Travel tips

Don’t believe the hype: Nine countries with (undeserved) bad reputations

July 25, 2025

Red entrance gate opening to the Forbidden City in Beijing.Credit: Getty Images

Six weeks after the New York attacks of 9/11 in 2001, the reputation of the Middle East as a tourist destination couldn’t have been lower.

Yet, I went backpacking through Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt and had a great time. The brilliant sights were still there, the tourists blissfully gone, and I walked into empty five-star hotels that accepted $50 for a room.

I’d rightly determined that the Middle East hadn’t really changed, and that welcoming people would be more welcoming than ever to anyone who strayed their way.

Of course, I wouldn’t travel in Syria or Lebanon now, and some other places have bad reputations for good reason. It pays to look more carefully into others, though, that might not merit all that you hear about them.

Destinations get bad reputations for being too dangerous, too expensive, too dull or too difficult, and sometimes are condemned for merely political reasons.

Often these stereotypes are undeserved, and some completely outdated. Other reputations are sparked by media coverage when things go wrong – economic woes, natural disasters – yet are never in the news again when things improve, and so tourists stay away.

Don’t believe everything you hear. Don’t assume bad times last forever. Many places with dodgy reputations are worth another look. Here are some great travel destinations that are often unkindly regarded.

INDIA

Taj Mahal at sunrise, Agra.Credit: Getty Images

Reputation

Hygiene and food risks, heat and dust, horrendous urban pollution, poverty and slums, mad traffic, crowds and chaos.

Reality

Yes, India is certainly confrontational, but what traveller could overlook one of the world’s great civilisations, millennia of history, outsized monuments, and a clash of multiple cultures? India now has a booming economy, too. Fabulous and varied, fascinating and challenging, India is the greatest spectacle on Earth.

Go ahead and visit

Varanasi, India: A feast for the senses.Credit: Getty Images

India is really many diverse countries in one, from high Himalayas to tropical lowlands. Beginners should start with Delhi, Agra (home of the Taj Mahal) and Rajasthan’s desert cities. Kerala has old spice-trading ports, wandering waterways and Ayurvedic retreats. Pilgrim centre Varanasi on the Ganges River is astonishing. Repeat visitors will enjoy esoteric states such as Sikkim in the Himalayas and temple-rich Orissa on the north-east coast. Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai will give you a look at India’s newly confident, constantly changing urban scene.

Strategies

India’s assault on the senses is moderated by patience, cool-season travel, avoidance of large gatherings, upmarket hotel stays, and considering an escorted tour. Women should reconsider solo travel. See incredibleindia.gov.in

CHINA

Reputation

Endlessly negative media coverage gives the impression that China is repressed, polluted and shonky; trade and geopolitical tensions don’t help its image.

Reality

A less biased, more nuanced attitude would let us see that China has been a great nation for 5000 years and that its transformation in the last 50 has improved a billion lives. Could there be anything to admire? How about dense culture, endless historical sights, first-class transportation and technology, and extraordinary mushrooming cities.

Go ahead and visit

Beijing is a must for imperial-era sights and the nearby Great Wall, Xian for terracotta warriors and an agreeable old town, and Shanghai for European architecture and skyscrapers. Among agreeable mid-sized cities are Suzhou (canals and classical gardens), lakeside Hangzhou, laid-back Chengdu (teahouses, parks and spicy cuisine) and ancient capitals Luoyang and Kaifeng. Guilin is the base for visiting fabulous karst landscapes along the Li River.

Strategies

Learn to accept crowds: consider it a stickybeaking opportunity. Get to grips with China’s digital technology. Download WeChat Pay or Alipay and link them to your account before departure. Have a functioning smartphone: QR codes are ubiquitous. See cnto.org.au

BELGIUM

Reputation

The problem is, Belgium doesn’t have a reputation beyond beer, Bruges, Brussels sprouts and World War I battlefields, giving the impression it’s otherwise bland and boring.

Reality

Belgium was historically at the centre of European trade, architecture and arts, and you’ll enjoy late-medieval and Renaissance towns still used and lived-in. Belgium has a Germanic north and Latinate south, excellent museums and (beyond Bruges) few crowds. Short distances and good trains make getting around easy.

