What's on your 'Duck-it' list?

[junbugging]

I've never been to Bali but I know many people who have been to Bali and I sometimes come across the flights with Aussies to Bali.

I met the Dalai Lama in 1983 a year or so after he'd been to Bali, and I can't say it put me off the idea of going there.

 

[Bodie]

Bali also has no real appeal to Mrs Bodie and I. There are other countries obviously on no go list ie North Korea. We have many other places to visit first.

We also wouldnt go back to Turkey and Egypt due to recent events , which is a shame as really enjoyed Turkey and loved Istanbul.

 

[drron]

How do you know those places are better? You only spent part of one day there, some years ago.

Obviously because we are all different and have different things that interest us.
We have been to Bali several times.Stayed at Uluwatu and Ubud as well as travelling over to Lombok.We had had enough and we are definitely of the opinion that there are many other places that we consider better to visit.

 

[casanovawa]

Few odd replies here, but we're all different...

Been to Bali like 9 times or so, always stay in Kuta or once or twice Legian, will leave the luxury resorts and hills for the old fogeys or those who can't handle a bit of noise...

These days even with the people swearing off everywhere, even the US till the next President, i take the approach of you won't change those minds and anyway great, more reward seats and cheaper hotels for everyone else...

South America is of course great, been twice and will go back for more even if i did have my wallet swiped or lost it on Day 3 of a 2.5 month RTW trip back in 2011... You live and you learn from these experiences, but then I am of a relatively decent size and keep my wits about me as to my surroundings so maybe that means less scraps and problems but now and then i have to raise my voice or cover my pockets...

Russia is probably the place i had the least favourable personal interactions as they are a grumpy, rude bunch i find... Even travelling around Europe they seem to vomit out of buses with the blokes acting like He-Men and the women painted up like... Ah probably leave it at that... But still might go back, mulling over even the trans Siberian perhaps and want to visit some of the Stans at some point... Would like to do Iran etc but will probably wait till its off the US no go list as just not the worth the hassle...

Won't go to NK till that a**hole is swinging and had a chance to visit Zimbabwe several years back but not with Mugabe... Nice he's gone but pity he didn't have a nasty ending, you can still live in hope...

So not too many places occur to me not to go to, probably a patch of those Western African nations, some may be shorter visits than others... But I have a long list of places to go and it never seems to get shorter so we will see..

 

[Deleted member]

How do you know those places are better? You only spent part of one day there, some years ago.

..... and i have never been stabbed in the eye with a knitting needle, but I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t enjoy it !
I think one doesn’t necessarily need to experience something to have an opinion on it.

 

[Denali]

Im open to travelling to Bali but only because we would go hours away from Kuta, to a small scuba resort where there are about 20 other tourists and we have a private dive boat so we only see them at dinner time

 

[Happy Dude]

..... and i have never been stabbed in the eye with a knitting needle, but I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t enjoy it !
I think one doesn’t necessarily need to experience something to have an opinion on it.

Absolutely. Take cruise ships for example. For all I know it's akin to having a knitting needle in the eye. The news says they're diarrhea dingy's and the people that go on them are old.

 

[Happy Dude]

I've never been to Bali but I know many people who have been to Bali and I sometimes come across the flights with Aussies to Bali.

Bali is not for everyone. There are better places to visit.

As a Thai aficionado JohnK, I'm sure you could see the silliness of avoiding Thailand because of Pattaya and the type of people who go there. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between Bali and Thailand so I reckon you might enjoy the place.

You'll never, ever know if you never, ever go.

 

[JohnK]

As a Thai aficionado JohnK, I'm sure you could see the silliness of avoiding Thailand because of Pattaya and the type of people who go there. In fact, there are a lot of similarities between Bali and Thailand so I reckon you might enjoy the place.

You'll never, ever know if you never, ever go.

I'm not sure why people would avoid Pattaya? Adult Playground. We stay on Soi 8 Beach Road and constantly walk up and down Soi 7 and Soi 8. Most street food operators, massage girls and bar girls know my wife and daughter and adore my daughter as she is half Thai but looks like a genuine 'farang'.

