A Global Explorer’s Most Unsettling Travel Experiences
Drew Binsky, a 34-year-old traveler who has visited all 197 countries in the world, recently shared his most unsettling travel experiences. With over 5.7 million subscribers on YouTube and more than one billion views, Binsky is known for documenting his adventures across the globe.
In one of his videos titled “Top five places where I felt the most unsafe as a traveller,” Binsky revealed that Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, was the worst destination he had ever visited. He described the city as “miserable” and noted that it has “no rules, no laws.” Binsky also mentioned that Al-Shabab, an offshoot of al-Qaeda, operates there, making it a “very, very scary” place to visit.
He explained that every time he left his hotel, he had to have a convoy in front and behind him, with four military men wearing bulletproof vests and holding AK-47s. These individuals would scout the area before he could move.
The other four cities on Binsky’s list are Conakry (Guinea), Kandahar (Afghanistan), Port au Prince (Haiti), and Tripoli (Libya).
Conakry, the capital of Guinea, was Binsky’s “least favourite place in West Africa.” He recounted walking around the city for less than ten minutes before being stopped by two policemen. He also experienced a coup during his visit. Binsky described the city as a “complete mess” with “nothing to do” and noted that it was “very, very hostile.”
Kandahar, the founding city of the Taliban in Afghanistan, felt like a “very unsafe place” to Binsky. He described seeing “big barbed-wired complexes” and felt the “tense air” in the city. While he appreciated the “cool and traditional markets,” he felt there was “this layer of intensity” and needed to “look over your shoulder where you walk.”
Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, was described as “total chaos” by Binsky. He entered a “gang-controlled area” near the airport with a guide and was told at times to put his camera away. He said, “It was just total chaos. Thugs that were controlling this area – I had to pay them off. Gangsters with big guns in their pockets taking me around.”
Tripoli, Libya, was the final destination on Binsky’s list. He visited the city in 2018 and described how he fell asleep to the sound of bombs in his hotel room. He noted that his bed frame would be “literally shaking,” but hotel staff would brush it off as happening “five miles away.” Binsky added that it was “very hard” walking outside without police, who weren’t used to tourists, asking him questions.
Binsky hopes to visit Libya again, as he heard it is safer now and more open without the civil war. However, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) currently advises against all travel to the destinations mentioned.
Other Travelers’ Unsafe Experiences
While Binsky’s experiences highlight some of the most dangerous places, other travelers have also shared their own stories of perilous journeys. France tops the list for some solo travelers, with terrifying encounters that left them shaken. Similarly, globe-trotting Luca has ranked certain countries as the most dangerous he has visited.
Despite the warnings from the Foreign Office, thrill-seekers are flocking to Libya, drawn by its unique challenges. Andrea Elliott, a female solo traveler, has vowed never to visit certain shocking destinations again. Meanwhile, Alfie has discovered unexpected favorites while finding that some popular locations were shockingly overrated.
