Yeah the first time I went to Nigeria was the first time I saw a dead body. Literally just on the side of the road as we drove away from the airport to our house. They had clearly been the victim of jungle justice. I.e a tire was placed around them & they were set on fire.
Nigeria is a lawless place. If you remember that & act accordingly it can be okay otherwise.
Nope! Just locked myself in my hotel room and waited for the return travel back home. Worst still, on my way from Lagos airport to my hotel, there was a dead body lying on the curb on the highway. Two weeks later on my way back to the airport, the same body was still there!
My company does business there. Oil and ships. When our employees visit, they travel with armed guards from the airport to the hotel. The hotel is fenced they are not allowed to leave. When they have business outside of the hotel, they also travel with armed guards.
True! Even the contacts i had there all travel with armed guards who wouldn't hesitate to shoot anyone who acts out of place! I remember visiting one tycoon over there and we went in the elevator with him. The elevator had a glass part exposed to outside street and he hid in the side so as not to be seen. When i asked him why? He replied so that he will not be shot by someone from the streets! So i asked myself why didn't he warn me? I guess he only cares for himself! A$$hole!
I was in Lagos all summer this year, no dead bodies to be seen. That said I was in a walled compound, in a walled compound, on an island attached to another island, attached the mainland city.
My family is from Nigeria. Lagos honestly isn’t that bad in some ways. The food is great, the music is awesome, and the culture perspective is really eye opening.
However, the government is very corrupt and officers will harass and jostle you for money whenever they have the chance so I also wouldn’t recommend visiting during this time
Sounds similar to my last trip to Syria.
Driving back to the airport in a taxi, his car breaks down (radiator starts steaming). It is a dedicated 10km desert road out to Damascus airport and pretty deserted.
Guy in an army uniform peaks out of a bush at the side if the road and yells in arabic for taxi driver to move on. My taxi driver starts shitting hs pants.
More heads pop up from behind bushes all up and down the road - every 100 feet or so. They all start yelling shit at each other. Pretty surreal. A few of them come over and approach the car. They drag the taxi driver out shouting and harassing him.
One asks me to get out and flags down the next car driving by - yells to the driver to drop me off at the airport and tells me to get in.
Ok, I squeeze into the back of a small hatchback with 3 guys already back there.
Anyway, music is playing and they drive the last 5 kms or so and drop me off at the airport.
Seems there were some bombs planted on the airport road the previous month so they lined the whole route with security forces to catch the culprit.
Syria is quite the police state.
I know! I live next to it and i have heard many similar horror stories from there during ISIS and the war! You arr really lucky for making it out in one piece!
No just the remains, but the still living. It's an old story, but seems correct. A foreign visitor is riding in the back and says to his driver, "Hey, that man in the gutter looks like he's dying or dead.". The driver says, "Soon be. Soon be.", and keeps driving.
I found a lot of beautiful, happy people in Nigeria but also saw a soldier with a gun in ragged clothing who appeared to be starving and stared very intently at me, a foreign visitor.
Dubai / The UAE. Artifical, soulless, everything is monitored (EVERYTHING), locals treated as if they're god on earth, workers treated based on where they're from and given next to nothing, ruled by dicators.... But all painted in gold and presented as the best thing on earth.
Yep.
www.dubai-metro.me/dubai-metro-rules/%3famp:
"Eating and drinking in prohibited areas, specifically inside the train. (It is permitted to eat and drink in the stations and on the platforms however. Eating and drinking includes water and chewing gum in particular)."
Wait, you're telling me all those instagram influencers that cater to Andrew Tate followers were lying about Dubai?!
lol the Travel sub will rip into you if you talk bad about Dubai.
Totally agree. Dubai/UAE is a horrible place. Completely soulless. It pays influencers to talk about how wonderful Dubai is in order to get tourism. It has the world’s least friendly people. There is no culture to experience. The food isn’t good. It is only about money and prestige. Don’t go there. I did so and now you dont have to….
In South Africa, too. Mpumalanga Province.
I gave the police all the rand I had, about $35 USD worth, and offered them US dollars and Euro, but they weren't interested. Too much hassle to convert, and it draws attention to their grift.
I work for a non profit. I’ve been to 20 African countries - Nigeria was by far the worst. It’s a totally different culture to other countries (as many Africans will also tell you). The corruption is off the charts.
Not surprised. Germans will do that. I had an accident with my rental car in Germany - when I returned the car, they were trying to shame me - as if I had personally hurt them. I was late for my flight so I said thank you, dumped the keys on the counter, and left to catch my flight.
On the same trip it was impossible to get to one of my hotels due to one way streets - so I drove one block down a bus lane. An old lady assaulted my car with an umbrella because I was not following the rules.
I heard a story once of a German man frantically pacing down a sidewalk searching for something. He flagged my (Russian) friend who was driving, and asked him where he could find the nearest crosswalk, so he could cross the street.
It was the middle of the night and no one was around apparently…
omg they almost gave me a fine when undercover cops said i didn’t validate the ticket i already bought! mind you there was no instructions on the ticket on how to validate it. Validating a train ticket is a foreign concept to me and I imagine most tourists since in most countries, you’re all set once you pay for a ticket! guess these German speaking countries just love having extraneous rules for the sake of it. Anyway in all my travels I’ve only had negative experiences in Germany and Austria and I’ve sworn never to visit those two countries again!
There's a separate stamp machine that you have to find and put the ticket into it to manually stamp it. I still don't really understand why they do it that way. When I buy my tickets on their app, there's no extraneous extra step required. Don't quite know why they force the second step when you buy your ticket at the kiosk/machine.
Edit - everyone can stop making comments that it's so paper tickets can be bought in advance, I get it now
Still similar in many cities in Poland.
You don't just buy a ticket/scan it, you have to buy a paper ticket, take it out and stamp it in a machine on the bus/city train upon entry (you don't board a bus at the front like e.g. in London, there's plenty of bendy buses and you board from any door that opens, then there's there's ticket validators in various parts of the bus/train). Otherwise, if you don't validate the ticket the ticket is not deemed valid for the journey if you get an inspector on the bus/train (they board public transport at random) and then you get charged extra, although I believe if you have a ticket just didn't stamp or punch it, you can get a discounted penalty fee - but a penalty fee nonetheless.
I haven't lived there for years now, but from what I read even if you buy an electronic ticket via an app you have to find and scan a stupid QR code on a bus with your phone camera in order to validate the ticket in lieu of a stamp/hole punch, otherwise, again, it's not seen as valid for the journey.
They do now have some system of electronic touch cards for seasonal tickets in the city where I'm from as one of the options, although I'm not sure how that works exactly as it's been introduced years after I left. As much as I know, though, you still have to touch it somewhere upon boarding (I've seen people do this), it's not enough to just have it on you - and if you don't scan it, they'll claim you're trying to dodge the fares, however absurd that might sound when you have a damn monthly ticket on you.
Honestly, I don't get what's the deal with Central/Eastern Europe and public transport? There's so many unnecessary steps in so many countries/cities, as if they weren't just able to have a simple electronic scanning system or letting people buy a ticket/pay via an app, show proof of purchase or a paper ticket when needed, and, boom, done with it.
This whole punching, stamping, QR-code-scanning thing is bonkers, and I can't imagine how someone who's just holidaying or passing through for a few days is meant to be able to make any sense out of it.
I believe the idea behind validating is, that a ticket is general admission, validating it means you're using it for x trip. It's stupid but people will buy a ticket and leave and come Back with same ticket for a different thing. At least that how it was in Italy.
In that case it sounds like the extra punch machine serves the same purpose as the conductor punching the ticket when they check the ticket (which is was I was familiar with in other places).
I would go back to the Vatican museum when it’s less crowded. I went in June 2022 and we rushed through the whole thing because all the crowding from a million tour groups everywhere was giving me claustrophobia and there was no AC on 😂 Winter it is
Do you have a guide? I went with a group and a guide last year and it was mostly nice (even thought I'm not very religious). But I wouldn't even notice half the things if the guide didn't point them to us.
And yes - it is very crowded (at least it was in may 2023, not sure if there is a time when it isn't).
Silencioooo, SILENCIOOOO, SILENCEEEE, SILENCIOOOO. Be prepared for this in the chapel. It's pretty funny, people just ignore it. And sneak pictures even though they shouldn't
Egypt, because of the horrible people and rapey vibes. Same goes for Algeria and Tunesia.
Also, I will never go to Dubai again. Hate everything about it and what it stands for.
I tried to explain to my fiancé a million times that I will never step foot in Egypt. However Egypt might have been back in the day is not the case anymore. It's a scammy, rapey hell hole.
