When traveling in a new country, it’s important to have a good time and learn or experience something new; but it’s even more important to be respectful of the place and the people you’re visiting.
Failing to do so can, in the best case scenario, make you look foolish, and in the worst one, cause serious injuries or even death – there have been one too many stories in places like Iceland of people underestimating the power of Mother Nature or ignoring the safety signs provided.
Members of Reddit’s ‘Travel’ community recently discussed the biggest “no nos” tourists have ever encountered—or even engaged in themselves—in a thread started by the user ‘danielgmal’. Their question encouraged quite a few netizens to share their stories, so if you’re interested in reading them, wait no longer and scroll down to find them on the list below; and make sure to upvote the ones you found the most surprising.
TW: Holocaust / Concentration Camp
Years ago, I was in Auschwitz KZ.
It's hard to describe how particular this place is. It's not a nice place. Entering the gas chambers where so many people were murdered feels solemn. Seeing clear clawing marks at walls is disturbing.
When you enter, a somewhat simple yet clear information sign is translated in over 25 languages. It's direct: you're about to enter a small space where a ton of people were murdered for who they were. We ask you to respect this place. Do not run around, do not laugh, do not play games and avoid talking.
I took a deep breath and entered. My brain quickly making all sorts of connections with my family history as the hair on my neck perked up from how eerie the place is. How instantly terrible I felt on this desecrated ground. I was immediately physically unwell.
About two hot seconds later a gentleman struts in wielding a selfie stick cell phone on some Skype call with some family members was speaking very loudly, his high pitched voice resonating loudly on the walls as he obnoxiously yapped on in mandarin even throwing in a few laughs about who knows what. He was touching the walls and his partner, also with a selfie stick, was taking selfies with him.
Murder suddenly made a tiny bit of sense in my mind.
I never hated anyone so much in such a short amount of time.
If you visit a KZ. Be respectful.If you’re in Hawaii (or really anywhere with coral reefs for that matter) for the love of god, don’t touch the coral! (Also seek out reef safe sunscreen if possible).People who get to a scenic viewpoint or landmark with a narrow/small angle for the photo everyone wants, then proceeds to do a full on model shoot with dozens of poses and retakes for the Instagram. Most of the time I don't even want a selfie, just the viewpoint without a teenage girl in it.1. Behaving in a way that would be unacceptable in your home country/culture. For instance, I've seen way too many woman going to temples in Bali, Cambodia & India in bikinis or very scantily clad. You would never go to a church in your hometown dressed that way. And way too many guys behaving obnoxiously with local women when they well know they won't be able to get away with even a fraction of that bad behavior back home.
2. Being more interested in taking selfies or instagram videos than actually seeing and experiencing the place you're in.
3. Disrespecting the local culture.When I was 16 my family went on our first and only Intl holiday, to Hawaii from Australia.
I distinctly remember a Japanese family being kicked out of the Pearl Harbor Memorial because they would NOT stop taking photo's, laughing and joking around loudly.
I still can't f*****g believe that. It's been over two decades and it still is upsetting. Disrespecting a literal war grave, and coming from the nation that literally caused it... It's like a Saudi doing that at Ground Zero, or an American doing the same at the Peace Museum in Hiroshima. It is absolutely beyond f****d up.Being a loud English speaker in a non-English speaking country assuming/forgetting others can understand you perfectly.
Edit: or just being a loud tourist in general. ?.“WHY DON’T YOU ACCEPT DOLLARS?!” I’ve heard this in Italy, England, and Japan.Dudes going to poor countries acting like they're god's gift towards local women. Super cringe :/.Taking cheerful selfies in inappropriate places (saw this happening in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park for instance)
Generally bad camera etiquette (shoving your camera in local people's faces, posing tastelessly in some bad imitation of "local" fashion based more on stereotypes than reality, taking up too much time on a photoshoot and blocking other people's way, etc).Europeans: please stop wandering into our deserts and dying from severe lack of preparation and research.
It’s a massive bummer, because we love that you’re fascinated by the American Southwest and we want you to have a safe time. The information is readily available, so please educate yourselves before coming here.
Thank you :).People in National Parks treating animals like they're theme park attractions. It's wild seeing how many people get out of their cars to take pictures of bears.
