WITH limited travel abroad this year, an energy company hired out journalism firm journalistic.org to create a list of 'secret destinations' that most look like famous overseas tourist hotspots, and two of them are located in Pembrokeshire.

Elegug Stacks on the Pembrokeshire coast was Wales' most ‘secret’ destination that could be mistaken for abroad.

The limestone pillars protruding out of the sea were rated as resembling the coastline on Nusa Penida in Bali. Nusa can get busy during peak season, so take the road less travelled and opt for Wales’s hidden treasure instead, with just 446 hashtags on Instagram (#elegugstacks).

Elegug Stacks made it to fourth in the UK rankings of secret destinations behind Observation Gully on Ben Nevis and beaches in Shetland and the Isle of Mull.

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The second Pembrokeshire mention of Wales’ top five ‘secret’ destinations was Barafundle Bay, with 12,917 hashtags for #barafundlebay on Instagram.

From scenic walks along the cliffs to dramatic rock arches and rolling dunes, this stretch - which has been named one of the best in the world - was said to resemble the Greek island of Ithaca, just off the northeast coast of Kefalonia.

SaveOnEnergy.com/uk sought to determine the most ‘secret’ UK destinations that look like they are abroad on Instagram.

A spokesperson for the study explained: "After matching the UK destination with a similar-looking foreign country, Instagram hashtags were investigated, recording the number of posts under each hashtag. Each UK destination was then ranked from the lowest number of hashtags to the most, thus creating a list of ‘secret’ destinations."

Other Welsh hidden wonders that looked like exotic locations included Sgwd yr Eira in the Brecon Beacons which got 4,609 hashtags on Instagram (#sgwdyreira). The rectangular drop mimics the same shape as the Tad Mork Waterfall in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Also in the Brecon Beacons was Henrhyd Falls. Despite looking very similar to the Insta-famous Nungnung and Tegenungan waterfalls on the Indonesian island, the highest waterfall in South Wales was one of Wales’ ‘secret’ destinations with just 5,522 posts for the hashtag #henrhydfalls.

Merthyr Mawr Warren on the South Welsh coast of Glamorgan also got a mention. Home to the highest dune in Wales known as the 'Big Dipper', the beach’s rolling sand could easily be mistaken for the Arabian desert in Egypt - some of the desert scenes in the classic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia were shot in Merthyr Mawr.

For more information go to: https://www.saveonenergy.com/uk/uk-destinations-that-look-like-abroad/

Despite its film accolades, the location was only hashtagged 7,921 on Instagram (#merthyrmawr), making it another of Wales’ secret gems.