If you’re a truly ambitious traveler, you probably want to visit as many destinations on the planet as you can. While you hope every trip will be memorable, there’s probably a chance you’ll visit at least one place that you’d rather forget.
One netizen decided to ask the Reddit community what the worst countries and cities they’d ever visited were, and people were only too happy to contribute their stories of places they’d never go back to, for all sorts of unpleasant reasons.
More info: Reddit
#1
Egyptians in this thread: *Oh boy here we go again*.
Image credits: br0b1wan
#2
Turkey as a single female visiting female friends. What made the trip awful? Men. As rich as the culture and amazing the food is there, I would never go back again and I travelled to many places in the world alone.
I do know quite a few Turkish people individually, including men, and they are all just normal, kind people. But as a country... I was constantly harassed, sexualised and accosted that I hardly enjoyed the bits that I did.
Image credits: AnSteall
Travel is all about the adventure of discovering new spaces, exploring different cultures, and making memories that'll last a lifetime. Unfortunately, if you travel long enough, you’ll likely come across places that don’t live up to your expectations. From hair-raising traffic and natural hazards to rampant poverty and unchecked crime, some destinations are better left unchecked.
#3
Altoona, PA: Went to. McDonald's there and it was filled with rats.
Image credits: RevolutionaryGain466
#4
Delhi, India. 2009. Even in the airport there was no concept of personal space and random men would be practically on top of you. The smell of body odor overwhelming. Once we stepped out of the airport it was hot and muggy, intensifying all the smells of rotting trash and sewage contents. The streets insanely crowded with people and cows walking in and out of traffic, families with 5+ people riding on a single motorbike.
Upon entering this clustered traffic, people and children were trying to open the cab doors, making the international signs for “money” and “food”. My dad gave us all cash to pass around. One of the people who approached the car window on my side was a little girl around 7 years old who was carrying a baby that was clearly deceased. People with horrific disabilities sat on the sidewalk begging for money and grabbing at you. Men ogle you and attempt to subtly grab you as they pass you. Keep in mind, I was still a minor when we went.
Alongside the malnourished children, rats, garbage, everything, were beautiful and well kept mansions with high walls and gates. A shocking contrast.
It was the worst place I have been out of 30+ countries because it was breathtakingly sad. The wealth disparity, pain, hygiene, it isn’t their fault. I love so much of the culture, the food, the history, the natural beauty but in Delhi it was overshadowed by the byproducts of poverty.
Image credits: currycurrycurry15
According to The Broke Backpacker, depending on the type of traveler you are, some of the places you might want to miss include Morocco, Dubai, India, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Bali, Honduras, Japan, Bahrain, and Bolivia. Granted, the writer does describe themselves as traveling on a tight budget, so maybe take this list with a pinch of salt.
#5
Dubai.. everything is superficial and society is hierarchical.
Image credits: LongjumpingMess9248
#6
I don't understand this type of thinking. I've had ups and downs while traveling but never thought of a trip as "awful" or any place as "the worst". If you have the right attitude, every place has something to offer.
Anyway, Vegas.
Image credits: Oyadonchano
The Armormax website lists over 20 of the most dangerous tourist destinations in the world. Among these are Acapulco, Mexico, which has seen an explosion in crime; Kingston, Jamaica, also a hotbed of criminal activity; New Smyrna Beach, Florida, the world’s shark attack capital; and Snake Island, Brazil, home to thousands of venomous snakes.
#7
Jamaica. Everything is covered in garbage and we were robbed twice in the same afternoon. .
Image credits: Fahernheit98
#8
Cape Town, South Africa.
Visited one of the townships (Khayelitsha) with about 400,000 inhabitants. The size and level of poverty, especially in comparison to the rest of the city, was just heartbreaking.
Image credits: SpellingJenius
The World Population Review website offers a complete list of the worst countries to visit in 2024. Some of these places are war-torn and suffer from political instability, and have a high threat of kidnapping for ransom or illegal detention. Notable countries to avoid include Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Libya, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Mali, Mexico, and Myanmar.
#9
Had a great road trip driving all the way down NZ until we got to Invercargill. It has the weirdest aura of menace there - people staring with blank looks, groups of young men following us ("coincidentally" appearing several times and having to avoid bumping into them as if they were trying to start s**t or pickpocket).
Maybe everyone in town was having an off day but the only thing I could compare it to was when you walk down the wrong street and suddenly realize you're the center of attention in a way that you really don't want... but the entire place was that way.
Image credits: ThinkThankThonk
#10
Morecambe UK. Practically the type specimen of a run down English seaside town it’s a s**thole in every way. And the ‘beach’ has substantial areas of quicksand, though as you vanish into the ground you might think that a preferable fate to staying in Morecambe.
