Countries you have visited and will never go back.

[netman]

Wouldn't go back to Jamaica - beautiful country but the people made it a very unpleasant experience for me... being hassled everywhere you go to buy drugs or anything really, having abuse shouted at you in the street and an attempted (rather pathetic) car-jacking were enough for me to never return. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate why it's like that - the poverty is obvious, but it's not for me.

Unlike others though I love the USA and may even move there

 

[Gwylan]

Anywhere where an armed guard was deemed necessary by my employer. And they did not spend money unnecessarily.

The closing phrase at the surviving a hostage situation training course brought it into focus
"Remember that the folks at corporate ( head quarters) are doing everything possible to secure your release. But, do remember it is company policy not to pay ransom for employees."

 

[dan_bo]

Madagascar!

Certainly not for the faint hearted.

Really? Never been but nearly got a commission over there a few years ago.

Can't think of anywhere I wouldn't visit again though.

 

[markemark]

I presume I am highly unusual in this day and age as I have never left these shores. Only been to England and Wales.

That explains quite a lot.

 

[Mo1959]

That explains quite a lot.

Does it? All it says is I am terrified of flying and not particularly bothered about holidays, but if you feel there’s some other bizarre reason feel free. Not that I am remotely bothered what you think.

 

[Cycleops]

Another reason for Egypt was the heavily armed escort (there was a number of large calibre automatic weapons and armoured vehicles in the mix) we got for the trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel. It was a real eye opener and a very unnerving experience.

I believe the escort system has been stopped since.

Same as in Israel, especially near the Egyptian border. Always felt safe though. You get a sense of unease immediately you land with burnt out fighter jets littering the side of the runway.
You know where you are though when you are refused butter with your bread roll with a meat dish.

 

[gbb]

Mexico, Cancun in particular. It was ok, smaller than I ensvisaged tbf but found it nothing special at all. Beaches were 'ok' but not fabulous, we didn't visit the Mayan temples etc but I don't think that would have changed my mind on the overall experience. Basically too far to go for an 'ok' holiday.

Tunisia, Sousse, for many of the reasons listed above. Didnt hate it but too much hassle.

Uruguay. A normal kinda place but that was work not play. Nothing that would attract me for pleasure.

Egypt is a mixed one. Beaches and sea were beyond belief, fabulous....but the rest of it is mediocre hotels, endless hassle in the shops and streets. The pyramids are spectacular but there's endless trash everywhere and if you think the hassle in the resorts is bad, the effort they put in at Giza for instance is stratospheric.

 

[HarryTheDog]

As has been mentioned up thread, Morocco and Jamaica. In Morocco I went with 11 other guys to climb a mountain we ended up being threatened with knives on 3 different occasions and some local tried to push me off the side of a mountain.
I went to Jamaica on honeymoon, the locals were very lazy and trucculent more threatening than welcoming and hassled you all the time.Some guy tried to rob me at knife point on the beach, I had no money on me so just told him to go do one, and luckily he did.
Worryingly 2 people have mentioned Malta , I was intending to go there in November for a short break.

 

[Brandane]

Wouldn't go back to Jamaica - beautiful country but the people made it a very unpleasant experience for me... being hassled everywhere you go to buy drugs or anything really, having abuse shouted at you in the street and an attempted (rather pathetic) car-jacking were enough for me to never return. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate why it's like that - the poverty is obvious, but it's not for me.

Unlike others though I love the USA and may even move there

I lived in Kingston, Jamaica, as a boy. 1968 to 76. I agree with all your observations! I left it out of my list though, as despite all of it's faults (caused by a small minority of the locals) a part of my heart is still in Jamaica and my family and I loved living there. I went back for a holiday to Runaway Bay about 15 years ago and loved it. Despite the hassling and racism.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Some times one does not have much choice but have to go back. So here is list or “preferably not”.
1. India - least productive use of time, lots of talk but little corresponding action, hygiene even in 5 star hotels, scams and excuses and I have been there a dozen times.
2. USA - oxymoron of a “developed country”, too widely spaced, need to drive everywhere, walking is seldom an option, office conversation is deeply divided on sports and politics, conversations are also heavily templated, Frisco however is nice.

 

[MontyVeda]

...
One country that is an oddity in my mind is Iran, where I joined my first ship back in 1978 (Khorromshahr on the river bordering Iraq). Part of me wants to go a cycling tour there!

A couple of people i know from Glasgow did a round the world bike tour about 10 years back; Canada, USA, NZ, Australia, Vietnam, Burma, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey... etc. According to them, by far the friendliest locals were in Iran.

I don't think there's anywhere I've been that i wouldn't go back to.

 

[cookiemonster]

Russia, China, US.

I went to Beijing a few years ago and hated it. Awful city, awful people with an awful police service who stopped me several times a day asking why I was on my own and not with a tour group? I hate tour groups with a passion.

I paid Cathay around 200 quid to fly back 3 days early.

However, I still want to see Shanghai, Xi'an (where the Terracotta Soldiers are) and the Ice Festival in Harbin.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Dominican Republic.

Mid-90's, expensive all-inclusive.

Absolute doss-hole of a place. Unfriendly people, armed guards at the gate to the hotel and warnings to get a taxi and don't walk back from the town as you may get mugged or worse.

Highlight of holiday was Mrs SD getting hammered and then doing some sexy dancing on the bar top with a German Hooker called Argentina which went down well with all the guys in the bar.

Lowlight was me getting pseudonomas bacterial infection in my left eye which resulted in 5 days in hospital, which I went to as soon as we got into Gatwick on the return journey, and then 12 weeks off of work whilst they tried to sort the abscess on my eye out. Still have slightly impaired vision.

Cost a lot as I say and categorically the biggest waste of holiday money that we ever spent.

Avoid like the plague.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

My son went to the Dominican Republic a number of years ago. He told me that there was a condition in his travel insurance that he would not be covered outside of the hotel complex except on an excursion arranged via the tour operator!

I’ve never been and, on that basis, have no plans to ever go.

EDIT: I’ve pretty much ‘done’ the Caribbean, having visited 10 countries there, and am unlikely to go back. There is more of the world I wish to visit and explore.

 

[Venod]

I was intending to go there in November for a short break. I

I can't think of anywhere I have been that I wouldn't go back to, I can think of places its unlikely I will never see again.

Malta is worth visiting to see Valletta.