Wikivoyage:Travel forum

Hi, everyone! A friend, my girlfriend and I will be traveling to Prague in August. Our friend can stay 4 nights, but we can stay longer. Would a week be good? 5 days? I get the impression that a lot of the best things to see and do involve walking a lot, but I'm also seeing that there are interesting museums and places of worship to visit. Ikan Kekek (talk) 22:50, 25 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

Prague is an excellent destination so it all depends on your appetite for museums, galleries and architecture. Visitors from west Europe have a short travel time so for a first visit 4 nights / 3 days is about right. You can spend much longer, but at some point the baroque churches will blur before your eyes. Intercontinental visitors might want a week to make the trip worthwhile, but could split the days with another stand-out city such as Vienna, or for a complete change of scenery head for the mountains and national parks. Grahamsands (talk) 09:07, 26 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thanks. I'll be taking the train from Berlin and back, so no intercontinental visiting for me. I don't think I would tire of beautiful Baroque churches too quickly. To give you some idea of my attitudes, I've spent I think a total of a month cumulatively in Florence and more than that in Paris over the years, and there are plenty more things I want to see in those cities. I love beautiful architecture and art, and my girlfriend and I are also musicians and like to hear good performances. I've spent more time than that in Siena, but mostly as a student, which is different because I was living there, albeit temporarily. While I was there for 35 days in 1991, I visited every church in town that had work by the Lorenzetti brothers and then some, in addition to all the major sights. Ikan Kekek (talk) 04:40, 27 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

@Ikan Kekek: Not that I've been to Czechia, but how willing are you to do daytrips from Praha? I'd spend around half a day at Kutna Hora for the Sedlec Ossuary and the St Barbara Church. It's about an hour from Praha hlavni nadrazi (main station) using CD so easily doable. //shb (t | c | m) 05:04, 27 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

We could definitely consider day trips, thanks. Ikan Kekek (talk) 05:10, 27 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

I have been to the Czech Republic several times, but mainly in the 1990s and 2000s. You could easily spend a couple of weeks in the country, but I would suggest only spending about 4 nights in Prague (unless you can stay with friends or other cheap accommodation). Central Prague is very busy and you may find the number of other visitors overwhelming. You could spend 3 nights in Brno, which has a castle, several museums and other interesting buildings. Pilsen is worth 2 nights to see its cathedral, museums and the home of lager. Český Krumlov is a World Heritage site town which is worth visiting, but draws the crowds. Also consider a spa town like Karlovy Vary where you can sample the water and go for country walks, the beautiful churches in Olomouc, the renaissance town of Telč or the Ossuary in Kutná Hora. You will probably find sleeping and eating in most of theses places is half the price of Prague. AlasdairW (talk) 23:12, 27 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thanks very much. By the way, speaking of eating: I heard from a friend who was in Prague a long time ago that it was almost impossible to get into restaurants there without reservations way in advance. Does anyone know if they have casual eateries like Döner/shawarma houses? Ikan Kekek (talk) 02:03, 28 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

Another question a traveling partner had was whether it could be dangerous to carry her passport around, so that she could get free transit as a senior in Prague. Ikan Kekek (talk) 04:36, 28 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

I would say exercise any caution that you'd typically do in any tourist-heavy area plagued with pickpockets like Brussels, London or Paris: that is, carry your passport, but keep it in one of those special passport wallets that go around your neck. //shb (t | c | m) 05:16, 28 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

Yes, usual caution suffices, but Prague is not somewhere you need to carry your passport, stow it in the hotel safe with other high-value stuff. If there's anywhere you especially fancy eating then do book (especially in August), but there are plenty of casual eateries. Eat early to beat the crowd.

The day-trips listed in Go Next are comprehensive, that section would benefit from the rule of 7+2. Olomouc is my pick, the downside is it may suffer by comparison with Prague, whereas if you'd day-tripped there from Ostrava you'd be delighted. Beethoven and the Viennese belle-monde decamped there to escape Napoleon's invasion, whereupon the Olomouc WV page received its last systematic overhaul. Grahamsands (talk) 20:16, 30 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

According to Prague#By_public_transport a passport or EU ID card is required for over 65s to get free travel. I would suggest carrying a paper copy of the passport, with the original in a wallet or money belt under clothing. A visible passport wallet says "I'm a tourist". Alternatively, buy a one month card for 130 Kč if you are over 60 which should mean only showing a passport once. AlasdairW (talk) 20:50, 30 May 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thanks very much, everyone! Ikan Kekek (talk) 20:18, 20 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

I've expend a couple of days in Prague 3 years ago. I never reserved a restaurant and always found a place, like italian restaurants . There are also fast food places. The amount of tourists in summer time is overwhelming, so you will need some patience. Try to go really early to some places like Charles Bridge or The astronomical clock, otherwise photos will be crowded od people. For me to visit the main places is enough with a couple of days. 4 days is to have a deep visit of some places, however and tend to have very bussy schedules as a tourist. I drove my car, but I haven't more time to visit places around Prague, so no suggestions on this. Check the Unesco listed sites of Czech Republic for other important destinations. Mmorell (talk) 16:49, 11 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thanks for your tips. Ikan Kekek (talk) 20:17, 20 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Ikan Kekek I have been in Prague recently, it is a destination that is very, very crowded with tourists, (if you have a hard time with overtourism, it is not for you). Even in the middle of the week there are lots of school groups. So places like the Citadel can be too crowded. I was in Prague for 4.5 days, and I felt that after two days I had exhausted the place.

If you are already there, Wenceslas Square is under construction and so is the cable car. Which can cloud the experience, in addition, the really good restaurants are not in the old town, where you will find mostly tourist traps, but in the east, mainly around Náměstí Míru. --HofEz96 (talk) 17:15, 22 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thank you. I appreciate the tips! Ikan Kekek (talk) 17:17, 22 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

For a first visit, I’d say 4–5 days is ideal. That gives you enough time for the main sights, museums, churches, and plenty of wandering without feeling rushed. If you enjoy a slower pace, a full week would be easy to fill. Mark2255 (talk) 08:24, 23 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

As I said in my post-trip update, my girlfriend and I regretted we hadn't booked a week's stay for our first visit to Prague, so I disagree that 4-5 days is ideal. And it was not true that we didn't feel rushed, though that's partly down to the traveling style of our friend who booked the AirBnB where we stayed. Ikan Kekek (talk) 12:34, 23 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I would budget a day at major attractions (Prague Castle, National Museum etc.) and half a day for outdoor attractions (Old Town) as a guideline for how days is ideal based on how many things you want to see and visit. Silver Dovelet (talk) 02:56, 7 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I wished I had had time to visit museums and walk around more. Ikan Kekek (talk) 02:58, 7 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

So, everyone, here's an update: Prague is absolutely beautiful, and what I wasn't prepared for is that not only does it have beautiful older buildings, which I knew about, but it's also chock full of fantastic Beaux Arts buildings that are highly decorated, usually including male or sometimes female figures who are shown holding up part or all of the buildings. It was extremely hot during most of my trip and there is quite a lot of crowding, but none of that could come close to ruining the city, and we managed to cross the Charles Bridge during a time when our passage was unimpeded (also, though, keep in mind that we are New Yorkers). I also wasn't prepared for how good Czech savory and sweet food was. Every single Czech restaurant and cafe we went to, even the cafeteria in the Castle which had run out of most of its main dishes by the time we got there, was tasty. Wenceslas Square is still fully under construction, though the National Museum and some other buildings around it are pretty, but I wouldn't recommend for people with limited time to go there now. Overall, my partner and I regretted that we weren't in Prague for a week and plan to stay there that long the next time we're there, hopefully in milder weather in a less crowded tourist season. Ikan Kekek (talk) 22:05, 16 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

For me, Prague felt like "Disneyland" not in the positive sense of the word, meaning a place that you feel is entirely aimed at serving tourists. Of course, because of global warming, don't travel to Europe in July or August. Unless it's Scotland or Scandinavia. The most recommended months for a trip to Central Europe are October and April. Even May and September can be hot.--HofEz96 (talk) 15:09, 17 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

We'll have to agree to disagree about Prague. I've never been to any Disney theme park, but those are known for having fake copies of bits of different places around the world, whereas Prague is its own place, and not a small city, either. A lot of people live there, there are real cafes there that serve a lot of locals, etc. If you think Prague is just for tourists, I have to wonder what you think of Florence, which although deluged with tourists has some of the greatest art in the world and great local food and wine. On when to visit, I was already in Berlin, and my home city of New York is also really hot and unpleasant in August, so... Ikan Kekek (talk) 15:30, 17 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

My definition of "Disneyland" is for areas where there are either tourists, or people looking for tourists. When I like to travel, I like to see the city where the locals live their lives. That's why for me the ancient cities of Amsterdam, Prague, Rome, Venice and Barcelona feel like "Disneyland" to me, because you don't see the locals living their lives there. When I travel overseas I want to see how the locals live, and not just see tourists looking for the next attraction.

