The Top 20 Travel Destinations You've (Probably) Never Heard Of

Some travel trends come and go, but we're always on the lookout for new and unusual destinations that feel a little bit "off the beaten track".

So it's definitely interesting to check out Hostelworld's just-released list of up-and-coming global destinations, which the millennial travel brand compiled by calculating which places saw the biggest increase in bookings from British travellers between 2017 and 2018.

The island of Coron in the Philippines is top of the list with a staggering 2,016% increase in bookings. Nusa Lembongan, an island southeast of Bali in Indonesia, places second, followed by the small and very beautiful town of Ella in Sri Lanka.

Catriona Flood of Hostelworld said of the list: "While regions such as Southeast Asia are likely to always remain popular with backpackers, young people are looking to push the geographical boundaries even further on their quest for once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

"That sense of heading somewhere others haven’t heard of is intriguing and appealing. People are often drawn to new destinations because they’re keen to come home with exciting tales of beautiful, undiscovered locations they can surprise and delight their friends or family with.

"Technology has made it easier than ever to research accommodation and plan activities in destinations previously unexplored by tourists. Having  reliable  information at the tips of their fingers gives people confidence to explore further afield, and we’re seeing more and more people booking on-the-go."

Several destinations closer to home also feature on the list, including Verona in Italy, Istanbul in Turkey and Tbilisi in Georgia. Check out Instagram pictures shared by travellers who've visited the top 20 destinations in the slideshow.