“So Many Douchebags Concentrated In One Area”: 45 Countries People Regretted Visiting

28 Sep 2024, 01:00 by Adelaide Ross, Evelina Šiukšterytė · Bored Panda

Part of the thrill that comes along with traveling is not knowing exactly what you’re going to experience. You might have a list of museums and monuments to check off, but the spontaneous encounters with locals and meals at quaint restaurants that you wandered into can end up being the most memorable parts of your trip. Unfortunately, however, the unexpected moments in your journey can also turn out to be the worst parts.

Globetrotters on Reddit have been revealing the countries where they received the worst treatment as foreigners, so we’ve gathered some of their stories down below. These anecdotes don’t mean that these places aren’t worth visiting, but they might serve as helpful reminders to be extra cautious in certain situations. Keep reading to also find a conversation with travel expert Jhona Yellin, Editor at offMetro, and be sure to upvote the stories that you think all travelers should be aware of!

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Turkey was terrible.

My cousin was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl at the time.
And some weird old man actually tried to kidnap her right in front of us.
He grabbed her hand and tried to walk off with her.
Bare in mind she was maybe 5 or 6 at the time.
When we all started arguing, and were basically playing tug of war with this man trying to make him let her go, police came over and let the man go..
They were speaking Turkish so we don’t know what he said but the man was allowed to walk free.The13thReservoirDog , Taryn Elliott

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Never leave the hotel in Egypt as an underaged girl without your parents. Even if you're with them you probably will be followed and hit on by older creeps, but they won't do anything when you're not alone.

PhiloPhocion:

The harassment is out of control. My first visit was with family and there were people calling out the lewdest comments about my literally 10 year old sister and our mum. Second visit in my early 20s was with a group of friends including two women, who were physically grabbed or touched by strangers saying lewd comments if we weren't literally standing shoulder to shoulder with them.
The scamming and conning is also out of control. Scams are everywhere, including in areas that most tourists would think are relatively safe (i.e. scammers working on official areas around major tourist sites, even sometimes right at the doors of official areas dressed in pseudo official uniforms, with no pushback from officials). And even officials themselves - I can't tell you the number of friends I've had who have had some form of having cameras or electronics seized by customs for no reason or 'spot check passport reviews' where your passport is taken unless you can pay the cop some pocket money.
I absolutely loved Egypt - its food, its sites, and most of its people are incredible warm and welcoming. But holy hell it makes it hard to love sometimes.
It gets a little better outside of Cairo but I advise literally everyone going to mentally prepare themselves and if they don't know anyone there already, to just hire a guide to at least help avoid the worst of the harassment and scams.anon , Alex Azabache

Morocco.

From being ripped off, to children following me down a dark alley asking for money, to horrible hotel reception, to rich, spoilt locals at nightclubs, I've never been to any other country where I've been so relieved to leave.jerpear , Polykarpos Tiftikoglou

To learn more about places where travelers might not necessarily want to return to, we got in touch with travel expert Jhona Yellin, Editor at offMetro. Jhona was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and reveal where she didn't have the best experience as a tourist.

"You might be surprised by my choice, but yes, it’s Paris—the most visited city in the world, fresh off hosting the Olympics with all its grandeur," she shared. "Well, during one of my trips to Paris, I ventured into the 18th arrondissement, which is often celebrated for its artistic legacy, thanks to legends like Picasso and Dali once calling it home. The area has transformed over the years into a bustling, working-class neighborhood with affordable spots and a real local vibe. But let me tell you, there are parts of this arrondissement that I would definitely avoid."

Dubai. I know it's rich, sophisticated, a holiday destination for many, and so on, but I just hate its tasteless glitz, its lack of soul, and the intense stratification of its society.ofsquire , Pat Whelen

I love Italy, but Rome was not great for me. There was an overwhelming amount of shady people trying to take advantage of tourists. The local we were with warned us not to carry any valuables to any touristy spots because there was a 100% chance someone would try and pickpocket us.

One evening, a group of dudes followed me around for almost an hour, harassing me because I was a teenage boy with long hair, which must have meant to them that I was gay (I'm not, but that didn't matter to them). 4 grown-a*s adults following around a teenage boy hurling insults in broken english. I was pretty terrified and have since had an appreciation for some of the challenges gay people have to deal with just for being themselves.