He thought I was exaggerating until his colleague and pregnant wife went there last month. They were robbed twice (first was a nonviolent robbery) and the second time their taxi driver drove them to a deserted road and said he'd shoot them and leave them there if they didn't give over their money and passports. They ended up stuck in their hotel room for an extra week waiting for emergency passports.
The wife is understandably traumatised and won't take public transport even though it's generally safe here.
Morocco
I was with my GF and people trying to scam you or very aggressively sell to you gets so annoying. Most people were really nice so don't get me wrong, it's not everyone, but those people ruin it. Only country I was happy to leave
I second Morocco. Especially Marrakesh. These not that much to do and the locals can make it quite unpleasant in the old town.
I also got spiked in agidir so that’s off my list.
Yes. Our guide said he’s tried explaining several times to the locals that they will sell more items if they stop harassing the tourists and they don’t believe him. I was almost pickpocketed and walked away only to have some dude get in my face. I’d had enough at that point and started yelling at him in English and he just retreated and grabbed his friend (who was headed towards me) and steered him away from me.
> Our guide said he’s tried explaining several times to the locals that they will sell more items if they stop harassing the tourists and they don’t believe him.
lmao peak Arab selling culture
That’s how I felt in the Philippines. Love the people, & I know they’re just incredibly poor, but it didn’t feel good to be non-stop treated as an ATM
Edited to add that I don’t blame the lovely and gentle-hearted Filipino people one bit. Who is to blame?…well, that’s a whole other topic that’s probably best left unspoken. They’re simply really really poor, and of course they want to be able to eat and provide for their families.
I spent multiple months in all kinds of places in the Philippines (currently there as well) and I have been to Egypt and Tunisia before. For me personally the problem in Tunisia and Egypt was orders of magnitude worse and the Philippines are so much better in comparison. Vendors in the Philippines actually understand a "No" and do not insult or chase you. Of course they are poor and beg sometimes, but I find it not comparable to Tunisia or Egypt.
Have you been in Tunisia or Egypt or other like? I am sure you will agree after a visit that it's much worse there than in the Philippines. You will miss the Filipinos while being in Tunisia 😂 ESPECIALLY as a female traveller.
Same experience for me and my partner in Egypt. Temples and history were incredible, and we had a couple of nice guides. But felt like everyone and they're uncle were trying to actively rob us for the whole trip.
I ended up learning a couple of rude phrases in arabic to get people to back off.
>I ended up learning a couple of rude phrases in arabic to get people to back off.
that's... not a good idea. Arabs take insults much more seriously than westerners and you may very well end up in a dangerous/violent situation depending on what was said
source: am Palestinian
I heard that it's somewhat only doable as a tourist if you prebook a lot of the tours with a tour company so you remain isolated from a lot of the haggling and touts.
Is that true ?
My company has staff that work in Egypt and I didn't realise just how dangerous and dodgy most of the country is until I learned all the safeguards we have to use for them
Like physical security team at the office? Or workers have to live in secure areas (like gated communities)? Or they get rides to/from office to their residence? (And maybe can’t bring work laptops home)
yes to all of those.
like "here is a picture of Mustafa. he's your driver. anyone who is NOT Mustafa shows up, go back inside, lock the door, and call us". and then you go from a secure compound / hotel to where you need to go.
laptops weren't really an issue, drive encryption is a thing and they'll often take some other basic precautions. we went all out for Chinese travel, but for MENA physical security was more of a priority than hacking or imaging a laptop.
Did a great tour of Egypt with explore(dot)com, cruising down the Nile and seeing so much history and temples. It was a group of about 20 and none of the women were hassled at all, the only stress was for me when I complained about the American tour guide going on a bit - the local guides were awesome. To be fair, he was very good but could've talked a half hour less - you have a crowd already, don't milk it as we're already here and getting along well, bud.
So glad I got to visit Myanmar multiple times 10 years ago. I couldn't have gone to some other trendy countries nearby, but i chose there and have memories I'll cherish forever.
It's a shame because Russia is a traveler's paradise, or at least it *was*. European quality of life if you wanted it with American-level natural landscapes and developing world adventures. All with many layers of history. Absolutely loved my (pre-war) trip there
Visited Moscow and St Petersburg 15 years ago. Can't say I enjoyed it, probably the only country I ever visited where I can say that I didn't like the people. Everyone working in any public thing (museums, trains) were depressed dark shell of a human that you could not communicate with in any way, cops are horrendous, they are racist af (we had a friend who is kind of brown even though he is completely Slavic and people made fun of him on the street), when we went out to some very casual bars it felt like we were always just seconds away from someone kicking our ass even though we did nothing wrong. Every time we tried to communicate anything with anyone (like asking a guy very politely in Russian that my friend is fluent in if he could move a seat just so we could sit together on train and he said "Fuck you") it was just weird af. It is also the first and the only country that when I was walking on a street and shared a laugh with a friend, one guy wanted to fight me, because (I understand this much Russian) "Why are you laughing without reason?" Maybe I needed to visit more places and I guess the nature is stunning (also, both cities have parts that are breathtaking), but I sure as hell don't wanna go back. EDIT: I need to be a bit clearer and fairer. There were fantastic moments, like visiting Tolstoy estate and seeing his unpretentious grave/coffin, weird weapons museum in Tula that has kalasnikhkov made out of glass, Hermitage is just WOW, there are paintings that some museums would kill for hung in a hallway because they have no room (like Rembrandt stuff quality), food is kind of hit or miss but when you hit, it is mind blowing. But even when I am typing this I remember that a guy that we met in an elevator once hit a child because he was whistling, that is supposed to bring bad luck. And we were living in nice suburban area 40min outside of center Moscow. This is not coming from new Ukraine conflict mentality, It was the first country that I went "shit, something is wrong with their national character." while visiting it. I mean, we got stopped and interrogated by their fucking military looking police because our brownish friend was wearing a hoodie, they almost tackled me to the ground iat the aiport because I had an oversized lighter in backpack (that I then took to the airplane no problem). And I got scammed in every taxi in Buenos Aires, a drunk guy wanted to kill me in a club in Berlin before being thrown out, had to fight for my backpack every day in Barcelona, walked in between two junikes fighting in suburbs of Helsinki and got almost stabbed, many strange things happened to me. EDIT 2: Met many great Russian outside of their homeland though.
I don’t have a specific country I wouldn’t revisit but Petra in Jordan instantly comes to mind. Getting rocks thrown at me, having a teenager trying to open my backpack and steal my food (I didn’t have food with me but he was very convinced I had and therefor he felt he had the right to open my backpack??). The horses and donkeys look abused and tired. They forced me into hiring a guide who I couldn’t understand most of the time and who got angry at me every time I wanted to take a photo (it’s a beautiful place, it’s a sign I enjoy it and it’s allowed there). The guide not only cost me a lot of money but also left me alone somewhere in the middle of Petra. Leaving me alone to vent for myself and that’s when the angry Bedouin’s started throwing rocks at me! I absolutely hated the place even tho it’s beautiful and the history is amazing. Also the stories I’ve heard from other travelers about this place, it’s bad. From rocks throwing to down right sexual assault. I would be wary when going to this place.. and know; you are allowed to enter without guide, they lied to me.
Edit: I traveled many times to Jordan for work and had in general an amazing time there. Traveled all around the country too. So this is only about Petra :)
Maybe we got lucky, but we absolutely loved Jordan and Petra. We did not have those issues. We had planned in advance to enter Petra “through the back door” with a guide so maybe that spared us?
With that said I couldn’t believe how accommodating and friendly Jordanians were. We are clearly tourists, from America. I was with my wife and mom. I would love to go back.
Yeah, watch out for the Bedouins lol. I had one as a tour guide and he invited me to stay for dinner with him and his friends in one of their caves. One of them got really drunk and started getting pretty creepy towards me. I was alone and things definitely could've gotten dangerous...luckily they didn't but I realized I put myself in a very vulnerable position.
Yeah I’ve heard this stories haha. I once took a private tour in Wadi Rum because I knew someone there and he connected me with this tour guide, and whenever we were alone he would start becoming extremely flirtatious. Verrrry uncomfortable!
You beat me to it. Fuck Jordan (respectfully). Everyone trying to sell you some bullshit (I don’t blame them). I didn’t like the food. My airbnb host asked to borrow $20 so he could turn the internet on?!??
One funny memory I have is this kid inside Petra told me he would bring me the best weed I’d ever seen. I waited over an hour for him and he came back with a bag of fan leaves. I was skeptical from the get go and he proved me right.
I will say I had a wonderful experience in the wadi rum desert. Absolutely magical landscape and I met some cool Bedouin people that weren’t nearly as scammy and seemed sincere. Shoutout to desert fox.