Go ahead and visit

Brewing capital … Leuven.Credit: Tourisme Leuven

Brussels has fine Art Nouveau architecture and the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts features everyone from Old Masters to Magritte. Old university and beer-brewing town Leuven is lively and lovely, Mechelin packed with 300 listed monuments, but Ghent has Belgium’s most magnificent old town, beating Bruges for its lived-in atmosphere. In French-speaking Wallonia you’ll find a whopping fortress at Namur, original spa town Spa, Waterloo battlefield, and ecclesiastical centre Tournai.

Strategies

Belgium has played a role in European history far out of proportion to its size: background reading will add appreciation. Get over the idea that Europe’s sights mean castles and palaces: Belgium is a refreshing merchant and middle-class alternative. See visitbelgium.com

AUSTRALIA

Reputation

The land Down Under, according to the UK government’s Foreign Office, is a destination fraught with intense heat, bushfires, floods, cyclones and dangerous wildlife. The US government says, “robberies, burglaries, assault and auto theft are common”.

Reality

You decide, but let the above be a salutary reminder that travel warnings, while not wrong, shouldn’t necessarily put you off. Australia’s tourism facilities, dining and wine are world-class, the weather good, and inhabitants laid-back, friendly and helpful. Few countries beat the variety of natural environments, and the wildlife is unique.

Go ahead and visit

Kakadu’s Gunlom Falls … Australia’s national parks are unique.Credit: Tourism NT/Salty Wings

The Darling River Run across NSW has astonishing Indigenous heritage and early European settlements, the Stuart Highway through the Northern Territory features quintessential, quirky outback, and the Gibb River Road through the Kimberley is a great four-wheel drive adventure. Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Ikara-Flinders are must-see national parks. Get hiking in Tasmania’s Bay of Fires, get sipping in Western Australia’s Margaret River, go sailing in Queensland’s Whitsundays – just for starters.

Strategies

Beware rips wherever you swim. Look out for dangerous creatures, especially in the far north, where jellyfish and saltwater crocodiles lurk. Keep an eye on weather forecasts and, if outback driving, have proper equipment and a sensible plan. See australia.com

SOUTH AFRICA

Reputation

Common if not ubiquitous violence and crime. Restless townships. Dangerous wild animals.

Reality

There’s no denying South Africa has its security issues, but travel sensibly, and you’re unlikely to be troubled. Good roads, hotels and tourism infrastructure are matched with great food and wine and low prices to make this an attractive destination. It’s also unquestionably one of the world’s most beautiful countries.

Go ahead and visit

Traditional Zulu straw huts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Credit: Getty Images

The wary could holiday in Cape Town, nearby and utterly gorgeous wine country around Stellenbosch, and along the mostly coastal Garden Route, which might be considered South Africa lite. However, the Drakensberg Mountains are magnificent, so are provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and driving routes such as the Panorama Route out of Johannesburg. And of course, you absolutely must go on safari, whether you do it yourself in Kruger National Park or enjoy one of many private, luxury game reserves.

Strategies

Be informed because some parts of the country and within cities are worse than others. Be alert to safety, stick to known tourist routes, keep car doors locked, and avoid night travel. See southafrica.net

SICILY

Reputation

Mafia assassinations and corruption, not helped by endless Hollywood depictions of Sicilians as gangsters, most compellingly in The Godfather.

Reality

Mafia excesses are much diminished, and visitors will be troubled (if at all) only by petty crime. This Italian island has a superb culture, cuisine and architectural heritage bequeathed by a succession of conquers: Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Spanish. And who knew Sicily had such magnificent scenery and wildflowers?

Go ahead and visit

Stromboli, near Sicily.Credit: Getty Images

Visit capital Palermo for baroque streets, busy markets and the superb Islamic-decorated Palatine Chapel. Nearby Monreale Cathedral has one of the world’s most magnificent Byzantine-style mosaic interiors. Agrigento, Selinunte and Segesta have outstanding ancient Greek ruins and Piazza Armenia a Roman villa. Inland, you’ll find baroque towns such as Noto and Ragusa Ibla, and on the west coast whitewashed towns amid salt pans. Mount Etna is an impressive, often-active volcano matched by Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands.

