Originally Posted by
Zephyrous
In terms of crowds however, the problem is that you are very accurately describing pretty much any major seaside and photogenic destination. From Santorini to Positano to Tulum (and with a myriad of places in between) tourist destinations that were already exceptionally busy with groups and tourists have now become even more so to the point that it detracts from the experience so much so that it defeats the purpose of going there for a relaxing seaside/beach holiday altogether.
I can't say I agree totally. I have not been to Santorini (going in August), but I was recently in Tulum. There is a VERY long and appealing stretch of beach. You can pop out of your hotel and relax on the white sand or go swimming. There aren't tour buses or ferries arriving all the time with loads of people coming to shop or take photos, and there are a large variety of restaurants and bars to stay entertained at night. Surely it is more built up and crowded now than 20 years ago, but I don't think it suffers in the same way that Positano does. For me the issues with Positano are 1. All the hotels at pretty much any price point are a poor value. 2. Aside from Music on The Rocks, there's essentially nothing to do at night, and Music on The Rocks is terrible. 3. Right in the center, I don't find there to be a great variety of restaurants, and it's so compact that there's not much "strolling" to be done. 4. The beach is simply not appealing at all.
It's cool to see it the first time, the tiered appearance of the town is striking, but once you've become used to that, there's not much more. I never felt "bored" in that way in Tulum, because we could always tan, go for a walk along the beach or go for a swim, since the beach there (when the seaweed problem isn't crushing) is actually nice. Positano is like a beach destination without a nice beach. My 2 cents anyway.