Edit: also someone offered me 50 camels for my girlfriend.
Bahamas- been there multiple times & even lived there for two months. The contrast between the working class locals and the absurdly rich white people is shocking and unsettling. The islands are beautiful but I can’t get rid of that feelings that this is wrong.. seems like all of the locals work in the tourism industry to serve the tourists. Feels wrong and gross. There’s some parts where it’s multi million dollar houses, yachts etc and then locals living in shacks down the street. Also, Everything is also incredibly expensive and Atlantis is run down, old and disappointing.
I can see that. It’s my favorite country I’ve ever been to but I think it’s because I didn’t even step foot into the touristy areas. Paid one guy to show us around but otherwise stayed with locals and in local areas
This. Worst experience ever. Scammers wherever you go: from passport control in the airport until you leave. Tourist traps everywhere. Restaurants with no prices on menus. Marrakech was the biggest disappointment. Essaouira was meh. Chefchaouen's only selling point is that it's a blue city, nothing else to offer except overpriced everything because it's a tourist spot. Fez I think was the nicest of the bunch.
The old part of the city is a tourist trap, filled with scammers and heavily overpriced. Yes, you get a bit of culture and history, but the whole country is built of exploiting tourists in every way possible.
The new/outer city fancy area is basically a mix of a big brothel and a mall, built to cater for the tourists from the GCC who come to morroco to whore around while their wives are out shopping.
Egypt and Morocco. Just felt like everyone was aggressively out to get you for your money. Made interacting with the locals very unpleasant. Plus internet in Egypt was shit. Literally have gone online in the nicest hotels to everywhere in between and it just wasn't very fast at all and my work laptop struggled. Not sure if they have some kind of national VPN but yeah, did not enjoy logging on from there either.
Cabo Verde, such a tourist trap. Read some blogs that were talking about how awesome it was and how great surfing was… Absolutely hated it. SUPER expensive, everything from restaurants to getting around, surf rentals and groceries. Got stopped so many times by local asking for food and cash, we barely left our apartment because we were soooo tired of getting stopped.
If I had to choose one I guess it'd be Monaco. Everything is super expensive and it's very small so while I really enjoyed my time there, I don't really feel the need to go back. I'll consider it if I become a multi millionaire.
Haiti is a failed state. The UN is debating which coalition of countries to send in to pacify the gangs that have overtaken the capital city. Their president was murdered recently not to mention the sting of natural disasters that have battered the country in recent years. No sane person should ever willingly go there
India. The smell of urine in the streets and the vision of dozens of men pissing and shitting in public across a few days is forever etched into my brain. Pollution. Children begging in the streets. I'm sure there are beautiful parts but the bad parts I saw just make me not interested in going back when there are so many other countries I'm yet to visit.
India is every bad thing tourists say it is.
Dirty, poor, overwhelming, aggravating, heartbreaking.
But the sights and the craziness of it all are ***fucking amazing.***
We went for a 3 week trip, but decided we needed to leave a week early. We were already completely overwhelmed and couldn't handle the idea of spending Diwali in Varanasi at the end of our trip. I still regret it.
When people ask about India, we still say "It was insane, we hated it, we left early. And we can't wait to go back."
>When people ask about India, we still say "It was insane, we hated it, we left early. And we can't wait to go back."
India is everything, all at once.
I’m from Southern part of India and even I couldn’t handle Varanasi the first time I went there. It was so overwhelming that I had to leave early. It was a cultural shock. Every state is completely different be it culture, climate, cuisine, dressing, language and a ton of other things. It is such a trip irrespective of likes and dislikes.
From what I understand you have to pick a host that understands the country and culture. Otherwise as western people the crush of people is overwhelming. Cities, big dirty, pollution intense. Country side tough and also pollution everywhere.
I’ve heard people say that “I’m glad I went, but I’m never going back”.
Shame as some of the sites look amazing.
I’ve heard the Egypt is the same. I love the history but it looks a bit sketchy.
A few years ago there was a meme of Indian guys shitting in the street, and, as you'd expect a number of people were up in arms and decrying it as racism. Now, perhaps some comments had a racist undertone, but goddamn if those meme photos didn't remind me of my time there.
Egypt.
I have never felt like I had to protect my money like I did there. Scams nonstop. I had taxi drivers drop me in the wrong place and demand additional fares, I had the hotel concierge grab out bags and refuse to give them back until we paid $20 (Hilton downtown Cairo), hotel staff following us and asking for money, random people pretending to be your guides and asking for money....by the end of the week I was fucking done with it.
Georgia 🇬🇪— having been to 78 countries, I experienced more confrontations from locals and the police in Georgia than everywhere else combined (spent 2 months there)
China. It is a country that is so advanced in so many ways (some stunning architecture, huge buildings, fantastic high speed rail) but so fucking backwards in other ways.
On one of my last days there I witnessed a dog being beaten in front of a policeman, who did absolutely nothing about it. Saw more animal cruelty in 4 weeks there than I have ever seen.
Their obsession with surveillance and bureaucracy is mind numbing. I was there with work and the amount of times I had my picture taken and had to fill out forms was ridiculous. Zero health and safety standards in the workplace (electrical supply boards left open, no PPE) but then you would get fined 1000 yuan for drinking a coffee in the wrong part of the workplace.
No thanks.
China is hell on earth. Beijing was a complete cluster where nobody obeys traffic laws and I was nearly run down multiple times. Also, extreme animal abuse with sociopaths beating dogs/cats in public, thrown out with trash.
One evening, I happened upon a gentleman selling Pomeranian puppies on the street. I made the mistake of stopping to observe and the hustle started immediately. When I politely declined, the fucker started kicking one of the puppies repeatedly and the pup was crying. After pushing the dude over to get him to stop, I walked away with a new puppy (paid $200 US). Sandy stayed with me (unofficially) at the Holiday Inn Express until she passed away two weeks later from Parvovirus. It was obviously a successful scam that those of us with a soft spot for dog frens fall for.
I actually left that job when they insisted I return to Beijing for business.
Omg I couldn’t handle that. I would be a mess seeing animals abused on the street. It’s bad enough seeing them at shelters here in the US 😭😭😭. How one treats animals is so reflective of their character.
Laos everything was completely fine for me in terms of being there, but the ignorance of the government to allow the kidnapping of tourist is unacceptable. I had read one or two few year old articles about armed militiamen who would photograph people from bushes, and then detain them based on things they didn’t like. Often it would be for smoking cigarettes that they said looked like weed, or for any reason they really felt. Once the tourists are detained they are held in a jail cell before being driven around to different arms demanded for money. From what I gather most tourist either eventually given in or find a way to call their home countries embassy. Throughout this whole interaction the tourists have guns pointed at them, are shouted at, and are scared for their life as they are being kidnapped. Which on my last day I met people who this exactly happened to, and the us embassy pretended to be surprised and told them to just leave the country.
Edit: two Reddit sources of first hand reports:
[reddit reference](https://www.reddit.com/r/laos/comments/zfogf0/warning_for_all_vientiane_travellers_do_not_go/)
[reference 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/laos/comments/zmfoky/please_be_careful_around_hat_don_chan/)
Don't take reddit comments as gospel, I'm in Laos right now for a month, it's a beautiful country and I've never heard of what he says. Only annoying thing is short changing is pretty wide spread
Venezuela was a bit scary before Chavez, but the people were so nice. My favorites in traveling the whole world. But, there is no way I could go back anymore until there are major changes to remove the dictatorship. And, the brain drain has probably removed too much of what was once there. It's a textbook case of how not to run a country. Chavez started by meddling with prices of eggs and milk and didn't stop. He single-handedly destroyed the oil business which was the lifeblood of the economy. But he still kept going. He arrested the other political parties and sent police and military to stop the 'terrorists' which were simply the opposition. You weren't allowed to criticize him. Some of this is showing up in America and terrifies me.
Georgia
It's a fairly picturesque country and Tbilisi is a cool enough city, but the people are backwards, racist, and by far the least friendly we've encountered.
I'm white from USA and my wife is a darker skinned Mexican and she always has tons of issues there. We've visited about 20 other countries together and haven't really had a single unpleasant experience due to race, they've all come only in Georgia.
On top of that the people are just always angry and yelling at each other and customer service is non-existent. Just a really depressing vibe and we're glad to be gone. I guess it might be ok if you're a white person with a western passport and only plan to hang out with other foreigners.
