Social Media vs. Reality: Famous Destinations That Don’t Live Up to Influencer Hype

Social media is both a blessing and a curse. Influencers share incredible places around the world, but those that start as “off the beaten path” quickly become overrun with visitors flocking to them to see what all the fuss is about. More often than not, social media lies to them and they leave disappointed. Here are some examples of how reality doesn’t always live up to social media expectations!

Shibuya Sky Sans Views

Many people love to visit Tokyo, and like many other large cities, Tokyo features tons of skyscrapers. One viewpoint, Shibuya Sky, is really popular with tourists for the gorgeous views, both from the escalators and from the observatory room.

However, should you happen to visit on a foggy day, you're going to be really disappointed with the view. Both the escalators and elevators are also often so full that there's no way you'll get as cool of an experience as the person in the first photo had.

Large Crowds in Luxor

If you're going to visit Egypt, chances are you're not going to see the modern-day culture. Rather, you're going to see the famous sites of Ancient Egypt, like the Luxor Temple with its vast pillars.

Unfortunately, the reality is a location that's not only hot, but so jammed with visitors that you don't even get a chance to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings. Surely the Ancient Egyptians didn't have to deal with crowds like that!

The Sea Is Unpredictable

Many of us have romanticized ideas about cruises. We think we're going to enjoy the sunny, open sea while living out a real-life Titanic love story, minus the unfortunate ending - like those at the beautiful dinner in the first photo.

The reality is that not even the wealthiest cruise ship owner can control the behavior of the sea, so you're just as likely to end up trying not to throw up your dinner while the ship rocks violently during a storm.

Mont Saint-Michel Misery

We'd be very surprised if you haven't heard of, or at least don't recognize, photographs of Mont Saint-Michel. The building on the island looks like a fairytale castle, but it's actually an abbey that was built hundreds of years ago.

The first photo makes it look dreamlike, but the reality is that it depends a lot on where you approach the tidal island from. Once you get a bit closer, you lose that gorgeous green grass - but you do still have the beautiful abbey!