My rule is to visit places when the weather is supposed to be between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius (below or above that is oppressive), and try to get to the really popular destinations on a weekday and not on a weekend. Because in the tourism industry, you are appreciated more when you come when demand is relatively sparse and not busy. --HofEz96 (talk) 16:30, 17 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I mean...these cities (barring Venice) you mention still have plenty to see in the more residential areas. //shb (t | c | m) 05:00, 20 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I feel like there's another subtext, which is "I already saw all the sights in those old cities, and I'm European, so it's easy for me to go back any time I want, and therefore, I'm jaded by them." Most non-Europeans don't have weeks of paid vacations, live far from Europe most of the time, and travel when they are able to, which is usually during the Northern Hemisphere summer, and they are not jaded by incredible sights in cities like Prague because they've never seen them before. Part of the debate, too, I think, is over what is and is not a tourist trap. Some sights are crowded with tourists because they are amazing, and if you want to see them, especially during peak seasons (because in my case, that's when a friend decided to travel to Prague and rented an AirBnB that she invited me and my partner to share), you have to tolerate crowds - something a resident of a really big city like New York is usually a lot less disturbed by than people from most European cities, which are a lot less populous. Anyway, sorry if I'm operating under any misimpressions, but I felt there was a touch of elitism in the argument that people should stay away from the most justly famous sights in Europe or travel some other season, when they might not be able to do so. Ikan Kekek (talk) 05:35, 21 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

No I 100% agree with you – but my point more or less was that even if you did live in Europe, these so called touristy cities will still have so much to see and do outside the main inner core where you can still find "locals living their lives there". //shb (t | c | m) 07:31, 21 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I agree with that, too. I stayed about a 15-minute walk from Our Lady Before Týn, and that was far enough that we found a couple of cafes where there were plenty of locals. Ikan Kekek (talk) 09:55, 21 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Given a flight that is months away (in my case Canada-Philippines in about October), is it best to book early (how early?) or wait, perhaps hoping for a last-minute deal.

Does flying standby still work? On which routes? I did that several times decades ago flying Boston-London on TWA, saved quite a bit & never had to wait much.

Somewhat to my surprise, Planning your flight does not discuss this. Pashley (talk) 16:49, 18 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

I tend to book longer flights 4-8 weeks in advance. I hardly ever see fares get better after the 4 week mark. I've never really played the last-minute deal games hard enough to know if they're still a good idea; that might make a good article. I've also looked at fares 8-12 months out a few times, and they didn't look like deals.

There's also the geopolitical situation that's throwing a wrench into projected fuel pricing, I don't have any insights on that. Gerode (talk) 17:31, 18 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

I haven't heard of travelling standby for a long time. I guess it made sense when there was excess capacity in the system. Now, airlines seem to overbook and then bribe passengers to give up their seats.

I have heard from Filipinos here that Korean Air via Seoul is now a favourite way of going back home. My recent experience on Korean was very good. Ground Zero (talk) 21:54, 18 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

I find last-minute flights tend to be pretty good value, but only if you're traveling off-peak. I'm traveling to Taiwan in a few weeks time and found good flights from SIA for a little over 1k AUD return. Don't think I'd be able to find such if this were say February. //shb (t | c | m) 00:32, 19 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

I’ve had a similar experience. Booking around 4–8 weeks ahead often seems to be a good balance, while booking 8–12 months out doesn’t necessarily mean cheaper fares. Last-minute deals seem much harder to predict. Mark2255 (talk) 08:26, 23 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

However, you never know. Prices fluctuate, countries go to war, natural disasters occur... What was going to be the cheaper month, could rise or drop.

Avoiding peak seasons, avoid holidays. Use Google Flights to get an idea of the prices for your date range. If you have set dates, set up Google flights to send you an alert. If not, use their calendar matrix to see how changing a day could offer you savings.

Explore layovers. Do you need or really mind the extra time spent on a layover? Sometimes these can be drops in a bucket, other times liters. The Traversing Tortoise (talk) 06:36, 21 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

It's a black box operation. Those who work in airline's revenue management and know the true answer can't tell us. Those who don't know the answer will speculate. With how fare buckets works in Amadeus and Sabre, lower fare tickets are always sold out before higher-price tickets. Unless significant demand shifts (i.e. COVID, Ebola), oil price fluctuations causing fuel surcharge to change or dropping price to stimulate demand (e.g. poor economy), the tickets will only rise as it goes closer to the departure date. The days of flying standby for cheaper fares is long gone. OhanaUnited^{Talk page} 22:41, 18 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Do not understimate the ”cookies effect”. Cookies are used to increase the price you pay. So try to browse prices in “hidden mode” on your browser . Some people even uses VPN connection to emmulate they are booking from a different country. Mmorell (talk) 16:32, 19 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Many travellers are time-poor and should therefore book flights as soon as their plans are sure. You may have to negotiate leave with colleagues, and be boxed in by school / college terms, Cousin Laura's wedding, space at the kennels to accommodate a pet, and so on. Many smaller cities have only a monopoly airline, so if you delayed and lost out on price or availability, the whole trip would unravel. There's a bit more flexibility on accommodation but likewise if you have a sure choice, be ready to book it soon after you book flights. Grahamsands (talk) 08:46, 21 July 2026 (UTC).Reply

@Mmorell The myth around cookies and incognito mode has been thoroughly debunked. OhanaUnited^{Talk page} 09:58, 23 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

perhaps. however companies are expending a lot on tracking systems. Perhaps they do so just for fun. citing someone with intrests in selling flights is not a good example in my modest opinion. whether we can do someting to avoid tracking or not, is another question. have you realized that the whole point of e-commerce is selling things to you at the higest price possible which you are going to accept?? regards. Mmorell (talk) 15:03, 23 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

I agree with Mmorell to a point. Data collection and dynamic pricing is nothing new. My gut says the industry would be dumb not to be picking prices and racking up the price to the highest you accept. However how much does that cost the industry? Is it worth the price to squeeze that much more? How fine tuned is the industry these days? I do not know enough to say either or.

Anecdotally, it feels like if they are tracking, they're making/losing 1% on my flights. It's rare I see different prices when on different profiles, browsers, or devices. Today on AirBnB I saw 10 cheaper stay on my phone than on the laptop browser (350 vs 340). Different segment of the travel industry but you get the idea. The Traversing Tortoise (talk) 05:14, 24 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Basically the best advice almost everywhere is to book as far in advance as possible. Especially on transatlantic routes, airlines know that those who book at short notice are mainly business people and visiting friends and family for whom the price parameter is less important. Especially for countries like the Philippines that have a large population of expats so the flights can be fully booked all year round.

The rule is that anything whose price is dynamic, especially flights and accommodation, should be booked as early as possible. --HofEz96 (talk) 17:00, 22 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

For long haul flights around 6-9 months may be the best time to book. If you book more than 9 months in advance you may find that not all airlines have released flights and so prices may be higher on those that have. Airlines also sometimes have offers to boost sales, perhaps before reporting to shareholders or in response to events, but these are usually for flights a few months ahead. I don't think standby is common in the way it was 20 years ago, but there are agents selling last minute tickets mainly to customers who are flexible about their destination. On short flights I have saved by buying a semi-flexible flight for a cheap time like 10pm and then changed for free on the day to a lunchtime flight. AlasdairW (talk) 22:13, 22 July 2026 (UTC)Reply

Could you please tell me, I am arriving by train to Zugdidi. I was told that there is a shared minibus near the train station that takes passengers to Mestia. Is that correct? Since I am travelling alone, taking a taxi would not be affordable for me. ~2026-43081-87 (talk) 18:07, 4 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

See Mestia#By_marshrutka, which says that there are. I suggest that you contact your accommodation in Mestia and ask if they can give you more information on transport from Zugdidi. AlasdairW (talk) 21:35, 4 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Did this about a year ago. Arrived in Zugdidi by train from capital. And basically everyone on the train was heading to Mestia. There are dozens of minibuses that gather for the trains arrival. You get off the train, get into the minibus, price was more or less fixed, and as the bus fill they leave for Mestia. Travel Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 13:22, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hello everyone,

I'm starting a Semester abroad which means I'll be going to Europe for the first time, and I have 13 days in September I've set aside to see France. I basically just love walking around and exploring - anything, I mean cities, towns, and hiking in the countryside / alps. My plan so far is Paris, Lyon, Annecy (and from there, perhaps a day trip to Chamonix), and then somewhere in the Riviera, maybe Nice? Then again other places seem really interesting; Aix-en-provence or Arles seem really beautiful too.

