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People Wish They Could’ve Avoided These 31 Activities That They Only Did Out Of FOMO
Interview With Expert
As an avid traveler, I quickly realized that it’s no less addictive than any other illegal substance. Don’t get me wrong, but just the thought of planning my next trip sends adrenaline rushing through my veins, but not all things on my to-do list turn out to be rosy.
Some activities are just tourist traps disguised as daydreams, and I am sure I am not the only one who did them for the hype. When Reddit user ihave22nicetoes asked, “What's one tourist activity you did out of FOMO that you regretted?” The number of people who responded is quite staggering!
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
20 years ago I rode an elephant in northern Thailand and couldn’t wait to get off. It did not seem like they treated them well, and the elephants had to be coaxed to walk. I regretted it a lot and never did animal tourism again.
RELATED:
#2
Pretty much everything in Dubai.
DennyS (denzoren) 7 months ago
Dubai for me is like they made a non-tourist destination into a tourist destination, so everything seems forced.
#3
A capybara cafe in Japan. It was the saddest thing. The poor capybara was completely disinterested in the hoard of humans and cats surrounding it (I think they cheaped out on getting a capybara buddy and subbed in a litter of cats instead). It is never taken out of the small cafe and never will be for its entire life.
I really wanted to believe that it could be ethical but the experience confirmed that any wildlife experience that allows you to touch the animals does not have the welfare of the animal in mind. & yet, as upsetting as it is, this still isn't as cruel as how we treat cows, pigs, and chickens in the animal agriculture industry.
DennyS (denzoren) 7 months ago
Wait, so it was a single capybara? Those are social animals, so definitely not enjoying it.
After being trapped in our houses for ages during COVID-19, travel and tourism spiked like crazy once the threat was gone. Research suggests that an estimated 1.4 billion tourists traveled internationally in 2024, indicating a virtual recovery (99%) of pre-pandemic levels. With this boost also came the rise in "tourist traps," all thanks to social media.
As you scroll through the list, you might be nodding along to some of these tourist activities that were so hyped up that travelers did them just for that sake and then later regretted them. While some of these tales became amusing memories, some, unfortunately, also extracted a lot of bucks from people, which was a bummer as nobody wants to waste money in this economy.
#4
Going on a cruise. My ex always wanted to go but I was reluctant. The boat was nice, food and drinks were great, still felt like I was trapped in a mall for a week.
#5
About 20 years ago, I visited the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. I'd seen something about it on TV and it claimed to be a sanctuary dedicated to animal conservation and that sort of thing.
I regretted going almost immediately. Got there and the tigers were very obviously [intoxicated]. I know the temple denied any accusations of [intoxicating] the animals, but the way those tigers slept through being manhandled and posed for pictures was not natural.
Years later, it came to light that the temple was involved in the illegal animal trade, amongst other things. It was shut down in 2016. If there's one touristy thing I've done I wish I could take back it's giving my money to that place.
Fabulous chocolate cookie 7 months ago (edited)
I believe there was a news story some time ago confirming that all animals and tigers there got drugged. It's now closed down permanently.
#6
Feeding a baby elephant in Bangkok city centre 🥺 was young and stupid and possibly drunk. Feel bad about it to this day. Anything with animals now I’ll just avoid.
Susie Elle 7 months ago
I went to Chiang Mai zoo. Regretted it the moment I saw the elephant chained up near the entrance on the inside. Went in anyway. Passed by cages of overfed and bored animals. Never again, nor any other zoo except for maybe the one I live close to (if that makes me sound hypocritical, that one's a proper zoo).
To understand more about such unnecessarily hyped-up tourist activities, Bored Panda interviewed Saee and Nikhil, avid travelers who document their travel stories on their Instagram account, apparentlytrippy. While they have traveled to over 22 countries, the number of destinations is too many to count, as every country has multiple wonderful spots.
They told us that this FOMO is a very real threat, and of course, it doesn't really hit you until after you do the activity and realize that you have fallen victim to it. They also stressed the importance of being "smart travelers" in this age, where there are so many enticing things that are nothing but tourist traps.
#7
Has anyone mentioned Plymouth Rock yet? I love the look on tourist faces when they see it 😆😆😆😆😆.
#8
Went to Vegas. It was not our cup of tea. Noisy, crowded, artificial, and we don't care much for gambling. The best part was Hoover Dam and Death Valley.
