A woman who has traveled to over 60 countries has shared the hidden gems that she thinks everyone should visit… and the popular destinations that she believes are overrated.
Geraldine Joaquim, 54, told DailyMail.com that ‘travel is something that has always been a part of her life.’
She grew up in Malaysia but also had a home in the UK and would split her time between the two, which means she got accustomed to long flights early on.
Eventually, the family moved permanently to England and she began jetting off to various European countries with her friends during her teen years.
At age 24, she took up scuba diving, and spent the next 15 years diving around the globe with her husband.
Now, she has visited a whopping 67 different countries, and she opened up about the best secret spots as well as the sought-after destinations that aren’t as good as they seem exclusively to DailyMail.com.
According to the travel expert, the best place she’s ever visited is Botswana in Africa.
‘It has amazing wildlife and scenery,’ she gushed. ‘And the people are gentle and welcoming.’
A woman who has traveled to over 60 countries has shared the hidden gems that she thinks everyone should visit… and the popular destinations that she believes are overrated
Geraldine Joaquim (seen left in Thailand and right in Japan), 54, told DailyMail.com that ‘travel is something that has always been a part of her life’
Next on her list of ‘hidden gems’ was Mexico, but rather than heading to popular tourist spots like Cancun or Cabo San Lucas, she recommended Acapulco or San Juan Teotihuacán.
She said the country has ‘amazing food and scenery,’ adding that she made some of her favorite memories there.
At age 24, she took up scuba diving, and spent the next 15 years diving around the globe with her husband. She’s seen diving recently with her kids
If you’re looking for a more adventurous trip, she suggested the Caribbean island of Tobago.
‘It’s a beautiful island with lush rainforests, hummingbirds, and stunning beaches,’ she shared. ‘And it retains a natural feel without being too touristy.’
Another place on her list of her favorite countries to visit was Iceland, as there is ‘so much to explore.’
‘It feels like a real adventure with its lava tunnels, wide open expanses, waterfalls, and plenty of adventure activities like skiing across glaciers,’ she said.
Lastly, Geraldine recommended the East African country of Mozambique, thanks to its ‘stunning coastlines,’ animal encounters, and recent developments.
‘Recent investment has seen huge improvements in the infrastructure, and there are plans to develop more national parks and reintroduce more animals,’ she explained.
Now, she has visited 67 countries, and she opened up about the best secret spots as well as the sought-after destinations that aren’t as good as they seem. She’s seen in Brazil
According to the travel expert, the best place she’s ever visited is Botswana in South Africa, as she gushed, ‘It has amazing wildlife and scenery.’ She’s seen in AfricaÂ
Also on her list was Iceland, as there is ‘so much to explore.’ She said, ‘It feels like a real adventure with its larva tunnels, wide open expanses, waterfalls, and plenty of adventure’
As for the countries that she feels might be a little ‘overrated,’ she said she’d likely skip out on places like the Bahamas and the Maldives.
‘Pretty islands but it is very geared for the American tourist market, and it can be expensive,’ she said of the Bahamas.
As for the Maldives, she added, ‘There’s not a lot to do except beaches – which is fine if you just want to top up your tan…’
She also listed Hong Kong in China as a destination that she wasn’t the biggest fan of.
‘It’s interesting as a stop over maybe, but it’s just a city,’ she said.
Geraldine also advised against visiting Mauritius in East Africa because it’s ‘very expensive and over developed for tourism,’ and Cyprus in the Middle East since it doesn’t feel ‘authentic’ there.Â