Just wondered if anyone had any recommendations or advice. Thank you!! Astra1.8 (talk) 12:03, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Some people find the D-Day beaches or other sites from various wars (World_War_I#France, Napoleonic Wars, etc.) fascinating.

I have not travelled much in France. One place I really liked was Avignon. Pashley (talk) 13:15, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

If you go to french Riviera my favorite places there are: Saint-Paul de Vence a nice village at top of a hill, Èze and of course, Monaco, all of them can be visited from Nice. By the way French Riviera is not cheap!!.

Avignon is a nice monumental city on the way from Lyon to Riviera , near there Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is a small village and will let you feel a little of Provence.

Depending on which passport do you have, once in France you are in schengen area, so crossing borders of other schengen countries usually is straightforward. Switzerland is in the schenguen area but not in the european union, so double check if that border crossing is ok with your visa. Mmorell (talk) 14:30, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence is very underrated. I only ever spent a day there but it's one of the nicest place I can think of in southern France. WikiSeto (talk) 21:54, 10 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

If you like Gothic cathedrals, the most impressive and beautiful one I've ever seen is in Chartres, not far from Paris. Have fun in France! Ikan Kekek (talk) 22:14, 11 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hi, Astra1.8, enjoy your time in France! I can't comment much since most of my travels within France have been centred in Île-de-France, but with that many days you've planned, my only advice is to not spend all that time in Paris. Given you have 13 days, might I also recommend setting aside about 2 days to see Belgium while you're there too? Brussels-Midi/Zuid is about an 80-minute train ride from Paris (via Eurostar) and most of what you'd want to see (Ghent, Bruges, and if it's your kind of thing, Brussels) in Belgium can be reasonably visited in 2 days. //shb (t | c | m) 22:43, 11 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

For a first visit, I suggest 3 full days for Paris then 2-3 other centres with 2 full days each; add travel days and that's your 13. Or spend longer in Paris if your budget allows and make day trips to other centres: obvious choices are Versailles, Rouen, Lille and Dijon. Bear in mind that France is tinder-dry and wildfires are breaking out everywhere. Otherwise I'd suggest Bordeaux and the Atlantic coast, but there'll be a better time. Grahamsands (talk) 20:06, 12 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

My advice to anyone visiting France is that you must remember to officially greet every person you will speak to. Either you say bonjour before saying anything else, or you won't be buying anything in that shop. Keep this in mind particularly if you're the kind of person who can't function before you've had your coffee. WhatamIdoing (talk) 20:10, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Yes, or "bonsoir" if it's evening. And say "merci, au revoir" after you've been served or helped and are about to leave. Ikan Kekek (talk) 21:37, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hi everyone,

I'm interested in hearing how other travellers would plan a first trip to Morocco with around 10 days available. Morocco seems to offer so much variety that I'm finding it difficult to decide how much to include without making the itinerary too rushed.

I'm considering starting in Marrakech, spending some time in the High Atlas Mountains, continuing towards the Sahara around Merzouga, and then finishing on the Atlantic coast around Essaouira.

For the Atlas Mountains, I'm particularly interested in the area around Imlil and the possibility of doing some hiking. I'm also wondering whether Mount Toubkal is realistic for someone who has good general fitness but limited high-altitude trekking experience.

For the Sahara, I'm interested in spending at least one night there rather than simply doing a short excursion. I'd also like to experience the desert without making the journey feel like one long sequence of driving days.

For anyone who has travelled this route:

1. Is 10 days enough for Marrakech + Atlas Mountains + Sahara + Essaouira?

2. How many nights would you recommend in each area?

3. Would you choose Toubkal or a less demanding Atlas trek?

4. Is it better to travel independently or use local guides for the mountain and desert sections?

5. Would you finish in Essaouira, or is there another coastal destination you'd recommend?

I'm particularly interested in advice from people who have actually travelled through these regions rather than a standard tourist itinerary.

Thanks! Mtbmorocco199 (talk) 15:13, 18 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hi. Many years ago I made a road trip in Morocco. My route was: Spain, boat to Ceuta, crossing border to Morroco. Then Casablanca, Zagora, Ouarzazate, marrakech, Beni Mellal, Fes, Tetouan and back to Spain. Morroco has 2 different landscapes, between the Atlas mountais and the Sea is like southern Spain, with forests , fields and industrial cities. From the Atlas towards SouthEast is rocks and sand with some oassis-like places like Zagora. I traveled by myself. When visiting big cities I hired a guide, which I used to not having to say no to 1000 guides offering their services. When you say Atlas mountains, you have to be more specific. The nord-west side are forests ( I remeber the foret de cedres with huge trees) and the south-east side are rocks. Is like visiting 2 different places. No recomendations on coastal resorts as I don't look for this. Perhaps you may find useful the following story: in almost every hotel in remote places I stayed at around 5pm arrived a bus full of tourists, all of them complaining about the long bus transfers, then they jump on the swmming-pool and went for dinner, by my breakfast time next day they were already gone. Until the next hotel, where same thing happend again with a different group. I don't give more details as this trip was many years ago, and some information may no longuer be valid. Mmorell (talk) 17:56, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thanks, Mmorell — this is exactly the kind of first-hand perspective that’s useful. The contrast you describe between northern/western Morocco and the landscape south-east of the Atlas is especially helpful. And your point about the tour buses is a good one too: it sounds like travelling independently gave you a very different experience of the country. I’ll keep in mind that information from such an old trip may no longer be current, but the broader observations are still valuable. Thanks for sharing your route and experience! ~2026-45981-35 (talk) 18:55, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I also took a boat from Spain to Tangier and than took a train to Marrakesh. The trains worked well back than. Than took a bus to Ouarzazate. An excellent adventure. Travel Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 13:19, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Let's do Pranayama & Yoga at Triund.

Anyone available this sunday? Peekrab8th (talk) 19:28, 21 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Doubt you're going to find someone here, and even if you do, would you actually be willing to hike with a complete stranger? //shb (t | c | m) 00:44, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

This is Himachal Pradesh (Devbhoomi).

Here, we believe in building trust,not just making promise.

We value relationships,keep our word and let our actions speak for themselves. Once we give you a word,we stand by it. Everyone knows trust isn't built overnight-it's earned over time.

But somewhere,you have to start. How else are you going to meet new people? Isn't one meeting enough to get to know someon? Are all people really wolves. ॐ Peekrab8th (talk) 12:54, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Linked to the article on the topic. Travel Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 13:16, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hello, I recently completed the 8-day trek from Askole to K2 Base Camp. I have updated information on current permit requirements, campsite conditions on the moraine, and altitude logistics. Alik2360 (talk) 06:52, 29 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Thanks, did you get diarrhea? Most people we had met did a few years ago. Travel Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 13:12, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hello, a very good friend I know since my young years in Mikkeli just call me and she say she want to move into South-USA. I feel surprise: why not California like me? She say she loves South-USA very much, the country and rodeo and farm. She has eyes on Texas. But, she want to learn more about American history and the culture and how to be the American like me. She need slang and accent and learning American English and Mexican Spanish but she want to do in Finland. She is not prepare for USA yet! How can my good friend since childhood learn the American ways before she move to South-USA? I still learn about American life everyday but I been in California since I was 10 year old. Friend is first time in USA in her life. Help her please! I could not do alone myself! ~~~~ Sianliha (talk) 07:33, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I find it odd that she would need to learn culture, slang and accent before moving there, where it is much easier; just picking it up locally would probably go a long way, and there might be specialised courses. If she hasn't any special reason for that preference, I'd say that the best help would be to convince her that she'll be OK with her Finnish manners and Finnish-accent English, and that she'll learn the rest locally with less effort than here.

I assume there is no sever shortage of knowledge about the USA (including on the specific area she is interested in) in Finland, academically, among people who have been over there, and among immigrants and expatriates from there. Does "in Finland" mean anywhere in the country or where she currently lives?