Strategies

You’re as safe in Sicily these days as most other places in Europe, which means all you should think about are bag-snatchers and (if you’re a woman) unwanted male attention. You’ll only encounter the Mafia in the movies. See visitsicily.info

SINGAPORE

Reputation

Dismissed for its cleanliness, organisation and low crime – as if those are faults – and associated mostly with a great airport and lots of shopping.

Reality

Singapore has become more relaxed and correspondingly more lively and interesting recently – though still far from wild, which means safe and family friendly. Plenty of attractions, eclectic neighbourhoods and several cultures and cuisines in one compact package make this more than just a stopover destination.

Go ahead and visit

Lily pads in Singapore Botanic Gardens.Credit: iStock

Civic District, the city’s British-colonial core, has two top museums, the Asian Civilisations Museum and the multi-media Singapore National Museum. Nearby Marina Bay features the Singapore Flyer, one of the world’s largest Ferris wheels, and Gardens by the Bay, sporting super-sized metal vertical-garden “trees” and two outstanding greenhouses. Chinatown and Little India are lively neighbourhoods. The zoo, botanic gardens and Sentosa Island (especially its Universal Studios Singapore theme park) are great family attractions.

Strategies

You can abandon safety worries and eat anything, unlike almost anywhere else, so enjoy. Beyond sights, Singapore has one of the world’s top bar and upmarket restaurant scenes, so make that a focus, and you won’t be disappointed. See visitsingapore.com

POLAND

Reputation

Another country with an outdated reputation, at least if you lived through the Cold War era. We can still imagine dreary communism, workers’ strikes, dishevelled industrial cities and meals of fried cabbage and beetroot soup.

Reality

Communism fell nearly four decades ago. Poland has since enjoyed steady economic growth, democracy and European Union membership. Its old towns are immaculately presented and draped in flowers, its (many new) roads are excellent, and its prominent if tragic history lends it gravitas, culture and 17 World Heritage sites.

Go ahead and visit

Malbork Castle in the town of Malbork, Poland.Credit: Getty Images

Poland’s most tourist-busy destinations: former royal and intellectual capital Krakow and former Hanseatic trading port and centre of the anti-communist Solidarity movement Gdansk for impressive and lively old towns. You’ll also want to get onto the less-beaten track and visit delightful Wrocław and little medieval Torun. Huge 13th-century Teutonic castle Malbork and pilgrim destination Jasna Gora Monastery are other must-sees. Capital Warsaw has inconsequential sights but is lively, civilised and peppered with parks.

Strategies

Take no more than normal precautions against annoyances such as pickpocketing. LGBTQIA+ and politically outspoken visitors should, however, be discreet thanks to growing right-wing agitation. See poland.travel

MEXICO

Reputation

A place almost lawless thanks to the power of drug cartels, who kidnap and kill at will. US President Trump has called Mexicans murderers and rapists.

Reality

Certain parts of Mexico are strictly no-go zones, as attested by recent heinous events. Aussies won’t need Caribbean beach resorts, but pre-Columbian ruins and Spanish-era old towns are superb and landscapes magnificently diverse. Mexico has great energy, colour and conviviality too. Some 45 million annual visitors returned home safely in 2024.

Go ahead and visit

Hierve el Agua, a spring in San Lorenzo Albarradas, Oaxaca,Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Make the Yucatan Peninsula your key destination for grand Spanish-colonial city Merida (which has the oldest cathedral in the New World) and Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza with its vast stepped pyramid. Southernmost states of Chiapas and Oaxaca have subtropical rainforest, waterfalls and mineral lakes, more Mayan heritage at Palenque, and attractive cool-climate colonial towns San Cristobal and Oaxaca. Mexico City has terrific museums and monuments and great street life and food.

Strategies

Avoid certain Mexican states and nighttime journeys, and stick to well-travelled routes. Keep abreast of security updates. Petty crime is common, so don’t flaunt wallets and use ATMs inside banks. See visitmexico.com; www.smartraveller.gov.au

FIVE PLACES WHERE BAD REPUTATIONS STICK

Venezuela

Vibrant culture and fantastic landscapes, but violent crime, kidnapping, unstable politics, food and petrol shortages and hyperinflation too. Almost 8 million Venezuelans have fled in the last 25 years.

