Lonely Planet: Top Tourist Hot Spots Worth The Crowds
Oct 19, 2012, 10:42 am
#16
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As others have said, for me it depends on how much of a crowd we're talking about. The Eiffel Tower is nice, and absolutely worth half an hour to an hour or so in line in decent weather. But two hours or more, in the August tourist stampede in a heatwave? No thanks.
I also try to go outside of the main season when visiting places like these. The Vatican in April for example was no problem at all.
I also try to go outside of the main season when visiting places like these. The Vatican in April for example was no problem at all.
Oct 19, 2012, 11:29 am
#17
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As others have said, for me it depends on how much of a crowd we're talking about. The Eiffel Tower is nice, and absolutely worth half an hour to an hour or so in line in decent weather. But two hours or more, in the August tourist stampede in a heatwave? No thanks.
I also try to go outside of the main season when visiting places like these. The Vatican in April for example was no problem at all.
I also try to go outside of the main season when visiting places like these. The Vatican in April for example was no problem at all.
Oct 19, 2012, 5:22 pm
#18
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A good guide can help a lot also. When we were at Angkor Wat we had a private guide and he changed the schedule around from what the tour company had issued to hit off times with crowds. Also, for one of the temples he had the driver drop us somewhere and we walked through the jungle for a mile or so to get to the temple from the back, not coming in from the main entrance which he said would give us a very different experience than going in with the tour buses at the front. It seemed to really work.
Oct 20, 2012, 4:49 pm
#19
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Oct 20, 2012, 5:27 pm
#20
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I'm not sure that there's anything on this planet worth braving a crowd, and I most definitely will not purposely wait in a queue for anything. Insofar as the Grand Canyon, visiting the north rim or going during the winter avoids the crowds entirely.
Oct 20, 2012, 9:16 pm
#21
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
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Very true. When I visited Cairo, our guide claimed to know the people in charge at the pyramids. No idea if this was true, but she did manage to get us to the front of the line to the Great Pyramid with no hassle and we got inside with no wait at all. No extra charge, but would have happily payed...
Oct 21, 2012, 2:49 am
#22
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No, the entire Baksheesh family was still at the Hurghada airport circling the tourist buses. The Cairo bunch must have been distant relatives. 
Seriously though, I was pleasantly surprised about how (relatively) calm things were around the pyramids. Crowds and people selling stuff everywhere, sure, but I had expected much worse.
Seriously though, I was pleasantly surprised about how (relatively) calm things were around the pyramids. Crowds and people selling stuff everywhere, sure, but I had expected much worse.
Oct 21, 2012, 7:37 am
#23
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I am guessing that in 1999, tourism hadn't quite picked up in Cambodia like it has in recent years??? I was in Cambodia about 3-4 years ago.