Tabitha 7 months ago (edited)
My parents retired to Vegas, then Carson City. I have been to both places several times visiting them, then closing down the house when my father, who had outlived my mother, finally went into a nursing home, so I’m very familiar with the non-tourist side of things there. While Carson was a bit less tacky than Vegas, it still had casinos and gambling in places you wouldn’t expect. Same with the Nevada side of Tahoe. It’s pretty sad to see people waste whole days and nights—-and money—-gambling. Grandparents eagerly trotting into the casinos to lose their savings. Even the airports have slot machines, ffs. I can only imagine all the missed flights from by a slot machine zombie losing track of the time. The rural areas of Nevada are amazing, and I would recommend seeing them if you can, but avoid the cities and most towns. Any developed area with casinos is just sad, shallow, tarnished, worn, and desperate, in my opinion. If you like that, then more power to you. I’m just not someone who can be blinded by fake glitz and forced “excitement”.
#9
My wife and I decided to walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame from Argyle Ave to the Chinese Theater ( ~ 20 min walk) because we thought it would be nice to see all the stars. NOPE. The biggest mistake of our life. Homeless people, d**g addicts, and crazy people everywhere. We were ready to run and our heads were on a constant swivel.
When we asked the couple whether they had ever experienced such a tourist activity, both of them exclaimed yes! "Back when we first started traveling extensively, we decided to visit Venice and heard and read tons of awesome things about the gondola rides. We thought we would go there and see for ourselves whether we want to do it," Nikhil explained.
Saee added that after actually going there and seeing all the hubbub about it, they stood in a long line to get a ticket, and the cheapest one was €80! "While it might be our mistake that we didn't book it online before (which was still €35 for the cheapest one), it was not really an 'unforgettable' experience as we thought it would be. After the 30 minutes were up, we were left wondering whether it was really worth €80," she said.
#10
I decided to buy a drink which was a local shot of licorice and salt liqueur in Copenhagen….
I can still taste it 5 years later.
DennyS (denzoren) 7 months ago
That mix seems like a 50/50, either you like it or you don't. Or maybe an acquired taste.
#11
Swimming with the pigs in the Bahamas. The epitome of a tourist trap. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
#12
NYE at Times Square. Had to get there at like noon to get a good spot and just stood there all day. After a few hours you can barely move, let alone go to the bathroom or get food.
DennyS (denzoren) 7 months ago
The introvert/anxious/overthinker in me is panicking just reading this.
"Another such disappointing thing was the Cube House in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Luckily, the ticket was cheap (just €3!), but we waited in a really long line for it, and we will definitely not recommend it as one of the top things to do in the city," Nikhil noted.
Saee emphasized that while the architecture looks quite intriguing from the outside, it's quite anti-climactic from the inside. According to her, it's this exact exterior that lures people to come and explore from within, but with a lot of people rushing past you in the tiny, cramped space, it becomes difficult to even step anywhere. "We really regretted wasting so much time standing in line for that one!" she exclaimed.
#13
I paid extra $ for the freak show at a real life circus (probably earlier than 2008) or maybe a fair? and got to meet the littlest person alive - her name was joyti amge and she was just sitting there on a little pedestal smiling at everyone and she seemed so sweet. I felt horrible as a lookey loo because I legitimately thought the freak show would be like a Ripleys with taxidermy and not actual real people.
#14
90€ for a 25 min ride with Gondola in Venice. Yeah, maybe I should have listen to all the people that said take it either too early or during the sunset, and not on "highways" but small canals. I did it out of FOMO and really regret it. Too much "traffic", not relaxing at all, and nothing special.
Next day, I took the vaporetto at night, and it was way more cool experience for a fraction of cost of a gondola ride.
#15
Four corners monument in the USA. We had just started our RV trip around the US/Canada and everyone told us it was a must see. It was not. It’s not even across the four actual corner state lines which it claimed to be (Arizona/Colorado/New Mexico/Utah).
ILoveMySon 7 months ago
I went as a child and have phots. It has changed dramatically in the past 40 years.
Well, like they said, it's important to be a smart traveler today when social media is out to send you a shower of FOMO when you travel anywhere or plan your next trip. Now, dear readers, we want to hear your thoughts about the list and if you have ever experienced something similar. Feel free to type away in the comments. Also, don't forget to upvote the ones you can relate to the most from our list!
