It might take a while to get there, and you may need to spend a bit more, but once you arrive, you will have truly earned it.
Here are the five least-traveled countries in the world.
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#1 🇳🇷 Nauru
Nauru lies more than 2,500 km from the Australian coast, making it one of the most isolated countries in the world. The island receives between 200 and 1,000 tourists annually due to the absence of direct international air service, its proximity to the mainland, and limited capacity to accommodate visitors. The closest bigger island nation is Papua New Guinea, with 1,300 km.
Nauru looks completely different from other Pacific islands. While the coast is framed by turquoise water and coconut palms, the interior has a raw, almost lunar landscape shaped by decades of phosphate mining. You can circle the entire island by car in about 25 minutes.
#2 🇹🇻 Tuvalu
Tuvalu lies deep in the central Pacific between Australia (about 4,000 km northeast) and Fiji (about 1,100 km north), with Hawaii more than 4,300 km to the northeast. You can only get there via Fiji Airways via Nadi, and return flights from Australia usually cost between €900 and €1,600, depending on the season. Only around 4,000 tourists visit Tuvalu per year.
Often cited as the least-visited country on Earth, Tuvalu is a quiet collection of atolls with a slow rhythm of life, pristine lagoons, and a looming climate change story as its very existence may change by 2050.
#3 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands
Scattered across the central Pacific, the Marshall Islands sit roughly between Hawaii, the Philippines, and Australia. The easiest way to get there is via United Airlines’ Island Hopper from Guam or Honolulu, a legendary multi-stop route connecting tiny atolls across Micronesia. This small island nation counts roughly 6,000 tourists per year.
Known for some of the clearest waters on Earth, the Marshall Islands offer a rare mix of untouched reefs and lagoon life. Bikini Atoll is world-famous among advanced divers for its ghostly WWII shipwrecks. And many islands are so narrow that you can watch sunrise and sunset from the same spot without moving more than a few steps.
#4 🇳🇺 Niue
Niue, known as the Rock of Polynesia, is located between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. New Zealand is only a 3.5-hour flight away with regular flights from Auckland to its capital, Alofi. Because of its proximity to New Zealand, Niue receives around 10,000 visitors per year, despite a population of only 1,500.
Niue is so safe and community-oriented that locals often leave their keys in the car and their doors unlocked. If you love snorkeling, diving, or cliff jumping, Niue might be for you.
#5 🇰🇮 Kiribati
Kiribati is located northeast of Fiji and is connected via flights to Nauru, Fiji, and Australia. Kiribati is the only country in the world that sits in all four hemispheres, north, south, east, and west, because it reaches the equator and the international date line.
Kiribati offers a blend of exotic beach life, WWII history (including bunkers and shipwrecks), and cultural daily life centered on traditions such as ceremonial dances, gatherings in the maneaba (community houses), artisanal crafts, and fishing.
🎯 Where to next?
If you’re tired of crowds and yearn for something off the beaten path, these under-the-radar countries can be your reminders that travel can still be surprising and challenging.
Sarah Kuhlemann
Sarah Kuhlemann
