Each Sunday, a community of travelers from all around the world meets on twitter for an hour to partake in Sunday Brunch Travel Chat. Our first chat for the year revolved around “travel tips”. Question 3 was:
What is the worst travel tip you have been given?
Here are the answers from the top travelers on twitter for advice not to follow! There seemed to be a recurring theme with “don’t go”. Check out twitter for travelers and join us this Sunday for the next chat!
Stay home.
It’s safe on the resort! Don’t go out of the resort!
Don’t go to (insert place here), it’s dangerous, you will get kidnapped/killed/raped/beheaded/die horribly.
Told Africa was an unsafe destination. NOT true!
“But, you probably won’t like it…” Doesn’t matter what, have learned that is something I need to check for myself.
To not go to South Africa back in the day because I was black. Went anyways, and had no problems.
Wait until the kids are older before you take them anywhere. First of all, kids can learn all kinds of things from traveling, even if they aren’t old enough to remember. Second, I’m plenty old enough to travel and having kids doesn’t mean I have to stop pursuing my passions.
Traveling with kids.
“You will need to pack everything plus the kitchen sink in order to travel with your baby.” Ha! From day one we haven’t packed more bags than we did before kids.
Don’t waste your money on an airport shuttle in Prague. The buses are very easy to use and if you get lost the people are very helpful.
You can drink the water here in Bolivia, it’s good, senor.
I was in Monterey, CA VC, and it was suggested I visit Taco Bell for Mexican food. I was aghast.
Don’t go to Mexico. It’s too dangerous.
Never travel in Arabic countries as a single woman!
See Traveling as a Single Woman in Dubai
I traveled through Dubai as a single woman and came out alive! Totally safe!
Worst advice is to NOT travel when you love to travel!
I work with very rich people and they always recommend me hotels and restaurants I could never afford in my lifetime.
Worst travel tip I’ve been given? I ignored it so it was immediately forgotten.
@RedRucksack
Have another beer, what could possibly go wrong?!
What could possible go wrong??!!
Bring an over-the-door shoe holder on the cruise ship to keep your stuff organized. (NOT a travelling light in 1-bag tip!)
Get travelers checks! Lol- do they even make those any more??
In India, you don’t need to the book long distance trains in advance. #yeahright
Don’t. We’ve got all we need right here in America, besides everywhere else is too dangerous for us, everyone wants to kill Americans.
Not to go outside of Europe or even England because of the savages and murderers you’ll meet travelling!
Don’t waste money doing your Rescue Diver course, you’ll probably never need it.
Every diver just cringed at that advice! Photo Credit: Under the Yew Tree
A 12 hour stopover in Santiago airport will be fine, you’ll have plenty to do!
“Visit in the low season.” Normally ok advice. For beach destinations though this can mean being rained in, unable to swim due to rough seas, and potentially cancelled flights.
“Pay that guy 2 bottles of vodka and he’ll get you across the lake in his boat.” Somewhere in Siberia, where I was stuck for 3 days until the boat guy could sober up enough to bring me back.
37 Comments
It’s surprising how many of us actually survive considering the amount of warnings about our imminent death we ignore…
Well said!!
Amazing post, Megan! I hear so many of those all the time. Especially the likes of “oh, you won’t like it” and “it’s too dangerous”… well, I was in Iraq, and met many others who did. I can assure you that the streets of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are safer than NY, London or even Sydney, since the idea of gratuitous violence doesn’t exist. I’d love to participate in the travel chat! :-)
Wow your travels through Iraq sound amazing! I’ve just made it my mission to include you in my traveler interview series! So true about gratuitous violence being apart of western culture – I’m a firm believer in the saying “travel isn’t dangerous – LIFE is dangerous”! I’m no safer in America than I am in Africa or Iraq! Provided you take proper precautions of course :D
Pedro do not take me wrong but you have been visiting Iraqi Kurdistan which is totally safe and really amazing place to experience due to huge hospitality of people there. But the rest of Iraq where tourists can not enter without a special permission can be slightly challenging for travellers, especially for a single woman like me. I know you meant to say that majority of people have a wrong impression about the countries they never visited but saying that Iraq is totally safe is a bit wrong. Iraqi Kurdistan is totally safe.
Having said all that I meant no offense. I myself travelled in Iran, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, South of Kazakhstan, which are all Muslim and Islamic states and I have been just fine, actually I totally loved it. And even for a sec I didn’t think they were dangerous. I plan on visiting Pakistan and Afghanistan this year, and it would be silly of me if I wouldn’t take in consideration that especially some parts of Afghanistan can be dangerous. Common sense should always be your best friend, even on the streets of Paris.
My bro-in-law has told me so many times that he will not got to Mexico with us on vacation because he doesn’t want to be kidnapped and killed. I have been to Mexico 8 times and yes, I did leave the resort a every chance I got. Its funny how he knows more about it than me.
