10 least visited countries in the world – and how to get there

10 least visited countries in the world – and how to get there

From the vast Pacific Ocean to the bustling coast of West Africa, we take a look at the world's least visited countries

There is perhaps no phrase more common in travel literature than “off the beaten path.” It's applied liberally to everything from the vast Mongolian steppe to an empty bar on a Bangkok side street.

It clearly symbolizes the ultimate goal of the trip: to have fresh experiences in untouched places. And yet so few of us manage to find the true, isolated ideal.

To inspire travelers to get off the famous beaten path, we list below the least visited countries in the world, based on data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

We also show how you can reach these remote corners of the world. Use Justfly to search for cheap tickets or book with the airlines mentioned in each section.

Least visited countries in the world

1. Tuvalu

Annual visitors: 2,000

Tuvalu is probably the least visited country in the world, with only two thousand registered visitors in 2017. The tiny nation spans nine islands with a total area of ​​just 26 square kilometers (10 square miles). The remote islands lie north of Fiji, halfway between Hawaii and Australia, which should explain why so few tourists make it there.

alt=“least visited countries in the world: Tuvalu”>Tuvalu is probably the least visited country in the world

Tuvalu is perhaps best known for its .tv web domain. For a long time it was unable to join the United Nations because it could not afford the $100,000 entry fee. In 2000, the country negotiated a 12-year, $50 million lease for its coveted .tv domain, and again in 2011. It has used the profits to power the outer islands, provide scholarships and eventually join the UN.

How to reach Tuvalu: Fiji Airways operates a route from Suva and Nadi in Fiji to Funafuti in Tuvalu. Book early to secure a seat. Note that there are no domestic flights between the nine islands.

2. Marshall Islands

Annual visitors: 6,000

The Marshall Islands comprise 29 coral atolls with over 1,000 islands and islets north of the equator. This Pacific paradise is so untrodden that Lonely Planet's Marshall Islands page is currently empty.

alt=“least visited countries in the world: Marshall Islands”>The Aur Atoll is part of the Marshall Islands

Located about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, residents rely heavily on fishing, but are not allowed to fish for sharks. In 2011, the government reserved an area of ​​nearly 2,000,000 square kilometers (772,000 square miles) as a shark sanctuary, creating the largest in the world.

How to get to the Marshall Islands: United Airlines flies from Hawaii. Air Marshall offers some domestic flights, but check before flying as flights have been grounded in the past.

3. Kiribati

Annual visitors: 6,000

Kiribati is the third Pacific island country on this list. The country is made up of 33 islands and has a total area of ​​800 square kilometers (310 sq mi) but, incredibly, stretches across 3.5 million square kilometers (1,350,000 sq mi) of ocean.

alt=“least visited countries in the world: kiribati”>Heavenly Kiribati is one of the least visited countries in the world

In fact, Kiribati is the only country in the world that falls in all four hemispheres, spanning the equator and extending into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. It was also the first country to experience the beginning of the third millennium on January 1, 2000.

How to get to Kiribati: Fiji Airways flies from Nadi in Fiji. Air Kiribati offers some international flights via Solomon Airlines as well as a number of domestic flights.

4. Guinea Bissau

Annual visitors: 22,000

Guinea-Bissau, on the west coast of Africa, borders Senegal to the north, Guinea to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It gained independence in 1974 after years of guerrilla warfare against Portuguese colonialists.

alt="Guinea-Bissau is one of the least visited countries in the world">DreamtimeOrango Island in Guinea-Bissau

Political instability has stunted economic development, but Bissau-Guineans are holding on, says Lonely Planet: "The jokes, like the music, are loud but tender. The shells of grilled oysters are served with a sauce spicy enough to give a kick, but not so strong that it masks the bitterness."

The few tourists who visit are likely to stop at Arquipélago dos Bijagós, a labyrinth of 88 tropical islands and islets that was declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1996. The area is home to hippos, monkeys, chimpanzees and buffalo. Fish thrive in protected waters and hundreds of bird species live in its wetlands and mangroves.

5. Solomon Islands

Annual visitors: 26,000

The Solomon Islands consist of six main islands and over 900 smaller islands scattered across the Pacific Ocean.

The country has a wildly turbulent history, ranging from fierce fighting during World War II to intense ethnic violence in the late '90s and early 2000s, but is now quieter and more open to tourism.

alt=“least visited countries in the world: Solomon Islands”>The remote Solomon Islands

Located east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu, the country is not a luxury beach destination but offers an authentic Melanesian experience amidst lush mangroves, expansive lagoons and emerald green forests.

