We firmly believe that traveling is one of the best parts of being born a human being. We have the sort of freedom to go on life-changing, cultural, and educational adventures like nobody else in the animal kingdom. (Except for birds, of course—they can go anywhere, any time, and they always fly first class. Yes, we’re jealous!) However, what you see in those bright and brilliant travel ads isn’t always what you get.
Underwhelming, disappointing, and a waste of time—that’s how some members of the wildly popular, 6.5-million strong r/travel community felt after going to these ‘must-see’ and ‘must-visit’ tourist attractions. And today we’re featuring their candid comments about what they felt was overhyped so you don’t fall into the same trap… or at least so you manage your expectations.
Pack your bags and get your scrolling muscles warmed up, Pandas, because we’re about to go on a trip into the Land of Disappointment (featuring the Valley of Over-Hyped Stuff and Paris Syndrome). Got any horrible travel stories to share with the class? Do you disagree with some of these redditors’ opinions? You can spill the tea (and/or beans) in the comments.
One of the moderators helping run r/travel, u/SiscoSquared, was kind enough to answer our questions. Bored Panda also got in touch with entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert Mike Sington, who's known as Hollywood's Ultimate Insider. He was happy to share what first-time visitors to Los Angeles should definitely see and what they should probably steer clear of if they don't want to be disappointed. Check out both interviews below.
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The Dead Sea. You're in Israel. In the desert. It's blazing hot, like 115°F. You think you'll go take a dip in the Dead Sea to cool off, right? Wrong. First, you have to pay to go through a spa to use their towels, pools, etc. Then you take the wagon/shuttle that drives you from the spa down to the shore. The wagon/shuttle goes about 5 miles per hour in the scortching sun. No breeze. Next, you get to the shore of the Dead Sea. You the proceed to run over the sand that's so hot you're sure your feet will burn off. You tentatively step into the water....and it's like the hottest bath you've ever taken in your life. The water is maybe 1° away from boiling. But you figure you've made it this far, might as well get the full experience. So you submerge. It's a mistake. Every pore on your body is burning from the salt. If you have shaved any part of your body within the last three years, you will feel the salt seep into the little micro cuts and burn you from the inside out. You find cuts on your body you didn't even know you had. Even your asshole is burning because you have pooped and wiped within the last week, so your skin is raw there. And the worst part is, when you decide you have had enough of this boiling body of water, you practically have to crawl out because you're too bouyant to stand. And in the process of crawling out, you scrape your knees on the bottom where the salt rocks have crystalized which sets off a whole new round of pain. So now you're hot, sticky from the salt, and every inch of your body burns.
It's not the first time i read that description but every time i laugh!!
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You don't need to go through a hotel/spa or take a shuttle. Just walk down through one of the public beaches. And don't go in the middle of summer, dumbass.
I went there in the middle of the summer as a teen. It was cool, floating on the Dead Sea. Now that I'm older, I wouldn't want to go there in the heat.
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I disagree, that was a wonderful experience for me. We drove done the whole way, found a little beach, and it’s a wonderful memory. Yeah the burning sucked if you had a cut but was to be expected…common. The drive back was bad for me because of car sickness but can’t blame the Dead Sea for that.
There is a free beach further down the shore. But yes, it is warm water and you can't shave beforehand 😅 The water is think like syrup and you can't swim or splash. Don't go expecting a beach experience, go expecting something unique.
You went to the wrong place (Ein Gedy spa) at the wrong time. To the Dead Sea you should go between late November and May, at Ein Bokek and, believe me, you'll enjoy.
Not true, enough public beaches to use, and please, do not go in the blazing heat of summer, you silly tourist.
Um this is a huuuuge exaggeration, I don't know what this person did to have such a bad experience but they must have a bad experience every single place they go in their life
Really, What did they think it would be like going to one of the driest, saltiest places on Earth??
My nomination: The Alamo. I expected some sort of shrine to those who defended it. Instead, it's a wholly commercial trash trap.
Maaaybe read about the place you are going to visit and see if it fits your expectations? I had a wonderful time at the Dead Sea, plus my skin didn't suffer at all- we were happy that we're getting the beauty treatment that usually comes in a bottle for free 😁
This person doesn't know how to plan a vacation then! The dead sea was absolutely beautiful and no where near as painful as they make it out to be
The dead sea is quite awesome, I've been there multiple times. Unless you visit in Jun-Aug [the entire country is close to boiling and definitely don't shave your privates a day before, because, you know, salt.
First of all - you don't have to go the spa. The second one, I don't understand why didn't you mention it, swimming in the Dead Sea is like swimming into the a pot of hot and greasy bullion. Strange experience.
I thought the Jordan side was nice than the Israeli side of the Dead Sea , but you definitely don’t want open wounds !