One dude at a train station tried to forcibly 'help' my mom carry her luggage (aka run off with it).

When we visited the coliseum, a lady threw a bracelet at my sister then started yelling at her, saying she was a thief and demanding she pay for it.

Also, driving in Rome was terrifying - courtesy on the road does not exist there, and everyone drives extremely aggressively. I saw a guy in a van hit someone on a vespa, lean out the window and yell at him, then drive off. The vespa guy just got up and left as if it were a regular occurrence.

Absolutely a beautiful country and most of the people were lovely, but a person without 'street smarts' could have a bad time there. This was all more than 20 years ago though, so it may be different now.omgpokemans , Pixabay

Jamaica, from friends being grabbed and dragged into stores and shops, to locals hip checking you out of the way. Only country that we didn't get more than 100' out of the resort before we turned around and went back in. People you are tipping with put a smile on but the second you walk away they are talking s**t about you.glucoseintolerant , freepik

"Take the area around Marx Dormoy and Porte de la Chapelle stations, for example," Jhona continued. "During the day, it’s fine—people are going about their lives, and you might even find a decent boulangerie tucked away on a side street. But at night, the vibe completely changes. The stations become hangouts for groups of drunk and homeless individuals, which can make things feel dicey. Walking through there after dark left me constantly checking over my shoulder, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you enjoy that kind of adrenaline rush."

The travel expert also added that there are some places she's avoided entirely based on others’ experiences. "Dubai, for example. Now, I know some people love the glitz and glamour, but I’ve heard too many stories about how rigid and strict it can be for certain tourists, especially women, and that doesn’t quite align with my idea of a relaxed vacation," Jhona told Bored Panda.

India is tough for solo travelers. I was being harassed and followed by cab drivers or salesmen for miles. I'm a guy. And everytime i took a taxi or tuk tuk they dropped me off at some random jelewery store or something because the driver gets a commission or free gas by doing so/if i buy anything. Also being white i stood out and was a big target. Couldn't imagine being a woman alone in New Delhi. I'm sure some areas or cities are better.

nerddadddy:

I have visited India a number of times. It's a magical place, very rich culture, and the people are very welcoming and warm. However, every time I have taken a bus, train, or airplane, when it's time to disembark, the oldest sweetest Indian grandmas will elbow you in the back and push you out of the way to be the first ones off. It's something cultural I think, but getting off any type of mass transport is a free-for-all where manners are out the window.Healthyred555 , Chee Huey Wong

I worked in Saudi Arabia for just 10 days and couldn't stand it. It saddened me that there were almost ZERO women in public. And in the airport there was a bookseller kiosk where all of the books were in English so they were obviously aimed at westerners and almost all of them were about Islam. I browsed one of them and it was basically trying to convince western women that god wanted them to stay inside where they were "safe" and how rampant rape is in western countries. Sickening. Ironically in the bottom corner there were like 3 books in Arabic and do you know what they were? HARRY POTTER books! Funny.FinsT00theleft , SULTAN

I was in Kazakhstan a few years back. The people there were extremely xenophobic towards me and the group I was traveling with. They called the military on us. Four soldiers on horseback showed up with AK47s and pointed them at our faces and told us to get the f**k out of where we were even though we had a right to be there and we weren’t doing anything bad. These people weren’t just rude, they were f*****g a******s. Needless to say I will never visit that country ever again.Witty_Goose_7724 , envato

On the other hand, we wanted to hear about places where Jhona had surprisingly nice travel experiences. "On my wine trip in Portugal (which I extended to see more of this amazing country), I discovered Lagos," she shared.

"It’s got that exotic flair mixed with a laid-back coastal vibe that just sweeps you off your feet. I went expecting beautiful beaches, and yes, it delivered on that front with its golden cliffs and hidden coves, but what truly surprised me was how warm and welcoming the locals were," Jhona noted. "It’s the kind of place where people stop to chat, recommend their favorite little seafood spots, and make you feel like you’ve lived there your whole life."