–LPfi (talk) 10:10, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Anyway she can learn the real American English used in USA is fine with her. In Finland they teach British English. She want the true real American English from USA. She want to spell and talk and use the slang of American. Like me. American and simple and chill like me. Anyway she can get real American personality is for her. She need to be American. Even online website that really teach you the American way in Finnish is okay for her. Sianliha (talk) 10:24, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

@Sianliha: I'll be honest, and I say this as a native English speaker...but the differences between British and American English are overstated, barring accents, which is something that she will likely pick up over time. Honestly getting used to non-metric measurements will be a much more onerous task than a different dialect of English. //shb (t | c | m) 10:43, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

[edit conflict] While British English is the variant most commonly taught, beyond basic courses, important differences will be mentioned – and the bulk of films on TV and cinema are in American English, and that variant is also what most young people pick up from influencers etc. –LPfi (talk) 10:49, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Now, in the age of Internet, she can find as much learning materials on the net as she could ever wish for, including, I'm sure, actual classes at her level in American English. Also, I don't think it to be too difficult to find a Texan living in, say, Helsinki. –LPfi (talk) 10:55, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

@LPfi: I think while learning US English shouldn't be too hard in Finland, I wonder if the same goes for Mexican Spanish? I can't speak Spanish barring a few basic phrases, but I would assume most Spanish taught in Europe is based on Madrid Spanish? //shb (t | c | m) 13:19, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Yes, probably the courses will be on castellano, although I have met much more Latin Americans than Spaniards in Finland. As with English. I think differences to Latin American Spanish will be mentioned on any Spanish course past the basics, but I don't know about Mexican Spanish specifically. –LPfi (talk) 13:28, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I guess the differences between Madrid Spanish and Mexican Spanish too can probably be learned on-the-go, too. I've read that most of the differences tend to be in pronunciation and also pacing (Mexican Spanish is a lot faster than Madrid Spanish), which may also be a hurdle if OP's friend isn't fluent in Spanish. //shb (t | c | m) 13:50, 5 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I don't feel like this is the best time for people to visit the United States, but if she is interested in moving to Texas, she should definitely visit first before trying to go through the extremely difficult process of immigration. There are some famous and well-respected universities in Texas where she might be able to take English courses, for example over the summer (though summers in Texas can be brutal). For example, she might have a lot of fun visiting Austin and taking a course at University of Texas at Austin's pretty campus, and while she's there, she could also rent a car and visit San Antonio and other parts of the Hill Country and eat some great barbecue and so forth. Ikan Kekek (talk) 11:08, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I mean, there is also Houston (the space city), as well as Conroe, The Woodlands, and Kingwood north/northeast of the city. Good food scene, but it gets crazy hot during the spring and summer. Codename Noreste /// ⭐️✨ 14:44, 4 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

For me and friend USA is a great place. In Texas she was thinking of San Antonio or Corpus Christi. She like Mexican-culture so she want that. Sianliha (talk) 02:00, 5 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Houston has that as well. Codename Noreste /// ⭐️✨ 13:37, 5 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

We have an article on English language varieties which may help & there are plenty of movies & TV series with (real or acted) Texas accents; w:Dallas (TV series) leaps to mind. See also w:Category:Musicians from Texas.

But as others have said above, dialect & accent are unlikely to be the biggest problems. See Working in the United States & Metric and Imperial equivalents for some of the others. Pashley (talk) 12:42, 5 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Digha in West Bengal is one of the many weekend getaways for Kolkata residents. During holiday, some also explore nearby spots like Shankarpur, Tajpur, Mandarmani, and also nearby destinations in Odisha like Chandaneswar. However, my family from the Rarh region is rather homesick, and they only plan travels during holidays. So we went to Digha this Janmashtami on 4 September 2026, and we're still at a hotel in Old Digha. Stay tuned for updates. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 02:58, 6 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Day 1 (5 Sep): Explored the Old Digha Beach and the newly-built Jagannath Temple. The sights are:

• Digha Promenade from Digha Mohana to Udaypur (Odisha border).
• Biswa Bangla Park — There used to be a globe depicting West Bengal's position with the Bengali letter "ব" (for "বঙ্গ" or "বাংলা", meaning "Bengal") before our current trip. Unfortunately, it got removed after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming to power in the state on May 2026, as the Biswa Bangla globe has become a symbol of the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime, who inaugurated the park in 2015.
• Old Jagannath Temple — It is far smaller than the newer Puri-style temple that came up in 2025. It is said to be a witness of many "supernatural" events for over 30 years, which sounds dubious for a rationalist like me. Plus we're here mainly to explore the seaside and the newly-built temple. There's a Gundicha temple nearby for Digha Ratha Yatra, called "Masir Bari" (literally the "temple of maternal aunt"). This is used for the Jagannath idols from the 2025 temple.
• Casuarina Forest — Casuarina forests are confusingly called jhāubon in Bengali and Odia, which actually means "tamarisk forest". I once believed that it was a tamarisk forest before prompting it to an LLM to find that it's a casuarina forest with reliable sources.
• Jagannath Temple — It was built in 2025 to rival the Puri Jagannath Dham. It was built with a blend of Kalinga and Nagara architectures. We went there in the evening when the crowds were thinner.

Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 03:14, 6 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Update: So, the casuarina trees of the jhāubon we visited is precisely Casuarina equisetifolia, which is called "বিলাতি ঝাউ" (bilāti jhāu, foreign tamarisk) in Bengali. It is not true tamarisk (specifically Tamarix indica), which is called simply "ঝাউ" (jhāu). It is not uncommon in Indian languages to label various things as "foreign/exotic X", like the archaic bilāti begun (বিলাতি বেগুন, foreign eggplant/aubergine) for tomatoes. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 03:33, 6 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Day 2 (6 Sep): Explored three additional beaches to the east:

• Shankarpur
• Tajpur
• Mandarmani

Shankarpur is well-developed as it comes under the Digha Sankarpur Development Authority (DSDA).

Day 3 (7 Sep): Returned to home after the trip. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 07:27, 9 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Does rio Galeão internacional have a Emirates business club lounge Peter ~2026-48387-19 (talk) 14:07, 6 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

@~2026-48387-19: I don't believe so – but in which case, you should still be able to get access from a partner lounge. Not sure about Rio specifically, but see what the check in staff have to say. //shb (t | c | m) 13:12, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hi everyone, I’m planning a trip to Luxor and looking for advice on visiting the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. I’m also interested in local guided tours and would appreciate recommendations from travelers who have visited recently.

[touting removed] Zoe Holidays (talk) 14:48, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

There is lots of advice in our Luxor articles, and in its two district articles. I think you should read those articles, and then come back with specific questions. It is a little strange that you chose as your user name the name of a company you are asking about. Ground Zero (talk) 15:11, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Obvious touting. I would delete the thread and post a warning on their user talk page. Ikan Kekek (talk) 19:25, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I removed the touting bit. I'd keep this thread for transparency purposes. //shb (t | c | m) 23:09, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I went to Luxor last year. If you enjoying constantly haggling and bargaining and watching for scams and arguing with taxi drivers (as I do), then you'll have a good time in Luxor. I did. If you don't enjoy that, then I'd just shell out the money for an expensive tour. One of the most stressful cities in the world. Anyway, too bad this was a tout post. Brycehughes (talk) 11:35, 18 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Funny story: I took the ferry across the river when I arrived and the guy charged me 25 pounds. (I don't remember the exact amounts so I'm just making up these numbers.) I go back the next day to take the ferry back to the other side and the guy is like, it's 50 pounds. I was like, it was 25 pounds yesterday! Guy says it's 50 pounds for foreigners. I said when did this change? He said they changed it today (lol). He even pulls out a sign that says "50 pounds for foreigners". So I argue with him and then I said okay fine, I'll pay 50, but let me take a photo of the sign. He refused to let me take a photo of the sign and waved me on for 25 pounds. Luxor, man. Brycehughes (talk) 11:41, 18 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Honestly I respect that level of confidence haha. Anything to do with blatant scams. //shb (t | c | m) 13:22, 18 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Mate confidence doesn't even begin to describe... Egyptians are a different breed... Brycehughes (talk) 13:38, 18 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I am going to be there in February of 2027, has the reconstruction been completed? ~2026-48680-73 (talk) 17:08, 7 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Ask AI this. How would anyone here know. Brycehughes (talk) 14:45, 18 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

It's not impossible. Someone who lives in or has recently visited Corpus Christi might be reading. Ikan Kekek (talk) 18:37, 18 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I guess... was trying to teach the guy a life lesson. Brycehughes (talk) 17:00, 20 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I wouldn't encourage anyone to rely on AI. Ikan Kekek (talk) 20:26, 20 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Ever? Brycehughes (talk) 23:29, 20 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Ever. Ikan Kekek (talk) 05:06, 21 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