There are free spots if you ask around. Floating on salty water was incredible though.
There are free spots around instead of paying for it. Floating on salty water is incredible though
i went in december and it was lovely (israel is way to hot in the summer generally) , normally you dont have to go through a spa, wearing plastic sandals is a must, many people with neurodermitis experience an improvement , sorry you had a rough time
It helps to do some research before you visit these kinds of places... Hahaha!!! That's the biggest known fact about the Dead Sea it's so salty you can litterally float because of the salt content...
I could understand this if it was any time prior to the advent of the Internet. But travel ignorance now adays does seem to fall on the tourist who failed to research and plan ahead.
Someone didn't do their homework. Thinking a dip in the Dead Sea would be cool and refreshing is like wearing a bikini on a Polar cruise. On the other hand, the description is wonderfully funny.
"If you have shaved any part of your body within the last three years,..." LMFAO
Cost of plane tickets $775. Towels, ride to the dead sea $20. Being able to tell people that "even your a*****e is burning like the seventh circle of hell" for the next few decades? Priceless....
Thank you for the warning, I can totally picture the scenario and I ain't going for sure 🤣
Well if this is the experience at the Israeli side I recommend the Jordanian side. It was lovely there
Hahaha😂 I’ve always wanted to visit the Dead Sea and I love this honest description. Haha bah haha. I can completely imagine me in your description. Thank you. 😂 thank you
This description makes be glad that I had fallen off a donkey the day before we got to the Dead Sea stop on our tour, and I couldn’t get the makeshift magazine and gauze splint (because we were in he middle of a desert and couldn’t get me to he hospital for an x-ray until after our Dead Sea stop) wet so all I could do was dip a foot in 😂
Essentially, any and every place in this list is hated because of one thing. The crowds of people that are only there because people are there because people are there, ad infinitum. It really does to do some research to find places that are just as good without herds of sheeple overcrowding it.
True, although we stayed at a hotel and were able to use their pool with Dead Sea water. Yes, every minor cut hurts like hell, because the salt content (magnesium salt) is so high. It's an experience I will not repeat.
I thought you were supposed to be rejuvenated after being in the Dead Sea guess I was wrong
Sounds like a sort of 'religious experience'. Similat to what pilgrims to Mecca relate . .
Did not have an issue getting down to the water, but definitely regretted shaving.
There was an episode where Carl pilkington went to the Dead Sea and there were nasty cast off bandages floating around and stuff. It did not make the place look inviting at all. Same with his trip to the Ganges.
Wow u hated something coz it didnt meet UR expectations! Seems to a theme in these posts.
According to the bible it is the place where God let it rain burning sulfer over Sodom and Gomorrah and overthrew both cities and destroying everything even any vegetation in the area. And you expected it to be an oasis?
Thanks - now I don’t ever need to go there. But if I do I will remember to bring water shoes.
Ah you had an unlucky experience. I had locals explain to me to go there only mid-early spring/autumn. Also I took a tour Tel Aviv to Jerusalem/dead sea which took us to paid beach that has facilities to make experience better (a pier to the water, water to wash yourself right at the beach, etc.). But I agree that the whole experience is expensive (everything in Israel is expensive) and I wouldn't go back there in a while.
Well said. Only teasing, but what part of "Dead Sea" did you misunderstand? Try, "Nice, Cool, Refreshing Lake." (And if anyone asks, I'm going to insist that's what "Lake Winnipesaukee" means.)
This just sounds like a bad plan during the worst time of the year. I've been there twice; one in Jordan and once in Israel. My Jordan trip was in May, which is just the start of the summer. Stayed at a hotel that had its own access to the Dead Sea. The approach to the water was big round smooth stones that didn't hurt the feet. They also gave us plastic slip on footwear which we could wear in the water. Outside temperature was cool. Water was amazingly warmish (which is expected as its one of the lowest points on earth.) Israel trip was towards the North side of the Dead Sea. I don't remember paying anything (but perhaps it was included my tour already.) The beach was sandy and the weather was pleasant.
In moderator u/SiscoSquared's opinion, there are two ways to go about avoiding disappointment when traveling anywhere. The first is to go in with little (or better yet, no) expectations. The other thing you can do is put in a bit more effort and do more than just read the promotional material. Consider asking someone you know who's experienced it all before, or find a guide or a blogger with similar interests as yours. That way, you can get a more nuanced opinion on whether or not a location's worth visiting.
"I think the more popular a place is, the more easily it is to become overhyped and a letdown," they pointed out that the sense of disappointment, culture shock, and unmet expectations is commonly known as Paris Syndrome. (Naturally, it isn't just Paris that can let you down—Hollywood can do the same, as entertainment expert Mike told us, but hang on for a bit for his insights.)