Pakistan. I lived there for a while. Even in the best neighborhoods in Islamabad, there is trash everywhere, literally no hygiene. Then, when it’s cold, trash is burned, releasing thick, toxic clouds of smoke.InkedFrog , Aa Dil

Weird one, but Tokyo (not Japan as a whole). I have never felt so alone surrounded by so many people. I feel like I understand the loner trope in anime much better now. The food is great, everyone seems polite, and it is incredibly safe. But unlike nearly every other place I have traveled, I can't think of a single person in Tokyo that I had an actual conversation with.

The rest of Japan that I have been to is a different story. Extremely kind and welcoming. Lots of really interesting characters, and I mean that in the best way.theOGFlump , Aleksandar Pasaric

Paris was one of the worst and rudest cities I ever visited never met such a bunch of arrogant entitled people in my life. We for the bus and three men would not let my partner off the bus had to almost start a fight till they let her off, have also had many Friends who've been mugged for a 1st world developed city it's shocking the treatment of tourists!

CrunchyJeans:

My mom visited Paris for a business trip. Apparently the only way to get help from the locals is to say “sorry I’m a stupid American could you help me please?”k1287g , Rafael Guimarães

"If you’re looking for an underrated gem, I’d point you to Wistman’s Wood in Dartmoor, England," Jhona added. "We covered it in our post of hidden gems around the world. It’s like stepping straight into a fairytale. This ancient woodland, over 500 years old, feels otherworldly with its moss-covered trees and lichen-draped branches twisting into strange shapes. The dense understory barely lets any sunlight filter through, adding to the mystical vibe."

"But beyond the enchanting atmosphere, what really surprised me were the locals," the traveler continued. "Dartmoor residents are some of the friendliest people I’ve met. Whether it’s the pub owners who are happy to chat over a pint or the guides eager to share local legends about the wood, you get a real sense of community here. They make you feel welcome, which only adds to the charm of Wistman’s Wood—there’s not only a sense of magic in the air but also in the warmth of the people."

The Philippines probably has the worst traffic ever, and I don't even understand why there are so many damn cars on a tiny a*s island.

It makes a 20-30 commute turn into a 4 hour waiting game.LeggoMahLegolas , Marfil Graganza Aquino

Not me but I had a teacher in high school who taught world history who, well, traveled around the world. One of the students in the class asked what her least favorite country or place she's been to was, she said Poland. It's important to note that she's a black woman because she said no where else had she ever been called so many slurs and spat at like Poland.

Acceptable-Draft-163:

Spent the last 10 years more or less travelling and living overseas. The worst experience I've had was in Warsaw. Mind, I was only there for 4 days in the dead of winter, but the people were very cold and unfriendly. Not a single person seemed interested in life, the city was grey and miserable (mind after ww2, it was more or less rebuilt) and I had 2 attempts to rob me. The first one the guy locked me and my girlfriend in a taxi and charged 180€ for a 5 minute drive. The only way I got out was I started kicking the windows in the back and started yelling. Second time I was walking near the metro and some guy walked over and tried to grab my girlfriends bag and run off, I pushed him and he ran away. That was more or less my experience of Warsaw haha. I'm sure it's lovely In summer. Not going to lie, I had a better time in Egypt over Warsaw.anon , Josh Hild

Qatar. Slavery is basically legal.The1TrueRedditor , Oleksandr P

Finally, we asked Jhona if she could share advice for visiting places that don't have the best reviews from travelers. "As for places that don’t always roll out the welcome mat for tourists, I have one major piece of advice: do your homework," she says. "Travel research isn’t just about looking up the top attractions; it’s about learning the culture, understanding the norms, and, most importantly, checking if tourists are generally treated like guests or like inconveniences."

50ish countries (including egypt) across 6 continents.

Israel by far the rudest people

Morocco i felt the most harassed and unsafe

Australia, Malaysia (borneo) and India where friendliest

(I'm a 30s white lady from Canada for context).batsicle , Kostiantyn Stupak

Australia, hands down .

I’ve never met so many douchebags concentrated in one area. It doesn’t surprise me now that I’ve learned that‘s literally how Australia was founded. Britain exiled their sh**tiest people to an island far far away from them.