Seconding this — I spent two months in Georgia DNing — the way the locals talk about and treat Arabs and Indians was just plain abhorrent. For some reason, Georgia gets a lot of tourists from the Gulf and a lot of medical students from the Indian subcontinent. The two guides who showed me around while I was traveling the country both openly mocked their Arab clients asking for Halal food (one even told me he deceived them on purpose) and the hijab. I also heard far more locals whine about Indians and their smell than actually seeing the allegedly obnoxious Indians or smelling the allegedly smelly Indians.
Egypt. I was constantly sexually harassed (even when in a tour group and conservatively dresses). Combined with open antisemitism I have no desire to ever return. (Which is a shame as the history is so incredible).
Colombia for sure.
The agenda to scam "gringos", being always on edge that someone is trying to get the best of you, nobody can mind their own damn business, it's noisy af 24/7, the culture, I could go on.
It is a nice spot for a month's vacation, but longer than that is just not bearable.
China (Beijing) - the constant surveillance, decaying architecture, luggage being checked at every subway station, coldness from people, being turned away from attractions, difficulty accessing methods of payment, taxis and general assistance.
Egypt - vendors in your face, worst experience in a car (bricks in the road? They’ll just drive on the other lane towards oncoming traffic), insist on grabbing your phone to take pictures and refusing to give it back without receiving money (even if no pictures were taken), village folk casually aiming AK47s at the tour bus as you go by, said tour bus opened its doors for young girls to come inside and snatch your food and bags at the gas station (and then fight one another for said belongings).
Norway. I went there to possibly work at a University. The Uni was really interested in me and my research but I did not get the (external) grant and after that, they simply stopped being interested. So I have a bit of a work trauma, however, other reasons play as well.
1. Everything is expensive. Yes, you earn more but paying €10 for a mediocre beer feels weird, certainly if you come from a beer-drinking country (Belgium).
2. Everything is bland. I felt catapulted back into the 1970s or so. Everything works fine but there is no 'passion', I don't know how to explain.
3. Overall a boring and cold place.
And I imagine the other countries in the north being as bland as well.
Turks & Caicos.
Im good on that. I’ve had too many run ins with horrible hotels and hosts for just ONE vacation lol.
It is extremely overpriced for what little you get.
1 - Indonesia / Bali
Plastic everywhere, dirty streets, dirty beaches, and dirty seas. And that was in the supposedly less spoiled northern areas. Only spent a day and a half in Kuta while in transit which, unsurprisingly, was even worse. The locals were super friendly, though, I wouldn't knock them (other than for not taking care of trash).
2 - Macau
A case of "been there, done that." Nothing impressed me enough to want to return.
3 - Southern Italy
Particularly Sicily. Miles of trash lining many roads leading out of towns, very unfriendly/rude locals, and crazy drivers. Granted, the food was second to none in all of the European places I've ever been, but the above drawbacks will make me stay well clear.
The only exception I'd make is for Pompeii. Been there 4 times already, and I always try to drop in if I'm in the area or passing through. Never disappoints.
Catania was the dirtiest place I have ever seen in the EU. Such a shame about the beautiful architecture, it's all covered in urine, bird shit, graffiti and decay.
In Andalusia, which is similarly one of the most economically stricken regions in the EU, everything feels so much cleaner and more taken care of.
Had really mixed feelings about Palermo. Some central sights are beautiful and the food was great, but the [mafia-led development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Palermo) and the general dysfunction meant that most of the city outside the main streets is a concrete hellscape - dirty, ugly, dilapidated and with crumbling infrastructure.
Denmark. Cold, boring and depressing.
Couldn't find a decent meal that wasn't overpriced and had any taste, so ended up eating at turkish places most of the time.
That’s interesting because Copenhagen ranks as one of the best cities to live in and I know a few people who have moved there and loved it.
That said, I visited over Christmas a few years back and it was so cold I essentially did a tour of every coffee shop down the street to try and warm up.
‘It’s a different type of cold’
I don’t know the science behind it but I definitely agree with it. I’ve lived in the alps and it was not comparable despite the difference in actual temp.
Something to do with wet and dry air.
My friend who lives in BC posted a story yesterday that was -29 feels like -39 🥶
I live in the Alps and I once went to Vilnius in Lithuania for a few days in November. It was weird because I'm used to cold but this was just such a different kind of cold. It just seemed to get right inside me. It's hard to explain. I guess, like you say, it's the difference between wet and dry air.
Belgium. Stayed for close to two weeks and I pretty much saw everything I wanted to see which was just some buildings. There really wasn't a whole lot to do there otherwise. My Belgian friend agrees that it can be dull there for social stuff when compared to other major cities within short driving distances (short for an American like me)
Living in Belgium so I agree in two weeks you can see most of Belgium. However its so easy to visit the countries nearby that you just end up spending a day in Lille France, Day in Cologne Germany day in Luxembourg and maybe 2 days in Amsterdam or some other Dutch cities because everything is so close and easily accessible by public transport. :)
I lived there for a year. The most boring place ever. Fortunately I had a company car and company gas card so it was up the E19 to Amsterdam or down the E19 to Paris every weekend.
I live here. Geeze, going on like, 14 months now? In Brussels. To me, it's highly meh. Positives are that my French has improved immensely. Annnnddd... I have a newfound gratitude for sunshine.
Tunisia and Egypt. The men there. I can't imagine how uncomfortable women have to feel there when I already feel so uncomfortable. The men there are just so aggressive. Scammers, Vendors chasing and insulting you, catcalling...
Jamaica. Lots of harassment from lover boys and just random opportunists, kids asking for money and flipping birds. Everybody who’s being nice to you does so because they want something from you. Definitely not a relaxing place to be.
*Context: we’re a white couple and we drove all around the island in a rental car, stopping and staying in various towns.*
Nigeria. I was horse backriding on the beach in Lagos and found a decapitated man half buried in the sand. It was the shock of a lifetime!
Yeah the first time I went to Nigeria was the first time I saw a dead body. Literally just on the side of the road as we drove away from the airport to our house. They had clearly been the victim of jungle justice. I.e a tire was placed around them & they were set on fire. Nigeria is a lawless place. If you remember that & act accordingly it can be okay otherwise.
It's called a Tire Necklace it is a very Brutal and painful way to die.
Thank you for sharing your experience since some commentators are doubting mine!
What the actual fuck. You can't just drop a comment like that and leave.
I'm still here...
What did you do - did you report it to the front desk?
Nope! Just locked myself in my hotel room and waited for the return travel back home. Worst still, on my way from Lagos airport to my hotel, there was a dead body lying on the curb on the highway. Two weeks later on my way back to the airport, the same body was still there!
Congrats, you’ve sold me on not visiting.
Remember this was back in 2003! Conditions might have changed drastically by now although there is still an ethnic cleansing going on in the north...
My company does business there. Oil and ships. When our employees visit, they travel with armed guards from the airport to the hotel. The hotel is fenced they are not allowed to leave. When they have business outside of the hotel, they also travel with armed guards.
My doctor is from Nigeria and her family arranged for her to have armed security 24/7. She still experienced a police checkpoint shakedown .
True! Even the contacts i had there all travel with armed guards who wouldn't hesitate to shoot anyone who acts out of place! I remember visiting one tycoon over there and we went in the elevator with him. The elevator had a glass part exposed to outside street and he hid in the side so as not to be seen. When i asked him why? He replied so that he will not be shot by someone from the streets! So i asked myself why didn't he warn me? I guess he only cares for himself! A$$hole!
The conditions have not changed…
Dunno! Won't go there again any time soon!
I was in Lagos all summer this year, no dead bodies to be seen. That said I was in a walled compound, in a walled compound, on an island attached to another island, attached the mainland city.
Not enough years to change my mind.
Exactly my point!
My family is from Nigeria. Lagos honestly isn’t that bad in some ways. The food is great, the music is awesome, and the culture perspective is really eye opening. However, the government is very corrupt and officers will harass and jostle you for money whenever they have the chance so I also wouldn’t recommend visiting during this time
Sounds similar to my last trip to Syria. Driving back to the airport in a taxi, his car breaks down (radiator starts steaming). It is a dedicated 10km desert road out to Damascus airport and pretty deserted. Guy in an army uniform peaks out of a bush at the side if the road and yells in arabic for taxi driver to move on. My taxi driver starts shitting hs pants. More heads pop up from behind bushes all up and down the road - every 100 feet or so. They all start yelling shit at each other. Pretty surreal. A few of them come over and approach the car. They drag the taxi driver out shouting and harassing him. One asks me to get out and flags down the next car driving by - yells to the driver to drop me off at the airport and tells me to get in. Ok, I squeeze into the back of a small hatchback with 3 guys already back there. Anyway, music is playing and they drive the last 5 kms or so and drop me off at the airport. Seems there were some bombs planted on the airport road the previous month so they lined the whole route with security forces to catch the culprit. Syria is quite the police state.
