Around the world, there are several tiny places that for one reason or another, most people recognise. Stratford-upon-Avon, Lourdes and Waterloo fall into that category.
But what about the flipside – the enormous cities that only the most ardent map geeks can bring to mind? Well, there are plenty of them – giant metropoles of more than two million people that leave the bulk of us thinking: “What? Where?”
Here are just nine of them.
Kano, Nigeria: Ancient trading hub
Where? Northern Nigeria
Nigeria’s second largest city is home to around 3.6 million people. To say it’s not much of a tourist city would be a dramatic understatement.
That said, the dye pits are worth a look. They’re over 500 years old, and it’s easy enough to arrange a guide to take you round them.
These traditional indigo dye pits represent one of Africa’s oldest continuous industrial processes.
Dongguan, China: Manufacturing megacity
Where? About 55km east of Guangzhou in southern China
Dongguan is effectively a collection of towns that would still be regarded as fairly major cities elsewhere. Around 8.2 million people live there, and there’s a major manufacturing focus.
Well, on the clean side of things there is, anyway – Dongguan has a rather seedy reputation for sex industries. For visitors, however, there is one attraction worthy of attention.
The Opium War Museum tells of the battles that effectively kicked off the global drugs trade. This museum provides crucial historical context for understanding China’s modern development.
Medan, Indonesia: Sumatran gateway
Where? Northern Sumatra, Indonesia
Near the northern end of Sumatra, Medan is the largest Indonesian city outside Java. It has around 2.1 million residents, but for visitors it tends to be used as a transit hub at best.
And that’s being charitable. The nearby Vihara Maha Maitreya temple is supposedly the biggest Buddhist temple in South-East Asia.
There are also a few nice examples of colonial Dutch architecture and a couple of water parks. But otherwise, it’s a “challenging”, “gritty” city more known for its prodigious levels of caked-in dirt and open sewers.
Medan serves primarily as a gateway to Sumatra’s natural attractions rather than a destination in itself.
Ningbo, China: Ancient port city
Where? Lying south of Hangzhou Bay from Shanghai
Ningbo is a massive port and industrial hub in Eastern China. Around 7.6 million people live within the city’s admittedly large administrative area.
But unlike many of China’s obscure megacities, Ningbo has a fairly strong heritage. Once on the Silk Road trading route, Ningbo’s tourist attractions showcase its historical importance.
Key sites include:
- Tianyi Pavilion – an ornate library dating back to 1561
- 14th century Tianfeng Pagoda – ancient architectural marvel
- Several historic temples reflecting Chinese spiritual heritage
Mashhad, Iran: Shiite pilgrimage centre
Where? North-eastern Iran
In the north-east of Iran, with around 2.7 million inhabitants, Mashhad is an important place of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims. The tomb of Imam Reza pulls in millions every year.
Because of this, it is surprisingly well set up for tourism. Although there isn’t all that much to lure in non-Muslim visitors, besides a string of rather lovely parks and a handy position between two mountain ranges.
Within Iran, Mashhad is renowned as the birthplace of many poets and writers. The cultural leanings are nodded to with a series of often-quirky sculptures and statues around the city.
Surat, India: Diamond cutting capital
Where? Western India, Gujarat state
Once a major Indian trading port for the Portuguese then British empires, Surat is a big diamond cutting and textiles hub. Around 4.5 million people live there.
But there’s little for visitors to get excited about beyond a fairly generic aquarium-zoo-science museum combo. A few temples and gardens complete the limited tourist offerings.
Pune, India: Colonial heritage city
Where? Maharashtra state, near Mumbai
Overshadowed by nearby Mumbai, Pune was a fairly major colonial army base under British rule. Now, some of the old buildings remain, but they’re swarmed by signs of India’s modern economic boom and around 3.1 million people.
Unusually for this list, the city has a decent tourist pull. Several attractions make Pune worth visiting for travellers interested in Indian culture and spirituality.
Key destinations include diverse cultural and spiritual sites such as:
- Aga Khan Palace – historic architectural significance
- Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum – eclectic collection of random artefacts
- Osho International Meditation Resort – flashily over-the-top yoga facility
- Colonial architecture scattered throughout the city
Belo Horizonte, Brazil: Planned modern city
Where? Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil
Football fans may recognise Belo Horizonte as the city where Germany thrashed Brazil 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup semi-final. It’s a 20th century planned city – Brazil’s sixth largest – with a population of around 2.5 million people.
A couple of decent museums plus some striking examples of modern architecture are amongst the slim pickings for visitors. The city represents Brazil’s urban planning ambitions from the early 1900s.
Ekurhuleni, South Africa: Airport conurbation
Where? Eastern Gauteng Province, surrounding Johannesburg’s airport
Few will have heard of Ekurhuleni, but quite a lot will have been there. It’s where Johannesburg’s Oliver Tambo International Airport is found.
It’s more of a conurbation than a city, with several rather anonymous towns and townships clustered together. Despite 3.2 million people living there, there’s a staggering lack of attractions for visitors.
Let’s put it this way – I looked at two South Africa guide books and found nothing. Even Wikitravel, which usually lists any old church or temple, had absolutely nothing in the “Do” section.
Still, nice airport – and Charlize Theron was born there.