The r/travel mod believes that all of us are unique and how we enjoy our vacations is entirely up to us. Nobody should feel forced to do something that they hate. "For many people, learning the local culture, on a surface level or maybe more makes for a fun trip, for others sitting at an all-inclusive resort at the beach is ideal. How you enjoy your vacation is up to you. Thankfully, we're not all identical and boring as a result."
Dubai. It's the most soulless, cultureless, and artificial city I've been to. The shameless and obscene display of bling-bling only adds to this vibe, and the supertall skyscrapers and mega malls get old sooner or later.
To top it off, all of this is built overnight on what is essentially slave labor.
I completely concur with this. Been many times due to a relation working there. You forgot to mention the sheer amount of abandoned skyscrapers that ran out of cash.
While the Louvre is wonderful, the Mona Lisa was a huge disappointment.
The painting itself is tiny and there are always hordes of people around it.
There are a million better things to see at the Louvre.
I find it good that people are attracted by that painting as it means that the other rooms containing magnificent works of arts are not that crowded! So yay! When I went to the Louvre I stayed for two minutes in that room, mostly getting amazed at the hoard of people that were desperate to get in front and to take a picture. That was quite a show. And then I continued my tour in the other amazing rooms. (I am not saying the Mona Lisa painting is not beautiful, it really is a work of art, great portrait, nice and subtle touches, I knew beforehand that it is regular size portrait. I agree with OP that it is overhyped by ignorant tourists)
Redditor u/SiscoSquared boasted about their fellow moderators who have "done an excellent job of setting up a very comprehensive automod." That means that a small handful of moderators can take care of the entire massive subreddit. "We each just do it in our spare time, maybe when we're bored at the airport or train station! Most of the work is filtering posts that don't follow the subreddits posting guidelines and responding to reports."
Hollywood isn't like it is in the movies, folks. It's likely to not meet your expectations. "There’s one popular, supposedly must-see attraction that’s way overhyped in Los Angeles, and that’s Hollywood. Everyone has heard of it and everyone wants to see it, but once you arrive in the real Hollywood, you’re sure to be disappointed," entertainment expert and LA local Mike shared with Bored Panda.
"It’s very crowded, and there’s hardly anything to see except the stars in the sidewalk. Once you do that, and you have to dodge the crowds to even navigate the sidewalks, that’s it. I’d suggest passing on Hollywood itself, and taking one of the professionally run studio tours all the major movie studios offer," he stressed that Hollywood itself doesn't have much to offer.
Disney Parks. Want to eat? Be ready to Shell out $50 a person per day. Oh, you came for the rides? Enjoy the four or five you make it on unless it's a busy day, those days enjoy the two or three
I hate Disney. Husband and I went with his parents. They paid for our room, tickets, and dinner (thank God!). I started just sharing my husband's breakfast plate because $40+ every morning was going to put us in the poor house. It was hot, too many kids running around, and not enough places to cool down. Huge waste of money.
Hollywood. The most disappointing garbage and pee covered place on earth
The London eye. It's so overly expensive, and you have to wait in a long line for your turn. If you want a good view of London, I'd recommend checking out St. Paul's Cathedral (even if you're not religious). It's a lot cheaper, and if you're able to climb the stairs you can go all the way to the top and take in an even better view
According to Mike, it's important to manage your expectations when coming to Los Angeles. "Because the city is often pictured in the movies and on television as some glamorous place, that’s often all that visitors are expecting. Sure, Los Angeles is beautiful and diverse, and the weather is spectacular, but keep in mind it’s a very big city, so it has all the problems and urban sprawl of most big cities," he said that some visitors expect only the upsides and don't foresee the downsides.
"As a longtime resident of Los Angeles, I’m very familiar with what’s worth seeing, and what’s not. Here’s my personal list of the actual 'must-see' places for a first-time visitor:
- Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park
- Getty Center
- Runyon Canyon
- Santa Monica Beach
- The Grove
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- The Broad
- Universal Studios
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
- Beverly Hills
- Mulholland Drive"
Machu Picchu. I respect the Incas for building it, the real issue I have with it is the current management. It’s flooded with people (they let in over 3x the cap sto make money) being annoying and it’s very expensive, they bus people up a huge hill all day and we are required to have a tour guide and only spend 3 mins at certain areas. It’s misrepresenting the history of the Incas to people with selfie sticks. Not my fave
You are WAY better off seeing the Inca capitol, Cusco because it’s where they actually lived and thrived. See Sasqsyhuaman and the Qoricancha sun temple. Go on a backpacking trip and you will find Inca and pre Inca stuff Everywhere. With no idiotic tourists families. I highly recommend it.
¡Viva Perú!