They're 20 to 30 years behind North America in terms of accepting people of different ethnic backgrounds.Tenthdegree , Tiff Ng

As a young woman- Florence, Italy. Spent three months there in college.

First of all, you could feel the nasty demeanor the second you get off the train from any other town, very similar to a NYC vibe. Not in and of itself the deal breaker here though.

The issue was that I have never had SO MANY r*pey and violating things happen anywhere else. Walking around was *relatively* ok, it was Friday/Saturday night activities that were the most problematic. I’d be out with a group of women, and hordes of men would surround and try to grope us. Every weekend. I once had a man come up behind me and put his drink to my mouth. It was regular practice to have to pull friends away from handsy men or literally shove the men away when they didn’t respond to “NO.” Many of us just stopped going out unless our male friends were with us. It became too much work to constantly protect ourselves and each other.

Outside of the weekends, you’d still get the creeper yelling (or worse, whispering) “ciao, bella” and following you across the plaza.

This all happened enough times that to this day, I get ANGRY whenever I see a touristy t-shirt that says “ciao, bella,” because that phrase dredges up memories all the violating behavior, and why the f**k would I want a shirt with the worst pick-up line in the world on it.mintchocolate816 , Josh Hild

"Also, be prepared to adapt. Sometimes, things don’t go as planned—train strikes, language barriers, or the occasional scammer," the travel expert continued. "Learn a few basic phrases in the local language, even if it’s just how to say 'thank you' or 'sorry.' It can go a long way in making you seem less like a clueless tourist and more like someone who respects the place they’re in."

Kuwait is a f*****g cesspool.

penswright:

From Kuwait, Seriously don’t come here. There’s absolutely nothing special to do here that you can’t do literally anywhere else.
The lack of entertainment in the country is a huge issue, it’s the reason why we lead in obesity rates and why people don’t like going outside. Also if there’s a concert or a new mall opening, good luck going, if the traffic doesn’t kill you, the crowds will.Banuvan , SenuScape

Baltic Europe in the winter time. People are really cold and antsy. But totally different in the summertime. They come alive like spring flowers.mypoopscaresflysaway , Nisal Sudharaka

In Croatia I've always met rude people despite I always tried to be kind, patient and used the please and thank you on a regular basis. Every waiter tried to scam us, every shop attendant ignored us (if not snorted when we entered), I just think they hate tourists.anon , Luciann Photography

"Oh, and always have a backup plan if the primary itinerary turns into a disaster. I once missed a bus in Thailand and ended up hitching a ride with a local fisherman. It was unexpected, yes, but sometimes those curveballs are where the real adventure starts," Jhona told Bored Panda.

"Lastly, manage your expectations. If you’re visiting a place known for being tough on tourists, go in knowing that," she added. "Treat it like visiting a prickly aunt—don’t expect hugs, but if you can find some common ground, you might walk away with a good story."

And of course, if you're looking for more travel tips, don't hesitate to visit offMetro!

For travelling/getting around:

Germany. I love Germany with all my heart but I mentally prepare to be treated like absolute garbage at airports and trains. I was yelled at at security checks and physically escorted off trains. I'd still go back, though. People were so friendly.

For meeting locals:

People from Mexico City seemed a little standoff-ish. Maybe it's just part of living in a big city, but nobody seemed to have any time and simply asking for directions seemed like a huge inconvenience.

For just walking around:

Any Italian big city. Love the country and had soooo much fun in small towns. But as soon as you get to a big city (Milan, Rome, etc) get ready to fend off scammers, pay attention to pickpockets, people cutting in line for transit, it's pure chaos.

Now for the good!! (To balance off the negativity)

For walking around and being a tourist:

Germany or Canada. It's incredibly safe, people are friendly, they seem genuinely interested that you have a good time in their country.