To each their own. I'm quite happy to encourage people to use AI, particularly as a replacement for Google Search (which is thoroughly enshittified now). Brycehughes (talk) 12:05, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

In my opinion, the whole point of Wikivoyage is that information in a crowd-sourced guidebook is more reliable than A.I. If it's not, we're wasting our time here. And I didn't suggest a Google search, either. For the record, I use DuckDuckGo as my default search engine, anyway. Ikan Kekek (talk) 12:18, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Respectfully disagree. Setting aside this specific case (and also setting aside the larger binary are-you-for/against-it AI debate), it can be a wonderful tool for travel, and I think it is a complement to Wikivoyage, not a substitute. When WV does an article well, it is better than AI, I agree. But where Wikivoyage lacks information, AI can fill in the gaps with its vast knowledge base. AI has also been a game-changing tool for me personally in travel in areas where Wikivoyage does not really fill a role: interpreting a foreign-language menu for instance (this was a life-saver in China); or translating to an obscure language or dialect not covered by translation services ("translate this to Algerian Arabic" was really useful in Algeria). This isn't a if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-em point of view... I travel a lot and I use both WV and AI frequently. They have some overlap, yes, but it is venn diagram, not a circle. Brycehughes (talk) 12:40, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

If you're considering Google Translate A.I., yes I do use it in a pinch. But we know that counting on A.I. or, for example, Google Maps can sometimes put people's lives in danger. You can find out a lot of false things, confidently stated, on such platforms. Ikan Kekek (talk) 12:55, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

No I was talking about just regular LLM chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.). You can also find out a lot of false things on Wikivoyage. I'm sure you know of this, but in certain countries (particularly Asia), when you ask a local a question, if they don't know they answer, they rarely say "I don't know", because this causes a loss of face. Instead, they'll just bullshit some answer. AI is a bit like that (minus the humility). But I still ask locals questions. Brycehughes (talk) 13:03, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

This was a 30-second Google search. //shb (t | c | m) 12:08, 19 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I can do any work, no problem, hotel waiter or market, no problem, no job ~2026-51061-64 (talk) 00:33, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

You're not going to find a job by posting here. Good luck. Ikan Kekek (talk) 02:25, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I suggest checking the working abroad article. Regarding "hotel waiter", it says, "Hospitality professionals – Often international luxury hotels and resorts hire foreign staff to manage the branch and help sell packages to business travelers from overseas or regionally.", and "Hostels and hotels – Smaller hotels and B&Bs are unlikely to require their employees to speak or read English. At luxury hotels, however, with American, Irish, UK, and other English speaking business persons as the main customers, employees are likely to be required to speak and read fluent English." Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 03:10, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Put on a nice shirt and your best shoes and walk into hotels, supermarkets, etc., in your city and ask if they're hiring! Brycehughes (talk) 13:45, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Swept in from the pub

https://www.tuigroup.com/en/newsroom/news/travel-in-the-age-of-scrolling-tui-musement-research-reveals-4-in-10-travellers-visit-tourist-sites-to-capture-social-media-content ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 16:46, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

It reminds me of one kind of tourism that once made me nauseating, and it's "checklist tourism". My family relies on this kind of travel whenever they plan one. In this case, instead of going to a destination for a true break from daily hustle, they do so to touch every single corner of it, covering almost all attractions in 2-3 days. For Digha and Puri (the common destinations for family travel), the number of POIs is much less. However, during our 2025 trip to Visakhapatnam (Vizag), the experience was nauseating due to the high number of POIs. They tried to cover everything from RK Beach to Thotlakonda in a single day, and I vomited after the itinerary.

Since I will be graduating in a year or so, I have decided that my future solo trips will focus on true breaks from hustle rather just checking boxes. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 17:05, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Oh and also, checklist tourism can not only lead to travel fatigue but also planning fatigue, especially if it's a large place, as my parents debate on which attractions to visit (or revisit) or not. Even for smaller destinations, my parents oscillate back and forth between planning a Puri trip versus a Digha one, as both are vary familiar to them as "tourist destinations". The oscillation is mainly driven by whether they can find non-waitlisted AC train tickets or not (cf. rail travel in India).

If it were me, I would not get bogged into such a planning fatigue and instead focus on a nearcation to somewhere else (like Bishnupur or Ambika Kalna). Even Darjeeling or Purulia could be worth visiting as I never explored them before. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 17:21, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I don't think I would like that style of travel, either. I don't like running from one thing to another, especially if you only spend a few minutes looking at each one. WhatamIdoing (talk) 18:09, 22 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I think for me the question heavily depends on the local city's weather and what exactly there is to see. If it's just monuments, or if it's a cold place, I have no issues with fast-paced travel – but if it's somewhere hot or if it's those "checklist items" are museums, I would definitely not enjoy it nearly as much either. //shb (t | c | m) 05:01, 23 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Actually, the city I visited in 2025 was quite hilly, and we had to climb multiple hills in a single day (Kailasagiri, Simhachalam, Rama Naidu, Rushikonda, Thotlakonda etc.), which is unprecedented in my whole life travelling. There were only two museums in that checklist (aircraft and submarine). Plus, it was on early July, at the onset of monsoon.

If it was slower-paced, I could manage it better. But my father could not obtain work leaves from his office, and so he had to squeeze everything for 2-4 July. However, no one has told him to cover everything listed in the "See" and "Do" sections of the Visakhapatnam article, so he could leave faraway attractions for another trip. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 05:11, 23 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Hills also change things massively for sure. The cities with funiculars to solve this issue are great for this very reason (something I wish we had here). //shb (t | c | m) 08:11, 23 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

If I'm seriously traveling, I tend to stay in places for at least 2 weeks. I generally spend the first two or three days doing this kind of box-checking, because I don't want to be that one person who went to Paris and didn't see the Eiffel tower. And then once I'm done speed-running the most famous attractions, I will dedicate all my time to chilling, enjoying the local food, and walking around aimlessly.

I do recommend that last activity a lot by the way. There's a lot of stuff you can only experience in a city by just walking around without a goal. WikiSeto (talk) 12:23, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Not going to lie, 2 weeks in a single place is a long time. //shb (t | c | m) 12:57, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I know it's a luxury nowadays, and most people cannot afford to take that much time off from work. But I also don't really understand how people can visit cities as large as Bangkok in 5 days while jet-lagged, spend a day on a beach, jump back in their 12h flight and call that "relaxing". WikiSeto (talk) 13:31, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

For me, I rarely ever feel jet lagged. Even on flights to Europe. My moral is that I didn't fly a quarter/halfway across the world just to "relax", I came there to see things I can't see at home. If that means taking a 05:00 train out and returning on a 21:00 train, I'm all for it. But also I fully recognize I'm a massive outlier in this, I do just have an insane endurance and have done much stupider journeys (mostly rail) timing wise. //shb (t | c | m) 22:30, 22 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I've been backpacking pretty full on for about a decade now, with a bit of travel before that, and it has been interesting to see how the nature of backpacking has changed. Back in the day, you'd have a pretty large class of backpackers who travelled just to travel. Travel-bums, they were, like ski-bums. They'd populate hostels around the world, and generally formed the robust backbone of a strong travel community. They thrived less on external validation from their peers; the motivation was more a quiet rebellion against The Man, man. Drugs, alcohol, and doing more or less nothing (for days, weeks and even months) were far more prevalent behaviours than they are today. The demand for comfort was lower; the demand for untrammeled freedom and independence was higher. When non-travel-bums, normies (like me, at least then) visited an exotic locale, you'd get swept up into this culture. Suddenly, you'd find yourself doing nothing for days; sitting, perhaps socialising, perhaps laying in a hammock. The world stood still when you travelled, in a sense. It doesn't feel like this anymore. Today, backpacking seems more goals-based: I will accomplish this, this and this, and return home with baseline+x likes on Instagram, etc. Sitting on your arse (and using drugs, etc.) is no longer particularly accepted nor embraced, and you'll likely lead a lonely travel life if this is your M.O. Hostels and backpacker-oriented hotels have adapted. Hand-holding "experiences" and tours now dominate the typical hostel stay. One is now usually expected to arrive at hostel, and then assign themselves to a tour leaving the next day. At the same time, comfort has greatly improved. Dorm beds are now curtained and dorm rooms air conditioned. Private rooms are no longer a rarity exploited only by couples (long term or sudden), but by backpackers who simply demand a higher degree of comfort. The hostel industry has become winner-take-all, with those offering nightly events and daily tours being booked out days or even weeks in advance, while others languish with travellers that simply couldn't book in time. I think there are/were two major factors that have impacted the change: 1) social media and 2) the pandemic. The former creating the impetus for a certain type of goals-based travel, raising prices and killing off the old-breed of travel-bums, while the latter invoking a near-literal fear-of-god in younger travellers and establishing a higher baseline for safety, comfort, etc. (also raising prices). Anyway, sorry, /rant, but my thoughts. Brycehughes (talk) 14:56, 23 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

hey don't feel the need to apologise – I quite enjoyed reading your insight (as someone who's thought about doing this very on and off for a while now). //shb (t | c | m) 02:38, 24 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

Heh. What's a pub without the occassional rant ey? Brycehughes (talk) 02:31, 25 August 2026 (UTC)Reply

I think we need to remove the warning from articles related to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Despite multiple government travel advisories, as a local living in the UAE, I can confirm that everything has returned to normal. However, I do think the southern and western regions of Saudi Arabia still need a warning.