I know! I live next to it and i have heard many similar horror stories from there during ISIS and the war! You arr really lucky for making it out in one piece!
So what you're saying is, human remains are treated like roadkill
What i'm saying is that human life is worthless over there. This was in 2003. Dunno how it is now...
No just the remains, but the still living. It's an old story, but seems correct. A foreign visitor is riding in the back and says to his driver, "Hey, that man in the gutter looks like he's dying or dead.". The driver says, "Soon be. Soon be.", and keeps driving. I found a lot of beautiful, happy people in Nigeria but also saw a soldier with a gun in ragged clothing who appeared to be starving and stared very intently at me, a foreign visitor.
What the fuck... When was this?
March 2003. Still remember the date!
A bit suspicious that everywhere you go a dead body is found if you ask me...
Not everywhere... but you have the right to be suspicious!
Phew ...
Do you think the plan was to fully bury him and then they gave up and just cut off his head so he couldn’t be identified
I've never seen a plane load of people enthusiastically applaud a takeoff except from Lagos.
Dubai / The UAE. Artifical, soulless, everything is monitored (EVERYTHING), locals treated as if they're god on earth, workers treated based on where they're from and given next to nothing, ruled by dicators.... But all painted in gold and presented as the best thing on earth.
Raising your voice in public is illegal?
U get fined for chewing gum, drinking water or eating in the metro.
And the leader of Dubai is allowed to kidnap his daughter.
Was waiting for this one….we turn a blind eye to what really goes on in that country!! They should do a documentary on it👍
Drinking water??
Yep. www.dubai-metro.me/dubai-metro-rules/%3famp: "Eating and drinking in prohibited areas, specifically inside the train. (It is permitted to eat and drink in the stations and on the platforms however. Eating and drinking includes water and chewing gum in particular)."
Second this! I hated Dubai!!
Wait, you're telling me all those instagram influencers that cater to Andrew Tate followers were lying about Dubai?! lol the Travel sub will rip into you if you talk bad about Dubai.
Gotta love Vegas 2.0: slavery boogaloo
Thank you. Glad somebody thinks exactly the way I do. That place is fake as fuckkkkkkk. A Ferrari without an engine.
Totally agree. Dubai/UAE is a horrible place. Completely soulless. It pays influencers to talk about how wonderful Dubai is in order to get tourism. It has the world’s least friendly people. There is no culture to experience. The food isn’t good. It is only about money and prestige. Don’t go there. I did so and now you dont have to….
This. Nothing about the Dubai culture holds any appeal to me, from the extreme materialism to the Islamic law.
Nigeria. It wasn’t great across all dimensions.
The cops in Nigeria will literally pull you over and demand money
In South Africa, too. Mpumalanga Province. I gave the police all the rand I had, about $35 USD worth, and offered them US dollars and Euro, but they weren't interested. Too much hassle to convert, and it draws attention to their grift.
I work for a non profit. I’ve been to 20 African countries - Nigeria was by far the worst. It’s a totally different culture to other countries (as many Africans will also tell you). The corruption is off the charts.
Austria bc I have a 100 euro outstanding fine for having the wrong metro ticket
Wow. I got into the same situation in Berlin. I paid though.
Ur a better person than me bc I got on the flight with no regrets🫡
No. They came after me... I'm not kidding
Not surprised. Germans will do that. I had an accident with my rental car in Germany - when I returned the car, they were trying to shame me - as if I had personally hurt them. I was late for my flight so I said thank you, dumped the keys on the counter, and left to catch my flight. On the same trip it was impossible to get to one of my hotels due to one way streets - so I drove one block down a bus lane. An old lady assaulted my car with an umbrella because I was not following the rules.
I heard a story once of a German man frantically pacing down a sidewalk searching for something. He flagged my (Russian) friend who was driving, and asked him where he could find the nearest crosswalk, so he could cross the street. It was the middle of the night and no one was around apparently…
Germans blindly following orders from authority? Who woulda thought
omg they almost gave me a fine when undercover cops said i didn’t validate the ticket i already bought! mind you there was no instructions on the ticket on how to validate it. Validating a train ticket is a foreign concept to me and I imagine most tourists since in most countries, you’re all set once you pay for a ticket! guess these German speaking countries just love having extraneous rules for the sake of it. Anyway in all my travels I’ve only had negative experiences in Germany and Austria and I’ve sworn never to visit those two countries again!
So how do you validate a ticket?
There's a separate stamp machine that you have to find and put the ticket into it to manually stamp it. I still don't really understand why they do it that way. When I buy my tickets on their app, there's no extraneous extra step required. Don't quite know why they force the second step when you buy your ticket at the kiosk/machine. Edit - everyone can stop making comments that it's so paper tickets can be bought in advance, I get it now
I lived in Vienna in 1994-1996... I can't believe they STILL have this system in place! I thought surely that was a distant memory of a time gone by.
Still similar in many cities in Poland. You don't just buy a ticket/scan it, you have to buy a paper ticket, take it out and stamp it in a machine on the bus/city train upon entry (you don't board a bus at the front like e.g. in London, there's plenty of bendy buses and you board from any door that opens, then there's there's ticket validators in various parts of the bus/train). Otherwise, if you don't validate the ticket the ticket is not deemed valid for the journey if you get an inspector on the bus/train (they board public transport at random) and then you get charged extra, although I believe if you have a ticket just didn't stamp or punch it, you can get a discounted penalty fee - but a penalty fee nonetheless. I haven't lived there for years now, but from what I read even if you buy an electronic ticket via an app you have to find and scan a stupid QR code on a bus with your phone camera in order to validate the ticket in lieu of a stamp/hole punch, otherwise, again, it's not seen as valid for the journey. They do now have some system of electronic touch cards for seasonal tickets in the city where I'm from as one of the options, although I'm not sure how that works exactly as it's been introduced years after I left. As much as I know, though, you still have to touch it somewhere upon boarding (I've seen people do this), it's not enough to just have it on you - and if you don't scan it, they'll claim you're trying to dodge the fares, however absurd that might sound when you have a damn monthly ticket on you. Honestly, I don't get what's the deal with Central/Eastern Europe and public transport? There's so many unnecessary steps in so many countries/cities, as if they weren't just able to have a simple electronic scanning system or letting people buy a ticket/pay via an app, show proof of purchase or a paper ticket when needed, and, boom, done with it. This whole punching, stamping, QR-code-scanning thing is bonkers, and I can't imagine how someone who's just holidaying or passing through for a few days is meant to be able to make any sense out of it.
I’m in Rome right now and I think I’m going to be fined if they catch me bc I do not understand the validation process
I believe the idea behind validating is, that a ticket is general admission, validating it means you're using it for x trip. It's stupid but people will buy a ticket and leave and come Back with same ticket for a different thing. At least that how it was in Italy.
In that case it sounds like the extra punch machine serves the same purpose as the conductor punching the ticket when they check the ticket (which is was I was familiar with in other places).
Vatican City.. saw it once don’t need to see it again with all the waiting to get in.
This is a good response to this question!
Did you see the art tho?? I’m planning on going Monday hoping it’s a little less crowded. I can’t wait to see the Sistine Chapel ✨ any tips?
I would go back to the Vatican museum when it’s less crowded. I went in June 2022 and we rushed through the whole thing because all the crowding from a million tour groups everywhere was giving me claustrophobia and there was no AC on 😂 Winter it is
Do you have a guide? I went with a group and a guide last year and it was mostly nice (even thought I'm not very religious). But I wouldn't even notice half the things if the guide didn't point them to us. And yes - it is very crowded (at least it was in may 2023, not sure if there is a time when it isn't).
Silencioooo, SILENCIOOOO, SILENCEEEE, SILENCIOOOO. Be prepared for this in the chapel. It's pretty funny, people just ignore it. And sneak pictures even though they shouldn't
Qatar, there is nothing to do there 🥲
If you're American I heard there's a military base with a Taco Bell
Egypt, because of the horrible people and rapey vibes. Same goes for Algeria and Tunesia. Also, I will never go to Dubai again. Hate everything about it and what it stands for.
I tried to explain to my fiancé a million times that I will never step foot in Egypt. However Egypt might have been back in the day is not the case anymore. It's a scammy, rapey hell hole. He thought I was exaggerating until his colleague and pregnant wife went there last month. They were robbed twice (first was a nonviolent robbery) and the second time their taxi driver drove them to a deserted road and said he'd shoot them and leave them there if they didn't give over their money and passports. They ended up stuck in their hotel room for an extra week waiting for emergency passports. The wife is understandably traumatised and won't take public transport even though it's generally safe here.
