Inside the world’s least visited countries – with no crowds, incredible coral reefs and £500 flights
Do you prefer your holiday without hordes of tourists and crowds?
If so, you’re in luck because the five least visited countries in the world have been revealed by the United Nations World Population Review.
It ranks countries by the number of visitors they see each year, and some have just a few thousand visitors, compared to popular European countries that welcome millions of visitors.
Some of these are little-known destinations thousands of kilometers away, and some are popular spots that have previously been affected by natural disasters.
Here is the list of the five least visited countries in the world…
1. Kiribati: Annual visitors 9,500
It turns out that the world’s least visited country is Kiribati
Comprised of 32 atolls and a high coral island, Kiribati is located between Australia and Hawaii and is the only country in the world that touches all four hemispheres.
‘When you try to find it on the map, you can barely tell it’s there’ World Population Review he says about the remote island nation.
According to the latest data, a maximum of 9,500 visitors come to Kiribati every year.
Kiribati also has the distinction of being the first country in the world to celebrate the New Year due to its location.
To get there, travelers can fly from Fiji to Tarawa, Kiribati, with Fiji Airways, or from neighboring Nauru to Tarawa with Nauru Airlines.
International travelers can expect a long journey. The journey from London to Tarawa can take up to 35 hours or longer.
Return flights from London start from £4,400 – but these can be rare and complex.
2. Marshall Islands: Annual visitors 6,000
In second place is the Marshall Islands, a beach paradise with a complex history.
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Should more people visit these hidden gems or would they be better preserved without mass tourism?
With approximately 6,000 visitors each year, according to the latest 2024 data, the Marshall Islands are the second least visited country in the world, consisting of 29 coral atolls and five single coral islands.
With white sandy beaches, crystal clear water and a variety of marine life and flora (including over 160 species of coral), it’s the perfect destination if you’re looking for a secluded beach holiday.
The islands also have deep roots in World War II history; It served as a Japanese base and later as a nuclear testing site for the US military.
But it’s not easy to get there from the UK; flights can cost up to £21,000 and require a journey of almost 60 hours, including waiting times in places such as Honolulu.
3. Niue: Annual visitors 9,000
Next on the list is Niue, a small island nation in the South Pacific Ocean.
Located in the South Pacific and considered one of the smallest nations in the world, Niue receives approximately 9,000 visitors annually. National Geographic.
With a population of only 1,900 tourist board says: ‘Niue is a place where it’s normal for complete strangers to wave at each other all the time. A place where nature is undisturbed… and everything is “as before”.’
It is also reported that there are no traffic lights in Niue, the roads are quiet and there are no queues.
The tourism board explains: ‘There are no traffic lights in Niue and only one gas station. Thanks to quiet roads, minimal traffic and no need to rush, you can forget about rush hour and embrace a leisurely drive. But if you have to stop at a junction it’s usually to let a flock of chickens cross the road – and rest assured they’re on island time too!’
If you still want to visit, you’ll need to think ahead.
Niue currently operates twice-weekly three-hour flights from Auckland, New Zealand, to Niue’s Hannan International Airport (IUE).
Luckily, Niue’s main city, Alofi, is less than five minutes from the airport.
Flights from the UK to Auckland start from £366 one way, from there you can travel to Niue for £160 one way – a total of £526.
4. Micronesia: Annual visitors 18,000
In fourth place is Micronesia, located in the North Pacific Ocean.
The Micronesian islands, which host only 18,000 visitors a year according to the latest figures before the pandemic, are scattered in the North Pacific Ocean, between the Marshall Islands and Palau.
The tourism board explains: ‘Spanning nearly one million square miles of ocean north of the equator, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has unparalleled cultural and biological diversity.
‘Home to the world’s largest coral reefs and some of the best pelagic fishing, FSM is a remote paradise that promises adventure, relaxation and unforgettable experiences.’
It is also home to the world’s only ancient city built on a coral reef, the UNESCO-listed Nan Madol, with ruins of stone palaces, temples and tombs dating back 1,000 years.
You can find flights from London to Chuuk from £6,170; however, you may need to stop at least twice and journeys can take up to 50 hours.
5. Montserrat: Annual visitors
Montserrat is among the five least visited countries worldwide
The mountainous Caribbean island is part of the Lesser Antilles chain and is a British Overseas Territory.
It used to be a popular tourist destination.
But a volcanic eruption in 1995 devastated the island, including the capital Plymouth, prompting two-thirds of its population to emigrate to other countries.
There are no direct flights to Montserrat, but travelers can fly to the neighboring island of Antigua and catch a ferry or plane to Montserrat.
As the cheapest option, fares start at around £1,000 for a return journey.
Fun fact? It is also the only country other than Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day as a national holiday.