That's all... Almajidy【Talk】 07:07, 24 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

It may be normal now, but will it stay normal? There is no deal accepted and respected by all parties, Israel seems to still bomb Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz is still closed, with a ship attacked a week ago – has the risk of the conflict deteriorating disappeared? –LPfi (talk) 08:33, 24 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I think it's fair to remove the warnings from the Gulf countries now. If it escalates again in that region of the Middle East specifically (as opposed to Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and the southwestern parts of Saudi Arabia), it can be readded. Gizza ^(roam) 08:39, 24 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I don't think it should be removed from Bahrain or Kuwait. Most governments still have do not travel for those two countries in particular, and it would be very irresponsible for us to go against the official advisories. UAE and Qatar, though, they probably can be safely removed, or maybe a dialed down cautionbox. //shb (t | c | m) 11:01, 25 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

The Middle East has long been a hotbed of tension, yet the risks have dissipated. Almajidy【Talk】 03:20, 25 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Any updates? (CC:@DaGizza@LPfi@SHB)

I also believe there is a warning regarding cruise ship voyages that include Ras Al Khaimah, Musandam, and Dibba (in the UAE and Oman).

That's all... Almajidy【Talk】 07:04, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

@Almajidy: I've gone ahead and removed it from all UAE and Qatari articles. Still don't think it should be removed on Bahrain or Kuwait, though, given that both countries still have do not travel warnings by most foreign travel advisories. Same goes for Persian Gulf. //shb (t | c | m) 09:15, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

how to find out if a person is being detained or am I being scammed? ~2026-52298-50 (talk) 05:54, 29 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

Have you tried contacting the police of the country said person was visiting? WikiSeto (talk) 08:50, 30 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

It's an extremely common scam to claim that someone's child, grandchild (etc.) is in prison and you have to pay the scammers in order to make bail for them. Call the person who's supposedly detained before you do anything else. They tried to do that to my godmother several years ago, she hung up and called her son, and he said "What's up, mom?" Ikan Kekek (talk) 10:25, 30 September 2026 (UTC)Reply

I have never travelled internationally before, and I now fear to even step foot on the United States, or rather any of the Five Eyes nations (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and US). I have already heard of Trump's notorious executive bill passed in 2025, which completely shattered my dream to settle in America, although my want to travel stateside for pleasure remained. And now, I have researched the customs and immigration process of the US, and I feel a deep sense of fear, especially the fear of losing my digital privacy. I could mitigate this by using a burner phone and laptop, but that could mean losing access to my Wikimedia account, which I could use for uploading photos on Commons and/or updating listings on Wikivoyage during travel.

It's difficult to convey my sense of fear to the fellow Indians who have never gone through the whole process, as they would rather eulogize living in the country. I have never gone through the process either, and yet I now feel the fear similar to what many NRIs (non-resident Indians) face in the States. I further learn that the US is not alone and all Five Eyes nations have similar problems, and the only English-speaking country outside the regime is Ireland, which happens to be the only anglophone EU member since Brexit. I sought for tourism in English-speaking countries to avoid language barrier, and now I have to choose between language and digital privacy.

I know my concern is explicitly mentioned at United States#Get in, and saying it on the travel forum is probably not appropriate. I might be wrong though. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 08:19, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

By the way, I have personally appreciated the United States since my childhood (and I still do), and that's why I have envisioned of travelling and even settling there. But the loss of digital privacy is what makes me fear to even step foot on the country. I feel a sense of cognitive dissonance because of this. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 08:22, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

tbh I don't think it's just you who's a bit reluctant to travel to the US right now – plenty of people I know irl are also a bit reluctant. //shb (t | c | m) 09:29, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

That's true, but my main pain point is digital privacy, especially on whether I can trust the immigration officers with my passwords, private social accounts (I have separate public and private accounts), and whatever private data I have in my personal devices, something I would not share to anyone unless explicitly requested. Otherwise, I can plan a year or two in advance for travelling to the States. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 09:34, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

As an American who travels back and forth to the United States often, I have been advising citizens of other countries to wait until 2029 to visit, depending on election results. But if your concern is mainly for digital privacy, rather than personal safety and freedom from arbitrary detention at the hands of immigration and security personnel (ICE/CBP, etc.), I doubt that only the few countries you mention are at issue, and note the increasing pervasiveness of facial recognition, among many other things that are and are not publicly known about surveillance at and beyond frontiers. (I have no secret information, but it's surely safe to assume that there are a lot of things they know about us that we don't know they know.) Ikan Kekek (talk) 12:38, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Probably, sadly, true. The secret service over here (SuPo) is getting more rights and there is a proposal to move it away from the ministry of interior affairs, apparently for closer cooperation with NATO and the USA.

We also have a big (15–20%) xenophobic party in the government, but tourists aren't targeted in their rhetoric and the legislation changes don't affect them, but specifically immigration, immigrants and expatriates (alongside cuts in welfare etc., affecting anybody not well off).

–LPfi (talk) 12:55, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I don't know how bad it is, but the picture I've got is that one has no guarantees on anything any more at the US border, or regarding info they get their hands on. I have accepted that I will probably never visit the USA.

For the language, you don't have to speak the native languages of a country as a tourist. In at least the Nordic countries, the Netherlands and Germany, you will mostly be surrounded by people with a good command of English, and much tourist information i in English. Here in Finland, at least in the capital region and Turku, signage at e.g. hospitals and transport is usually trilingual, and Swedish is left out more often than English (even though it is an official language).

–LPfi (talk) 12:43, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

That's good to know that there are European countries with a good command of English, other than the islands of Britain and Ireland. And since the countries you have mentioned are part of the Schengen Area, I won't have problems exploring multiple European nations in one package. The urban geography of the US and Canada is tempting, but it will remain off-limits for me. However, that does not mean I won't ever step foot on the New World, as there's Mexico, the Caribbean and Brazil to explore once I travel the English-friendly countries in Europe. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 16:13, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

In addition to what LPfi mentioned, I've personally found that barring some exceptions (Poland), the less a country's language is spoken outside of it, the easier you'll get by with English. So all the Nordic countries, Benelux (minus Wallonia), the German-speaking world, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, BiH, Croatia (just to name some). Whereas with places like Spain, France and Italy, you're going to need to know some basic local phrases. //shb (t | c | m) 00:17, 2 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

See also Avoiding travel through the United States & these guides from EFF (an online rights defender): Digital Privacy at the U.S. Border, Border Searches. Pashley (talk) 18:58, 1 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Also à propos: Federal agents demanded a man's phone password at the Atlanta airport, and when he provided it, the phone wiped itself completely clean. Now, the federal government is trying to put him in prison, not for what was on his device, but for what wasn't. The man is an American citizen, he was arrested for this and indicted for allegedly destroying property instead of surrendering it. He repeatedly asked for a lawyer and was told he was not entitled to one because while he was in Atlanta Airport, he was not yet in the United States and didn't have rights. Ikan Kekek (talk) 00:27, 2 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

@Ikan Kekek and all. Out of interest, because maybe I want to visit USA some day (after Trump) as well. The OP @Sbb1413 mentioned, to get a burner phone/laptop etc. Would this work with US Customs? If yes, you, Sbb1413, could create a separate Wiki account, too. Many have spare accounts for mobile use. --Maresa63 (talk) 19:00, 4 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

They can require visitors to supply passwords to their accounts. Ikan Kekek (talk) 19:13, 4 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