Image credits: JohnDStevenson
Fodor’s Travel offers a list of places it thinks you should reconsider traveling to in 2025 - the Fodor’s No List. Destinations struggling with poor infrastructure, overtourism, pollution, water shortages, and a poor response to natural disasters all hold an unenviable spot in the catalog.
#11
New Orleans, LA.
I used to love the place when I was in college, I really did. It was wonderful. Music. Food. Just wonderful.
But that's not how it is today. It's like a city doing a s****y impression of New Orleans.
I hadn't been there in over a dozen years and went back last Summer. The food was lousy. There were homeless people *everywhere* on Bourbon St. which I've never seen before. And hookers patrol down up and down the road hitting up absolutely everybody. Right in front of the cops so you know (surprise surprise) that they're in on it.
The place has absolutely zero charm now.
Image credits: BoredBSEE
#12
St. Petersburg, Russia. Got beat up a bit at the phone and robbed. Fun times.
Image credits: thisisallme
But if these are some of the worst places you can, but probably shouldn’t, go to, what are some of the best? According to World Population Review, the most popular tourist destination in the world for more than 30 years, France, boasts a myriad of attractions, while England's capital city, London, attracts visitors with a wide range of sights and nearby landmarks that see their fair share of tourists every year.
#13
Benidorm. Absolutely devoid of culture and history. There was nothing there and then some idiot decided to build Blackpool on steroids. The only thing there is to do there is drink, people try to sell you d***s every five steps, the clientele is just the worst kind of English person, and due to the horrible, horrible lifestyle you’d have to be into to enjoy a trip there, it’s full of people with obvious medical problems that presumably occur due to alcohol and likely unmanaged diabetes. I saw more amputees in a week in Benidorm than I have in ten years in England, hands down. Super weird.
Image credits: binglybleep
#14
Macau
The stark difference between the uber rich getaway spots, the local housing projects, the desperation of gamblers and constant scamming of just about everyone trying to sell you something.
Also, our hotel smelled like an open sewer and we were chased by an angry taxi driver because we asked to be taken to a specific casino but didn’t go inside. We gave him that name because it was a good focal point for us to explore but had no interest in gambling. When we got out and paid our fare but then turned into a pedestrian shopping area he shouted and chased us. I assume he got a kick back for every person he actually brought to the casino and was angry at missing out.
Image credits: GaoAnTian
#15
Niagara Falls, NY. Went there for a family road trip a few years ago. While the falls and park were beautiful and we made the most out of the trip, the city is an absolute ghost town and a complete dump. Nowhere to eat, nothing to do. Had to eat at a Hard Rock Cafe which I'm still perplexed about it still existing. We couldn't figure out why so many hotel reviews warned us about vagrants or where to safely park your vehicle or walking at night but once we got there, we figured out why.
Buffalo Museum of Science was a gem.
Image credits: Gold-Art2661
Another hotspot is Spain, which is abundant with interesting attractions. Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral, the Guggenheim museum, the Generalife Gardens, and the beaches of Gran Canaria are all picture-perfect destinations. The South Asian country of Thailand, also known as the "Land of Smiles", offers both modern comforts and awesome adventure. The country's capital, Bangkok, gets over 20 million visitors every year.
#16
Orlando. I don't mean the parks, I mean the time I happened to be in Orlando outside of them. I've never been anywhere else where so many people are so consistently aggressive and mean.
At the mall people (not a person, plural people) would drive behind us in the parking lot which itself isn't anything I haven't experienced elsewhere, but they'd honk their horns and cuss us out for walking to the car too slowly. Eventually someone asked politely if she take our parking spot and we were just so happy someone was nice about it we told her exactly where we parked and said we'd wait for her. We were not surprised to see she had Alabama license plates.
On another time some guy in a black priest robe and that white collar just stopped on the side of the road long enough to call my wife a "fat b***h."
That was also where we had the most near misses while driving, from so many people either pulling away from the shoulder without looking or turning left from the right lane/right from the left lane.
Image credits: LogicalFallacyCat
#17
Varanasi, India. Our trip leader decided it would be a good idea for our group to stay in a hotel really close to the main ghat. While cars are banned in that part of the city, scooters are not and they are blaring their horns 24/7. Add to that the constant bell ringing and the sheer amount of people and it is noisy as hell. I had a street facing room and couldn't sleep even with noise cancelling headphones on. The people in the alley facing rooms fared no better, as screaming monkeys were trying to break into the rooms and at least one person found a nest of dead rats. There was no drain in the bathroom, which I didn't realize until after taking a brief shower, which resulted in me having to scoop the water into a tiny sink like I was bailing a sinking boat. Outside of the hotel wasn't a whole lot better, not only because of the noise, but also the piles of cow s**t everywhere and the large open air crematoriums making it hard to breathe. That city f*****g sucked and I will never go back.