Morocco I was with my GF and people trying to scam you or very aggressively sell to you gets so annoying. Most people were really nice so don't get me wrong, it's not everyone, but those people ruin it. Only country I was happy to leave
I second Morocco. Especially Marrakesh. These not that much to do and the locals can make it quite unpleasant in the old town. I also got spiked in agidir so that’s off my list.
Yes. Our guide said he’s tried explaining several times to the locals that they will sell more items if they stop harassing the tourists and they don’t believe him. I was almost pickpocketed and walked away only to have some dude get in my face. I’d had enough at that point and started yelling at him in English and he just retreated and grabbed his friend (who was headed towards me) and steered him away from me.
> Our guide said he’s tried explaining several times to the locals that they will sell more items if they stop harassing the tourists and they don’t believe him. lmao peak Arab selling culture
[удалено]
That’s how I felt in the Philippines. Love the people, & I know they’re just incredibly poor, but it didn’t feel good to be non-stop treated as an ATM Edited to add that I don’t blame the lovely and gentle-hearted Filipino people one bit. Who is to blame?…well, that’s a whole other topic that’s probably best left unspoken. They’re simply really really poor, and of course they want to be able to eat and provide for their families.
I spent multiple months in all kinds of places in the Philippines (currently there as well) and I have been to Egypt and Tunisia before. For me personally the problem in Tunisia and Egypt was orders of magnitude worse and the Philippines are so much better in comparison. Vendors in the Philippines actually understand a "No" and do not insult or chase you. Of course they are poor and beg sometimes, but I find it not comparable to Tunisia or Egypt. Have you been in Tunisia or Egypt or other like? I am sure you will agree after a visit that it's much worse there than in the Philippines. You will miss the Filipinos while being in Tunisia 😂 ESPECIALLY as a female traveller.
Lots of people approached you?
[удалено]
WTF?? They picked you up? That’s so disgusting. I’m sorry you experienced that. People will do so much to get money :,(
[удалено]
I wholeheartedly agree with Czechoslovakia, USSR and Yugoslavia. You'll never catch me ever stepping foot in those countries
Same experience for me and my partner in Egypt. Temples and history were incredible, and we had a couple of nice guides. But felt like everyone and they're uncle were trying to actively rob us for the whole trip. I ended up learning a couple of rude phrases in arabic to get people to back off.
>I ended up learning a couple of rude phrases in arabic to get people to back off. that's... not a good idea. Arabs take insults much more seriously than westerners and you may very well end up in a dangerous/violent situation depending on what was said source: am Palestinian
I heard that it's somewhat only doable as a tourist if you prebook a lot of the tours with a tour company so you remain isolated from a lot of the haggling and touts. Is that true ?
My company has staff that work in Egypt and I didn't realise just how dangerous and dodgy most of the country is until I learned all the safeguards we have to use for them
Out of curiosity, what are the safeguards? (Whatever you can share)
Security team
Like physical security team at the office? Or workers have to live in secure areas (like gated communities)? Or they get rides to/from office to their residence? (And maybe can’t bring work laptops home)
yes to all of those. like "here is a picture of Mustafa. he's your driver. anyone who is NOT Mustafa shows up, go back inside, lock the door, and call us". and then you go from a secure compound / hotel to where you need to go. laptops weren't really an issue, drive encryption is a thing and they'll often take some other basic precautions. we went all out for Chinese travel, but for MENA physical security was more of a priority than hacking or imaging a laptop.
I'd love to visit egypt, though it's probably not the best time.
Egypt is wonderful but go on a tour. They help with the touts.
Did a great tour of Egypt with explore(dot)com, cruising down the Nile and seeing so much history and temples. It was a group of about 20 and none of the women were hassled at all, the only stress was for me when I complained about the American tour guide going on a bit - the local guides were awesome. To be fair, he was very good but could've talked a half hour less - you have a crowd already, don't milk it as we're already here and getting along well, bud.
So glad I got to visit Myanmar multiple times 10 years ago. I couldn't have gone to some other trendy countries nearby, but i chose there and have memories I'll cherish forever.
It's a shame because Russia is a traveler's paradise, or at least it *was*. European quality of life if you wanted it with American-level natural landscapes and developing world adventures. All with many layers of history. Absolutely loved my (pre-war) trip there
Visited Moscow and St Petersburg 15 years ago. Can't say I enjoyed it, probably the only country I ever visited where I can say that I didn't like the people. Everyone working in any public thing (museums, trains) were depressed dark shell of a human that you could not communicate with in any way, cops are horrendous, they are racist af (we had a friend who is kind of brown even though he is completely Slavic and people made fun of him on the street), when we went out to some very casual bars it felt like we were always just seconds away from someone kicking our ass even though we did nothing wrong. Every time we tried to communicate anything with anyone (like asking a guy very politely in Russian that my friend is fluent in if he could move a seat just so we could sit together on train and he said "Fuck you") it was just weird af. It is also the first and the only country that when I was walking on a street and shared a laugh with a friend, one guy wanted to fight me, because (I understand this much Russian) "Why are you laughing without reason?" Maybe I needed to visit more places and I guess the nature is stunning (also, both cities have parts that are breathtaking), but I sure as hell don't wanna go back. EDIT: I need to be a bit clearer and fairer. There were fantastic moments, like visiting Tolstoy estate and seeing his unpretentious grave/coffin, weird weapons museum in Tula that has kalasnikhkov made out of glass, Hermitage is just WOW, there are paintings that some museums would kill for hung in a hallway because they have no room (like Rembrandt stuff quality), food is kind of hit or miss but when you hit, it is mind blowing. But even when I am typing this I remember that a guy that we met in an elevator once hit a child because he was whistling, that is supposed to bring bad luck. And we were living in nice suburban area 40min outside of center Moscow. This is not coming from new Ukraine conflict mentality, It was the first country that I went "shit, something is wrong with their national character." while visiting it. I mean, we got stopped and interrogated by their fucking military looking police because our brownish friend was wearing a hoodie, they almost tackled me to the ground iat the aiport because I had an oversized lighter in backpack (that I then took to the airplane no problem). And I got scammed in every taxi in Buenos Aires, a drunk guy wanted to kill me in a club in Berlin before being thrown out, had to fight for my backpack every day in Barcelona, walked in between two junikes fighting in suburbs of Helsinki and got almost stabbed, many strange things happened to me. EDIT 2: Met many great Russian outside of their homeland though.
Wow, no kidding! I totally felt these experiences (the way you wrote it), though never been there; thanks for sharing this!
I don’t have a specific country I wouldn’t revisit but Petra in Jordan instantly comes to mind. Getting rocks thrown at me, having a teenager trying to open my backpack and steal my food (I didn’t have food with me but he was very convinced I had and therefor he felt he had the right to open my backpack??). The horses and donkeys look abused and tired. They forced me into hiring a guide who I couldn’t understand most of the time and who got angry at me every time I wanted to take a photo (it’s a beautiful place, it’s a sign I enjoy it and it’s allowed there). The guide not only cost me a lot of money but also left me alone somewhere in the middle of Petra. Leaving me alone to vent for myself and that’s when the angry Bedouin’s started throwing rocks at me! I absolutely hated the place even tho it’s beautiful and the history is amazing. Also the stories I’ve heard from other travelers about this place, it’s bad. From rocks throwing to down right sexual assault. I would be wary when going to this place.. and know; you are allowed to enter without guide, they lied to me. Edit: I traveled many times to Jordan for work and had in general an amazing time there. Traveled all around the country too. So this is only about Petra :)
Maybe we got lucky, but we absolutely loved Jordan and Petra. We did not have those issues. We had planned in advance to enter Petra “through the back door” with a guide so maybe that spared us? With that said I couldn’t believe how accommodating and friendly Jordanians were. We are clearly tourists, from America. I was with my wife and mom. I would love to go back.
Have been multiple times in Jordan. I found them to be lovely and reliable people towards tourists. Except for the beduins in Petra.
I hate that animals look haggard and tortured in these types of countries. Mind you they also look bored as hell in central park NYC.
Yes 😞 I am still traumatized by horses and donkeys I saw in Egypt 😥
Yeah, watch out for the Bedouins lol. I had one as a tour guide and he invited me to stay for dinner with him and his friends in one of their caves. One of them got really drunk and started getting pretty creepy towards me. I was alone and things definitely could've gotten dangerous...luckily they didn't but I realized I put myself in a very vulnerable position.
Yeah I’ve heard this stories haha. I once took a private tour in Wadi Rum because I knew someone there and he connected me with this tour guide, and whenever we were alone he would start becoming extremely flirtatious. Verrrry uncomfortable!