It is debatable whether that requirement is legal & there are several court cases arguing about it; see the EFF or ACLU sites for details. However until & unless there is a clear ruling on those (& on several other issues), they do the traveller no good at all. You may be confronted with a demand & unless you have a lawyer on call & are allowed to make that call, there is not much you can do except to choose comply or defy. Either choice may have nasty consequences. Pashley (talk) 14:11, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Yes, that's the main thing I worry about. If the password supply requirements did not exist, I would just load my anonymous accounts into my burner devices for travel. Password is a security credential, and I can't share my passwords to literally anyone. So that's why the US is off-limits for me. Don't know about other Five Eyes countries regarding password supply requirements. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 14:55, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Update: Turns out, other Five Eyes countries also have similar regimes under various acts. So, almost all English-speaking countries remain off-limits to me forever unless they honour the privacy of foreigners while developing robust immigration security for actual criminals. And I appreciate the Schengen Area for having a more welcoming immigration regime. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 15:03, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

We also have some info at Computers#Privacy_and_confidentiality. Pashley (talk) 14:15, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Comment — Well, after a quite a bit of research, I have decided that I might visit the US or other high-surveillance countries in far future, but with the following principle: Visit the country to tick checklists. Return home to enjoy the actual travel. This will protect me from being disappointed when entering the country. The common travel checklist for such countries is:

• Use a burner phone strictly for the smartphone apps for travellers.
• Use a dedicated camera to capture the memories.
• Make specific checklists beforehand, at least for the following:
  • What to see
  • What to do
  • What to buy
  • What to taste (for occasional indulgence)
  • Where to eat (for daily staples)
  • Where to sleep (for accommodations)
• Apply for visa.
• If you get a visa, prepare and travel to the destination country.
• Get your dummy phone checked.
• Tick the checklists.
• Return home.
• Browse your collection from the memory card and enjoy the past travel in retrospect.

That's it. And it's reserved only for countries with high surveillance at arrivals. Otherwise, I will focus on enjoying the travel at the destination instead of merely ticking the checklists, as I have the whole Southeast Asia and Schengen Area to explore instead. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 16:10, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Whenever you do travel to the United States, I'd encourage you to do things like walking around cities, just like you would do elsewhere. Ikan Kekek (talk) 16:14, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

That sounds like Captain Obvious to me btw, as I would definitely do that for tasting food and drink as well as for buying stuff, which does not matter whether it's Manhattan or Mumbai. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 16:17, 5 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

It's not obvious if you say that everything you will do will be according to a checklist you presumably write out in advance. Ikan Kekek (talk) 16:41, 13 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Update: So, I have channelized my above trauma into a draft travel topic named User:Sbb1413/Entering the United States. Although I have based it on the details available at avoiding travel through the United States and United States#Get in, it's a separate article specifically for travellers wishing to enter the States and are prepared to face the onerosity associated with it. It will consolidate all information regarding visa policy and border security of the US into a single article. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 15:20, 13 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Btw, I still can't stop admiring the US, which does not matter whether the Republicans or Democrats are in power. I appreciate its cutting-edge technology, including space technology, aviation technology, and software. I like the culture of Silicon Valley in California as a tech geek myself, something I hope India has in some form. Whereas my country is just catching up where the West is now, even though I don't ignore its cultural diversity either. I admire both countries and I hope there will be a strong bridge connecting the two nations. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 15:34, 13 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I hope what they have in common in a few years includes a renewal of liberal democracy, not the current authoritarian illiberal democracies or worse. Ikan Kekek (talk) 16:43, 13 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Another update: After further research, I have again decided to stop considering a US visit in the future in favour of other English-speaking countries, as long as I have to disclose anonymous social profiles while applying for a US visa. I have researched other English-speaking countries like Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and I find that I can safely get in those countries without disclosing anonymous accounts. I just have to leave sensitive data outside my phone and laptop, and bring those devices into the country. The burden of travel has reduced dramatically, as I can still experience the same Niagara Falls and North American downtowns without ever stepping foot on the States. Australia, Canada and the UK are what I would like to call "US-lites", where I might still get the best of America. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 16:34, 13 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Left-wing American here: I think you made the correct decision. Frankly, my nation is in the middle of deciding if we want to slide into fascism and it is not safe for foreigners (particularly non-white ones) to enter in the immediate term. I am hopeful that we will do the right thing, once all other possibilities have been exhausted but it would be immoral for me to not actively discourage foreigners from coming here due to the vile xenophobia and racism that have become particularly en vogue lately. Please allow me to apologize on behalf of my people. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 19:00, 20 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but searches of phones upon entering the US are still extremely rare and generally only occur when someone is already being thoroughly searched by an officer for another reason; sadly, by an overwhelming margin, the most common such reason is being visibly Muslim or coming from a Muslim-majority country. To say the quiet part out loud, it's extremely unlikely if not impossible that not listing anonymous, unconnected social media accounts would lead to your visa application being rejected, and it's very unlikely that the accounts would be searched in any way even if they were listed. The US has experienced democrat backsliding in recent years, yes, but it's still a liberal democracy and much more so that Modi's India. Over 2 million Indian nationals visited the United States last year, and it's safe to say that that leaves a significant number that were similarly concerned about digital privacy and chose to visit anyway.

It's a lovely country, anyway, despite the politics, and nothing like any of the other English-speaking countries. I'd recommend Los Angeles.

(I would go down the "even if your phone did get searched" chain of logic, but it seems clear from your answers that you're either 1) inseperably attached to 'maintaining' your 'digital privacy' as a core ideal or 2) have massive amounts of horribly illegal content on both your phone and laptop, so it's a moot point. Any data worth having in any account on almost any platform has already been sold twelve different times to every ad agency and national government in the world.) (fugues) (talk) 23:02, 13 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

You come from a country that refused to pass its 1789 constitution until a Bill of Rights including a 4th-Amendment ban on search and seizure without a warrant and 5th-Amendment right against self-incrimination was added to it, so it's disturbing that you are making fun of someone who wants such rights to be respected when they enter another country for leisure. Your cynicism may be warranted, but your ridicule and aspersions are not. Ikan Kekek (talk) 13:18, 17 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Unfortunately, I believe the United States is not like India where you can get away with a sab chaltā hai attitude, as I think visa and entry requirements are enforced strictly at the border. If the border agents consider me suspicious for any reason (full disclosure, I don't have any criminal history till now), they will search personal devices and even deny entry, and many visitors are denied entry for trivial reasons. There's a reason why I dread the border security system of the States. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 05:01, 18 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Well, my existing fear of travel has evolved into anti-ICE sentiments, which is probably also common within the US, and I keep it separate from my continued admiration of the States. I may or may not visit the United States, but I wish good luck for anyone who ever gets a chance to explore the country. I was particularly drawn to its space heritage in the late 2010s, and I hope the rest of the world could explore it from their home countries. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 10:21, 18 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

@Pashley ~2026-55964-93 (talk) 18:49, 20 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I sometimes work in computer security & the old joke applies "I know I'm paranoid, but I worry about whether I'm paranoid enough." Some readers may dismiss the following comment as a paranoid delusion & it is conceivable they'd be right.

If you give officials the password for your phone, they get access to everything -- saved messages, deleted messages on some phones (mine hides them but keeps them for 30 days before finally removing them), your contacts list, ... If the traveller is a political activist that the government in question (in the case Ikan linked to above, the Trump regime) considers dangerous, then I'd assume whatever reason they give (in that case, child porn) is almost certainly a lie. What they actually want is the contacts list to give them more targets for surveillance. Pashley (talk) 19:06, 21 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I'm just wondering how much all in all would I need for 4/5 days? Thanks everyone. ~2026-56113-95 (talk) 23:05, 20 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

@~2026-56113-95: depends on where you're looking at – 4 days in the UK will be a lot different to 4 days in Romania, which will also be a lot different to 4 days in mainland China. It's hard to know unless we know where you're looking to travel for 4 days. //shb (t • c) 23:13, 20 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

It also depends on how much effort you want to spend searching for budget options, and how much you want to enjoy luxury – do you sleep in a hostel and eat street food when not self-catering, or choose the Grand Hotel and eat where you find the most Michelin stars? –LPfi (talk) 00:21, 21 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Also on your definition of "play". Many things are free or cheap, but beer nearly always has a cost & live music often. Going for the proverbial "fast women and slow horses" can be very expensive. Pashley (talk) 20:18, 21 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

We're planning a vacation in Marrakech and choosing between two Marriott properties. Amerruk is a new Autograph Collection hotel — only 22 rooms, on a farm estate at Douar Akrich (Km 20, Amizmiz road), roughly 40 minutes from the medina. It looks serene and beautiful, but it's brand new with very few reviews, and we'd rely on taxis for sightseeing. Le Méridien N'Fis is the in-city option in Hivernage — large pool, gardens, far more central — but recent reviews describe ongoing renovation work, an unheated pool, and uneven service. Has anyone stayed at either recently? Which makes for the nicer vacation? Grateful for any firsthand impressions. ~2026-56131-08 (talk) 06:47, 21 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Our article on Grand old hotels lists one in Marrakech, La Mamounia. Would that be another worth considering? Pashley (talk) 14:41, 22 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Moved from the Wikivoyage:Travellers' pub