Also people who (for some weird reason) think places like Yosemite and Yellowstone are warm weather places. Those places have snow storms in the middle of may. It's kind of humorous seeing tourists show up in summer clothes to find it non stop snowing. Neither of these places (especially Yellowstone) ever get "warm.".Don’t take photos of locals without permission ESPECIALLY children. I see it a lot in African countries and it bothers me a lot.Nepal: tourists filming a funeral procession. It wasn't even a "known" person's funeral, just some regular funeral and tourists were filming the grievers like they were a zoo exhibit. Why would you even want to do that? Go back through your vacation photos to look at a funeral? It's as bizarre as it is utterly tactless.I'm from Québec. Mistake #1 from tourists is thinking we don't speak/understand English. lol Number of times I heard idiotic comments about the French accent here is mind-blowing. We do understand talkshitting us. And yes, we speak differently but yes, it is still French.
Another good one. I went to Costa Rica and a bunch of European girls were mad at the beach because everyone stared at them! They decided it was totally okay to go topless on the public beach. Jeeezz READ THE ROOM. If you see no local women topless, don't! And no, they don't stare because they are "all perverts". They stare because they don't understand why you are topless in an area where it is illegal to do so!
Don't assume the social values are the same as in your home country just because foreigners make up the majority of the people around you. This applies to Bali, Dubai and anywhere touristy!Posing and imitating Buddha in temples in Thailand- so offensive and tacky.If you are visiting French gothic cathedrals, take off your damn baseball hat. Take off any hat in a house of worship. It infuriates the locals when we treat their churches like a tourist trap.This isn’t cultural but leave your f*****g drone at home.Walking around supermarkets with no shirt on or in your swimming stuff. I hate it. So disrespectful.Taking photos in museums that strictly prohibits them.
Visited Prado Museum last year and it was so nice because there weren’t 100’s of iPhones up in the air taking pictures of a picture…people actually had the time to enjoy the art.
Except a few idiots who kept on trying to sneak photos. Thankfully the museum staff quickly caught them, but they did it like 3-4 times. It was obnoxious.If you're a tourist, don't trash-talk about other people (tourists and locals alike) thinking that no one can understand your language (unless it's Ayapaneco).
I, a non-Hispanic American, was once in Costa Rica. At the cash register of a grocery store, the cashier asked me for my ID. I had been hiking in the rain and had put my U.S. passport inside a ziplock bag. When I took it out, the Spanish tourist behind me made fun of my ziplock trick to her partner. My Spanish is basic but I have a good ear for Spaniard accent (have friends in Valencia).
I didn't say anything back but made sure to chat with the friendly cashier loudly enough for the Spanish woman to hear me. Yeah, Spanish is such an unknown language...Everywhere: watching videos on your phone and talking on the phone with the speaker on.(Usually in major cities) walking very slowly while taking up the entire sidewalk, making locals who actually have to get somewhere walk into oncoming traffic just to get by. Same effect when stopping to check a map or guide or to take photos.
Walking on the road, assuming it's pedestrian only because it's cobblestone.
Walking on cycle paths.Being loud, drunk and violent are among the worst things tourists can do.Saw a group of Italien men try to pick up women while visiting Auschwitz. That was beyond cringe.Do not touch delicate artwork or ancient artifacts.
I see this happen everywhere. Drives me nuts.Jaywalking is a shockable offense in Germany. Pedestrians will wait at an empty crosswalk with no cars in sight and wait until the little man tells them they can walk and if you walk across the (empty street) they will stare at you like you just mugged an old lady in front of them.In Athens, Greece and many other big tourism cities, if someone randomly tries to “give” you something - a blessing, a bracelet, etc. just don’t accept. You’ll end up being surrounded by them and their homies demanding money.Those are not garbage cans outside shops in Japan those are for umbrellas. Don't be me A.K.A a dummy.Wearing immodest clothing in typically modest countries. Look what the locals of your gender are dressed like, and try to cover the same body parts. I cringe when I see “influencers” posing in front of the pyramids wearing a tiny crop top and shorts. Have a bit of respect for the local customs and culture. What would you think of someone walking naked down your city street? Would it be okay, just because they walk around naked in their own country?
