Ok hopefully we can share that country/s we loved and hated that we have visited….
I loved visiting japan,singapore,thailand,italy
I hated and would never go back to pakistan,israel,indonesia(bali),india
You?
Fave Country You Visited and The Country You Hated after Visiting
HappyBigKid on 18/05/2025 - 14:18
Last edited 18/05/2025 - 14:30
Last edited 18/05/2025 - 14:30
Comments
Care to explain why? Otherwise this post is pointless.
and so is Taiwan.
Bali is a Strayan (bogan tribe) enclave
The Venn diagram of people who travel to Bali and people who get a room at the crown for a weekend is a perfect circle.
Only in a couple of parts, which are very easily avoided. So much more than that to the place.
No it has become an outpost of Oz bogans!
Loved Japan
Only country I haven't enjoyed visiting is USA. But that was at one time and one city.
You can't judge the USA by visiting only one place.
There's something for everyone over there, just wouldn't risk it or even consider supporting them in the current political climate.
I can happily judge it from afar.
You can't judge the USA by visiting only one place.
Yeh, for sure.
I have been to the USA many times and have visited many cities there. The "hated" question was a hard one. What I meant was, I have enjoyed visiting new places, except one particular city in the USA at one point in time. I have since returned and the city has now changed for the better.
I always wanted to visit Japan but Im scared of not understanding anything, knowing they are infamously non-apologetic about not providing any help to English speakers, how was your experience and solution to this?
Hotels and large organisations will have people that know English.
A lot of the signs have English underneath or an icon.
The rest can be translated using Google translate.
When ordering food, their menus have pictures and plastic models. You can point to them. Other eating places, you'd order by using a vending machine to get a ticket which you hand to the cook.
Didn't have much difficulty but when asking for directions, it'd be quite common for the someone to reply that they do not know English.
Start off at your nearest 7/11 and get used to eating Onigiri's.
knowing they are infamously non-apologetic about not providing any help to English speakers
This couldn't be further from the truth. What would even give you this impression?
Most Japanese people have a basic grasp of English and will go out of their way to help you. Also most of the signage and menus in restaurants are available in English and there's Google translate for few bits that aren't.
I've personally been over half a dozen times and didn't have any issues at all speaking English in the major cities and even in more rural areas.
I have friends that only speak English who are currently living in TokyoThank you. It seems I've had bad information from people in my life who I should have guessed wouldn't know anything, as they only get their news from places that rhyme with Trumpet.
All of your information, especially from the people who have taken the time to respond, relieves me greatly, as I want to plan a holiday sometime in the next two years there.
knowing they are infamously non-apologetic about not providing any help to English speakers, how was your experience and solution to this?
Japan is the absolute opposite, nearly everywhere is friendly and helpful, all the major hotels, transport etc have english speakers that will help you with everything from Taxis and Trains and restaurants to just everyday questions. Even in places like Fish markets and places where they don't speak english your phone or pointing often is good enough to buy something or translate using phone.
I've been up and down Japan twice and visited many types of restaurants and shop houses, they've all been really helpful. Quite a few places to eat have staff that know some English or just want to practice. I'm sure there may be some that aren't as easy or friendly but must be and far between based on my experience.
Make an attempt.
And by that I mean, even having Google translate open, and learning the most basic of phrases- excuse me, hello, thank you.
If don't act like those entitled……travellers who expect everyone to bend over backwards for you, the Japanese are super gracious. If you act like a d*ckhead, you'll be treated like one.If Spanian can do a Youtube series on Japan, stumbling round alley ways saying 'doin lad' to everyone, I have a feeling you'll be fine.
I hated the tipping culture in Canada and the US.
The only place you have to tip e even if you get s#itty service
Remember to never tip 🙏
That won't fly in the US.
The best part is knowing that;
- you tip after you've finished your meal
- you don't have to eat at the same place especially if you're only visiting and travelling for tourism
Worst case, just leave a few bucks.
I hated and would never go back to pakistan,israel,indonesia(bali),india
Shocked I tell you…. shocked.
Love / hate are strong descriptors.
That being said, my pick for places that I've loved would likely include:
1) Japan - really awesome country, lots of scenery, history, great transportation…etc.
