The most was certainly Koh Lanta, Thailand. A tiny island in the south, I traveled from Bangkok by plane, took a taxi to town, got in a van that drove to a ferry to another island, drove across that one to another ferry to yet another island and then another 45 minutes drive down the island. It was definitely the furthest away from home I’ve ever been.

All of Thailand really qualifies, but the tiny island was a little bit of paradise while I was there.

Least exotic would have to be Dallas. Granted, I was there for a conference for work and didn’t do tons of site seeing, but it seemed utterly ordinary for the most part. Very typically American. Not even as “Texan” as I’d expected it to be.

CarrieMpls said:

The most was certainly Koh Lanta, Thailand. A tiny island in the south, I traveled from Bangkok by plane, took a taxi to town, got in a van that drove to a ferry to another island, drove across that one to another ferry to yet another island and then another 45 minutes drive down the island. It was definitely the furthest away from home I’ve ever been.

All of Thailand really qualifies, but the tiny island was a little bit of paradise while I was there.

Least exotic would have to be Dallas. Granted, I was there for a conference for work and didn’t do tons of site seeing, but it seemed utterly ordinary for the most part. Very typically American. Not even as “Texan” as I’d expected it to be.

Sounds like my ordeal to get to San Antonio (Honduras)...3-hr bus drive through dirt roads, then 1/2 hour(?) by canoe.

Most= Savannah, GA

Least= North Dakota

minneapolisFunq said:

Most= Savannah, GA

Least= North Dakota

ONE DAY instead of zipping past Savannah on I-95 I will actually make a pit stop and visit that beeootiful city!

Most: Bermuda Least: Newark, NJ I have to travel more, havent been to many places. Too bad we dont have a prince.org travel group .

PurpleKittyK said:

Most: Bermuda Least: Newark, NJ I have to travel more, havent been to many places. Too bad we dont have a prince.org travel group .

@ Bermuda -

@ Prince.org/travel -

imago said:

Fauxie said:

Actually, I'm probably not being entirely truthful since I live on the edge of a big city. Beaches are probably still more exotic to me than somewhere like Vientiane, Laos, which is similar to many Thai towns. I like Vientiane, too. It's just it feels so similar to being in Thailand there.

I thought it was a charming, charming, charming town!

And the Laotians are sooooooo friendly!

MOST: Alexandria, Egypt

LEAST: NY CITY

I'm surprised at the NYC votes for least exotic considering all the immigrants living here that have turned their neighborhoods into recreations of their homelands: Chinese in Chinatown, Koreans in Flushing, Greeks in Astoria, Poles in Greenpoint, Colombians in Jackson Heights, Trinidadians in East Flatbush, Dominicans in Washington Heights, etc. Walk around in parts of those places and you would not think you are in the U.S.

sextonseven said:

I'm surprised at the NYC votes for least exotic considering all the immigrants living here that have turned their neighborhoods into recreations of their homelands: Chinese in Chinatown, Koreans in Flushing, Greeks in Astoria, Poles in Greenpoint, Colombians in Jackson Heights, Trinidadians in East Flatbush, Dominicans in Washington Heights, etc. Walk around in parts of those places and you would not think you are in the U.S.

Well maybe I did not visit the right places when I was there. If I ever go there again you need to show me what I missed .

Serious said:

sextonseven said:

I'm surprised at the NYC votes for least exotic considering all the immigrants living here that have turned their neighborhoods into recreations of their homelands: Chinese in Chinatown, Koreans in Flushing, Greeks in Astoria, Poles in Greenpoint, Colombians in Jackson Heights, Trinidadians in East Flatbush, Dominicans in Washington Heights, etc. Walk around in parts of those places and you would not think you are in the U.S.

Well maybe I did not visit the right places when I was there. If I ever go there again you need to show me what I missed .

Of course I would! And except for Chinatown, the above neighborhoods are not places a tourist would normally visit unless they are of the same ethnicity as the people living there.

sextonseven said:

Serious said:

Well maybe I did not visit the right places when I was there. If I ever go there again you need to show me what I missed .

Of course I would! And except for Chinatown, the above neighborhoods are not places a tourist would normally visit unless they are of the same ethnicity as the people living there.

I have to admit that besides the usual tourist traps (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square) there's very little that's "exotic" about NYC. I presume its the same reason for London getting "least" votes as well.

Now...if you come to town with a suitcase full of money...then you'll find NYC to be your favorite place in the whole world!

PurpleJedi said:

sextonseven said:

Of course I would! And except for Chinatown, the above neighborhoods are not places a tourist would normally visit unless they are of the same ethnicity as the people living there.

I have to admit that besides the usual tourist traps (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square) there's very little that's "exotic" about NYC. I presume its the same reason for London getting "least" votes as well.