Despite this review, Machu Picchu remains on my travel bucket list. I'd like to visit Cusco as well
I didn’t get anything out of Las Vegas. It was cool to see the themed hotels but besides that it was just an overpriced cultureless soulless city designed to entertain you
Um, well yes... If you wanted something else out of your visit, pick a different part of the country 🤷♀️
Sydney Opera House. The tours are expensive and the inside is kind of underwhelming. The outside is free and is also the best part. ALTERNATIVE: Just walk around Sydney harbor. It's free and gorgeous.
I agree, the outside of the opera house and the surrounding area is fantastic!
The r/travel subreddit is an online community that unites travel enthusiasts from around the globe. They celebrate people’s desire to explore the world, and members, in turn, share their photos, and stories, and ask others for advice. Community members are encouraged to put in effort, be descriptive, and add details to their posts. Low-effort posts aren't the way to go.
It’s all friendly, educational, and done in the spirit of adventure. The sub has a handy FAQ for any new redditors joining just now. And the moderators advise members to search the community for specific questions and topics before asking a question. It’s to see if someone’s already answered it before. That way, you get to rely on the community’s collective experience and save everyone’s time by avoiding repeating questions (or asking stuff that you'd easily find on Google).
It’s very important to manage your expectations when doing anything. If you’re overhyped about visiting a place, seeing a work of art in person, or going to a (supposedly) great restaurant for a meal, you might end up disappointed even if the actual experience is objectively fine.
For sure, it’s hard to meet expectations if they’re sky-high. Being realistic and avoiding being overly excited can, paradoxically, make your trip far more enjoyable. That way, you get to be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed that things aren’t as wonderful and ‘perfect’ as you imagined them to be.
If you go to the Great Wall of China, I'd suggest not going to the section right there in Beijing. Very rebuilt and touristy.
Take a van ride a ways out of the city, to the Simitai section. Now there's some uncrowded, old-school Great Wall.
Japan has such a romanticized view of France that they actually have a term, "Paris Syndrome", for the sudden shock suffered by Japanese tourists when they see that France isn't how they imagined
I loved Paris but I think it helped that I was there as a poor student. You naturally avoid most of the tourist attractions (except museums, but they were discounted) and instead spend long hours walking around the city, having supermarket wine and cheese by the Seine and finding little local places to eat. I am working now, but I still prefer to travel this way.
Naples. I did a big trip through Europe after college and spent about a month in Italy. Naples was easily the worst place I visited. It was seedy, rundown, trashy, and unsafe. I would never go back
Aside from your expectations, it’s also vital that you put in the effort and do your research before heading out. For example, Professor Christine Vogt, the Director of the Center for Sustainable Tourism at Arizona State University, told Bored Panda some time ago that people should learn about their destination’s culture, customs, and language before packing their bags.
“More than likely that is what draws a person to visit a certain place. The more local knowledge a traveler has, the more a traveler can feel like a local and fit in," she explained, adding that the locals appreciate foreigners putting in the effort.
"Local customs can include how a traveler dresses, eats, uses a cell phone, etc. When a traveler is out in a community such as walking in a downtown area or eating in a restaurant, these local customs can come into play,” the professor said.
“For example, in Buddhist countries, a woman who has not covered her shoulders or legs may not be allowed into temples or even a restaurant. Learn as many local customs as you can and a few key words to enhance your experience.”
Egypt, all the beauty and awe of the ancient civilisation is completely outshone by how absolutely horrible the modern civilisation is. Think of all the worst parts of India and then add sand to it
Casablanca, Morocco. I think it's the least interesting place in a fascinating country. It felt like a dumpy business district on the coast. Other than one obscenely expensive mosque built by a previous king, there's nothing to see. But the rest of Morocco? It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen. Fez, Essaouira, the High Atlas Mountains, and Marrakesh were all gorgeous
The Guinness brewery tour in Dublin. It was an absolute tourist trap. They don't even brew beer at the storefront any more.
Meanwhile, you should also keep in mind that the Covid-19 pandemic isn’t over yet. There are some restrictions still in place, depending on where you travel. You should definitely read up on them while planning your trip to avoid some nasty surprises.
For instance, investor and author Rick Orford, who has traveled all over Europe, recently shared with Bored Panda the headache of a system that was in place in the Southern part of the continent.
He’d planned to sail to Greece from Italy on a cruise ship, but the rules regarding Covid tests caused a lot of stress. In short, the rules were inconsistent with what’s happening on other forms of transportation.