2) New Zealand - doesn't get enough credit, likely because it's so close that it doesn't feel like a real holiday, but the South Island is genuinely a marvel - even after all of my travels, I've not come across many (if any) places which are as naturally unique and beautiful as the area around Mt Cook. You need to really spend time hiking to really appreciate it IMHO.
3) US - personally found it so much better than what the news / media portrays - there's probably a bit of anti-Americanism in the Aussie culture, but there's so much to see and explore, people are genuinely friendly, and there's a certain feeling of "reality" travelling around the US which I'll never forget. You really get a sense of the ups and downs of society, and many of the social issues are out in the open. It's much more real than many of the more touristy countries which bury their social problems away.
4) Netherlands - really the jewel of Europe, perhaps the best country out of the more commonly visited European ones. Amsterdam is a real cultural hub, and it's a great place if you enjoy the arts. I also very much enjoyed the other cities - Utrecht, Rotterdam, The Hague, great transport, nice scenery, lovely architecture. Just a bit cold, but that adds to the charm.
Places I've not enjoyed, or would not go to again:
1) France / Italy - both for similar reasons, they're overhyped for what they are worth. Yes, there's some nice architecture and places that you definitely would want to see in your lifetime, but I really felt that they're not places which are particularly friendly to tourists, if not actively hostile - there's crime which actively targets tourists, people seem to have a disdain for tourism (which is fair enough, I'm not begrudging the fact that they probably feel their country is over-touristed), and it seems like the "tourist economy" exists to rip-off tourists.
I would describe the dynamic something like this - somewhere like Japan seems overly welcoming to tourists, somewhere like the US seems indifferent to tourists (e.g. you will see the country for what it is, warts and all, like a local), somewhere like France / Italy seem unwelcoming to tourists (e.g. you will probably be treated worse than locals).
2) Thailand / Indonesia - both for similar reasons, just boring. If you enjoy lounging around in a resort, then it might be for you, but I didn't get the appeal. Cheap alcohol, might be good for those who drink. Not sure what it's like now, but definitely pre-COVID there were just too many bogans who went here to feel rich and acted like tossers.
3) Most of the "oil rich" gulf states - I've not been to all, but I have worked in the UAE (Dubai), and have colleagues who've worked across the gulf states more broadly. I'm sure the "bling bling" might be attractive, but from a tourist's perspective, they're all rather stale and don't have that much to offer beyond "luxury for the sake of luxury". Not to mention the many ethical issues they have (personally, I turned down many offers to continue working in the UAE after 3 months because of what I learned).
Obviously this is anecdotal (but feel free to cross-reference with other experiences) - one of my close colleagues was detained (and subsequently deported) because on his personal social media, he had a photo from his (gay) wedding. To this day, he doesn't know how or why he was targeted (given the sheer volume of gay people who must be living or working in Dubai). Understand this is a difficult story to believe, but see: https://www.reddit.com/r/LGBTnews/comments/1idnxlu/they_have…, there are many stories of people who have faced similar issues. This, to me, is unacceptable.
Have a +1 just for the amount of thought and effort in your response.
which hikes near Mt Cook? NZ and especially Japan definitely have a disdain for tourists as does Aus
Definitely keen to hear more about the Mt Cook hikes.
Really enjoyed the North island, but haven't been to the South Island (yet)!
Can recommend the Sealy Tarns summit and Hooker valley tracks (when it reopens) for stunning half day hikes. I am in Queenstown currently, it's brisk af but better than even everyone constantly says. Mt cook is the most epic location but the whole of the alpine region from tekapo to Wakatipu is sublime and has endless mountains, lakes and hikes.
Totally agree with what you said about USA, Netherlands and Italy, though I differ on France.
I think many Australian's are sleeping on USA, if you read social media you'd think it's really unsafe and you'll just walk around seeing muggings, gun toting Maga hats everywhere, rude unfriendly people etc but my experience was that I felt quite safe and the people were so friendly, I had more conversations with complete strangers there than I ever have in Australia, on the train, in an elevator, at a cafe or restaurant etc, people would hear the accent and say hello and want to talk.etc.
Really is a great place to visit and much closer than Europe.
Your American experience really depends on if you're white or not.
Exactly try being an Asian just try….
