Travel expert Tony Wheeler, who has an impressive tally of over 170 countries under his belt, has identified four places he has no intention of revisiting. Tony, who is co-founder of the well-known guide book series Lonely Planet, has dedicated more than 50 years to globe-trotting but has ruled out returning to several spots.
Together with his wife Maureen, the travel expert kick-started his travel empire by publishing Across Asia on the Cheap back in 1973 and eventually sold Lonely Planet to the BBC in 2007.
On his blog Tony Wheeler’s Travels, he recounts how war, unreliable local transport and political chaos have discouraged him from planning any future visits to four places he has visited in the past.
Russia
For Russia, which has been engaged in a conflict with Ukraine since its invasion in 2022, he raised multiple reasons for not going back, saying that “as long as they’re buddying up with North Korea and the USA to attack Ukraine” and “as long as Vladimir Putin continues to kill innocent people,” he will stay away.
The UK Foreign Office also warns against all journeys to Russia because of ongoing military actions and the potential for drone attacks and terrorist incidents.
Saudi Arabia
When it comes to Saudi Arabia, the veteran traveller has cited “many reasons” for excluding it from future plans. Last year’s tourist numbers hit 30 million, but despite this, the state has faced significant scrutiny over its human rights track record, reports the Mirror.
Tony raised murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and reports of Saudis killing East African domestic workers, as part of reasons for blacklisting certain destinations.
He said: “On my own travels to Somaliland in 2022 I encountered cheetahs saved from being shipped to Saudi Arabia to be kept as pets, and then killed when they grew too large.”
Bali
Despite its status as an idyllic escape for Brits on gap years or opulent holidays, Tony argues that the Indonesian island’s struggles with infrastructure make it less appealing.
He said: “Bali, there are so many good things about that Indonesian island and I’ve just had a great travel writers reunion trip there, but until they sort out the ridiculous traffic I never want to go back.”
USA
Although it’s a favourite among European travellers, Tony was surprisingly critical of the USA, placing it on his list of places to avoid. Despite having explored nearly every state, he refuses to step foot in the country again during Donald Trump’s presidency.
He added: “Right now with the orange one (AKA Liz Trump , or even Donald Trump to some people) and his associated scoundrels running the place I really don’t want to go there anymore.
“Despite having spent nearly 10 years of my life living in the USA (Midwest, East Coast, West Coast) and despite having many American friends, I’m currently happy to leave the USA at the bottom of my dance card.”