The Skybridge at the Grand Canyon was definitely a bad experience, and an overpriced one. I don't understand why so many tourists do this. There's the entire freakin' Grand Canyon right there for you to access for free. The park offers thousands of breathtaking views all over. And exploring the trail with its ledges and views is thrilling enough. Walking the Skybridge is a far cry from the best experience you can have there
I was harassed when I visited there it was horrible. I was in Vegas and my friend wanted to go on it. When we got there they changed their mind so, I thought I'd go on it since we were there. Big mistake ... It was non stop pushing by the guides. No cameras - official photos only. No loitering to take in the view and the questions. The neverending questions as to why as a woman I was on my own ... How if I had a real boyfriend they wouldn't have let me come alone ... How they had a cousin who'd love to meet me ... I repeatedly said I wasn't interested and to stop hassling me but he continued saying I could be removed from the exhibit for being a security threat. It was late afternoon in late December when I visited and there weren't so many tourists about. Those that were there were only interested in the scenery or pretended not to notice. I've visited different parts of the grand canyon over the years and they've all been amazing - except the Sky Bridge. I'll never go back there.
The Taj Mahal (Agra). It's surrounded by 10-meter-high walls, and the entrance fee is ludicrously expensive compared to any other attraction in India. If you're in Agra and want to see the Taj Mahal, go across the river. There are some gardens almost directly across from it, and there's a great spot by the river with a brilliant view of the Taj Mahal, particularly at sunset. This experience is totally free, and you won't have to deal with crowds
I went there years ago and loved it. It was being renovated and I came across an artisan cutting pieces of marble to replace lost or damaged areas. We talked for hours, and at the end of our convo he gave me three pieces of the original Taj marble he had replaced. I have them still, my own piece of this extraordinary symbol of love.
Bali.
It's just drunk Australians all over the place.
I'm Australian and find the Sigha singlet wearing 'drunk aussie' to be the absolute worst. They are a national embarrassment.The Balinese hate them, and for good reason.
"We must have a negative Covid test to get on a cruise ship. On a plane, at a hotel, restaurant—[it's] not needed. But on a cruise ship... it's mandatory," he said.
"What I find really fascinating is that one can visit a hotel, or a restaurant, or take a train or a plane here in Italy, and nothing is required. Yet, to get on a cruise ship, one needs to prove vaccination, and give a negative Covid test within 48 hours of sailing," he stressed that the rules aren’t always consistent and that they might fit someone’s understanding of common sense. In short, do your research, check the rules.
Niagara Falls. I didn’t expect the falls to be in a city. I expected something more like a national park, but the whole falls and its surroundings just felt like a giant shopping mall
Calanque de Sormiou in Marseille, France. Called one of the best beaches in Marseille, I expected a wonderful, spacious, and quiet white-sand beach with crystal-clear blue water. But what I found was a packed, small, and polluted strip of sand. Turns out you can't always trust the idyllic photos of a destination
Anyplace that is named "the best" is bound to be submerged by tourists, though. No big surprise there.
The glass bridge over the grand canyon.
Total rip-off tourist trap.
It takes HOURS to get there from Vegas
They charge you $20 to park in an empty desert
They charge you $30 per person to take the bus from the parking to the attraction (it's like walking from parking into a mall - no distance at all!)
Then they charge you $30 per person if you actually want to walk on the bridge
You cannot take pictures or bring a camera onto the bridge, but they will sell them to you, of course.
There is one overpriced place to eat where they sell you canned food heated up in a microwave for big money... or you could drive 5 hours back to Vegas...
Go there to get scalped.
The drive is only 2 hours and if you had read their web page and checked out reviews, you would've known about everything you just listed. Teachable moment is read up on places before just jumping in the car and going for it.
Plitvice National Park in Croatia was a disappointment. I expected a stunning natural wonder, and hoped it would be a little crowded on a random Monday in September (not peak season, not a weekend). The reality: a perfectly pleasant national park that was absolutely jam-packed with the world's pushiest, screaming, selfish visitors. I was basically trapped on a boardwalk shuffling along desperately just trying to get a space to see the waterfalls
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam was a bit of a letdown. Based on the photos, I was so excited to visit, but there was so much garbage in the water it felt extremely polluted. Our junk ship operators were visibly annoyed with us because we didn't want to buy any of the touristy trinkets they were pressuring us to purchase on board. I’m glad I went and experienced Ha Long Bay, but I wouldn't go back
The Temple Bar area in Dublin. Sure, walking the streets is nice, and there are some neat shops and street art to see. But going in a pub in Temple Bar? Unless you like overpaying for drinks and listening to some guy sing a cover of 'Wonderwall,' I wouldn't recommend it
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland. It's very artificial, and these days it's just a place where tourists like to get drunk in dirty water. There are tons of natural thermal pools scattered all around Iceland that are far nicer and authentic.
Pisa.
Besides the small square with the tower where everyone is taking the same stupid joke pic. And guys tryna sell you toys.
The rest of the town is pretty lame. You're in Tuscany, go to ANY small town and you'll enjoy it far more
Disagree. Spent almost two days there and it was great. Visited the tower during sunset on the first day. It was beautiful with almost no crowd. They usually let people stay on top for an hour but I easily sat there for 2 hours, listening to music. Walked back to my hostel later that night. The view of the canal with the stars was mesmerising. Next day I rented a cycle and cycled around, searching for Keith Haring's mural. Made it back to the tower by noon, ate a sandwich, took a nap on the grass, read a book, and then headed to the train station to my next destination.