Just makes me realise how subjective this topic is. e.g. my highlight of Italy was how they embraced us as tourists. Just a couple of examples:
a) We couldn't find accommodation in a town, so the owner of one place started ringing contacts until she found someone who could take us.
b) We had a flat battery, and our host got her husband to leave his job and come and give us a jump start.
c) We went to an opera and didn't realise the buses wouldn't run that late so we were stuck. Someone saw our distress and drove us to our accommodation. (Gotta admit that was the one of the scariest experiences I've had whilst travelling. He could have taken us anywhere.)All this was all with the hassle of us not being able to speak or understand their language. We were very impressed with Italian hospitality.
1) France / Italy - both for similar reasons, they're overhyped for what they are worth. Yes, there's some nice architecture and places that you definitely would want to see in your lifetime, but I really felt that they're not places which are particularly friendly to tourists, if not actively hostile - there's crime which actively targets tourists, people seem to have a disdain for tourism (which is fair enough, I'm not begrudging the fact that they probably feel their country is over-touristed), and it seems like the "tourist economy" exists to rip-off tourists.
I legit sometimes feel the same in Australia. (minus the architecture / culture)
Go to Sydney or Melbourne, and you'll find "that they're not places which are particularly friendly to tourists, if not actively hostile - there's crime which actively targets tourists, people seem to have a disdain for tourism (which is fair enough, I'm not begrudging the fact that they probably feel their country is over-touristed), and it seems like the "tourist economy" exists to rip-off tourists."
norway - amazing on so many levels - scenery, people, feeling of being in nature, culture
england (or great britain or the uk - I can never figure it out) - underwhelming, pompous, rude, expensively blandI'm English, I've never understood why tourists go there, so many better places to visit.
We absolutely loved driving in the Scottish highlands and going over to the islands. The scenery is breathtaking and there are so many easy hikes to enjoy.
Favourite - Taiwan
Least favourite - ChinaYou mean:
Favourite: Republic of China
Least favourite: People's Republic of ChinaI mean:
Favourite - the one that's not China
Least favourite - the one that's authoritarianFavourite - the one that's not China
They both claim that they are China.
@p1 ama: So when I buy something and it says "made in China on the package" it could be from either?
@tenpercent: It used to be "made in Republic of China"
But now that Taiwan is known for higher quality goods, that would never happen. Even in China, the "Made in Taiwan" label carries a lot of value.
@bargaino: Lol thanks you named two things, one of which a very small minority care about and the other that is going to change soon enough.
Giant are hardly high end, anyhow.@TightAl: Not at all, they're a leader in chip production, they're so far in front of everything else out there. The world relies on companies like TSMC for so many common household devices and Taiwan knows this, its positioned itself in such a way that its semiconductor industry is a political priority/strategy to avoid an invasion.
#1
Lol
It's like saying
Fav - Tasmania
Least fav - AustraliaNo.
It's like saying
Fave - NZ
Least fave - Australia
You obviously haven't been to either places :)
Malaysia.
So many food options and they also have many US chains operating there too. Plenty to see and do, must of been at least 10+ timesBrunei
Boring as. Most exciting part of the day is going to the supermarket
i contend that malaysia has the best restaurant food in the world
You could make a trip of just eating instead of sightseeing in Malaysia. Seems like an underrated destination to me.
Unfortunately they have harsh laws against secularism and homosexuality so I can't recommend it as a travel destination.
@belongsinforums: nice to know, thanks for sharing. Would you therefore not recommend it as a travel destination?
Loved Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, France, Greece, south of Italy
Didn't love London, the US (except Hawaii), Croatia (but it was Zagreb) - mainly due to price and general demeanor of the people.
the US (except Hawaii)
Rough that you visited 49 states that you didn't enjoy
or 50, if we include canada?
51 with us, 52 with Greenland. Mind you, the US is Russian owned and run, now.
UK is a real mixed bag, great historical sites but many areas, like in Australia, don’t feel English, more like an SE Asian slum with English street signs.
Curious why slums "don't feel English", but are so-called "SE Asian"?
because racism
I'm guessing… Cos they're full of SEA and slums….
A different from the small english village vibe…
Cmon brah….