#16
Ate FUGU sashimi in Osaka. Fugu is poisonous and a chef needs to have 7 years of experience before they are licensed to serve it. The regret was it tasted like overcooked squid and sooo not worth the money and the mental effort.
#18
Long neck tribe in northern Thailand. Oy, talk about feeling exploitative.
Fabulous chocolate cookie 7 months ago
This is also with the Mon people nearby River Kwai Thailand. I went there during a trip and everything felt so off. Like they were just actors from a nearby village who made a deal with the travel agency to try to earn extra money from people.
#19
In Iceland in early April at thingviller we had booked the snorkel swim between the tectonic plates - so we were at that park for a different thing a few days before our booking and saw some very cold and miserable looking snorkel swimmers returning from their tour shivering in their wetsuits and I’m realizing that in my own ten layers of extremely warm specialized clothing I’m still so freezing that my eyeballs felt like freezer burned ice cubes and I’ve never cancelled a booking so fast.
#20
Bourbon Street. It was annoying and gross to even walk on for like 3 minutes.
Big Chungus 7 months ago
The best description of Bourbon Street is think of a trash can sitting out in the heat all day with sewage around in and Mardi Gras beads thrown on top. The French Quarter, however, was lovely.
#21
Bali.
In general.
Been to three dozen countries, wish I would have gone anywhere else in Indonesia. What a touristy, littered, stew pot. Maybe my least favorite place I’ve ever traveled.
Mavis McCollam 7 months ago
At last, someone who agrees with me. Hated Bali, especially the hundreds of street vendors who would NOT leave you alone. Watched our guide grab and throw items out the window of our tourist bus so the vendor would get out of our bus.
#22
Visited South Beach one day during an otherwise great trip to the Keys and Everglades etc. It was like the nasty stepchild of LA and Vegas and I hated every moment of it. .
#23
Did a food tour and ate fermented shark in Iceland. The rest of the tour was great but the bit of shark that tasted like it was left on a dirty restroom floor for a week was not the highlight of said tour.
Uncle Panda 7 months ago
It's well known to be one of the most acquired tastes on the planet. Because it's awful.
#24
Mount Rushmore is legitimately so disappointing. I don’t understand how they keep tricking people to go see it.
LooseSeal's $10 Banana 7 months ago
I say this every time Mount Rushmore shows up on one of these lists. It's of course not worth going to on its own, but if you're in the area to see the rest of the Black Hills (Custer State Park, Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, etc.), which are absolutely breathtaking, then it's worth your while to see Mount Rushmore. There's more to do than just look at it.
#25
Not that I regret it but I didn’t need to go to the Red Light District in Amsterdam.
Johnnynatfan 7 months ago
Its not that bad. Its not as if the women are coming at you aggressively trying to get you to hire them. They just sit in the window and wait for someone who might be interested.
LiuLiu 7 months ago
I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up, it just made me sad because that is generally not what little girls dream about when they grow up - don't downvote because I really believe that is not something they dream of doing but end up doing it
zatrisha 7 months ago
That happened to me in Amsterdam too. I turned into a side street of the shopping street because I wanted to go to the ferry, I had my 7yo daughter with me. It was ok, they are sitting in the window, nothing bad.
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Apatheist Account2 7 months ago
Fortunately I went there with a friend's husband, who was Dutch. Enabled me to see it as a tourist attraction and avoid any complications.
Liz Mary 7 months ago
I loved taking some friends there. Daughter and I had gone a couple of years earlier. This time her parents went with us. Mom was shocked. She alternate between covering her husband's eyes and pointing at the women with a shocked face. My friend, the daughter, and I almost peed with laughter. The working women, of course, did what they alway do and made gestures threatening. 🤣🤣🤣 Had to explain to the mum that only men are allowed to look and point. 🤣🤣🤣
#26
Takeshita Street in Harajuku. Just sandwiched in with people on a narrow street.
#27
Seeing the mermaid in Copenhagen.
Apatheist Account2 7 months ago
Er...she doesn't have flippers and a snorkel mask. Not sure what the photos is but it's not the Copenhagen mermaid!
#28
Normally any excessively busy place I go to, I regret it. Unless it's really something special.
For example i still really enjoyed Machu Pichu, because that place is amazing, and at least they limit daily visitors.
Recently I went to Kyoto and I went to the signature places - awful.
Lee Gilliland 7 months ago
Japan is horribly crowded compared to a lot of places, but I found the people lovely and understanding.