For meeting locals:

Toss up between Brazil or Ireland. You can go to a bar alone in either country and you'll end up making friends, locals are super friendly and are very interested in chatting with tourists.pokemaster28 , Shvets Anna

The airport I was in in Germany had the rudest attendants. The general people in Thailand are super friendly, but be careful in Bangkok, definitely some unsafe areas (especially for a woman).she_who_walks , Martin Péchy

My worst experience was Ethiopia. I feel like it’s the kind of country that if you go as a wealthy tourist and hire your own driver, book all your hotels in advance and so on, then it’s probably a reasonable experience.

I went and tried to do it as the typical backpacker thing. Had a lot of issues, everyone hassles you constantly just for their own amusement. Had a lot of guns held in my face by teenagers at bus checkpoints, constantly getting ripped off with extra ‘luggage charges’ on said buses, or put on buses that weren’t even going where I wanted despite them swearing it was.

Booked a trek but they stole my deposit and didn’t turn up and then some other Trek operators saw me waiting, helped me out but also were trying to get me to do their trek instead. They wanted money without a receipt also and in advance. They also found and beat the s**t out of the guy who ripped me off the small amount for the first trek and dragged him into my hotel room with twelve dudes to make him pay it back. Then used that to try and force me to do their trek, etc...

Almost got dragged into an alley by a bunch of glue sniffing homeless guys right in the middle of Addis Ababa, and only avoided it when I basically pretended I was going to fight them all (I was bluffing).

Conflict up north meant the government turned off all internet and every town had its own checkpoints set up and searched all men every twenty minutes or so. All public transport is regional and you can’t just go from A to Z without going through all the letters in between.

Children run up to you in the streets in regional areas and literally just scream ‘money money money’, or something similar. If you don’t give it to them, they swear at you, one of them kicked me in the shins as hard as he could, another aimed for the balls.

Touts will follow you around for DAYS, waiting outside your hotel room and always there when you emerge. Literally days, and won’t take no for an answer no matter how rude or aggressive you get, they’ll just shadow you and try to step into every interaction.

Groups of guys will call you over as they’re sitting outside a shop (soldiers did this also), then ask you who you are, why you are there, then all laugh at you and tell you to f**k off. Soldiers also denied access to certain streets that clearly weren’t closed and would all laugh when you turned around and went the other way, but point guns at you if you tried to ignore it.

No taxi price you are quoted is EVER correct. They will always try to add more and get other locals involved if you try to pay the agreed amount.

Most of the food is goat and fermented bread. Tibs and injera. It’s actually kind of delicious when done well, but in many places the goat meat is undercooked and not really fresh, covered in flies and stuff just sitting in the sun.

Prices aren’t even that low. Hotels cost either nothing but are locals only as a soft rule and they really don’t seem to like you staying there, or they are international prices.

All buses leave at about six in the morning, so you’re constantly having to walk through towns in pitch darkness to get there on time, and there’s a lot of dodginess that goes with that.

Sexual assault on buses seems common, teenagers rubbing their d**k on everything, etc, and people not being able to do much about it. Certainly don’t go to the cops, as everywhere, they cause more trouble than they solve.

Hmm, I’m sure there’s other stuff, but that’s all I can think of right now. I don’t want to suggest everyone in Ethiopia is bad. People can be absolutely lovely, I had a middle aged mother protect me from the teenage soldiers on the bus checkpoints when a civil war was breaking out up north, and in fact most people I met on buses where genuinely nice.

Problem is, there’s so many people who approach you and they’re all there to f**k with you. Some violent d**g f****d guys who resent you for being relatively rich and white (as I was). But people you meet who don’t approach you as a target were genuinely great. People in the hotel reception I went to after fighting off the muggers were great, gave me food and water for free and booked me a taxi to a place I could afford (that taxi doubled the agreed fair of course, but whatever).

Oddly, I went to Egypt immediately after Ethiopia and it was a paradise by comparison. The level of harassment was so much lower. It was equivalent to India for me, which I’m totally used to, and is nothing compared to Ethiopia which felt genuinely dangerous.

Then again, I’m a man, so my experience is obviously different, but I can’t imagine Ethiopia is great for female travellers either compared to Egypt, and has all the other badness on top of that.Anzai , Kelly

Israel. They seem to make a point of being as rude as possible.

scolfin:

Israelis don't believe in manners. No, it's not that they have different manners than Americans, they just straight up don't believe in them, liked the web-handed alien that hassled Whestley in that one Star Trek episode.Ok-District4260 , Naya Shaw

As a British person I'm both surprised and pleased no one has said Britain yet. For my part I have no particular country to say is especially bad but people in Brussels were pretty rude.