The 'slums' don't feel English because there aren't any English people living there.
No English people, no English culture, no English accents, barely any English language spoken = doesn't feel English
You could have English slums, but that would require some English people.
The 'slums' don't feel English because there aren't any English people living there.
Except for the inconvenient fact that there have been slums in London dating back to the mid-eighteenth century (e.g. see https://victorianweb.org/history/slums.html) well before any sort of mass Asian migration to the UK.
As such, slums have always been English, and to say that slums "don't feel English" is a denial of the factual history of London and how it has developed.
No English people, no English culture, no English accents, barely any English language spoken = doesn't feel English
Funny that you talk about English culture, it's always funny how those raving on about a particular "culture" usually know hardly anything about said culture.
Obviously you're not a serious student of English culture if you've not read works by English authors such as Charles Dickens, who through fiction, document the life in English slums. Good place to start is Oliver's Twist.
You could have English slums, but that would require some English people.
What do you mean by "English people"? I guess you mean to say "white people".
But even this is factually incorrect - there have always been slums in London, just as there have always been slums in most major cities around the world as the result of rapid industrialisation which led to mass migration into the big cities and supply of housing could not keep up with demand. There is nothing inherently Southeast Asian about these slums.
Of course, as the ethnic composition of the UK has changed, the ethnic composition of those who live in slums have changed along with it, exactly as you would expect it to.
What do you mean by "English people"? I guess you mean to say "white people".
No I mean English people. Not all white people are English, is that what you think?
No I mean English people. Not all white people are English, is that what you think?
If the slums are not filled with English people, then what people are there?
Conveniently ignoring the destruction of your other points, but oh well.
If the slums are not filled with English people, then what people are there?
Non-English people, jeepers man…
Your other points were an unrelated tangent. Dack Smith did not visit London in the mid-eighteenth century, if he did I'm sure he would have seen a lot more English people and of course plenty of English slums.
Non-English people, jeepers man…
What nationality are they, if they are not English?
How do you know they are not English by looking at them?
Pakistan and Italy are my two favourites.
Only two countries I would not revisit: Bangladesh and, especially, Sri Lanka. Awful people, overrated beaches, food, ruins (except Sigiriya).
Second this. Sri Lanka has been blacklisted from me. I've spent 10 days there, wished I stayed for 4. Awful experience
It’s pretty high on my go to list and is getting a lot of attention from tourists now, so I’m keen to hear what you didn’t like if you’d be willing to share..
I’ve been to Sri Lanka a couple of times, and travelled most of the island. I haven’t been since their recent economic and political issues, but I understand that’s settled now. I highly recommend Sri Lanka. I hired a car with driver to get around, but the railways are also fun transport. History, food, culture, sightseeing, all great.
History, food, culture, sightseeing, all great.
But all are 10x better and more interesting a short skip to the north west.
I spent a month there in 2001. Went everywhere I could. Maybe Jaffna is better than the rest of the island?
whats wrong with isreal
Mexico my favourite, costa rica least
Is this bait or can of worms?
whats wrong with isreal
How about we start with what is right with it?
nothing, nothing at all
Right? Nothing under the Mental Yahoo in charge. If the plebs had any guts they would have overthrown him by now. The fact that there's no military coup by now speaks volumes.
There were heaps of big protests against him. Then 'October 7' happened.
I'm more curious why anyone would go there in the first place
Cheap real estate and a view to Hell across the way?
Could be Jewish and took the free Zionism brainwashing trip (and it didn't work).
politics and religion aside….
Jerusalem is like no other place in the world and you can't help but be moved and fascinated by the religious sites and the people and religions who worship these sites. The energy and tension is palpable. And the ultra-orthodox areas are also fascinating.
Tel Aviv is an incredible city right on the beach, it's one of the coolest cities in the world.
and while you're there, pop in to Jordan and Egypt, also incredible countries.
politics and religion aside….
Jerusalem is like no other place in the world and you can't help but be moved and fascinated by the religious sites and the people and religions who worship these sites.
hmm ok
Your experience in Bali can't represent the rest of Indonesia similar to Phuket cannot represent the rest of Thailand.
I went to Japan and Tokyo was my least favourite but i had better memories from Osaka, Fujiyama, etc.