Now...if you come to town with a suitcase full of money...then you'll find NYC to be your favorite place in the whole world!

Looks exotic to me. All I'm saying is there are lots of other cities in the states that have much less to offer in terms of foreign character than NYC.

sextonseven said:

PurpleJedi said:

I have to admit that besides the usual tourist traps (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square) there's very little that's "exotic" about NYC. I presume its the same reason for London getting "least" votes as well.

Now...if you come to town with a suitcase full of money...then you'll find NYC to be your favorite place in the whole world!

Looks exotic to me. All I'm saying is there are lots of other cities in the states that have much less to offer in terms of foreign character than NYC.

True it does.

I don't even remember for sure if I visited Chinatown, but I don't think I did . I think I only visited it in London.

PurpleJedi said:

sextonseven said:

Of course I would! And except for Chinatown, the above neighborhoods are not places a tourist would normally visit unless they are of the same ethnicity as the people living there.

I have to admit that besides the usual tourist traps (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square) there's very little that's "exotic" about NYC. I presume its the same reason for London getting "least" votes as well.

Now...if you come to town with a suitcase full of money...then you'll find NYC to be your favorite place in the whole world!

I think in that case London of 20 years ago would be my favourite place .

PurpleJedi said:

b3xy said:

Most exotic is Kakadu in Northern Australia.

Least exotic Belfast in Northern Ireland

Do tell-!

I spent ages trying to decide one area of Northern and Western Australia I probably ended up picking Kakadu because it was one of the first areas in the Tropics of Australia where I spent some time exploring, it has some amazing waterholes and scenery. Also there are alot of examples of Aboriginal artwork within the area which is kinda cool. If I could choose again today I would probably choose the Bungle Bungles or the Ningaloo Reef, I never can make my mind up lol.

I couldnt find any photos which show the Ningaloo Reef clearly.

Most: Maya Riviera or Paris

Least: Utah

b3xy said:

PurpleJedi said:

Do tell-!

I spent ages trying to decide one area of Northern and Western Australia I probably ended up picking Kakadu because it was one of the first areas in the Tropics of Australia where I spent some time exploring, it has some amazing waterholes and scenery. Also there are alot of examples of Aboriginal artwork within the area which is kinda cool. If I could choose again today I would probably choose the Bungle Bungles or the Ningaloo Reef, I never can make my mind up lol.

I couldnt find any photos which show the Ningaloo Reef clearly.

That looks amazing.

sextonseven said:

PurpleJedi said:

I have to admit that besides the usual tourist traps (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Times Square) there's very little that's "exotic" about NYC. I presume its the same reason for London getting "least" votes as well.

Now...if you come to town with a suitcase full of money...then you'll find NYC to be your favorite place in the whole world!

Looks exotic to me. All I'm saying is there are lots of other cities in the states that have much less to offer in terms of foreign character than NYC.

Yes, Chinatown is cool.

BUT...you do realize taht practically every major city in the world has its own "Chinatown" or "Little Tokyo" or "Little Russia"...I don't necessarily equate foreign character as a testament to the city's "exotic" character. But that's just ME. I would consider Rio de Janeiro as "exotic" for the juxtaposition of beach/skyscrapers/palm trees/giant Jesus statue overlooking the whole thing.

But again...that's just me.

PurpleJedi said:

sextonseven said:

Looks exotic to me. All I'm saying is there are lots of other cities in the states that have much less to offer in terms of foreign character than NYC.

Yes, Chinatown is cool.

BUT...you do realize taht practically every major city in the world has its own "Chinatown" or "Little Tokyo" or "Little Russia"...I don't necessarily equate foreign character as a testament to the city's "exotic" character. But that's just ME. I would consider Rio de Janeiro as "exotic" for the juxtaposition of beach/skyscrapers/palm trees/giant Jesus statue overlooking the whole thing.

But again...that's just me.

No, every major city does not have ALL the ethnic neigborhoods that New York has. I think people are jsut being lazy when they say New York City. That or they haven't traveled much within the U.S.

And exotic is defined precisely as foreign character so to not equate the word with that I find strange.

Most - The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Least - Athens (Georgia, USA)

Most - Huahine in French Polynesia, Tahiti. The southern part (top of pic below) was spectacularly beautiful.

Least - Hamilton, NZ?

