The internet can be an amazing place to find travel inspiration and plan your next trip. That said, what we see online isn’t always what we get in real life.
Some travelers on social media, especially influencers, aim to portray their adventures in a flattering light. This can lead to a bit of a surprise when we finally go to their advertised destinations and find they’re not quite as we imagined. Take “Paris Syndrome”, for example, which describes the disappointment some Japanese tourists feel when they visit the French capital.
At Bored Panda, we’ve gathered some of those eye-opening moments from around the web. Find them below and let us know if you’ve ever had a reality check during your travels!
#1 Instagram vs. Reality
In all seriousness, though, I still really enjoyed visiting Railay. Plus, I am also a tourist, so who am I to judge?
Image credits: rebellieon
Travel photos can be misleading for several reasons. Sometimes, a picture is edited to make a place look better than it actually is. The crystal-clear turquoise ocean you saw on Instagram ends up being murky and grey, while that lush green forest you dreamed of exploring turns out patchy and lifeless. Other times, you might arrive to find the location under construction, which can also be a bummer.
But an even bigger issue is overtourism. When places go viral, they attract massive crowds of people. This not only spoils the atmosphere for visitors but also harms the destinations themselves.
#2 Even Though The Trevi Fountain Is Possibly The Most Crowded Tourist Attraction In The World, It’s Still A Masterpiece You Cannot Miss When Visiting Rome
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#3 I Traveled All This Way Because Of A Post I Saw
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To learn more about how the internet shapes our journeys, Bored Panda got in touch with tourism researcher Dr. Lauren Siegel and travel writer Pati.
“It wasn’t so long ago—in the grand scheme of things—that travelers roamed the world without mobile phones and point-and-shoot cameras, and didn’t post anything simply because there was no social media to share it on,” says Pati. She doesn’t consider herself an influencer, but rather someone who enjoys sharing her thoughts on her blog.
Pati acknowledges the irony of publicly sharing photos from her own travels, but highlights an important distinction. “A lot of these shares out there are about likes, clicks, and, in the case of content creators, income. We are being sold a product and convinced that our experience wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t also share the best photo or a reel.”
#4 That Sure Didn’t Go As Planned
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#5 Expectations vs. Reality In Santorini
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“It’s a bit of a dichotomy, because influencers, bloggers or YouTubers bring us closer to these places, help us plan and design itineraries and sometimes enable us to virtually travel to destinations we might not even be able to visit due to our circumstances,” Pati reflects.
However, the surge of tourists influenced to come to these destinations is a real problem. They can cause significant damage, from carbon emissions generated by their travel to littering the places they visit. Many locals are also affected, having to move because they just can’t compete with rentals and Airbnb properties.
#6 Buxton "Blue Lagoon"
Image credits: Angry-_-Kid
#7 The Harsh Reality
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#8 Hard-To-Obtain Permits For A 10-Mile Hike To See Havasupai Falls
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Renowned cities like Venice or Barcelona have faced these challenges for years, but every day there’s a new destination that has to put up with similar issues. For example, a petrol station in Japan recently had to block their view of Mt. Fuji because too many people were visiting for photos.
According to Lauren Siegel, a lecturer in tourism and events at the University of Greenwich, the pursuit of “Instagrammable” spots is especially harmful for rural landscapes. These areas lack the infrastructure to handle large crowds, which means local businesses can’t make money from them. As a result, visitors leave these places worse off, without even getting to know the local culture.
#9 Taking Pictures, Expectation vs. Reality
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#10 Went To See The Famous Neuschwanstein Castle And This Was Our View
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#11 Tourist Site Instagram vs. Reality
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Siegel cites Trolltunga in Norway as another example of a destination that’s become a victim of internet fame. It’s a cliff that makes for thrilling and adventurous pictures, but reaching it requires an exhausting 6-8 hour hike, often followed by a long queue to take the photo. Trolltunga has seen a staggering rise in visitors, from about 500 in 2009 to over 80,000 in 2023. Besides the inconvenience caused by tourists, there has been an increased demand for emergency services to rescue those who aren’t prepared for the hike.
#12 Went To Visit Casa Batlló In Barcelona
Image credits: KarmaCollider
#13 I Was Finally Able To Travel To Paris, And The Arch De Triumph Looks Like This. It's An "Art" Project
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#14 I Traveled From UK All The Way To Germany To Take Photos Of The Devil’s Eye. This Is What I Saw When I Got There
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The good news is, it’s possible to promote sustainable travel. Siegel suggests that influencers can play a role by showing destinations authentically and encouraging tourists to be responsible. “Telling people just not to go, unfortunately, will probably not work,” she notes.
#15 The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
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#16 On The Topic Of Unfortunately Timed Maintenance In Japan, Here Is What The Floating Torii Gate At Miyajima Looked Like When I Was There Compared To What It Usually Looks Like
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#17 Sightseeing In Rotterdam
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In her research, Siegel also describes various strategies that governments, authorities, and residents can use to address overtourism. Local communities should be diligently consulted, so they can thoroughly understand how tourists behave and what kind of incidents can occur. “By doing this, it will likely improve trust towards the municipalities because the locals will feel seen and heard, and hopefully prevent further discontent.”
It’s also important to circulate information online that educates incoming tourists about different destinations. Some, Siegel mentions, have launched awareness campaigns about proper etiquette, which can be quite effective.
#18 I Was In New York For The First Time In My Life
My wife and I spent almost 10 hours on a plane, crossed the Atlantic Ocean and flew 7,500 kilometers. We climbed to the top of the rock to enjoy a view of Central Park. We had only one day in New York and this view will always be with us.