I wasn't a fan of Lake Bled, Slovenia. The photos make it look so majestic, surrounded by nature in solitude. In reality though, the whole shoreline is covered by hotels, businesses, overpriced restaurants, and touristy shops. You'll spend a lot of money to take a little row boat out to the island, wander around for a few minutes, eat your hundredth cone of gelato, and then row back. I'd say to visit Lake Bohinj instead because it's far more peaceful
I'm amazed that tourists complain about tourist locations being too touristy. What do you expect?
Central Restaurant in Lima, Peru was a big disappointment. Ranked the fifth best restaurant in the world, I was expecting an amazing meal, especially for the hefty price. It was admittedly a very impressive meal in the sense that it was full of unusual ingredients prepared in interesting ways and plated beautifully, but taste-wise, everything was just OK. It was not nearly as good as many other, less acclaimed restaurants I've eaten at
Where I live there's a famous restaurant that is always packed, a queue two hours before opening and no possibility of reservation. The main dish is always the same : entrecote and potato gratin, and a little desert choice. It's a place to see but pretty disapointing, which is sad because this city is renowned for its gastronomy
Masaya Volcano National Park in Nicaragua. I had wanted to see it in person ever since seeing photos on Google and YouTube videos, but it really didn't live up to the hype. I feel bad saying it, but I wasn't impressed
Mount Rushmore was horrendously underwhelming. Years ago, my family drove across the US. For hundreds of miles as you drive you see huge signs counting down the distance to Mount Rushmore. For days the excitement builds...and then you get there. It is four faces on mountains. There is nothing else there. Just four faces you've seen time and time again in pictures and textbooks and movies
Note: this post originally had 58 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
So basically the tourists are angry about everything getting ruined for tourist by other tourists or the tourist industry.
That's what i felt too, by 1/3 of the article i stopped reading, it's was always the same complains
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Honestly? Sounds like tourists who went to the touristic spots of the city/country, telling themselves they were "really travelling" but actually following a map of cliches, and then complain that they were cliches
Yep! The person who was surprised that the "best beach in town" was crowded seemed like they've never done any traveling before.
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"The Moon. Cost a fortune to get there, giant potholes, no amenities. Really, just lacked atmosphere. The only positive was I lost weight while I was there, but I gained it all back when I went home. 1/10 wouldn't go again." --N. Armstrong
Do you now have a collaboration with BuzzFeed, or did the article stealing simply reached new dimensions? In the last few weeks it got really bad...
"Tourist attractions attract a lot of tourists and as a tourist I hated to be among all of those tourists!"
This was basically a list of underprepared tourists complaining about things that should have been researched/expected…
This list is such a grouping of rich people problems with a dash of racism in places. The Egypt one was particularly problematic.
It looks like some people who were visiting The Place was expecting a whole big amusement park and lasers-shooting-s**t things on site as well, but met just with The Place which very often has historical value, but is not very impressive by definition and are angry about it.
I cannot believe how entitled these people are! It is such a fortune to travel and see different places! I was fortunate to be able to go to some of the places in the list and I loved them all.
Can't believe NYC didn't make the list. Loads of wonderful things to see and experience there (museums and galleries above all else), but all the downtown touristy parts of it are glitter on horseshit. Once you venture outside the hotspots, it's mostly the same but without the glitter. It smells awful, it's filthy, and the locals are miserable (partly because of the tourists). Standard complaints with most things on this list: too many tourists, way overpriced.
I found New Yorkers to be some of the friendliest people I've met anywhere!
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I think what helps us avoid these situations when we travel is that we have no money lol! We always find the cheapest or free things to do, hiking trails, enjoying nature, or walking around small towns, and trying an affordable (small, local, probably less touristy) restaurant or cafe etc.
It is easy enough to do plenty of research about a planned trip. If people have a "bucket list" mentality about traditional tourist sites: "Oh I want to see the Mona Lisa.", then they have to expect high prices, long delays, large crowds, and typical tourist exploitation. I like the comments that point out far better alternatives. It is a simple choice.
So, tourists complaining that tourist attractions were crowded by tourists.
Clearly there should only be one tourist allowed in these places, and that's me...
You are always going to get people who don't like a resort, for one reason or another. We could all pick out bits that we disliked about a trip, while others liked. Isn't travelling an individual thing, much like food, clothes, etc?
Blame social media, if everyone in the world weren't seeing these places, th3n going there, they might still be nice..
All of these complaints are variations of "No one goes to that restaurant because it's always so crowded"
It was dirty - geez, I wonder why. Every place frequently visited by tourists will be dirty - because they are foreigners and have next to zero respect for the place.
