Holidaymakers shame the iconic tourist destinations that fail to live up to the picture postcards

DREAM holiday destinations can sometimes be a bit of a let-down - especially when the reality of an iconic spot fails to live up to their picture-perfect reputation seen in glossy mags and on TV.

Fed up with being let down, travel enthusiasts on Quora have shared their experiences of this miserable phenomenon, naming and shaming the destinations that they consider "not worth the effort".

So, before booking your next holiday, maybe take a look at the some of these famous locations in the cold, hard un-Instagrammed light of day...

Bangkok, Thailand

For experienced traveller Petter Brenna Rian, a trip to Thailand left him disappointed to say the least.

Along with scamming taxi drivers, constant noise and pestering strangers, the swamps of tourists ruined Rian's impression of the nation's capital.

"Tourists everywhere," Rian said.

"Especially young, white party people. Avoid tourist attractions and other popular places.

"It's disturbing to see the old white men holding hands with barely legal Thai girls."

Copenhagen, Denmark

One of the most iconic features of the Danish city is it's Little Mermaid statue, gifted more than 100 years ago to the city by beer manufacturer Carlsberg.

But according to Indian traveller Ripan Dutta, it is nothing more than a publicity stunt.

"It was just another marketing gimmick to increase their sales and brand value," Dutta said.

"It was raining and very cold the day I visited this statue and after the efforts that I took to reach there, it was just not worth it."

BaDaLing section, Great Wall of China

One of the seven wonders of the modern world, the Great Wall is something most avid travellers have on their bucket list.

But if you're going to make the trip out to the mammoth structure, make sure you don't do what former Chinese resident Stephen Gilbo did on his first visit to the BaDaLing section - the most commonly visited section of the Great Wall.

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"The first time I did exactly what every tourist and their tour groups did:  Went up the stairs to the right," Gilbo said.

"After a painfully slow and hot trek, I found the entire reason people went this particular direction on the wall was to see some scribbles of Mao Ze Dong on a section of the wall. Interesting in some respects, I guess, but not worth the crowds."

Rio de Janerio, Brazil

According to veteran traveller of more than 50 countries Deepak Shukla, Rio is no place to settle down.

After living in the Brazilian capital for just three months, Shukla busted a number of common stereotypes that eventually put him off Rio de Janerio.

"The 'blonde haired blue eyed models' of the beach and cities DON'T REALLY EXIST," he said.

"It's dangerous, it's poor.

"The locals don't care about the Cristo Del Rey, models or 'the good life'; they're too busy surviving.

"The service is terrible in many restaurants and it's monstrously hot in the summer.

"I wouldn't be happy having any female family member walk around alone at night."

Stonehenge, England

Undoubtedly one of Britain's most globally recognised tourist attractions, Stonehenge is as historical as it is mysterious.

But at the end of the day, is it really much more than a pile of rocks?

Natalie Worlow didn't think so.

"Stonehenge was a bit of a letdown," she wrote in the forum.

"I mean, it was still neat to see, just because I've heard about it my entire life and it is so ancient -- and looking at it, you really do wonder how in the world it was constructed.

"But it was such a trek to get out there -- first, from London to Salisbury; then, from Salisbury to the visitor's centre in the middle of nowhere; then a further drive from the visitor's centre to the actual monument -- that once you actually get out there it's just like, 'Yep, those are some big stones'."

Giza, Egypt

The great pyramids of Giza are a sight the top of the list of almost every avid traveller.

But they too struggle to live up to their enormous reputation.

According to globe trotter Stephen Chollet, the experience is simply "annoying".

"Most photos show them (the pyramids) as big, beautiful landmarks alone on the Giza Plateau," he wrote.

"In person, they are surrounded by city, trash is everywhere, tour buses are all around, people are selling cheap tchotchke, and they have annoying light shows with music at night."

Venice, Italy

Pictured as one of the most romantic cities in the world, Venice sees millions of tourists walk along its canals each year.

According to another Quora user, however, the city with no roads isn't all it's cracked up to be.

"I thought Venice was a huge let down," traveller Kartik Ayyar said.

"It was smelly, expensive and it was a tourist trap.

"Getting around was really slow.

"The water doesn't look anywhere near as good as it does in such photos. It's a muddy green as shown below."

Disgruntled travellers have also shared their experiences on TripAdvisor's review forum - and some are plain hilarious.

See the top 10 most bizarre TripAdvisor reviews the internet has to offer.