[Edited 7/6/11 3:15am]

Most exotic, Katoomba Sydney NSW, a great walk around the hills and cliffs. I got lost but awesome views

[img:$uid]http://i53.tinypic.com/2w2g5tj.jpg[/img:$uid]

Yes I went on the cable

Least exotic, Balclutha South Otago New Zealand, went there on a daytrip when I was staying Dunedin, on a Sunday everything closed including the dairy (7eleven or general store to all you Yanks). Balclutha has 2,000 people but the mainstreet looked like tumbling tumbleweeds

[img:$uid]http://i51.tinypic.com/116symh.jpg[/img:$uid]

This is a midwinter shot, but summer it dosen't look different except shorter shadows and leaves on the trees

[Edited 7/11/11 19:03pm]

sextonseven said:

PurpleJedi said:

Yes, Chinatown is cool.

BUT...you do realize taht practically every major city in the world has its own "Chinatown" or "Little Tokyo" or "Little Russia"...I don't necessarily equate foreign character as a testament to the city's "exotic" character. But that's just ME. I would consider Rio de Janeiro as "exotic" for the juxtaposition of beach/skyscrapers/palm trees/giant Jesus statue overlooking the whole thing.

But again...that's just me.

No, every major city does not have ALL the ethnic neigborhoods that New York has. I think people are jsut being lazy when they say New York City. That or they haven't traveled much within the U.S.

And exotic is defined precisely as foreign character so to not equate the word with that I find strange.

You are right...NYC is amazing in that you can find just about every nation on earth represented within its five boroughs.

But when you go visit NYC as a tourist...are you going to look for an Azherbajanii restaurant, or look for something that says "New York"? That's why Times Square is bustling. That's why lines for the Top of the Rock are so long. That's why South Street Seaport teems with people.

Is it being "lazy"? I dunno. Maybe it's just a lack of information for the average joe? Maybe we just need a better Tourism Information department to spread the word and encourage visitors to see the fringes of our city?

PREDOMINANT said:

Most - The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Least - Athens (Georgia, USA)

What prompted you to visit the Galapagos? I envision scientists & photographers going there & no one else.

But I'm sure it was amazing!

mynameisnotsusan said:

Most - Huahine in French Polynesia, Tahiti. The southern part (top of pic below) was spectacularly beautiful.

Least - Hamilton, NZ?

TAHITI....

PurpleJedi said:

PREDOMINANT said:

Most - The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Least - Athens (Georgia, USA)

What prompted you to visit the Galapagos? I envision scientists & photographers going there & no one else.

But I'm sure it was amazing!

As a professional scientist and amateur photographer I thought it would be a nice place to drag my wife on Honeymoon.

It was truly amazing, nature untouched, or at least partially.

PurpleJedi said:

You are right...NYC is amazing in that you can find just about every nation on earth represented within its five boroughs.

But when you go visit NYC as a tourist...are you going to look for an Azherbajanii restaurant, or look for something that says "New York"? That's why Times Square is bustling. That's why lines for the Top of the Rock are so long. That's why South Street Seaport teems with people.

sextonseven said:

And except for Chinatown, the above neighborhoods are not places a tourist would normally visit unless they are of the same ethnicity as the people living there.

So we agree!

PurpleJedi said:

Is it being "lazy"? I dunno. Maybe it's just a lack of information for the average joe? Maybe we just need a better Tourism Information department to spread the word and encourage visitors to see the fringes of our city?

We both know NYC is not the most exotic city in the world or even the U.S., but if it's the least exotic city you've seen then you don't travel much or all the other places you've visited must be in fantastic locales.

sextonseven said:

PurpleJedi said:

You are right...NYC is amazing in that you can find just about every nation on earth represented within its five boroughs.

But when you go visit NYC as a tourist...are you going to look for an Azherbajanii restaurant, or look for something that says "New York"? That's why Times Square is bustling. That's why lines for the Top of the Rock are so long. That's why South Street Seaport teems with people.

So we agree!

PurpleJedi said:

Is it being "lazy"? I dunno. Maybe it's just a lack of information for the average joe? Maybe we just need a better Tourism Information department to spread the word and encourage visitors to see the fringes of our city?

We both know NYC is not the most exotic city in the world or even the U.S., but if it's the least exotic city you've seen then you don't travel much or all the other places you've visited must be in fantastic locales.

Well I just mentioned it on a later post and not on my original list, but I think I was the first one who mentioned it on the thread. I have travelled to about 20 countries in my life and not all places I have been to were outstanding. But like I said I just had higher expectations for NYC than for other places I have travelled to. And I could imagine it might be the same for others too which could be an additional reason for people mentioning NYC here.

Serious said:

sextonseven said:

We both know NYC is not the most exotic city in the world or even the U.S., but if it's the least exotic city you've seen then you don't travel much or all the other places you've visited must be in fantastic locales.

Well I just mentioned it on a later post and not on my original list, but I think I was the first one who mentioned it on the thread. I have travelled to about 20 countries in my life and not all places I have been to were outstanding. But like I said I just had higher expectations for NYC than for other places I have travelled to.

Then you did not answer the question truthfully.