So, the world famous tourist destinations had too many tourists, and the resulting filth, because of them...how is this surprising?
When I was a kid (7 years old) we were going to the petrified forest in California (1967). I expected trees of stone all over the place! Instead, it was a bit of desert (just like everywhere else we were driving) with rocks in the dirt that we were told once were trees.
I would add the Batu Caves in KL. Absolutely filthy when we visited. Rubbish everywhere. Overly commercialized for a temple.
Saigon is the worst! It's crowded, expensive and you're taking life in your hand crossing the streets because of "millions" of motorbikes on the streets. Hell, they drive on the sidewalks, street lights and signs are mere "suggestions" to these motorbikes. Very few sights to visit. And, if you're in a tour group, you generally get dropped off at huge, touristy shopping area. Ugh!
Winterthur, Delaware. I've been to other places I adored, but this was my little example of disappointment. We're all about museums and history stuff in our house. Winterthur was one of the big museums in our area, but it was going to be a little bit of a hike for us to get there. So we kept putting it off for a few years, which only built up the hype for me. We finally set some time aside to treat ourselves, and we just went. I was pretty excited on the drive out there. The museum itself was impressive, but our tour guide was so rude it just completely ruined it for me. In fact, she nearly made me cry, and I just wanted to leave. It wasn't just our own guide, either. I saw other staff behaving oddly around the visitors, as well. They acted sort of 'priveledged', almost like the people they were giving the tours to were dirty, or dumb, or that they didn't belong there. I don't know how the place is managed, but it definitely didn't have a welcoming feel to it, like other museums I've been to. I left depressed. Maybe it was just a fluke. Hopefully other people have a better time, there
Soooo, I read Winterthur... disappointment... unfriendly at the museum... and I'm like what the heck, Winterthur is such a nice city with nice restaurants, the Technorama is awesome and the staff is really friendly and helpful. So I go back to the top of your post, read again and WTF Winterthur, Delaware??? 🤣🤣🤣 so I google and what do I know there's a Winterthur there, too 🙈 has it's name even from the Winterthur I thought you meant. So, if you ever want a nice Winterthur, come to Switzerland 😉 but the prices might shock you 😇
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Buckingham Palace was one of the most utterly boring things I've ever seen.
How about Zermatt, Switzerland for skiing? What a disappointment! On slightly windy days, the lifts get shut down. On the days they're actually open, the lines are so long (gondola lifts only) that you'll be doing good to have four good runs down the mountain before it's time to go home. Anywhere I've skied was better than Zermatt. The town was a pretty nice to visit, thankfully, but if you came to ski, you're going to be very disappointed.
The town is nice and waaaayyy too overpriced! There are plenty other locations for good if not better skiing in Switzerland!
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Expectations generally create disappointments. Did they think they were the first person to see it after they saw it on that tv show about that location? They played themselves and then bitched and moaned about it.
I love the posts that offer up some alternatives to the tourist hells. Nice work!
I feel like some of these people are disappointed because the places look different from the pictures we have seen. I think some of thse places are pretty nice...zanzibar for example...its not that great but OK...most of these places a week or two is more than enough otherwise you get bored....
Crazy Horse Memorial. We thought we would see more than half a dude's face. They've been working on the thing for 30 year's.
So basically the tourists are angry about everything getting ruined for tourist by other tourists or the tourist industry.
That's what i felt too, by 1/3 of the article i stopped reading, it's was always the same complains
Load More Replies... Honestly? Sounds like tourists who went to the touristic spots of the city/country, telling themselves they were "really travelling" but actually following a map of cliches, and then complain that they were cliches
Yep! The person who was surprised that the "best beach in town" was crowded seemed like they've never done any traveling before.
Load More Replies... "The Moon. Cost a fortune to get there, giant potholes, no amenities. Really, just lacked atmosphere. The only positive was I lost weight while I was there, but I gained it all back when I went home. 1/10 wouldn't go again." --N. Armstrong
Do you now have a collaboration with BuzzFeed, or did the article stealing simply reached new dimensions? In the last few weeks it got really bad...
"Tourist attractions attract a lot of tourists and as a tourist I hated to be among all of those tourists!"
This was basically a list of underprepared tourists complaining about things that should have been researched/expected…
This list is such a grouping of rich people problems with a dash of racism in places. The Egypt one was particularly problematic.
It looks like some people who were visiting The Place was expecting a whole big amusement park and lasers-shooting-s**t things on site as well, but met just with The Place which very often has historical value, but is not very impressive by definition and are angry about it.
I cannot believe how entitled these people are! It is such a fortune to travel and see different places! I was fortunate to be able to go to some of the places in the list and I loved them all.
