Welcome back to Underrated Cities, bringing you unexpected (and occasionally controversial) ideas for your next destination.
There's something thrilling about being on an island – knowing you can go coast to coast in a day, knowing you could get to know all the locals if you really tried... and also knowing that the weather can flip wild in an instant.
So this week, we've got three islands – pretty different from each other, but generating that same deep excitement within.
Know a city that's criminally underrated and should be featured in a deeply excellent email series? Hit reply and let us know your top tip.
In the meantime, find your next destination below... |
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Mild climate? Check.
Dramatic cliffs and lush mountains? Check.
Madeira wine? Obviously, check.
Funchal, the main city on the Portuguese island of Madeira, is an underrated haven that'll leave you feeling like you're in the middle of nowhere – in the best possible way.
The most unique activity on the island is hiking the levadas – small canals dug mostly for transporting water, but which double as a 2500km (1553mi) network of hiking trails.
Our tip: Be ready for the screams of your fellow passengers on your flight's final approach. You've been warned. |
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You probably know to avoid Honolulu (is that a controversial opinion...?), but then the question is: where DO you go in Hawaii?
One very good answer is: Hilo.
More affordable, more laid back, and with a frankly ridiculous collection of volcanos and other mind-blowing natural attractions, Hilo is a massively underrated destination.
Does it rain a lot in Hilo? Yeah. Does that matter when you're scuba diving with giant sea turtles? It does not.
Our tip: check out Tynan's list of places to eat (...we know he's got great taste because he's an OG Minaal owner!)
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As the largest town on the lesser known half of Trinidad and Tobago, Scarborough is an ideal base to explore the island.
And what an island! If you're in a mood to relax, lounge in (...on?) Nylon Pool, a submerged sandbar off the coast of Pigeon Point. Or if you're feeling energetic, hike through Main Ridge Forest Reserve, one of the Caribbean's most pristine tracts of tropical rainforest.
Our tip: After you've had your fill of snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and history... head to Scarborough's Blue Crab for a hearty, authentic Tobagonian meal (featuring barracuda, king fish, plantain, or whatever else is available on the day). Wash it all down with some T&T rum – or lemon lime & bitters, if that's your style.
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Our rec for the Minaal gear best suited to these destinations?
You'll want to reach the hidden spots, but carry the essentials.
So of course, it's the Crossbody 2.0. |
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"Now I have it, I don’t know how or why I went so long without.
It perfectly fits all the little essentials I’d rather not load my pockets with.
The perfect utility piece."
- D.T. |
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Got a city you think is underrated? Hit reply!
Let's get planning,
J, D, & the Minaal team |
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