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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask where you’d love to visit but are too scared to visit.

237 replies

Gawwwd · 04/08/2025 21:04

Mine is Haiti. Such a fascinating place and such an interesting (and predictably oppressed) history. I would so love to go there, but even if things improved there I’d likely still be far too chicken shit, truth be told.

OP posts:
FoxtrotOscarFoxtrotOscar · 04/08/2025 21:54

I looked into the Trans Siberian a few years ago.
A berth with private bathroom was something like £30,000.

Sassybooklover · 04/08/2025 21:50

Russia because it has a lot of history and the buildings are magnificent and beautiful ❤️

BCBird · 04/08/2025 21:49

Jdkaksbd · 04/08/2025 21:32

Cuba and China are both safe!

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It more bring a solo traveller and in China the food- stomach issues.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 04/08/2025 21:48

Cuba and Istanbul. I travel on my own, and I like it but I've had less than great experiences in a couple of places, so that's why Istanbul. Cuba is long haul and although I fly, I don't like it much.

Padamae · 04/08/2025 21:48

This reply has been deleted

Post withdrawn at author's request

There’s loads of history in Iraq. Saddam and Isis didn’t manage to destroy it all. It’s an amazing place to visit!

Youdontseehow · 04/08/2025 21:48

drspouse · 04/08/2025 21:07

Russia- I'd love to do the train from St Petersburg to Moscow. Or even the trans Siberian.
Maybe some day!

Moscow is my dream destination!! We looked into going in 2017 and were advised to wait until after the World Cup as they were likely to introduce tourist visas that would be easier to get. Fast forward to Covid now there’s Putin being even more of a maniac - I’m so sad that I’ll likely not get there.

Rhinohides · 04/08/2025 21:47

Iraq
also Turkey due to heritage sites linked to my religion but heard horror stories about the attitude to solo female travelers

Waggytail · 04/08/2025 21:46

mamagogo1 · 04/08/2025 21:32

@Waggytail

sri Lanka is safe, more likely to have issues in Spain! (Or London). India is mostly fine, just avoid the north

I'm reluctant to travel anywhere that the British government has to specifically warn tourists there's a risk of being sexually assaulted.

Sri Lanka and India both have those warnings on the safe travel guide, so not for me right now.

KingfisherAmmonite · 04/08/2025 21:44

saraclara · 04/08/2025 21:09

What?!

I've visited Uzbekistan twice. It's a wonderful country and there are no significant warnings about going there. On fact it's become very popular with tour groups, which people are starting to complain about.

ETA that I just looked, and the advice about terrorism relates to a tiny border corner of the country. You would have absolutely no need to go anywhere near that address as a tourist.

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Thanks for this. I was wondering what on earth the previous post was about. Uzbekistan is a lovely, safe for tourists, country to visit, and the Silk Road cities are phenomenal!

Popadomorbread · 04/08/2025 21:43

We went on a school trip to Russia. Did the train between St Petersburg and Moscow. It was 20 years ago but it wouldn’t be considered now.

I would love to see the pretence of North Korea, though not at all safe! And Iran.

saraclara · 04/08/2025 21:42

KTheGrey · 04/08/2025 21:41

It was the word terrorism that spooked me.

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Again, that warning is for a very small area near the borders. Far far away from the tourist route.

saraclara · 04/08/2025 21:41

Jdkaksbd · 04/08/2025 21:32

Cuba and China are both safe!

Show quote history

I've been to China twice, as a solo independent backpacker - first to Beijing and Yunnan, second to Shanghai and Xinjiang. I wouldn't go to Xinjiang now, as it would break my heart. But otherwise China is a really easy country to travel in, despite the language/text barrier.

KTheGrey · 04/08/2025 21:41

saraclara · 04/08/2025 21:09

What?!

I've visited Uzbekistan twice. It's a wonderful country and there are no significant warnings about going there. On fact it's become very popular with tour groups, which people are starting to complain about.

ETA that I just looked, and the advice about terrorism relates to a tiny border corner of the country. You would have absolutely no need to go anywhere near that address as a tourist.

Edited
Show quote history

It was the word terrorism that spooked me.

To ask where you’d love to visit but are too scared to visit.
MyOtherProfile · 04/08/2025 21:41

helphelpimbeingrepressed · 04/08/2025 21:32

I’d love to go to Egypt and Morocco but I’m absolutely terrified of snakes and have been warned about people putting cobras on you for photo opportunities. I’m very blonde and pale so am often a target for this sort of thing. It happened to me as a teenager in India and I was so freaked out I hid instead of going into the Red Fort in Agra.

Morocco is fine. I've only seen people with snakes in the main square in Marrakech. That wasn't very nice anyway so avoid that and you'll be fine. Plenty of lovely safe places to go in Morocco.

Cardinalita90 · 04/08/2025 21:39

I went to Jordan a couple of years ago and would recommend it in a heartbeat. Such lovely welcoming people and great history.

I'm trying to muster the courage to go to India next year. I'll either love it or hate it, and wouldn't feel safe going alone unfortunately.

PlantDoctor · 04/08/2025 21:39

India for me. Looks so incredible but I would never go now.

I've become pretty risk averse since there was a shooter threat when we were in an airport in Canada. Thankfully it turned out to be a sick prank, but they made an announcement over the tannoy about a shooter and everyone was running, some police with guns running in the other direction, we were directed into a corridor with some very undertrained staff and it was absolutely terrifying for an hour or so.

I've also been in Nairobi as a student, when a lady told us "you should leave the area. There is going to be a riot". And there was! Very grateful to that lady for the advice to move!

Original poster
Gawwwd · 04/08/2025 21:39

Loving reading these posts. Just want to point out that finding somewhere scary can be subjective. There are people who can hitchhike through Afghanistan without fear and people who would find going to Spain scary, there’s room for us all.

OP posts:
Gymmum82 · 04/08/2025 21:37

I’ve been to Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and South Africa. All perfectly safe aside from small easily avoidable areas. I’ve also technically been to North Korea but just the DMZ.

I don’t think there is anywhere I’d like to visit but too scared to

Theteenandme · 04/08/2025 21:37

Petra
Russia

JHound · 04/08/2025 21:37

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 04/08/2025 21:28

I'd love to see the Roman ruins at Jerash in Jordan.

I have been!

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 04/08/2025 21:36

I’ve been lucky enough to go to Lebanon.

DP has been to Iraq with work and it sounds amazing.
Id loved to have seen Syria pre-Arab spring

Central African Republic/DRC would be top of my list

JHound · 04/08/2025 21:35

queenofchocolatepuddings · 04/08/2025 21:18

I'd love to visit Israel but that would be rather foolish at the moment.

I loved it and would love to go back but yep, won’t be going anytime soon.

MyOtherProfile · 04/08/2025 21:35

wizzywig · 04/08/2025 21:08

Croatia, Albania. I'm too scared of racism to go there

I'm really sorry to read this. I've been to both countries and they're beautiful. All the people we met were lovely. But I'm white so I have no idea how they would be otherwise.

RandomUsernameHere · 04/08/2025 21:33

Pripyat (the abandoned city near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant)
North Korea

helphelpimbeingrepressed · 04/08/2025 21:32

I’d love to go to Egypt and Morocco but I’m absolutely terrified of snakes and have been warned about people putting cobras on you for photo opportunities. I’m very blonde and pale so am often a target for this sort of thing. It happened to me as a teenager in India and I was so freaked out I hid instead of going into the Red Fort in Agra.