Can't believe NYC didn't make the list. Loads of wonderful things to see and experience there (museums and galleries above all else), but all the downtown touristy parts of it are glitter on horseshit. Once you venture outside the hotspots, it's mostly the same but without the glitter. It smells awful, it's filthy, and the locals are miserable (partly because of the tourists). Standard complaints with most things on this list: too many tourists, way overpriced.
I found New Yorkers to be some of the friendliest people I've met anywhere!
Load More Replies... I think what helps us avoid these situations when we travel is that we have no money lol! We always find the cheapest or free things to do, hiking trails, enjoying nature, or walking around small towns, and trying an affordable (small, local, probably less touristy) restaurant or cafe etc.
It is easy enough to do plenty of research about a planned trip. If people have a "bucket list" mentality about traditional tourist sites: "Oh I want to see the Mona Lisa.", then they have to expect high prices, long delays, large crowds, and typical tourist exploitation. I like the comments that point out far better alternatives. It is a simple choice.
So, tourists complaining that tourist attractions were crowded by tourists.
Clearly there should only be one tourist allowed in these places, and that's me...
You are always going to get people who don't like a resort, for one reason or another. We could all pick out bits that we disliked about a trip, while others liked. Isn't travelling an individual thing, much like food, clothes, etc?
Blame social media, if everyone in the world weren't seeing these places, th3n going there, they might still be nice..
All of these complaints are variations of "No one goes to that restaurant because it's always so crowded"
It was dirty - geez, I wonder why. Every place frequently visited by tourists will be dirty - because they are foreigners and have next to zero respect for the place.
So, the world famous tourist destinations had too many tourists, and the resulting filth, because of them...how is this surprising?
When I was a kid (7 years old) we were going to the petrified forest in California (1967). I expected trees of stone all over the place! Instead, it was a bit of desert (just like everywhere else we were driving) with rocks in the dirt that we were told once were trees.
I would add the Batu Caves in KL. Absolutely filthy when we visited. Rubbish everywhere. Overly commercialized for a temple.
Saigon is the worst! It's crowded, expensive and you're taking life in your hand crossing the streets because of "millions" of motorbikes on the streets. Hell, they drive on the sidewalks, street lights and signs are mere "suggestions" to these motorbikes. Very few sights to visit. And, if you're in a tour group, you generally get dropped off at huge, touristy shopping area. Ugh!
Winterthur, Delaware. I've been to other places I adored, but this was my little example of disappointment. We're all about museums and history stuff in our house. Winterthur was one of the big museums in our area, but it was going to be a little bit of a hike for us to get there. So we kept putting it off for a few years, which only built up the hype for me. We finally set some time aside to treat ourselves, and we just went. I was pretty excited on the drive out there. The museum itself was impressive, but our tour guide was so rude it just completely ruined it for me. In fact, she nearly made me cry, and I just wanted to leave. It wasn't just our own guide, either. I saw other staff behaving oddly around the visitors, as well. They acted sort of 'priveledged', almost like the people they were giving the tours to were dirty, or dumb, or that they didn't belong there. I don't know how the place is managed, but it definitely didn't have a welcoming feel to it, like other museums I've been to. I left depressed. Maybe it was just a fluke. Hopefully other people have a better time, there
Soooo, I read Winterthur... disappointment... unfriendly at the museum... and I'm like what the heck, Winterthur is such a nice city with nice restaurants, the Technorama is awesome and the staff is really friendly and helpful. So I go back to the top of your post, read again and WTF Winterthur, Delaware??? 🤣🤣🤣 so I google and what do I know there's a Winterthur there, too 🙈 has it's name even from the Winterthur I thought you meant. So, if you ever want a nice Winterthur, come to Switzerland 😉 but the prices might shock you 😇
Load More Replies... Buckingham Palace was one of the most utterly boring things I've ever seen.
How about Zermatt, Switzerland for skiing? What a disappointment! On slightly windy days, the lifts get shut down. On the days they're actually open, the lines are so long (gondola lifts only) that you'll be doing good to have four good runs down the mountain before it's time to go home. Anywhere I've skied was better than Zermatt. The town was a pretty nice to visit, thankfully, but if you came to ski, you're going to be very disappointed.
The town is nice and waaaayyy too overpriced! There are plenty other locations for good if not better skiing in Switzerland!
Load More Replies... Expectations generally create disappointments. Did they think they were the first person to see it after they saw it on that tv show about that location? They played themselves and then bitched and moaned about it.
I love the posts that offer up some alternatives to the tourist hells. Nice work!
I feel like some of these people are disappointed because the places look different from the pictures we have seen. I think some of thse places are pretty nice...zanzibar for example...its not that great but OK...most of these places a week or two is more than enough otherwise you get bored....
Crazy Horse Memorial. We thought we would see more than half a dude's face. They've been working on the thing for 30 year's.