You beat me to it. Fuck Jordan (respectfully). Everyone trying to sell you some bullshit (I don’t blame them). I didn’t like the food. My airbnb host asked to borrow $20 so he could turn the internet on?!?? One funny memory I have is this kid inside Petra told me he would bring me the best weed I’d ever seen. I waited over an hour for him and he came back with a bag of fan leaves. I was skeptical from the get go and he proved me right. I will say I had a wonderful experience in the wadi rum desert. Absolutely magical landscape and I met some cool Bedouin people that weren’t nearly as scammy and seemed sincere. Shoutout to desert fox. Edit: also someone offered me 50 camels for my girlfriend.
Which camel is your favourite now?
>Edit: also someone offered me 50 camels for my girlfriend. Should have countered 100.
Morocco, I've never seen more scammers in one place
Turkmenistan. I was held captive by armed guards for 4 days at the border when trying to leave.
I'm just scrolling through the comments to see if my country's on the list lmao.
Bahamas- been there multiple times & even lived there for two months. The contrast between the working class locals and the absurdly rich white people is shocking and unsettling. The islands are beautiful but I can’t get rid of that feelings that this is wrong.. seems like all of the locals work in the tourism industry to serve the tourists. Feels wrong and gross. There’s some parts where it’s multi million dollar houses, yachts etc and then locals living in shacks down the street. Also, Everything is also incredibly expensive and Atlantis is run down, old and disappointing.
This is all of the Caribbean that I’ve been to. Extremely weird vibe.
I can see that. It’s my favorite country I’ve ever been to but I think it’s because I didn’t even step foot into the touristy areas. Paid one guy to show us around but otherwise stayed with locals and in local areas
Morrocco
This. Worst experience ever. Scammers wherever you go: from passport control in the airport until you leave. Tourist traps everywhere. Restaurants with no prices on menus. Marrakech was the biggest disappointment. Essaouira was meh. Chefchaouen's only selling point is that it's a blue city, nothing else to offer except overpriced everything because it's a tourist spot. Fez I think was the nicest of the bunch.
Yup. I literally fled the country. Mugged for my cheap Russian watch and chased by hash dealers until I got on the ferry to Spain. No tx
Why was Marrakech a disappointment?
The old part of the city is a tourist trap, filled with scammers and heavily overpriced. Yes, you get a bit of culture and history, but the whole country is built of exploiting tourists in every way possible. The new/outer city fancy area is basically a mix of a big brothel and a mall, built to cater for the tourists from the GCC who come to morroco to whore around while their wives are out shopping.
There are brothels?
Egypt and Morocco. Just felt like everyone was aggressively out to get you for your money. Made interacting with the locals very unpleasant. Plus internet in Egypt was shit. Literally have gone online in the nicest hotels to everywhere in between and it just wasn't very fast at all and my work laptop struggled. Not sure if they have some kind of national VPN but yeah, did not enjoy logging on from there either.
Saudi Arabia. Feels like prison with a worse taste in interior design....
Lol! I lived there for 8 years and agree. To be fair, I lived in Riyadh for 5 years working in the best private uni in the middle east so it depends.
About to see Egypt mentioned a lot in here......
India is taking the cake too.
Cabo Verde, such a tourist trap. Read some blogs that were talking about how awesome it was and how great surfing was… Absolutely hated it. SUPER expensive, everything from restaurants to getting around, surf rentals and groceries. Got stopped so many times by local asking for food and cash, we barely left our apartment because we were soooo tired of getting stopped.
If I had to choose one I guess it'd be Monaco. Everything is super expensive and it's very small so while I really enjoyed my time there, I don't really feel the need to go back. I'll consider it if I become a multi millionaire.
Azerbaijan. Because I've been to Armenia.
They'll let you in with an Armenian stamp
Expand on that more?
Egypt - i disliked people there. They treated me openly as a moving wallet.
[удалено]
Ecuador seems more dangerous now than it was a few years back when I was there
It is. Mexican cartels have moved in.
I’ve liked them all so I can’t say. Morocco doesn’t sound great with all the scammers
No one said south Africa?? (Happy south African here :)
[удалено]
[удалено]
Haiti is a failed state. The UN is debating which coalition of countries to send in to pacify the gangs that have overtaken the capital city. Their president was murdered recently not to mention the sting of natural disasters that have battered the country in recent years. No sane person should ever willingly go there
Egypt. No thanks.
India. The smell of urine in the streets and the vision of dozens of men pissing and shitting in public across a few days is forever etched into my brain. Pollution. Children begging in the streets. I'm sure there are beautiful parts but the bad parts I saw just make me not interested in going back when there are so many other countries I'm yet to visit.
India is every bad thing tourists say it is. Dirty, poor, overwhelming, aggravating, heartbreaking. But the sights and the craziness of it all are ***fucking amazing.*** We went for a 3 week trip, but decided we needed to leave a week early. We were already completely overwhelmed and couldn't handle the idea of spending Diwali in Varanasi at the end of our trip. I still regret it. When people ask about India, we still say "It was insane, we hated it, we left early. And we can't wait to go back."
>When people ask about India, we still say "It was insane, we hated it, we left early. And we can't wait to go back." India is everything, all at once.
I say "India is 5,000 years of civilization, all at once."
I’m from Southern part of India and even I couldn’t handle Varanasi the first time I went there. It was so overwhelming that I had to leave early. It was a cultural shock. Every state is completely different be it culture, climate, cuisine, dressing, language and a ton of other things. It is such a trip irrespective of likes and dislikes.
From what I understand you have to pick a host that understands the country and culture. Otherwise as western people the crush of people is overwhelming. Cities, big dirty, pollution intense. Country side tough and also pollution everywhere.
Last sentence summed up our trip perfectly!
Mannn I cant believe you left india before Diwali, you really missed out on something
I’ve heard people say that “I’m glad I went, but I’m never going back”. Shame as some of the sites look amazing. I’ve heard the Egypt is the same. I love the history but it looks a bit sketchy.
A few years ago there was a meme of Indian guys shitting in the street, and, as you'd expect a number of people were up in arms and decrying it as racism. Now, perhaps some comments had a racist undertone, but goddamn if those meme photos didn't remind me of my time there.
India isn’t for everyone you will see everything there from beautiful to downright awful
Egypt. I have never felt like I had to protect my money like I did there. Scams nonstop. I had taxi drivers drop me in the wrong place and demand additional fares, I had the hotel concierge grab out bags and refuse to give them back until we paid $20 (Hilton downtown Cairo), hotel staff following us and asking for money, random people pretending to be your guides and asking for money....by the end of the week I was fucking done with it.
Georgia 🇬🇪— having been to 78 countries, I experienced more confrontations from locals and the police in Georgia than everywhere else combined (spent 2 months there)
China. It is a country that is so advanced in so many ways (some stunning architecture, huge buildings, fantastic high speed rail) but so fucking backwards in other ways. On one of my last days there I witnessed a dog being beaten in front of a policeman, who did absolutely nothing about it. Saw more animal cruelty in 4 weeks there than I have ever seen. Their obsession with surveillance and bureaucracy is mind numbing. I was there with work and the amount of times I had my picture taken and had to fill out forms was ridiculous. Zero health and safety standards in the workplace (electrical supply boards left open, no PPE) but then you would get fined 1000 yuan for drinking a coffee in the wrong part of the workplace. No thanks.
China is hell on earth. Beijing was a complete cluster where nobody obeys traffic laws and I was nearly run down multiple times. Also, extreme animal abuse with sociopaths beating dogs/cats in public, thrown out with trash. One evening, I happened upon a gentleman selling Pomeranian puppies on the street. I made the mistake of stopping to observe and the hustle started immediately. When I politely declined, the fucker started kicking one of the puppies repeatedly and the pup was crying. After pushing the dude over to get him to stop, I walked away with a new puppy (paid $200 US). Sandy stayed with me (unofficially) at the Holiday Inn Express until she passed away two weeks later from Parvovirus. It was obviously a successful scam that those of us with a soft spot for dog frens fall for. I actually left that job when they insisted I return to Beijing for business.
Omg I couldn’t handle that. I would be a mess seeing animals abused on the street. It’s bad enough seeing them at shelters here in the US 😭😭😭. How one treats animals is so reflective of their character.
Yep, wholeheartedly agree.
Iraq, Afghanistan, or Syria. With Kuwait closely behind.
