Below are the countries where your fellow Mobal Members claim they’ve experienced the most hassle as tourists (in alphabetical order).
If you agree, disagree, or have your own tale to tell, leave it as a comment at the end…
1. BAHAMAS
Paul B Says:
“Freeport Bahamas…….locals driving you nuts with time share offers and hair braiding offers.”
2. BALI
Margaret Deitrich Says:
“Bali, The locals were consistently in your face. You had difficulty even seeing the beautiful scenery. If you sat down in a public place, they sat beside you and wanted money for you to take their picture. The nice hotels were guarded and walled, and were the only place where you weren’t mobbed. I would never go back there.”
Ro Bushnell Says:
“Bali. They are determined to sell you something, or do a service for you (like braid your hair). They don’t beg, but they swarm with around you to show you their goods.”
3. BURKINA FASO
Ed Cleary Says:
“Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The street peddlers will literally follow you for blocks trying to sell you something. They will not take “no,” even in very French, for an answer. If you do buy something, all of the other peddlers say, “You bought from him, now you must buy from me.” Their idea of personal space is about 1 inch from from the end of your chin.”
4. CANADA
Michel Delving Says:
“Recently we were in Churchill Manitoba with a tour group. Had told the tour people that I am allergic to feathers. They told the hotels. At the one in Churchill, all the bedding was of feathers. I asked that we be changed to a room without feathers, or to have the bedding changed. I was told in no uncertain terms that they KNEW of my needs and that there were NO FEATHERS in ANY of the rooms. Lady answered with such anger and in such an intimidating manner that I was afraid to tell her that DOWN IS FEATHERS. I coughed and had asthma for the rest of the stay. (I guess it’s my own fault for being intimidated by her but had never before had that problem.)”
5. CHINA
Patrick Milligan Says:
“I was more hassled in China (every place in China). But I was very impressed with the friendliness of the Chinese people I met.”
6. COLOMBIA
Phyllis Rizzi Says:
“Cartegena, Colombia. You can barely walk on the sidewalk without having locals literally in your face, from all sides at once. If you take a photo, even of an architectural site, they will claim to be in the photo and want money. I wish they’d realize it is a turn off and realize that if they were more polite, tourists may be interested in buying from them.”
7. EGYPT
Rick Y Says:
“Cairo. Unbelievable pestering to sell things and to take pictures. They will try to take your camera out of your hands. They are deperate.”
Patrick Says:
“Luxor, Egypt, was the worst. It was horrible when I was there in 2001.”
Arlene Says:
“Egypt. Everyone wants baksheesh (tips) and everyone wants to sell you something. Vendors at monuments (like Abu Simbel) chase tourists to their buses. Some of them approach you with the “free gift” scam that ends up with a demand for a “tip” (at the pyramids). Crossing the street in Cairo is a nightmare (I recommend use a local as a shield, since the traffic doesn’t phase them).”
Dottie Nelson Says:
“For us it was Egypt, no matter where we went.”
8. FRANCE
Robert Says:
“Simply really…. PARIS”
Marsha Vaughan Says:
“While recently in Paris my husband and I were continually targeted by Middle Eastern women begging for money. They were seeking out Americans; would not easily take “no” or just walking away as an answer. Some women would “pretend” to find jewelry on the ground and try to convince you to buy it.”
9. FIJI
Patrick Milligan Says:
My worst experience was in Fiji, where I wasn’t so much hassled by the locals, but I felt the resentment of the locals, which was worse. Fiji has a caste system with whites at the top, Indians in the middle, and native blacks at the bottom. I can understand the resentment, but I didn’t like it.
10. GREECE
Donald Bryden Says:
“Athens, Greece. II felt like a mark and needed to continuely be on my guard and occassionally rude to the offending persons.”
11. INDIA
Lynn Says:
“India which, by virtue of such inhumanity as the caste system, is full of beggars, thieves and cons.”
Larry H Says:
“Clearly the beggars in India make some areas difficult to enjoy. We learned in Peru to say “maybe next time” to the kids selling things in Cusco, and it was face saving for them and us.”