Now coughet and Koh Samui are a different story. I would like to go to coughet again but will more than likely stay in Krabi and hire a car.

Manila is another place that scares me. Too many horrible stories and I was terrified during my short 1 night transit. But there are many people who have an absolutely fantastic holiday there.

Horses for courses? I guess we are all different. The pre-requisite of any of my holidays is golf. I'm not into beaches or resorts although that may change as my daughter grows up.

 

[drron]

Yes Manilla is definitely on our no go list.One visit there 25 years ago.A fellow from our plane was kidnapped after arrival and murdered.On our first night at the Sheraton a fellow was murderedat the front door.A policeman recognised his car that had been stolen.Walked up to the car and put a bullet into the head of the driver.
I was at a conference and walked there-about 1Km.I was more scared of the police than any bad guys.

 

[jase05]

Yes Manilla is definitely on our no go list.One visit there 25 years ago.A fellow from our plane was kidnapped after arrival and murdered.On our first night at the Sheraton a fellow was murderedat the front door.A policeman recognised his car that had been stolen.Walked up to the car and put a bullet into the head of the driver.
I was at a conference and walked there-about 1Km.I was more scared of the police than any bad guys.

Have never had any issues in Manila and from friends that live there they say it’s a noticeable difference since Duturte became President as he has cleaned up a lot of the City and it’s far safer now. We were only there again in November and stayed at the Conrad and most evenings we went for a walk along the foreshore or down to a restaurant or bar and never encountered any issues even at 2am.

 

[Cossie]

Ah, the Philippines, that is also on my list of places I never want to visit. Granted, there may be some nice parts, but too many other places I'd rather go to even think about wanting to find them.

 

[drron]

But also 6 months before we travelled the police performed a sting.200 felons invited to a banquet.when all seated a curtain opened up and they were machine gunned.We learnt about it as they were trying to extradite the police general from the USA whilst we were there.
As I said I was more afraid of the police.Duturte seems to have reverted to the old ways of justice so I am sorry it well and truly remains on my no go list.

 

[Pushka]

My son backpacks everywhere but he lasted just a couple of days in Manila, he really did not feel good there.

 

[JohnK]

Does MNL security still pull the bullet in carryon stunt? Disgusting practice by low life oxygen thieves.

 

[jenib]

Although we have been many times, love the country and people and plan to go back later, we are not going to the USA for now - just don't want to spend our tourist dollars there at the moment - "trump slump"

 

[RooFlyer]

For the Pakistan fans, I've created a thread here: Visiting Pakistan

Tell us all about it!

 

[amaroo]

I've never been to Bali but I know many people who have been to Bali and I sometimes come across the flights with Aussies to Bali.

Bali is not for everyone. There are better places to visit.

I love Thailand .... but deadset, the same people that travel to Thailand travel to Bali*... one look at Suvarnabhumi is all you need.

* I've never been to Bali, so there is a risk I may not know what I'm talking about

 

[JohnK]

I love Thailand .... but deadset, the same people that travel to Thailand travel to Bali*... one look at Suvarnabhumi is all you need.

* I've never been to Bali, so there is a risk I may not know what I'm talking about

We both have no idea what we are talking about.

I should have added BKK to coughet and Koh Samui earlier. I try to avoid BKK as much as possible. Chiang Mai is not much better. Full of Western European Bogans and they can be worse than our Bogans.

Most of the people I meet in Thailand play golf and I can almost guarantee the majority do not visit Bali. Some visit Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

 

[Denali]

Although we have been many times, love the country and people and plan to go back later, we are not going to the USA for now - just don't want to spend our tourist dollars there at the moment - "trump slump"

Same here. Gave my husband a choice of Utah and Arizona (photograph canyons ect) or South Africa, he picked Iceland.

We were in Nashville when Trump was there for a money maker rally, trying to enjoy our dinner at a local restaurant and a bunch of kids from Vanderbuilt Uni thumping tables, shouting Trump, Trump, Trump in their red naz_ caps. No thanks.