'I visited 1 of Africa's most underrated countries begging for tourists - it's unique'

is jam-packed with breathtaking landscapes, untouched beaches, and settlements that have retained their original beauty. While some countries, including Tanzania, Morocco and Egypt, are already attracting large crowds of tourists, there are still some incredible spots yet to be discovered by most.

Travel blogger Claudia Tavani, who runs the blog , has been enchanted by one such destination. Born and raised in Cagliari, the main city on the stunning Italian island of , Claudia has seen her fair share of beautiful beaches, but a recent trip to , a country on the southwest coast of West Africa, catapulted her into a whole new world for tourism.

"I've been to many different countries and, despite the discomfort of the country, I have really fond memories [of Sierra Leone]," she told the Express. "It's a really unique place."

She continued: "In many cases, you go to Africa and you're expecting luxury and this is the opposite of luxury - it's very rugged. It's the real Africa, it's very genuine."

Claudia revealed that, unlike destinations such as Majorca or Tenerife where locals are , the people of Sierra Leone were very friendly and are actively trying to build community tourism and offer visitors a different experience in Africa, to learn more about their culture and issues.

She said: "They really want the tourists, they understand the potential a responsible tourist development can have for the country and its people. They want the opportunities that tourism can bring."

But despite tourism being in its infancy in Sierra Leone, Claudia was surprised at just how much tourism was in place, especially in , the country's capital. This is the first stop of most tourists, as the city is home to the country's sole international airport.

Claudia said: "There are good , there are some restaurants - largely run by the Lebanese community - which are good. There are museums, you can visit anthropology museums, or those that explain the history of the country, including the war".

Between 1991 and 2002, the country was gripped by a civil war, when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) attempted to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government. Some 2.5 million were displaced during the conflict and between 50,000 and 70,000 were killed.

Unsurprisingly, travel to Sierra Leone was discouraged during this period. By the time she Claudia visited, while the fighting had ceased, proof of the conflict was still very much visible.

She recounted that she had seen many locals who had been war casualties and that her guide had been a child during the conflict: "He told us of how he had to hide a few times, it was basically 'either I hide and pretend I'm dead, or I'm going to be shot'".

Sierra Leone has some incredibly beautiful , completely void of the crowds that now descend on Mauritius and the but are just as beautiful. Among the best is River Number Two, a coast boasting clear water and white sand and just under 10 miles from Freetown.

During her trip, to head even further off the grid, Claudia headed to Turtle Islands, a remote archipelago in the just west of Sherbro Island. Getting there requires a long boat journey, but the rewards are off the scale. Here, you can camp on the beach amongst crooked palm trees, or in a basic guesthouse, with meals cooked by local women.

"This is as local as it gets," she explained. "It's one of fondest travel memories I have, because it was just so special to be there and to understand that, this is it. They didn't polish it for us.

"Sometimes you go to these cities and they feel fake because they're so clean for the tourists. They were not putting on an act [in Sierra Leone]."

Claudia revealed that the best time to visit is during the dry season - between November and April. Consider getting a local guide and driver, she added, as it will make all the logistics significantly easier. Fly from to Freetown Lungi International (FNA) with two stops at Istanbul (IST) and Ouagadougou (OUA) with Turkish Airlines from £930 return. Hotel stays in Freetown are more than reasonable, with one week with breakfast included at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel in Freetown costing around £1,164.

"Give it a chance," Ms Tavani concluded. "It may surprise you."

You can read all about Claudia's adventure via her blog post, found .