Image credits: ssfoxx27
Have you ever had an underwhelming travel experience? What made it so disappointing? Would you ever go there again? Don’t forget to upvote your favorites on this list and leave a comment if you can relate!
#18
Afghanistan, the locals were extremely hostile.
Image credits: Grand_Raccoon0923
#19
I had to go to Bakersfield, CA for work once.
That place is just depressing; also, at the time there was a heatwave with temperatures reaching well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, so double fail.
Image credits: M_Fischer
#20
I was very disappointed in Reno - Nevada. I am Dutch and love the US and its people. Unfortunately Reno is one stay I want to erase from my memory. Lots of d**g addicts. Unsafe feeling especially downtown.
Image credits: Prisoner_of_the_road
#21
There is pretty much nothing to do in the Cayman Islands when it's raining, so naturally, it rained the entire time I was there. Didn't help that everything's insanely overpriced, the public transport is awful, and road safety is practically nonexistent.
Image credits: only-a-marik
#22
Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
We gave some places a wide berth the 2 nights we were there, so we didn’t see the worst things that I’m sure go on there. But it was in the air. The sleaze and the vice felt omnipresent.
Imagine a Liam Neeson or Charles Bronson vigilante movie set in a beach town run by a vaguely Eastern European mob, and you’re imagining Sihanoukville. .
Image credits: wilyquixote
#23
Fort Yates, North Dakota.
It was September and my fiancée and I were on a road trip. We were driving from Rapid City to Fargo and we stopped in Fort Yates for lunch. We drive into town and every house is boarded up and condemned, and every building that looked like it had been a buisness at one point had long been closed. We found the town grocery store and stop to grab something. As soon as we got out of the car, the homeless people in the town began casing the car. So we noped out of there and drove to Bismarck for lunch.
I grew up in poverty so seeing it isn’t as jarring to me as it is to a lot of people. But reservation poverty is DIFFERENT. Everyone looked strung out and miserable.
Image credits: who_peed_in_my_soup
#24
Personally, I hate Birmingham AL for its nonsensical highway layout, the fact it always meant lost time when I tried to travel through it to anyplace, and the scummy residents I've run into there.
But objectively I'd say Cairo IL is the most dilapidated and creepy town I've driven through. It's as if that [big gateway into town]
Image credits: MatttheBruinsfan
#25
Indiana, but specifically Evansville. Broke down there. Walked from the hotel we landed at to a Honda repair shop. My son and I are walking down the side of this major road and the shoulder is carpeted in cigarette butts. And I mean carpeted. For 2 miles it looked like someone had pored out the contents of thousands of ash trays. And those were just the two miles we walked. Just a mean, angry town.
Image credits: ksuwildkat
#26
Seminole Texas -
In fairness it only has a population of about 300, but I had to stay there for a couple of weeks for work. The only motel in town was infested with scorpions, climbing up the walls, behind the furnituer, and eventually in my bed.
Image credits: Frigidspinner
#27
Lived in Omaha Nebraska for a year and it’s the biggest s**t hole I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
Image credits: Frosty-Ad8457
#28
Baghdad. People were trying to [end] me. Great city otherwise.
Image credits: KamuiT
#29
Haven't really had any bad experiences out of country but I really did not like Texarkana one single f****n bit.
Image credits: Correct_Succotash988
#30
Raqqa. Was very loud and there were a lot of people trying to [end] me. 0/10.
Image credits: Grunti_Appleseed2
#31
Wichita, Kansas.
Even by the loooow standards I was expecting, it did not meet.
As a random example: In the second largest city in the state of Kansas, when we turned on the radio there were 11 preacher channels, and only two music options. Of those, only one was secular. This is on the great plains were a radio signal should travel 1,000 miles! What is this cultural black hole of a landscape?
Image credits: Cuofeng
#32
Seattle, WA.
Expensive, nasty weather, won't turn on the heat in public places, and the meanest/snobbiest/rudest locals.
Like no one makes eye contact, holds open a door, or says hello but then your tab will be $75 for 4 drinks. Small coffees from almost anywhere were $7+.
Most places are worth it in some way but not Seattle.
The area is absolutely gorgeous and the city's infrastructure is great for the US. But neither make up for the rest of the nonsense.
#33
The US state of Indiana.
Absolutely textbook flyover middle America, nothing but average clapboard housing, 4 way stops, fields everywhere. Saying there's nothing there is being very generous, there aren't any notable focal points or tourist attractions, there isn't even a foodie scene like some of the other flyover states do have.
I now totally understand why American teenagers and young people stereotypically always seem to slide off the rails, doing dumb s**t and getting into d***s and booze. Being brought up in such a boring environment where you can't do anything without a car must really wear you down after a while.
Was staying with relatives (who have since died) on a normal street in a boring crummy town and was there for four days. Absolutely dire and Indiana was hands down the worst state we went to.
Image credits: Shoddy-Computer2377