#29
Driving the loop around Maui. We were staying in Wailea and having a good time there - there was plenty to do and I was mostly there for the beach. We somehow were convinced that we had to do the road trip around the island. We hired a car for it and most of it was pretty boring. It took a very long time and there were some extremely treacherous and scary sections. It took almost a whole day. I would have preferred to have skipped the loop really. .
#30
The basement of the Alamo. Really underwhelming!
#31
We went to Universal Studios in Osaka, for Nintendo Land. It was maybe the worst day of our holiday. None of the food or drink places opened until three hours after the park did, and there were no where near enough places for people to sit, so the walk ways around the park were just full of people just sitting on the ground.
And in Nintendoland itself, there were maybe three times as many people as there was space. And we couldn’t really do any of the attractions.
The whole park had the vibes of somewhere that had just opened and had no idea how to deal with so many people.
What do you think ?
Stephanie Did It 7 months ago
Bullfighting in Madrid. It was brutal and bloody. The worst part for me was that the bulls were tormented and injured to madden them for more "excitement" before killing them. The matador cut off the bull's ears and it was dragged around the arena to cheers. I was completely sickened. Note: I was under 10 years old with my family on vacation, so I had no choice in the matter.
StrangeOne 7 months ago
I don't see it as a culture. It's just been a performance of animal t*****e gone on for way too long.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 7 months ago
Skip the camels if you go to the pyramids. They smell, they spit, they don't like having you on their backs, and the owners get you out in the middle of nowhere and demand money. Don't bother.
Lene 7 months ago
The camels are also treated horribly. Do not support the camel riding stuff in Egypt if you can avoid it. Those poor animals are beaten up on a daily basis from they are calves.
Load More Replies...
Huddo's sister 7 months ago
One I didn't do, but would have regretted if I did was climbing Uluru. I was there on a school trip and when we got on the bus there we were told we would be allowed to climb it if we wanted. I was tempted but when we arrived the wind was too strong and the climb was cancelled. We never really had much info about it being a sacred site in school and even on the trip they didn't say much. Learning more after I finished school, I'm glad I didn't do it as it is really disrespectful and I would have felt guilty after. Now it's banned anyway.
L H 7 months ago
Yes - we visited in 2016 when it was still open, but we signed the book saying we didn't do it (I think they had to get a certain number to close it?). If you're going to go around it you need a fly hat and better still hire the bikes otherwise it feels too hot.
Load More Replies...
Portentia9 7 months ago
What the h.ell is FOMO??? What the h.ell has happened to the English language, sentencing structure and grammar???
Magenta Blu 7 months ago
El Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. Supposedly the most stunning salt desert, but it is littered with trash, black tyre marks everywhere, and some stones and cactus you can se everywhere. And it was horribly cold, and boring, and the food was atrocious. I should had stayed home looking a salt container instead
Ruth Watry 7 months ago
Hot Air Balloon ride in NM - crash landing (friends of friends and not professional company)
Kat 7 months ago
floating village near siem reap in cambodia...we kind of heard about it and it was on "must see"lists for that area so we went. First, you pay at the ticket office for whole trip, they take you on the boat to actuall village, where they ask you for more money. Every person you met on that trip is expecting tip from you. Floating village by itself is interesting, I felt little weird, bc they take you there to see how people there live, but it´s not like going to people´s homes, you just ride between the houses. At the end, they take you to the restaurant and crocodile farm and I honestly wish they didn´t. Let´s just say, if you are animal lover, you will be heartbroken by what you see there. That whole trip just seems like they are just making a spectacle for tourist of poor living conditions with no respect. I don´t live luxury life, I´am saving money for whole year so I can go on trips, but honestly, after this experience I felt not even uncomfortable, but like AH that I even went.
Thay Cavalcante 7 months ago
Coco bongo. I was harassed BY THE WORKERS and they also refuse to serve water to the ladies. You ask for water, instead, they give you some random drink and tell you to drink it. Males didn't have this problem. Had to ask a guy to get me a bottle of water.
Pyla 7 months ago
We were in Bangkok in April and it was apparently the new year. People kept throwing water baloons at our boat, I mean like "duck! incoming!" speed. I guess sprinkling water was a kind of blessing. We were blessed black and blue. April in Bangkok is hot. My mom went jewelry shopping and every store gave us a coke to drink, we had about a dozen bottles. Sweated it out, never had to take a pee.