Seems like people with no first hand knowledge always have the loudest opinions!! I’m glad you have not been kidnapped or killed to date lol – I hope to head to Mexico next year, and like you, will be heading out of the resort every chance we get :D
Informative post. As a tourist in Africa you are more likely to be killed by a wild animal (unlikely if you take the necessary precautions) than being kidnapped, mugged or robbed.
Very true!! and yet it’s the wildlife most people are more careless around!!
I think that is probably exaggerating a little! I think risks are overstated sometimes but the only other worse thing is to be blase. Middle east and Africa so diverse. Dubai is dull and safer than switzerland. But travel alone as a woman in Algeria? not ideal. and I did it. Wouldn’t repeat just stressful.
Risks are definitely always overstated – and totally agree that it’s worse to be blase. After having travelled to so many different worlds and culture’s its hard to not compare one with another and enjoy each on their own merits.
Noted re Algeria! Safe travels :)
Ha love this post! Whenever I tell people that we are going to travel somewhere, usually someone chimes in with a crazy myth that they have heard.
Glad it’s not just me that gets the crazy myths shouted at her lol :D
Megan, thanks for an entertaining read!
It is great to hear how many bad tips there are and I think it great how many people heard these tips and decided to totally ignore them…
Bring it on!
Thanks Anne – glad you enjoyed it! My strategy on accepting bad travel tips is to thank them for their feedback and continue living my life :D
Ha! What I love about NZ is wanderlust is in our blood – I’ve never had anyone tell me anything bad or discourage me from travel.
Australia is very similar – although I still hear tales of death and kidnapping from friends and relatives in Aus lol. Will have to get some NZ friends :D
Some amazingly awful tips here! Some are so awful, they are hilarious :)
I did have a good laugh putting this post together – some are just horrible!!
some people either have too much imagination or not enough. I’m not sure which! Hilarious
Lol I’m not sure which either…I think perhaps too much!!
This post is so truthful in so many ways. There’s a lot to be learnt from these ‘pieces of advice’ and why you shouldn’t always listen to them!
I just can’t believe how much bad advice is out there – and apparently it’s universal!
I’m surprised that every single one of us travellers hasn’t already met our early deaths yet. Perhaps we should all just stay in the safety of our beds?
Bed does sound quite inviting though….
Lol I’m laughing as I read this just because we’re in the process of moving out of our house to travel and we literally just dismantled our bed. Guess that idea’s out for me! :D
Omg worse advise ever lol “You can drink the water here in Bolivia, it’s good, senor”.
During my 5 months living in Bolivia I was so paranoid about getting sick I even brushed my teeth with bottled water lol. And a wee tip…if you’re going to drink street vendor juices, always ask if they’ve used filtered water, otherwise it’s a long day of tummy troubles :P
Lol we’re heading to Bolivia in a few weeks so will make sure not to drink the water :D Might be buying a lot of bottled water – thanks for the tip about the street vendor juices – duly noted!! I seriously hate feeling sick abroad!
That’s super you’re traveling to Bolivia. If you haven’t already, you should pop Sucre on your itinerary. It’s one the most beautiful cities I’ve ever lived in. Dan and I have written a bunch of stuff about the place if you’re interested. Have a wonderful time in Bolivia :)
Thanks! We have a week spare in Bolivia so will definitely try and make that happen. Will head on over to check out some of your articles. Thanks for the tip :)
This is great! I have heard so many of these before, they are so ridiculous. Especially the one about not going to an arab country as a single woman. I went to Palestine by myself and had absolutely no problem. The people were so warm and welcoming, it was actually nicer than many of the European countries I have been to.
So glad to hear you had such a great experience in Palestine. I’m itching to get there myself. I got a lot of “advice” when I traveled to Africa and Dubai by myself, but ultimately had the best time!
I’ve learnt to smile, nod and ignore!!
This made me laugh – people really do have the most unhelpful advice!!! TBH if you listen to a combination of the news, general media and some “travel advice” then you would be brave to step out of your own front door. As I said in my article on road safety everything in life has a risk but ultimately that can’t stop you living!!
Couldn’t have said it better myself – can’t let the negativity stop you from living! Definitely proceed with precaution obviously, but I’ve always been a big believer in that common sense and street smarts will get you pretty far!
Glad you enjoyed the post!
To travel is also my passion and I always do whenever I get my chance, for what I truly believed is that risks, danger, threats, or whatever term you may throw comparable to it, is just right at one corner, ready to strike you if asked by fate.
So glad you hear you’re still traveling Ale – and I absolutely agree – threats and dangers can find you no matter where you are in the world, whether you’re traveling or at home.
This was very entertaining. One thing people could never understand was why we wanted to spend between 5 and 14 days in each place. “You’ll be bored”. Everyone travels at their own pace but some people know everything… Thanks for the article.
Absolutely Dawn! Spending longer in a destination actually really gives you the chance to explore it and discover the surrounding regions. We’ve recently begun really slowing down on our travel too, it’s nice to have a few relax days in there also and not be blasting through each country at a rate of knots!!
Glad you enjoyed the post :) Travel safe!