I've been to Ostend in Belgium too and loved it, the people were lovely, everyone was accommodating and kind but I guess because it's a capital city people were just not like that in Brussels. For context I'm in a wheelchair and it was like I didn't exist for the week I was there, I was ignored, barged in front of through doors I was trying to open, and barged in front of in general more than I've ever been in my life. It was also pretty difficult to get people to talk to me instead of my grandma who I was with, which any disabled person knows is infuriating.

There were some nice people, at times it was nice to be ignored instead of fussed over as I am sometimes, and it's a beautiful city, but I'd definitely go elsewhere in Belgium over returning to Brussels. I'd especially recommend Ostend, I can't say enough how lovely it was there.ViSaph , Pixabay

I've been on five continents, and you couldn't pay me to go back to the island of Java in Indonesia.SunsetIndigoRealty , Tom Fisk

Every country has its good and bad parts!

For jerks to visitors, try some place like Iowa. If you are into what they like, its great. If you are a little different, forgot about it.ooo-ooo-oooyea , TravelScape

I absolutely hated Sri Lanka. It was full of charlatans and cheats when I was there last.Harkannin , Eugene Dorosh

Peru.

I lived abroad for ~6 years. Europe, middle east, North and South America.

Peru. Their food was c**p also. Not as bad as Central America and Bolivia - but for a country that says they are the gastronomical capital of South America, I was very very unimpressed.

Isreali's were by far the most irritating and rude people.SpecialSpite7115 , Chelsea Cook

I've been all across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia and honestly the rudest people I encountered were in Wyoming (outside Yellowstone, everyone in Yellowstone was lovely)

...even the guys who tried to rob me in Lagos were more polite.MagicBez , Blue Ox Studio

Prague in the Czech Republic! I found the locals to be very brusque, rude and unfriendly.

We kept having these weird experiences with them.. getting out of the taxi we left the driver some change as payment + a tip, he looked at it and started throwing it across the cab and swearing, I guess he didn’t like people paying with change..? I got shouted at the hostel the first night for opening a door the wrong way. A different hostel looked at me like I had grown an extra head when I asked if they had internet. People were annoyed a lot, just generally and we had some weird vibes from some people too, wouldn’t go back in a hurry!Sunraraa , JÉSHOOTS

Italians, especially in the south.

This happened on multiple occasions: when I order food, the waiters are very impatient and keep mumbling in Italian and are visibly annoyed. They make it seem like questions about the menu are not allowed. I gave them a taste of their own medicine and cursed and mumbled at them in my own language. They always stop immediately xD.mighty_mouse70 , Fineas Anton

Iraq. I was stationed in Kuwait but travelled up north, often. The amount of flak we got was ridiculous.

Also, South Korea, I loved it there, but there were riots and protests of people that hated us.Dyerdon , Pixabay

Bulgaria, "Bloody Beach"

Mob/mafia controlled, lots of scammers. Even a worker at a club tried to extort me for money, threatening to call the mafia on me if i didnt pay up.mrclockworkz , wirestock

Brazilians can be ruthless. Was blown away by how adept such a diverse population could be at identifying outsiders. Was in a group of about 6 college aged dudes studying abroad meandering Rio, and 3 teenagers followed us for about 10 minutes yelling "gringo!" lmao.The_Bran_9000 , wirestock

Many have mentioned Arab countries like Egypt or Morocco, or even India, which are usually regarded as rude countries to visit… but I’ve personally felt uncomfortable in Cuba. The country is extremely poor, frozen in time, and locals see you come and go with your expensive iPhone and cameras and everything they’ll never be able to afford. Scams are very common. People begging as well. Cuba is extremely safe (the govt makes sure every criminal disappears) but it just felt sad, and I could almost sense the resentment towards tourists, who are luckier than them.LGZee , Yuting Gao

I had a co-worker who traveled a bunch for various conferences.

The worst in his experience was Russia.