SouthernGal 7 months ago
Surprised Niagra Falls wasn’t on the list. Yes, it is beautiful - for about five minutes. Definitely not worth the hassle to get there.
StrangeOne 7 months ago
I was there when I was very, very young. I have pictures. Never realized there's a tunnel system behind the falls. Since I love exploring tunnels like that I want to go back. I've seen the street along the street. It's very reminiscent of Blackpool, with a Ripley's museum and rides.
Load More Replies... Stephanie Did It 7 months ago
Bullfighting in Madrid. It was brutal and bloody. The worst part for me was that the bulls were tormented and injured to madden them for more "excitement" before killing them. The matador cut off the bull's ears and it was dragged around the arena to cheers. I was completely sickened. Note: I was under 10 years old with my family on vacation, so I had no choice in the matter.
StrangeOne 7 months ago
I don't see it as a culture. It's just been a performance of animal t*****e gone on for way too long.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 7 months ago
Skip the camels if you go to the pyramids. They smell, they spit, they don't like having you on their backs, and the owners get you out in the middle of nowhere and demand money. Don't bother.
Lene 7 months ago
The camels are also treated horribly. Do not support the camel riding stuff in Egypt if you can avoid it. Those poor animals are beaten up on a daily basis from they are calves.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 7 months ago
One I didn't do, but would have regretted if I did was climbing Uluru. I was there on a school trip and when we got on the bus there we were told we would be allowed to climb it if we wanted. I was tempted but when we arrived the wind was too strong and the climb was cancelled. We never really had much info about it being a sacred site in school and even on the trip they didn't say much. Learning more after I finished school, I'm glad I didn't do it as it is really disrespectful and I would have felt guilty after. Now it's banned anyway.
L H 7 months ago
Yes - we visited in 2016 when it was still open, but we signed the book saying we didn't do it (I think they had to get a certain number to close it?). If you're going to go around it you need a fly hat and better still hire the bikes otherwise it feels too hot.
Load More Replies... Portentia9 7 months ago
What the h.ell is FOMO??? What the h.ell has happened to the English language, sentencing structure and grammar???
Magenta Blu 7 months ago
El Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. Supposedly the most stunning salt desert, but it is littered with trash, black tyre marks everywhere, and some stones and cactus you can se everywhere. And it was horribly cold, and boring, and the food was atrocious. I should had stayed home looking a salt container instead
Ruth Watry 7 months ago
Hot Air Balloon ride in NM - crash landing (friends of friends and not professional company)
Kat 7 months ago
floating village near siem reap in cambodia...we kind of heard about it and it was on "must see"lists for that area so we went. First, you pay at the ticket office for whole trip, they take you on the boat to actuall village, where they ask you for more money. Every person you met on that trip is expecting tip from you. Floating village by itself is interesting, I felt little weird, bc they take you there to see how people there live, but it´s not like going to people´s homes, you just ride between the houses. At the end, they take you to the restaurant and crocodile farm and I honestly wish they didn´t. Let´s just say, if you are animal lover, you will be heartbroken by what you see there. That whole trip just seems like they are just making a spectacle for tourist of poor living conditions with no respect. I don´t live luxury life, I´am saving money for whole year so I can go on trips, but honestly, after this experience I felt not even uncomfortable, but like AH that I even went.
Thay Cavalcante 7 months ago
Coco bongo. I was harassed BY THE WORKERS and they also refuse to serve water to the ladies. You ask for water, instead, they give you some random drink and tell you to drink it. Males didn't have this problem. Had to ask a guy to get me a bottle of water.
Pyla 7 months ago
We were in Bangkok in April and it was apparently the new year. People kept throwing water baloons at our boat, I mean like "duck! incoming!" speed. I guess sprinkling water was a kind of blessing. We were blessed black and blue. April in Bangkok is hot. My mom went jewelry shopping and every store gave us a coke to drink, we had about a dozen bottles. Sweated it out, never had to take a pee.
SouthernGal 7 months ago
Surprised Niagra Falls wasn’t on the list. Yes, it is beautiful - for about five minutes. Definitely not worth the hassle to get there.
StrangeOne 7 months ago
I was there when I was very, very young. I have pictures. Never realized there's a tunnel system behind the falls. Since I love exploring tunnels like that I want to go back. I've seen the street along the street. It's very reminiscent of Blackpool, with a Ripley's museum and rides.
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