12. ITALY
Eric Feder Says:
“Treviso, Italy. My wife and I were waiting for a taxi to a B&B that was quite a distance from town. There was an empty cab at the train station but it was the driver’s dinner time. He wouldn’t drive us and he wouldn’t call another cab to come pick us up. The people in the station wouldn’t help either and the police officer wouldn’t help us get a cab saying that there was a cab out front. He totally blew us off.”
Bill Wilton Says:
“Definitely in Italy. We had a nsty experience with bedbugs in a very expensive villa (from Tuscan Villas). Their response?? Not terribly helpful; in fact, quite the opposite. They blamed us for bringing the bedbugs, even though we had proof the source was their own linens and pillows borrowed from another villa they managed. Ouch!”
Bruce Baker Says:
“Pisa, Italy. As expected at the Leaning Tower we were surrounded by Gypsys. One nursing her infant and pleding for money while the other crowded in to clean out our pockets. We literally had to chase them away.”
Val Says:
“As much as I love Venice, Italy the locals appear to detest visitors. The shopkeepers and restaurant staff are wonderful. I’ve learned to speak decent Italian and am quite gracious, so it is not me. Probably the citizens of Venezia are tired of the visitors.”
Johnny F Says:
“No matter where we were, the Italians were the rudest, loudest people of all, not just in Italy!”
13. JAMACIA
Debbie McCoon Says:
“Ochos Rios, Jamacia. The location was beautiful, but the locals, were intimidating, and constantly pestering us, either to buy something or braid my hair. It has been a few years since that trip, so hopefully things are better now.”
Amy Says:
“Jamaica! The vendors at the markets were so obnoxious, I left and waited for the others in the van. Two other couples with us did the same thing.”
Aydee Says:
“Duns River Falls in Jamaica. Leaving the falls you wind up in a maze of little shops with agressive merchants. We were pretty uncomfortable.”
Carol Bynum Says:
For sure Jamaica. This has to be the most frustrating Island. You cannot get a cab to go anywhere, they want to charge you extra to see the sites. They want to braid you hair at every turn. There is no wildlife left on the Island. They ate them all. If I won a free trip to Jamaica I wouldn’t even give the tickets away to a stranger.
14. JORDAN
Arlene Says:
“Jordan, primarily Petra. Like Egypt, everyone wants to sell you something and they try to entice you with a free “gift.” Very manipulative people. However, we did not encounter all the demands for tips.”
15. KENYA
Bert Spann Says:
“Nairobi, Kenya. This place has the worst help anyone could ask for. There is one service desk for all the airlines and the locals know that if they want service they must cut in front of you and yell at the service workers. The airport personnel do as little as possible to accomidate your needs.”
16. MEXICO
Denise Mumford Says:
“Cabo San Lucas. The locals were always bothering us while we were laying on the beach or just taking a walk. Even shopping at the local market. They kept bugging us about time shares and wanting us to take tours. when you say no they keep at you until they make you mad.”
17. SPAIN
Ole Says:
“Tenerife, Canary Islands. Loaded with pickpockets.”
18. TURKEY
Brent Measley Says:
“Istanbul. The locals act as if they are insulted if you don’t go into their store.”
christy daniels Says:
“Istanbul. You can’t walk more than a few feet without someone coming up to you to ask you to buy a carpet. If you stop to look at a map or take a picture they really come after you. They are nice enough but it is very irritating. They come up to your when you are looking at a map and ask if they can help you and then they try to sell you a carpet.”
Jeff Says:
“Istanbul, Turkey. So many rugs to buy, so few dollars…”
Linda Says:
“Turkey. We will never return. Our tour guide lied to us twice to get us to go to an over-priced leather shop and a rug shop. Shopping in the port of Kusadasi was impossible. Shopkeepers were out on the sidewalks and in our face, saying and sometimes yelling anything they could to get us in their shops. Like that would ever work! One woman even grabbed our arm as we passed. Not pleasant. The others returned to the ship and I walked further into the city to find better places to shop. I spent my money where I didn’t feel like I was being attacked. It’s too bad the people we met were so nasty because it’s a beautiful country.”
Agree? Disagree? Have your own story? Leave it as a comment below…