In most places he had been to, the locals were curious and happy to meet them; "Oh, how do you like it here? Where are you from? etc"

In Russia everyone he saw was hostile and irritated. The general vibe was, "Why the f**k did you even bother coming to this miserable s**t hole?"

END COMMUNICATION.ZardozSama , Julius Silver

I was in Greece, travelling with a male friend, and had an amazing time.

The second he left, and I was on my own, the way men started looking at me scared the s**t out of me. I am *never* cat-called at home, and am used to dudes basically ignoring me (I think I natively give off a 'f**k you, don't bother' vibe, and I'm average-looking) and nearly every dude in Athens gave me this down-up flick of the eyes, tits-hips-a*s, delivered with such menace, that I felt very unsettled. One day, after an early ferry arrival, I had a five hour wait to check into my accommodation, also in Athens. I went to a park, lay my head on my pack, put my hat over my eyes and had a nap. I woke up to find that every bench in the park was occupied by a man, and all of them were staring at me. One was flat-out masturbating. I looked around at the dead eyes of the other dudes, decided I wasn't going to get any support there, and noped the f**k out as fast as I could. This was in broad daylight, on a weekday. Wild.somereasonableadvice , Pixabay

I hated my visit to California. Everyone is either on one end of the spectrum or the other. Ie, a wanna be media influencer or a racist backwater dweller. Won't be going back. Plus, America's cops have to be the biggest pieces of power tripping garbage ever. You'd think it wouldn't be so different from where I grew up (Calgary, Alberta) but America has always left me wanting to head back home. Scottsdale is painfully fake and Phoenix is stuffy and unbelievably dirty. Best was Costa Rica, I had an amazing time visiting there for 2 weeks in high school.Employee719 , veeterzy

Did not enjoy LA. Visited a bunch of places including more obvious stops like Hollywood, the beach, downtown. It is not a place I'll go back to.RedofPaw , Bryan Underwood

My little brother asked for "American cheese" at a restaurant in Quebec when he was six years old. I have never seen a waitress so angry before. She went absolutely ballistic. She would not stop yelling at him in French. I was a snarky teen at the time so it didn't help when I asked her to speak American because we couldn't understand her. I've traveled a lot since then and Quebec is the only place I've been where I felt looked down on for only speaking English.arcadia3rgo , Enrique Hoyos

The USA are definitely up there when it comes to entering the country, I have never felt the least bit welcome by TSA agents.

Once you’re done with that b******t and finally get out of the airport, that changes drastically.the_che , Nout Gons

Switzerland was the rudest (so far)! Specifically the German speaking part.

I went on a school trip there when I was 11 and cashiers/shop workers showed absolutely no signs of warmth or friendliness. The worst interaction I had was when I accidentally bought two of the same metal walking stick badge (they were stuck together and I didn't realise until after I'd bought them), and the gift shop flat-out refused to give me a refund for the second badge. Basically just made a face at me and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "Tough, now f**k off".

I've always wondered why people working in shops in Switzerland were such bastards because I've met and befriended lots of Swiss people since (from the German, French *and* Italian parts) and all of them were absolutely lovely. I've flown with Swiss Air, they were great, and transferred through Zurich Airport which was also great...

Were me and my other 11 year old classmates unknowingly committing cultural faux-pas? Are kids expected to be quiet and whisper in shops and not talk at a "kid volume"? Was it the fact that we were visibly and audibly English and couldn't speak German? Are kids going out and about without parents/on large school group trips with teachers not the done thing? Are refunds not really a thing, and by extension, you're thought to be a c**t if you try to change your order/items that you buy at the last minute? Is Swiss culture funny about the exchanging of money generally?

I've never understood what went wrong on that trip.UmlautsAndRedPandas , Tranmautritam

I was appalled when I went to Madrid, Spain and everyone would just throw all their trash in the street. I saw a whole family finish their take out containers of lunch and just leave it all over the street after. Then garbage street sweepers cleaned all the trash with water every night. It was beyond stupid. Also I watched the cops beat a train jumper. 5 on 1 with batons. It was terrifying.SnooShortcuts3424 , Kaique Rocha