Insta vs reality: beyond the money shot

The ‘gram is great for travel inspiration, but it can also crank up expectations. In truth, behind every glossy photo is a living, breathing place with real life unfolding beyond the frame – the beauty of travel is seeing it from all angles. 

Let’s go from the money shot to the look-closer moments. Here’s what else not to miss in these Insta-famous destinations.

Dome sweet dome: Santorini

The wow shot: A sunset selfie at Oia’s blue domed churches from the viewpoint by the Panagia Platsani Church on the main street.

The wow experience: After the cruise crowds leave, it’s as if the velvet rope lifts – and Oia is all yours. Wander the marble-paved lanes, pop into boutiques aglow in the evening light and soak up the glamour. Dinner could be somewhere low-key like Kookoo Café Lounge Bar up to a celebratory candlelit feast at the ultra-luxe Lure at Mystique, A Luxury Collection Hotel, where tables spill down cascading steps for one of the most atmospheric meals in Santorini.

Top tip: Visit Pyrgos or Emporio for quieter Cycladic charm and almost identical views.

Bali-eve the hype

The wow shot: Standing between the split ‘Gates of Heaven’ with the famous reflection pool effect at Lempuyang Temple in East Bali.

The wow experience: Bali’s Eat Pray Love energy is the real deal, if you know where to look. In Sidemen Valley, rice fields roll into the hills and local life leads the way. Stay at Wape Di Ume Sideman and you can join a guided walk to learn how rice is cultivated, or sit with locals and weave coconut leaves into beautiful keepsakes.

Top tip: Head north to the volcanic shores of Lovina for dolphin-spotting boat trips and a slower pace of island life. We love The Lovina Bali.

Out in the blue: The Maldives

The wow shot: That hammock-over-the-lagoon shot, complete with a floppy sunhat and a flawless tan.

The wow experience: It’s nature, not design, that makes the biggest impression here. The silk-soft feel of white sand underfoot, a sky bursting with stars, gold-dipped sunsets and water so clear it’s like floating through glass. Spot reef sharks from the boardwalk, snorkel with technicolour fish and wake to birdsong in the palms. The Maldives is paradise in high definition – the resort luxury is just a very lovely bonus.

Top tip: Step off the resort for a day and visit a local island to see a more authentic side of Maldivian life.

Lights, Camera, Manhattan

The wow shot: The New York skyline, Empire State front and centre, snapped from the Top of the Rock at sunset.

The wow experience: The character of New York lives in its neighbourhoods, so by all means check out Times Square, but save time for the places that locals love. Listen to live jazz over soul food in Harlem, wander Williamsburg’s indie coffee shops and waterfront parks or explore Brooklyn’s leafy brownstone streets. It’s not the version of the Big Apple you’ll find on a fridge magnet – and that’s the point.

Top tip: Book a hotel with a rooftop pool or terrace like 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge – there’s no better way to take in the city’s energy from above.

Colour popped: Cinque Terre, Italy

The wow shot: Rainbow-coloured cliffside houses stacked above the Ligurian Sea, snapped from the harbour viewpoint in Manarola, Cinque Terre’s most Instagrammed angle.

The wow experience: Wake early and head out with a local skipper for a sunrise fishing trip – it feels a world away from the packed village paths. Later, visit a hillside vineyard above Manarola to sample Sciacchetrà, the region’s prized dessert wine, made from sun-dried grapes and centuries-old traditions.

Top tip: Hop on the ferry to tiny Palmaria Island for coastal trails and crystal coves – far quieter than the Cinque Terre villages.

Balloon magic: Cappadocia, Turkey

The wow shot: Sunrise hot air balloons drifting over fairy chimneys – best snapped from the Göreme viewpoint.

The wow experience: Stay a few nights and you’ll quickly see there’s more to Cappadocia than balloon photos. Beyond the iconic vistas, there are hiking trails that wind through surreal rock formations, quiet orchards and fresco-filled cave churches. Don’t miss the chance to go below the surface at Kaymakli, where people once lived in multilevel cave networks.

Top tip: It’s not all hiking and history. Boutique hotels like Cappadocia Cave Resort feature spas with Turkish baths and hammams in extraordinary settings.

White Isle wonders: Ibiza

The wow shot: A clifftop pose at Café del Mar, cocktail in hand, as the sun sinks into the sea. 

The wow experience: Swap the club crowds for the cobbled streets of Ibiza’s UNESCO-listed old town. Climb the ramparts of Dalt Vila then head to S’Escalinata – part bar, part staircase hangout, with beanbags, mismatched glasses and a soundtrack of live music.

Top tip: Hire a car and spend a day exploring Ibiza’s rural north – all orange groves, roadside farm stalls and sleepy villages with a boho edge.

Think pink: Barbados

The wow shot: Sandy Lane’s pink sunbeds: white sand, pale blue seas and a discreetly glamorous crowd.

The wow experience: Barbados isn’t just beautiful. It’s the locals who bring it to life. Ride a reggae bus with the music blasting and the windows down, a fast and fun way to cross the island. Catch a spirited village cricket match, complete with fast bowling and even faster sideline banter. And make sure you head to the Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday night – expect sizzling seafood, live calypso and the rum cocktails flowing.

Top tip: Skip the crowds and head east to Bathsheba. Wild Atlantic waves, giant rock formations and a local surfer vibe worlds away from the west coast scene.

This article was created on 5th August 2025. The information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Feature by Heather Flanagan.