People were more than willing to share their tales of places they would never return to, for a variety of disagreeable reasons. Among them are a few destinations that the Foreign Office has already labeled ‘do not travel’ zones. But what was the worst city or country you have ever been to?
1. Dumai, Indonesia
“Too many tourists crammed into bars with blaring music. I was more focused on getting out of the street than paying attention to what was going on in the bars.”
2. Fort Yates, ND
“As soon as we got out of the car, the homeless people in the town began casing the car. So we left out of there and drove to Bismarck for lunch. Everyone looked strung out and miserable.”
3. Seminole, TX
“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 furniture, and eventually in my bed.”
4. Invercargill, New Zealand
“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 shit or pickpocket).”
5. Bakersfield, CA
“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.”
6. St. Petersburg, Russia
“I got beat up a bit at the phone and robbed. Fun times.”
7. Jamaica
“Everything is covered in garbage, and we were robbed twice in the same afternoon.”
8. Morecambe, UK
“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.”
9. The Cayman Islands
“There is pretty much nothing to do in there 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.”
10. 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.”
11. Delhi, India
“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 was overwhelming. Once we stepped out of the airport, it was hot and muggy, intensifying all the smells of rotting trash and sewage contents.”
12. Texarkana, TX
“Haven’t really had any bad experiences out of country but I really did not like Texarkana. It is depressing and empty, filled with rusted and broken farm equipment from the ’50s.”
13. Reno, NV
“I was very disappointed. I am Dutch and love the US and its people. Unfortunately, Reno is one stay I want to erase from my memory. Unsafe feeling, especially downtown.”
14. Orlando, FL
“Orlando is awful. Just so car-centric and has no soul. I didn’t expect much tbh, I was there for a conference but 100% would not go back unless forced again.”
15. Altoona, PA
“I went to McDonald’s there, and it was filled with rats. I wish I could forget the experience.”
16. Baghdad, Iraq
“People were trying to kill me. Great city otherwise.”
17. Benidorm, Spain
“Absolutely devoid of culture and history. There was nothing there. The only thing there is to do there is drink.”
18. Bismarck, North Dakota
“The weather is bad, yes, but that’s not the biggest issue. They have 0 public services, don’t plow or salt, so snow turns to ice. No public services. They have nothing to do there. One movie theater that has 7 screens.”
19. 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.”
20. Cairo, IL
“Objectively, I’d say Cairo, the city in Illinois, is the most dilapidated and creepy town I’ve driven through. It’s as if that big gateway into town is the entrance to your worst nightmare.”
21. Memphis, TN
“Memphis definitely had a not feel safe vibe to the city. Or maybe I was paranoid.”
22. 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. 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 where to safely park your vehicle or walking at night.”
23. Atlantic City, NJ
“Utterly depressing. I was afraid that my van would get stolen.”
24. Turkey
“As a single female visiting female friends. I do know quite a few Turkish people, including men, and they are all just normal, kind people. But as a country… I was constantly harassed.”
25. Varanasi, India
“While cars are banned in some parts of the city, scooters are not, and they are blaring their horns 24/7. 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.”
26. Macau, China
“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.”
27. Egypt
“Highest ever scammers per capita population. I wouldn’t go back.”
28. Wichita, KS
“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.”
29. Jacksonville, FL
“Went to Jacksonville, FL when my brother in law was in the Coast Guard there. Trashiest people I’ve ever encountered. Unfortunately Gulf Shores, AL has gotten just as bad.”
30. Raqqa, Syria
“It was very loud, and there were a lot of people trying to kill me. 0/10.”