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#19 Hakone Shrine In Japan. Instagram vs. Reality
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#20 Traveled 2,874 Miles To See The Cliffs Of Moher
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Siegel lists a few things travelers can do to remain respectful while making the most of their experiences. First, research before you go and familiarize yourself with local customs. Be polite and mindful of cultural norms, especially in religious or sacred spaces. “This is someone’s home, and think about whether you’d want someone acting like this in your own backyard.” Remember to support local businesses—“stress on the word local”—so that there is some economic impact of your visit. As for photos, avoid geotagging, because it creates a map for travelers to visit the exact same place.
#21 The Mona Lisa
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#22 Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand
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#23 We Were All Hyped Up To Check Out The Pink Lake In Torrevieja... Only To Be Greeted By The Sad Sight Of A Not-So-Pink Lake On The Day Of Our Visit
Image credits: sammcclendon
Patti also suggests that if you really want to visit popular destinations, try going off-season or explore nearby, underrated places. Ultimately though, she believes you should be motivated by a genuine desire to travel.
“I get it, you want to see the Colosseum and the Acropolis, and sit in a gondola while a handsome Italian gondolier steers the boat along the canal. I mean, who wouldn’t? And by all means, you should go! But go because you want to, because you’ve always dreamed of it, because it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience—not because it would look good on your social media feed.”
#24 A Friend Went To Visit A Bamboo Bridge And Rice Field In Thailand That She Saw On Google, Unfortunately During The Dry Season
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#25 Expectation vs. Reality Venice Edition
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#26 Terme Di Saturnia
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So, be careful not to fall for deceiving images on the internet before you set off to explore the world and remember to be a mindful traveler!
#27 My Trip To Bali, Nusa Penida Island
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#28 I Went On A Hike In Norway Expecting A Great View
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#29 Went To Visit The Cherry And Spoon At Sculpture Gardens In Minneapolis. Cherry Is Out For Repainting
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#30 Brooklyn Bridge, New York
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#31 My Friend And I Were In Paris And Decided To Take The Pilgrimage To The Tame Impala Lonerism's Album Cover Gate. This Is What We Saw When We Got There
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#32 Instagram vs. Reality On Maya Beach In Thailand
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#33 Grutas De Tolantongo
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#34 This Is So Real
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#35 Drove For Two Hours To See The Lighthouse
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#36 I Traveled To Singapore A Few Months Ago. Went To See The Famous Singapore Merlion In Merlion Park... That Was Under Construction
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#37 I Drove 4 Hours (One Way) To See Radium Springs, One Of Georgia’s Natural Wonders... After A Heavy Rainfall
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#38 Mount Fuji Perfect Picture Hunt, Day 2. Clouds 2 - Human 0 (5-Hour Trip - 2-Hour Walk. One Way)
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#39 I Traveled Nearly 300 Miles To The Northernmost Point Of Vietnam So I Could See China - This Was The View
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#40 Great Wall Of China, Beijing
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#41 Mount Fuji, Japan
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#42 Expectation vs. Reality London Edition
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#43 Looking Through My Pictures From The Last Few Days I Saw This And Thought: Can't Remember Being In Such A Beautiful Place. Because My Impression From The Days Is The Busy Harbor Side
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#44 Visited Mount Fuji For The First Time. The View Was Magnificent
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#45 The Taj Mahal, Agra, India
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#46 Hiking In Norway. I've Missed Traveling So Much. This Was Kind Of A Good Timing Reminder That It's Not Always That Glorious Anyway
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#47 So We've Thought To Stand On The Same Spot For That Magnificent View (The Peak In Hong Kong). It Wasn't Foggy When We Went Up
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#48 A Few Years Ago I Traveled More Than 7000 Miles To See The Grand Canyon
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#49 Choose Your Travel Dates Wisely
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#50 It's Beautiful There, But
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#51 Overnight Sleeper Train From Bangkok To Chiang Mai, Thailand
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#52 I Still Loved It
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#53 A Few Years Ago We Hiked A Mountain For The View On The Foggiest Day Possible
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#54 Paris
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#55 Traveled For 30 Hours By Train, Then An Overnight Bus, Then Rented Bikes... For The Amazing Views
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#56 Keukenhof
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#57 I Drove 21 Hours To Mount Rainier, And It Was Cloaked In Fog For Days
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#58 Months Of Savings, Traveled Over 5000 Miles And An 11-Hour Flight. Ladies And Gentlemen, The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
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#59 I Hope You Enjoyed It Despite The Crowds
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#60 Traveled 4000 Miles From The USA To Ireland To See The Cliffs Of Moher
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#61 "Afternoon Tea On The Thames With The Best View Of London Bridge" They Said
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#62 I Was So Excited To See Mount Fuji During My Stay In Japan. Well This Is All I Saw All The Time
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#63 The Real Aare Gorge
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#64 We Loved Rosemary Beach And Already Planning Our Next Trip But We Were Not Prepared For The June Grass
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#65 Went To Visit Hook & Ladder Company 8
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#66 If You Know You Know
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#67 In New Zealand, I Stumbled Across This Lone Tree Standing In The Middle Of A Lake
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#68 Maldives
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#69 Things Don’t Always Go As Planned
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#70 Expectation vs. Reality
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#71 The Rain Has Stopped Today. Look At This Gorgeous Place. Grateful
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#72 Zanzibar Expectation vs. Reality
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#73 Touristy Thing In Rome
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