How to get to the Solomon Islands: There are flights from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. Domestic flights are also available via Solomon Airlines.

6. Comoros

Annual visitors: 28,000

After over 20 coups or attempted coups, this island nation is finally gaining stability and building a tourist infrastructure. As it stands, it remains one of the least visited countries in the world.

alt=“White sand in the Comoros”>White sand in the Comoros

The Comoros is a collection of four main islands and a number of smaller islands located in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa. The country has a complex ethnic mix that includes African natives, Malay immigrants and descendants of Arab traders.

Interestingly, the Comoros is the only state with membership in the African Union, the Francophonie, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and the Indian Ocean Commission. Its majority religion is Islam and official languages ​​are Comorian, Arabic and French.

How to get to the Comoros: Flights operate from Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar as well as Dubai, France and Yemen. Domestic flights are operated by AB Aviation and Inter Iles Aviation (+269 771 00 03).

7. Sao Tome and Principe

Annual visitors: 29,000

With 29,000 visitors in 2017, the African island nation of São Tomé & Príncipe remains one of the least visited countries in the world.

alt=“São Tomé is the second smallest African country after the Seychelles”>São Tomé is the second smallest African country after the Seychelles

The two main islands and their smaller islets were uninhabited until they were discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century. The islands were gradually settled by Portugal in the 16th century and served as a trading center for the Atlantic slave trade.

Together, the islands form the second-smallest African country after the Seychelles and, 225 km (140 miles) off the northwest coast of Gabon, are rarely visited because of their relative isolation. This could change if Lonely Planet names São Tomé & Príncipe one of the best places to visit in 2019.

How to get to São Tomé & Príncipe: TAP and STP Airways fly from Lisbon to São Tomé. Continental flights are also available from Angola, Cape Verde, Gabon and Cameroon.

8. Micronesia

Annual visitors: 30,000

The Federated States of Micronesia comprises four states spread across the Western Pacific, which together comprise approximately 607 islands. They lie northeast of New Guinea, south of Guam, west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, and east of Palau and the Philippines.

alt="Micronesia includes approximately 607 islands">Micronesia includes approximately 607 islands

In 1986, Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States, granting the Western superpower the exclusive right to establish and maintain military bases in Micronesia. In return, the country received $100 million a year in financial aid and the right for residents to live and work in the United States.

A renewed 20-year agreement worth $3.5 billion was signed by George W. Bush in 2003.

How to get to Micronesia: Air Marshall operates flights from Fiji, Hawaii, Kiribati and Tuvalu. United also operates flights from Hawaii. Expect multiple stops.

9. Djibouti

Annual visitors: 51,000

Djibouti is the only country on this list that we have personally visited. Bordering Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti was named one of the best places to visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet - a fact that could see it dropped from that list next year.

alt="Lac Assal in Djibouti could be mistaken for a Maldivian beach">Atlas & BootsLac Assal in Djibouti, one of the least visited countries in the world

Djibouti is home to the otherworldly landscapes of Lac Abbé and Lac Assal, fascinating diving and magnificent marine life, including whale sharks.

It is also one of the most stable countries in the region and is used as a military base by several nations, including France, the United States and China, due to its proximity to the world's busiest shipping route.

How to get to Djibouti: Ethiopian Airlines flies from Ethiopia to Djibouti. International flights are also available from Paris, Dubai, Nairobi, Doha and Istanbul.

10. Sierra Leone

Annual visitors: 54,000

Sierra Leone has had its fair share of difficulties, from poverty and corruption to war and disease, most recently the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which perhaps explains why it is one of the least visited countries in the world.

alt=“least visited countries in the world: Sierra Leone”>Sierra Leone has experienced significant economic growth in recent years

Despite its myriad problems, the country has experienced significant economic growth in recent years. His government has cracked down on the diamond trade and is trying hard to attract foreign investors.

Additionally, Sierra Leone is in the safer half of the world's countries, ranking higher than tourist favorites like Mexico, India, Thailand and Cambodia!

How to get to Sierra Leone: International flights operate from London, Paris and Brussels. Continental flights operate from a number of countries including Kenya, Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria and Gambia, among others.

Note: The above ranking is based on preliminary figures or data. Furthermore, it does not include a number of countries because the UNWTO does not have associated empirical data. Since these may be less visited than those mentioned above, we list them here for reference: Afghanistan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Turkmenistan.

alt=”Least Visited Countries Pinterest Pin”>

Additional photography: Dreamstime

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