Off-limits to U.S. tourists for years—or simply off the tourist map—these otherworldly spots appeal to a growing number of travelers who want to live like locals, says Terry Dale, USTOA’s President and CEO. “There’s a sense of see-it-now, before the American coffee shops and fast-food restaurants start to open.”

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In search of “a rich culture of indigenous tribes that are open to interacting with visitors,” U.S. travelers are venturing beyond Bali and Thailand to Vietnam and Cambodia, Dale says. “Travelers are preparing food alongside locals, talking with artisans and craftspeople, and really feeling like they’ve gotten to know a local culture.”

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Myanmar, an authentic-travel standout, has captured first place on USTOA’s survey for the
past three years. “Myanmar is like stepping into an untouched, undiscovered world,” says
Dawne Andrews, product manager, Exotics at Tauck, which launched its first Myanmar
journey this year. “There are few places left in the world where you’re still the outsider.”

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USTOA’s second-place winner, Cuba, is in the midst of a restoration boom, Andrews says.
“When I first arrived in 2011, Havana was in such a state of disrepair. Beautiful buildings
were crumbling. Every time I go back, there is more work being done on their restoration.”

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“Now is the time to go to Cuba,” adds Joanne Gardner, senior brand manager for Tauck’s land programs. “It will change. It will have a different feel.” Indeed, the race is on to get to all these cutting-edge destinations before their authentic and historic cultures vanish—“before the rest
of the world gets there,” as Dale says.