Myanmar

Violence, terrorist attacks and detentions are rising and the March 2025 earthquake caused significant damage around Mandalay. No-go despite beautiful tropical scenery, Buddhist temples and great river cruising.

Iran

Glorious ancient and Islamic heritage and (yes, really) friendly people, but an unpredictable security situation over tensions with Israel and the US, which may result in missile attacks and flight cancellations.

Russia

Superb musical and literary culture and dramatic history, great cities, vast open spaces. But arbitrary detention of foreign nationals for political leverage is increasing, as is anti-Western sentiment. Tourists aren’t wanted.

Lebanon

Israeli airstrikes and potential eruption of conflict could result in you finding yourself unable to depart: too much risk despite history as old as time, astonishing monuments and rugged landscapes.

… AND FIVE AUSTRALIAN PLACES REASSESSED

Canberra, ACT

Seen as the dull domain of politicians, our capital has acquired evermore stylish hotels, wine bars and restaurants. Neighbourhoods Braddon and New Acton are arty and happening. Museums trace the Australian story, and surrounding vineyards are underestimated. See visitcanberra.com.au

Newcastle, NSW

Once rundown, industrial Newcastle – Australia’s second-oldest city – is now better known for its vibrant dining scene, and increasingly recognised for its heritage centre, coastal setting and surf beaches. Five-star hotels have opened, and the airport is set to expand. See visitnewcastle.com.au

Darwin, NT

A reputation for being ocker and untamed made Darwin a hurried transit point for national parks. But this increasingly confident city now invites a stay for its attractive waterfront, two small but excellent museums, and greatly improved dining. Mindil Beach Market is terrific. See northernterritory.com

Adelaide, SA

The boring City of Churches? Or a lively urban getaway of laneway restaurants, great festivals and live music, Australia’s only pandas, and the lure of surrounding vineyards? Sure, while Adelaide doesn’t have a big city-vibe, it’s relaxed, leafy, eco-friendly and enjoyable. See Traveller’s Adelaide Destination Guide and southaustralia.com

Perth, WA

One of the world’s most isolated cities may have once represented a remote chance for a visit, but its urban and waterfront improvements and its role as a Qantas ultra long-haul Europe flights hub is changing all that. Add to that a sunny watery setting, superb beaches and historic Fremantle as a bonus make this our most liveable, if not visitable, city. See Traveller’s Perth Destination Guide and visitperth.com

FIVE OVERSEAS CITIES TO RECONSIDER

Belgrade’s bohemian quarter.Credit: iStock

Belgrade, Serbia

Gritty in places, spanking new in others, brooding on the past yet looking to the future, this capital has attributes becoming rare in Europe: no tourist hordes, low prices and plenty of local life. Festivals and nightlife never stop, the dining scene is impressive, and sights quirky. See tob.rs

Bucharest, Romania

Don’t dismiss wonderful Romania. Its association with dictators, orphanages and “gypsy” scammers is outmoded. The capital, although un-pretty, is vivacious, architecturally elegant in places, and has lovely icon-laden churches, fine museums and good cafes. The restaurant and bar scene creates buzzing evening districts. See romania.travel

Detroit, US

Not long ago bankrupt “Motor City” meant industrial plants and entire neighbourhoods were abandoned. But Detroit is bouncing back and, apart from its motor heritage, has Motown musical heritage and a world-class jazz scene, an entire cultural district, and newly re-buzzing restaurants. See visitdetroit.com

Naples, Italy

Street gangs and crime, uncollected garbage and grime bedevil this southern Italian city. But this year is its 2500th anniversary, and museums have been expanded. The architecture is fabulous and Naples has Italy’s best street food. Sunny streets are an operatic spectacle of energy and life lived large. See visitnaples.eu

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The horrible Khmer Rouge past is commemorated in confronting memorials, but this energetic capital is mushrooming, trendy neighbourhoods emerging, creative thinkers blossoming, and the bar life is ever-more sophisticated. Check out a city on the cusp of cool before the rest of the world. See tourismcambodia.org

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