shanghai to the list, 3 or 4 days is enough, our fault as we did 8 days and when it rains there it is a very dark grey old place to be.

Shanghai gets old very quick, 4 days is tons of time, nothing like doing a few days in say Suzhou and doubt the night life in Xitang will bore anyone looking for a good time - two great options for people to stroll out and do from Shanghai.

Actually Xitang is the most tourist originated place I have been in all of China and is kills Shanghai any day, but is very small in China terms and isn't a location you stumble on or through by mistake - and would be a must go place if anyone was planning a China adventure close to Shanghai. Very authentic. Then the bars in town know how to party also at night.

 

[boomy]

Cairns - nothing interesting there. Stayed for 3 nights last time, big mistake, 1 night is more then enough, or even just a stopover on the way to Palm Cove or Port Douglas.

 

[smit0847]

Cairns - nothing interesting there. Stayed for 3 nights last time, big mistake, 1 night is more then enough, or even just a stopover on the way to Palm Cove or Port Douglas.

Cairns city is disappointing. Cairns Northern Beaches (esp Trinity) are fantastic.

For me:

Kyoto
Hanoi
Barcelona

 

[Vim Fuego]

Atlanta and Orlando for me

 

[get me outta here]

Where's the 'dis'like button?

That's because they died from boredom after the first day.

 

[get me outta here]

Agreed. In Orlando and very short of something to do outside of the convention, I invested 2 hours driving around to find that great cultural institution, Krispy Kremes. Had 2 delicious ones and then never had another for ever after.

the

Atlanta and Orlando for me

 

[Pushka]

Byron Bay was a total disappointment for me. Town full of the great unwashed.

Oh yes. At last someone who feels the same as we did. We were there over summer and was wishing for a summer storm to give the place a wash. And hope some locals got caught in the rain.

As far as beaches go, you don't need to go to Byron for those.

Orlando is all about the Disney Worlds and Sea world. That's it really. Atlanta is just a big city. Never really a tourist place.

 

[boomy]

For me:

Kyoto
Hanoi
Barcelona

Interesting. I thought Kyoto was beautiful and Barcelona is probably my favourite European city (haven't been to Hanoi yet). Just out of interest, what didn't you like about Barcelona? (Hope you weren't robbed there)

 

[Mattg]

Intellectuals can spend weeks in Canberra without flinching !!

You can spend at least two days at the war memorial alone !!!

Maybe I have a different perspective on it because I have lived here for 9 years. We saw all of the tourist attractions (Questacon, the museums, the War Memorial etc.) in the first few months after moving to CBR and (with a few exceptions) once you've seen it once, you've pretty much seen it. I would agree that the war memorial is very good, but again, Ive already been there several times.

I will admit though that I do enjoy going to Parliament House to see question time every now and again.

 

[codash1099]

Quite a few places I didn't like because of the tourists - until I remembered.......

Milan is high on my list. An hour to see "The Last Supper" then hightail it out of there.

I can't agree with those who dislike Paris, although I can see why. I think you have to be part of it rather than an observer.

 

[dajop]

I am really struggling to think of a place that I've visited that I'd say was disappointing. It all has to do with expectations, and a modest amount (as little as 10-15 mins) of internet research can give a reasonable idea of the downsides of a place to visit. I can see how places can be disappointing, but if you calibrate expectations, and do a little research, it's very easy to avoid disappointment.

Pisa is a classic example, we did the research, and decided to quickly visit there during a daytrip from Florence to Cinque Terre. We took an early train from Florence, caught great views (entirely free of people/crowds) of the tower in the morning sun, climbed the tower, wandered the town a little whilst waiting for the train and proceeded on. Wasn't at all disappointing. But .... I noticed as we were leaving the crowds had definitely descended on the place, tour buses everywhere and well if I'd arrived then, I might say different things about the place.

 

[Hvr]

If home is a destination then I've been disappointed. Especially when I was living in CBR.

 

[Boris spatsky]

Long Beach, CA - dingey south central LA nearby, nothing do do, average beaches.

Guam

Kuwait - the most hot and boring place on earth

Geraldton, WA

Pago Pago , American Samoa - only food seemed to be American fast food - island much like Guam but smaller (poverty stricken version of Honolulu).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Well, my +1 and I have discussed this and we've concluded we're very ordinary (read boring) travellers. We cannot think of a place we've visited that we do not believe we endured with at least some degree of interest. Everyplace we considered though, had downsides but when we asked ourselves if we genuinely would have preferred not to have visited them, the answer was always......glad we did it (although some we may not bother returning to).

If pressed, the Barclay Homestead brings back some not-so-fond memories of being sprayed with Mortein whilst trying to digest an inedible breakfast.

Now if we were to discuss jobs I had that were most disappointing, I could name a few!

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Maybe I have a different perspective on it because I have lived here for 9 years. We saw all of the tourist attractions (Questacon, the museums, the War Memorial etc.) in the first few months after moving to CBR and (with a few exceptions) once you've seen it once, you've pretty much seen it. I would agree that the war memorial is very good, but again, Ive already been there several times.

I will admit though that I do enjoy going to Parliament House to see question time every now and again.

Canberra's War Memorial is right up there as War museums go. In the same league as the award winning, Imperial War Museum in London IMHO.

Old Parliament house in CBR is pretty good as you can sit in the parliamentary chambers & even in the Speaker's Chair!

As for watching Question Time in Parliament House, do I detect an upcoming Tourism Minister amongst our AFF Membership Matt?

 

[Demon_fan]

Paris is easily number 1 for me, a lot of people raved about it and it was just a major disappointment.

Others include Hanoi, Johannesburg & Osaka.

if I can include Doha I would, I really wasn't expecting much, but whatever I was expecting it didn't deliver. Thankfully it was only a 36 hour stop over.

Oh and since a few people feel the need to add an Australian city to their lists, mine is Gold Coast.

 

[Pushka]

I can't understand how Paris fails anyone. It's a beautiful city. I'm just wondering how it fails?

 

[smatho10]

I'm sorry Canada...

But I wasn't fuss on Lake Louise in spring and your lake was still frozen. I was over it after 30 mins. So the trip back to a grey old and cold Calgary wasn't that motivating either. I missed a days skiing to have a look..