INTERNATIONAL tourism reached about 90% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, and if you visited any popular destination over the summer, you’d probably argue it was more crowded than ever.

So maybe it’s time to look at places that are still largely undiscovered, or alluring in the offseason, or frequently overlooked for their larger first cities or neighbors. Maybe it’s time to head to places that are making it easier for tourists to visit and those that pay close attention to encouraging sustainable tourism. Here are some choices in that light.

Sumba, Indonesia

For those looking for a beach destination that prioritizes community consciousness and sustainability, the Indonesian island of Sumba delivers.

With its remote villages, untouched forests, ancient rituals and world-class surf breaks, Sumba is the perfect antidote to the crowds of Bali, which is just an hour’s flight away. It might not be internationally famous yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s small. Sumba is more than 10,000 square kilometers — twice the size of Bali.

It was the Nihi Sumba resort that brought this island into luxury seekers’ sights when it first opened in 2012. More than a decade on, Sumba has welcomed several new luxury eco-resorts. These include The Sanubari, a series of beachfront villas that opened in 2022, and Cap Karoso, located at the island’s southwest.

Tainan, Taiwan

Celebrating its 400th anniversary this year, Tainan has become a tourism hotspot in the Chinese island province. This southern city has surpassed Taipei, to boast the highest overall hotel occupancy rate in Taiwan in the past two years.

What makes it so special? Tainan is considered a street food paradise and is loved for its beef soups and oyster omelets, otherworldly natural landscapes (check out Tsao Shan Moon World), scenic sunsets over salt farms, colorful old temples and cool new museums.

It was also listed among Booking.com’s top 10 sustainable tourism destinations in 2023.

South Korea

With word that “Squid Game” — the most-watched show on Netflix — is set to return with a new season this year, it’s time again to embrace the K-wave.

Thankfully, travel to the country is easier than ever before. The government is waiving its K-ETA requirement — the electronic travel visa for South Korea — for travelers from 22 countries and regions till the end of 2024 as part of its Visit Korea Year campaign. The list includes Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as well as many EU countries.

South Korea is a country that truly has it all. After exploring futuristic cities such as Seoul and Busan, the cultural and historic side of old Korea awaits at Andong, dubbed the “Spirit of South Korea,” or the seven cemeteries of the ancient Gaya Tumuli, newly inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023.

Abrolhos Islands, Australia

Every year there’s another installment in the soap opera surrounding the Great Barrier Reef — will it be de-listed by UNESCO? Has the coral regrowth gone well this season?

For tourists who’d rather not wade into the situation, there’s another way to experience some of Australia’s gorgeous underwater bounty. About 60 kilometers off the coast of western Australia, the lesser-known Abrolhos Islands are home to some of the most beautiful scenery of the country’s Coral Coast, above and below the water.

Humpback whales pass through in the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, and lucky travelers may catch a glimpse of Australian sea lions. There are no hotels on the islands, so intrepid visitors can either overnight in the town of Geraldton or splash out for a liveaboard boat, which provides opportunities to watch brilliant sunsets over the Indian Ocean and scuba dive in the early hours when the fish are at their most active.

Singapore’s offshore islands

The city-state of Singapore shows urbanism at its finest: biophilic skyscrapers, neon-lit supertrees and six-star hotels all outdoing each other to redefine “luxury.” But venturing off the peninsula is quickly becoming a more interesting option.

Singapore is developing some of its smaller, uninhabited islands by not developing them. Just a ferry ride away from the mainland, Lazarus Island is now home to a few rentable tiny houses made with reconstituted wood and powered by solar energy. Nearby, Sisters’ Island will open the country’s first marine park —including a sea turtle hatchery and coral protection area — in 2024.

Already open for exploring is St. John’s Island, where a 2.7-km trail highlights native plants and flowers while shining a light on the island’s colorful history, which included a period as a quarantine center during a cholera outbreak. It’s a fitting place to think about life after a pandemic.

Uzbekistan

Before the pandemic, Uzbekistan was poised to be the next big thing in travel thanks to a series of ambitious reforms to transform the country into a world-class destination.

Now, its time has finally come.

Offering visa-free access (between 30-90 days) to citizens of 86 countries, Uzbekistan’s untouched landscapes and well-preserved architecture are waiting to awe visitors. Chinese citizens are allowed a visa-free stay in the country for 10 days.

For greater insights into Uzbekistan’s position at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, a historic trade route that ran from China and India to the Mediterranean, the cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva await. Meanwhile, the mountainous Uzbek village of Sentob — about 3.5 hours’ travel from Samarkand — was added to UNESCO’s list of “Best Tourism Villages” in 2023. It’s been cited for its commitment to sustainable development, with a focus on nature, organic food and eco tourism.

Getting around the country is easy thanks to the high-speed Afrosiyob Express train, connecting capital Tashkent with Samarkand and Bukhara. (SD-Agencies)