10 Exotic Vacation Spots You Didn't Know Existed

Choosing the right vacation spot is never an easy task. Whether you're looking for warm weather, good food, or adventure, most of us don’t ever want to spend our hard-earned money traveling to a place inundated with other tourists. And while there will always be exotic and unknown places for us to visit, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite. So pack your bags and get out there!

Seventy miles west of Key West lies Dry Tortugas National Park, home to the seven Dry Tortugas Islands and Fort Jefferson, the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the park boasts abundant seal life, tropical birds, and coral reefs. Bring your tent and your camping stove if you plan to stay for a few days. There’s nothing at the park but you and a whole lot of ocean. To get there, fly from New York to Miami, fill your belly with Cuban food, then take a lazy drive down to Key West and make reservations for a ferry or seaplane.

When you think of coral reef, Scandinavia might not come to mind. But Norway’s Lofoten Islands, located within the Arctic Circle, is home to the largest deep-water coral reef in the world. The islands form an archipelago and are home to abundant wildlife like otters, moose, and puffin. Skip the hotel and stay in a rorbu cabin, originally built as simple accommodation for visiting fishermen. Today, many of them have been redone and are available to rent year-round. Our advice would be to pay a little extra and rent a rorbu with an outdoor hot tub.

Saint Pierre et Miquelon is the only remnant of the colonial French empire that still remains under French control. But this colorful island is located just 12 miles off the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada, If you’re looking for a taste of French culture without having to travel to Europe, SPeM will give you your fill. Locals speak exclusively in French, pay in Euros, and drive French cars down the tiny European-esque streets of the island. For the real I'm-Not-Actually-In-France-But-I-Sort-Of-Am experience, don't miss out on pastries from Guillard & Fils and dinner at La Brasserie de l'ele.

It might look like a scene out of a Tolkien book, but these stone towers are located in the Hunan province of China. The pillars that make up the Tianzi Mountain Reserve are made of sandstone and can reach over 600 feet in height. The area also features numerous ravines, gorges, waterfalls, and over 40 caves, some of which feature large natural bridges. Not bad, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve…And if you're looking to stay close to the park, try the Pipaxi hotel, a 15 minute walk from the south entrance.

Exotic with an amazing name to boost, the arid region of Namaqualand stretches over 600 miles within Namibia and South Africa. During the spring, the arid area comes alive with orange and white daisies, making it one of the most unbelievable sites in the world. To get there, fly into Cape Town and drive north a mere two hours to Clanwilliam. Stay at the Bushman's Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Retreat, home to 16 spacious, country-style rooms with gardens and views for days.

Huacachina is a desert oasis located in the Ica Region of southwestern Peru. The entire town is built around a small natural lake and is popular for the adrenaline junky tourist. Surrounded by dunes that can be several hundred feet high, Huacachina is a perfect destination for sandboarding and dune buggy rides. After a bus ride to Huacachina from Lima or Cusco and a day or playing in the sand, stop in Casa de Avinoam for some pizza, then get a room at the Hotel Mossone and enjoy excellent views of the oasis.

Italy is a tourist dreamland, full of the best wine, food, and countryside the world has to offer. While visions of pasta and gondola rides fill our heads when we think of an Italian vacation, the country also some amazing natural sites as well. Case in point: The Frassasi Caves, located in the municipality of Genga. While the caves are certainly not unknown, they’re a great change of pace for your next Italian adventure. The caves, which were only discovered in 1971, are a welcoming site in the hot summer as they stay at a relatively constant 57 degrees. If you're going to be visiting the caves, don't forget to book a tour with Speleo Adventure Tours. Their two options include the two hour blue trail, suitable for inexperienced cavers, or the slightly longer red trail for those with some caving skills.

The sister island to the more popular Antigua, Barbuda is just 62 square miles and can only be reached by a 20-minute flight or three-hour boat ride. The whole island is basically a long beach, only reaching 124 feet above sea level at its highest point. The two luxury resort options—Coco Point Lodge and Lighthouse Bay Resort—are the only accommodations on the island. Fly to Antigua and catch the Barbuda Express, a 90 minute boat shuttle that runs between the two islands five days a week.

Okay, maybe you’ve heard of Bhutan. Or maybe you haven’t. Either way, it’s most likely that you don’t know much about it. Bordered on the north by China (Tibet) and to the south, east, and west by India, Bhutan charges $200 a day as a tariff for tourists. It sounds crazy, but that money includes all your accommodations, food, transport, and guides while you travel through the beautiful Buddhist monasteries perched high on the mountain walls. Before making your plans, talk to Bhutan Travel Agency to help you figure out where you want to go and what you want to do.

Nauru, also known as the Pleasant Island, is the second smallest nation in the world (the Vatican holds the No. 1 spot) and welcomes just a few hundred tourists a year. Located in Micronesia in the South Pacific, Nauru is home to fantastic beaches and snorkeling in the country’s coral reefs. If you decide to go, your lodging decisions won’t be hard; the island only has space for two hotels. Naru operates their own airline, a single Boeing 737-300, that departs out of Brisbane every Sunday and Monday and returns back every Wednesday.