5 Worst Vacation Spots You Thought Were A Good Idea
Everyone loves a good vacation, and when booking a trip you always are showered with good reviews and websites explaining why their destination is the best bet. A lot of times you fall for those wonderful reviews and don’t look into it at all, because if it’s on the internet it must be fact of course. If you don’t want to get murdered, eaten by sharks, or catch a STD try to avoid these 5 commonly traveled destinations.
Bangkok, Thailand
Speaking of diseases, “just say no” if your buddy starts talking up spring break at this sex tourism capital. The HIV-infection rate for working women could be as high as 10 percent in certain parts of the city. And the strain of HIV most prevalent in Thailand is actually easier for heterosexual men to catch than the strains we have in the West. Scary stuff, indeed. And that’s assuming the woman whose company you enjoy is actually a woman.
Daytona Beach, Fla.
For many visitors, the worst aftermath of a spring break here in Florida will be a treatable STD. For others, a shark attack could be in order. The coastal region of Volusia, which contains Daytona Beach, has the highest number of reported attacks. (Then again, none of them were fatal. And who needs all their limbs?)
Jamaica
If you believe the commercials, Jamaica is a place where everyone spends the day swimming, drinking Red Stripe and smiling a lot. The reason Jamaica has to advertise so heavily in the first place is that the economically depressed island is one dangerous place. We’ve read about local drug dealers who’ll sell you their nation’s finest crop, and then get paid a second time — by reporting you to the cops. Negril seems especially dicey.
Australia
The land down under may have clean water and happy residents, but it is also home to some of the deadliest animals in the world. When you visit Australia, you may find yourself facing one of the ten most poisonous snakes in the world, one of many different types of deadly spiders or even deadly sea creatures. In fact, most consider Australia to be the place where you are most likely to get attacked by wildlife in one way or another.
Anywhere and everywhere in Latin America
Where: Colombia
Why: Rebel paramilitary groups are known to kidnap tourists to nab handsome ransoms, or just coldly kill people who cross their paths. National parks are misleading tourist draws — they’re operational bases for left-wing guerrillas. Colombia appears in all four major risk categories: crime, kidnapping, political violence and insurgencies.
Where: Brazil
Why: The gap between rich and poor here is so wide, Brazil’s underbelly has no choice but to commit crimes to make ends meet. The most dangerous urban areas are hillside slums (favelas), full of drug gang shootouts.
Where: Mexico
Why: In Mexico City, more than 15,000 people are murdered each year. The country’s cops are so corrupt they’re routinely involved in extortion and kidnapping rings.
Where: Dominican Republic
Why: While petty crime is common throughout the island, reports of violent crime against foreigners is growing. Taxis and buses allow thieves to rob tourists in enclosed, controlled spaces.
Where: Venezuela
Why: With a murder rate ranked third in Latin America, violence is linked to drug trafficking, since Venezuela acts as a middleman between Colombia and the U.S.
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- mrswillie
on Jun. 2, 2012 at 5:15 AM