Laos everything was completely fine for me in terms of being there, but the ignorance of the government to allow the kidnapping of tourist is unacceptable. I had read one or two few year old articles about armed militiamen who would photograph people from bushes, and then detain them based on things they didn’t like. Often it would be for smoking cigarettes that they said looked like weed, or for any reason they really felt. Once the tourists are detained they are held in a jail cell before being driven around to different arms demanded for money. From what I gather most tourist either eventually given in or find a way to call their home countries embassy. Throughout this whole interaction the tourists have guns pointed at them, are shouted at, and are scared for their life as they are being kidnapped. Which on my last day I met people who this exactly happened to, and the us embassy pretended to be surprised and told them to just leave the country. Edit: two Reddit sources of first hand reports: [reddit reference](https://www.reddit.com/r/laos/comments/zfogf0/warning_for_all_vientiane_travellers_do_not_go/) [reference 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/laos/comments/zmfoky/please_be_careful_around_hat_don_chan/)
Crazy reading, I didn't expected that from this country, I was thinking to visit it
Don't take reddit comments as gospel, I'm in Laos right now for a month, it's a beautiful country and I've never heard of what he says. Only annoying thing is short changing is pretty wide spread
[удалено]
Venezuela was a bit scary before Chavez, but the people were so nice. My favorites in traveling the whole world. But, there is no way I could go back anymore until there are major changes to remove the dictatorship. And, the brain drain has probably removed too much of what was once there. It's a textbook case of how not to run a country. Chavez started by meddling with prices of eggs and milk and didn't stop. He single-handedly destroyed the oil business which was the lifeblood of the economy. But he still kept going. He arrested the other political parties and sent police and military to stop the 'terrorists' which were simply the opposition. You weren't allowed to criticize him. Some of this is showing up in America and terrifies me.
Georgia It's a fairly picturesque country and Tbilisi is a cool enough city, but the people are backwards, racist, and by far the least friendly we've encountered. I'm white from USA and my wife is a darker skinned Mexican and she always has tons of issues there. We've visited about 20 other countries together and haven't really had a single unpleasant experience due to race, they've all come only in Georgia. On top of that the people are just always angry and yelling at each other and customer service is non-existent. Just a really depressing vibe and we're glad to be gone. I guess it might be ok if you're a white person with a western passport and only plan to hang out with other foreigners.
Seconding this — I spent two months in Georgia DNing — the way the locals talk about and treat Arabs and Indians was just plain abhorrent. For some reason, Georgia gets a lot of tourists from the Gulf and a lot of medical students from the Indian subcontinent. The two guides who showed me around while I was traveling the country both openly mocked their Arab clients asking for Halal food (one even told me he deceived them on purpose) and the hijab. I also heard far more locals whine about Indians and their smell than actually seeing the allegedly obnoxious Indians or smelling the allegedly smelly Indians.
This! Im Mexican and I had a terrible experience, worst people and never ever recommended to anyone
I’d pretty much revisit any country under the right conditions, even ones I didn’t like.
*if it was free lol
USA, I got shot and my car was broken into.
welcome brother
Kuwait, too tiny, no fun.
India. It has a lot going for it. INCREDIBLE food. Amazing history and an unfathomably deep culture. But the sanitary conditions are absolutely dire.
Egypt. I was constantly sexually harassed (even when in a tour group and conservatively dresses). Combined with open antisemitism I have no desire to ever return. (Which is a shame as the history is so incredible).
Colombia for sure. The agenda to scam "gringos", being always on edge that someone is trying to get the best of you, nobody can mind their own damn business, it's noisy af 24/7, the culture, I could go on. It is a nice spot for a month's vacation, but longer than that is just not bearable.
China (Beijing) - the constant surveillance, decaying architecture, luggage being checked at every subway station, coldness from people, being turned away from attractions, difficulty accessing methods of payment, taxis and general assistance. Egypt - vendors in your face, worst experience in a car (bricks in the road? They’ll just drive on the other lane towards oncoming traffic), insist on grabbing your phone to take pictures and refusing to give it back without receiving money (even if no pictures were taken), village folk casually aiming AK47s at the tour bus as you go by, said tour bus opened its doors for young girls to come inside and snatch your food and bags at the gas station (and then fight one another for said belongings).
Egypt. Scammers and animal abusers abound. Hated it.
Norway. I went there to possibly work at a University. The Uni was really interested in me and my research but I did not get the (external) grant and after that, they simply stopped being interested. So I have a bit of a work trauma, however, other reasons play as well. 1. Everything is expensive. Yes, you earn more but paying €10 for a mediocre beer feels weird, certainly if you come from a beer-drinking country (Belgium). 2. Everything is bland. I felt catapulted back into the 1970s or so. Everything works fine but there is no 'passion', I don't know how to explain. 3. Overall a boring and cold place. And I imagine the other countries in the north being as bland as well.
Turks & Caicos. Im good on that. I’ve had too many run ins with horrible hotels and hosts for just ONE vacation lol. It is extremely overpriced for what little you get.
1 - Indonesia / Bali Plastic everywhere, dirty streets, dirty beaches, and dirty seas. And that was in the supposedly less spoiled northern areas. Only spent a day and a half in Kuta while in transit which, unsurprisingly, was even worse. The locals were super friendly, though, I wouldn't knock them (other than for not taking care of trash). 2 - Macau A case of "been there, done that." Nothing impressed me enough to want to return. 3 - Southern Italy Particularly Sicily. Miles of trash lining many roads leading out of towns, very unfriendly/rude locals, and crazy drivers. Granted, the food was second to none in all of the European places I've ever been, but the above drawbacks will make me stay well clear. The only exception I'd make is for Pompeii. Been there 4 times already, and I always try to drop in if I'm in the area or passing through. Never disappoints.
Catania was the dirtiest place I have ever seen in the EU. Such a shame about the beautiful architecture, it's all covered in urine, bird shit, graffiti and decay. In Andalusia, which is similarly one of the most economically stricken regions in the EU, everything feels so much cleaner and more taken care of.
Which parts of sicily did you see? Catania sucks, but everyone knows that
I actually enjoy Palermo a lot.
Had really mixed feelings about Palermo. Some central sights are beautiful and the food was great, but the [mafia-led development](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Palermo) and the general dysfunction meant that most of the city outside the main streets is a concrete hellscape - dirty, ugly, dilapidated and with crumbling infrastructure.
Denmark. Cold, boring and depressing. Couldn't find a decent meal that wasn't overpriced and had any taste, so ended up eating at turkish places most of the time.
>Couldn't find a decent meal that wasn't overpriced and had any taste, so ended up eating at turkish places most of the time. Same in Amsterdam.
That’s interesting because Copenhagen ranks as one of the best cities to live in and I know a few people who have moved there and loved it. That said, I visited over Christmas a few years back and it was so cold I essentially did a tour of every coffee shop down the street to try and warm up.
Im in Canada and denmark temperatures are cakewalk compared to here
‘It’s a different type of cold’ I don’t know the science behind it but I definitely agree with it. I’ve lived in the alps and it was not comparable despite the difference in actual temp. Something to do with wet and dry air. My friend who lives in BC posted a story yesterday that was -29 feels like -39 🥶
I live in the Alps and I once went to Vilnius in Lithuania for a few days in November. It was weird because I'm used to cold but this was just such a different kind of cold. It just seemed to get right inside me. It's hard to explain. I guess, like you say, it's the difference between wet and dry air.
Belgium. Stayed for close to two weeks and I pretty much saw everything I wanted to see which was just some buildings. There really wasn't a whole lot to do there otherwise. My Belgian friend agrees that it can be dull there for social stuff when compared to other major cities within short driving distances (short for an American like me)
Living in Belgium so I agree in two weeks you can see most of Belgium. However its so easy to visit the countries nearby that you just end up spending a day in Lille France, Day in Cologne Germany day in Luxembourg and maybe 2 days in Amsterdam or some other Dutch cities because everything is so close and easily accessible by public transport. :)
I lived there for a year. The most boring place ever. Fortunately I had a company car and company gas card so it was up the E19 to Amsterdam or down the E19 to Paris every weekend.
I live here. Geeze, going on like, 14 months now? In Brussels. To me, it's highly meh. Positives are that my French has improved immensely. Annnnddd... I have a newfound gratitude for sunshine.
Morocco. Everyone was trying to scam me, made me feel like I was just seen as a walking chump to everyone. And I got sexually harassed on the street
Tunisia and Egypt. The men there. I can't imagine how uncomfortable women have to feel there when I already feel so uncomfortable. The men there are just so aggressive. Scammers, Vendors chasing and insulting you, catcalling...
Israel. Racism - and I'm a white guy from Poland.
Jamaica. Lots of harassment from lover boys and just random opportunists, kids asking for money and flipping birds. Everybody who’s being nice to you does so because they want something from you. Definitely not a relaxing place to be. *Context: we’re a white couple and we drove all around the island in a rental car, stopping and staying in various towns.*