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-of-the-world-2027 ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 03:02, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

As a Midwesterner who recently went to Wisconsin for the first time, I am happy to see it listed, but I cannot in good faith post this without actively dissuading anyone from visiting America until we get over our little flirtation with having Nazis run the place. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 03:04, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Similarly, the PCH and Ozarks, only the former of which I've visited. That said, you may be able to enjoy Puerto Rico without thugs trying to send you to an active war zone or just kill you in the streets. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 03:07, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Why would PR be safe from ICE? Ikan Kekek (talk) 05:00, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Yeah, the rise of MAGA in America is concerning for non-white travellers like me. Strangely enough, the rise of Hindutva in India is not so concerning for foreign travellers except maybe Muslims of South Asian descent. It's just that the foreigners should not discuss controversial topics with Indians. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 03:20, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

As an Indian, I'm happy to see Jaipur being listed, although it's just one of the nodes of the popular Golden Triangle. I hope cities like Kolkata and Hyderabad to feature in such lists, and both would be amazing for foreigners for different reasons. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 03:11, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Happy upcoming Diwali. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 03:14, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Koavf Can you stop with the whole Nazi thing every time you post here? Yes the U.S. is eff'd up right now and I'm sorry, but so are many countries and they have been for decades if not centuries. I'm sorry your country has disappointed you politically, but it bears little relevance to travel. Come visit the USA, average traveller, you will be fine. Brycehughes (talk) 09:09, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I somewhat agree with you, but the problem remains is that entering the US has the highest risk of privacy loss than literally any other country around the world, even though the country has long promoted individualism. Besides, H-1B workers have no human rights in the US, and they have to work like those indentured labourers in the British Empire (except the job is white-collar instead of blue-collar). These things have impacted my travel decisions more than Nazism. I want an ideal host country to respect my dignity and right to privacy. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 09:36, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Fine. I agree. Have you recently tried to enter Russia? Koavf posts here as if we all need to nod in agreement about their pet country. We get it man, but this ain't your forum. Post somewhere else. Brycehughes (talk) 09:47, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Apparently, it's easier for Indians to enter Russia than the US, as India has long-standing relations with the country and its predecessor Soviet Union since 1971. It's just that I don't like its authoritarian government. Otherwise, I would very much like to explore the world's largest nation, from the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg to the wilderness of Siberia. Sbb1413 (he) (talk • contribs) 09:54, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

tbh you have much less chance of being unlawfully detained if you travel with a non-Western passport (or a passport from somewhere Russia considers "unfriendly"). If I didn't renounce my former (non-Western) citizenship before obtaining my Aus one, Russia might very well be the only place I'd have used that (but I also have zero intention to visit an autocratic state waging an illegal war). //shb (t • c) 09:59, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Ok that's great and what a journey for you but my point is to say Koavf should stop posting their politics. Brycehughes (talk) 10:16, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

@Brycehughes: Yeah I defs agree (on that it gets repetitive and also certainly not unique to the US). //shb (t • c) 11:34, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Many foreigners have been tricked or forced into the Russian Army and killed in "meatwave" attacks in Ukraine. For all the abuses in the U.S., that doesn't occur there. Ikan Kekek (talk) 10:19, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Ikan I'm saying don't shit on the U.S.A. from a traveller perspective. I don't care about the politics and I'm particularly sick of hearing it from Koavf. Brycehughes (talk) 10:25, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

The U.S. is a very problematic country for foreigners to visit now, but in the post you replied to, I gave the clearest example of how much worse Russia is at this point, and your point that things are fucked up in many places is well put. Ikan Kekek (talk) 10:38, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Many countries are flawed. This is travel website. Koavf might think that the U.S.A. is a Nazi country, fine, but it's not one that I experience, nor is it one that I think we would argue that travellers experience on their encounter with the U.S.A. So I'm asking Koavf to take their strong opinions elsewhere. The pub ain't it. Maybe reddit? But stop posting here please. 10:57, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

You've made that point clearly. I think being run by a government that's hostile to foreigners and prone to lawless abuses is relevant to prospective visitors. However, I respect your point that we can tone things down and not state such opinions so often on these pages. That's probably all I should add at this point. Ikan Kekek (talk) 11:33, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Also we should probably move this discussion to the Wikivoyage:Travel forum sometime (I'll do so tomorrow if nobody objects). //shb (t • c) 11:37, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Done //shb (t • c) 11:17, 24 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

thk u very much Younis Ali hadar (talk) 04:33, 29 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I 100% agree with you, but I am tired of hearing the snide remarks about that the U.S. is somehow more hostile to the average traveller than we have ever been. We never, ever coached people over the Rio Grande. We always gave legitimate advice about how you might enter the U.S.A. and we still do. I deeply appreciate the political problems in the United States now, and I truly understand how this might bring us to anger-post articles that might sway us in particular ways... but: this is a travel website. This isn't a political website; we don't have a political point of view. If it was an occasional snide remark from Koavf in the pub I wouldn't think anything of it. But Koavf posts regular commentary with the implied argument that the U.S. is some failed Nazi state and I'm sick of it. Go visit a real failed state man. Brycehughes (talk) 11:56, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

From what I read in the news, it's my impression that the US actually is more hostile to the average foreign traveller than the US has been in the last ~20 years. There have always been occasional problems (e.g., non-white people and poor people getting more scrutiny on average than white or wealthy people), but it sounds like it's actually worse right now. WhatamIdoing (talk) 17:22, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Yeah I wish we had those non-discriminating egalitarian border guards that every other country employs. Brycehughes (talk) 21:34, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Your sarcasm is not appropriate. Before Trump, how many innocuous tourists from friendly countries like Canada and Germany were detained in harsh conditions for days and in some cases weeks before being deported? You can pretend that nothing's changed,

but you are not a foreigner at

the mercy of ICE and CBP. Ikan Kekek (talk) 22:57, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

For what it's worth, I was detained by ICE during the Biden administration in Los Angeles because they thought I had travelled to Syria. Like I said below, if the posts were warnings about overstaying your visa, etc., (ever tried this in India?), fine, post away. But comparisons to Nazi Germany, etc., are over the top and amount to mere virtue signalling in this pub. Brycehughes (talk) 23:06, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

How long were you detained by ICE? Btw, I'm not Koavf, so don't conflate me with him, but there are a lot of conditions short of post-1938 Nazism that deserve a caution, and comparing Steven Miller and other racist ideologues behind Trump Administration policies to Nazis is entirely reasonable and not "virtue-signaling". I wasn't going to pursue that line of discussion, but I didn't appreciate your sarcastic,

dismissive tone. Ikan Kekek (talk) 23:18, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Also, I'm sorry you were detained for any length of time. Ikan Kekek (talk) 23:21, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

One hour. The fact that I had not travelled to Syria helped my case. If anyone wants to post their political opinions on this open wiki, I of course can't stop them, I can only suggest they post them in a more appropriate forum. Brycehughes (talk) 23:25, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I appreciate the request and lest it seem like I'm just making a snarky aside, I mention this because we have actual death camps here based on xenophobia. It is not generally unsafe to travel here, a la Somalia or Yemen, but it is also not generally safe to travel here and I feel like it's not appropriate for me to implicitly encourage coming to the United States now. I do the same in my daily life, where I have one of my best friends who wants to travel here from Europe and I've actively told her to not come any time soon. As Sbb mentions, even if we decide to get over the part where we keep on throttling foreigners to death in our prisons, you definitely need to prepared to have any computers you carry surveilled. All that said, you've made your point and there's really no reason to constantly ping me when you're just repeating yourself. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 13:29, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I also recommend for people from other countries, especially people who are or could be mistaken for Muslims, to wait till 2029, depending on election results, to visit the United States. But we can avoid repeating this ad nauseam. There after all were huge numbers of foreigners who came to the U.S. for World Cup matches and had a wonderful time. Ikan Kekek (talk) 15:29, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Huge numbers of people enter the U.S. daily. They are not being sent to death camps. Brycehughes (talk) 21:23, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

The question is not if everyone entering the United States is sent there, but if anyone is. I would rather be hysterical about warning foreigners that they may face harassment, a Byzantine legal system, physical and sexual abuse and torture, and the prospect of being deported to a war zone than underplay these threats. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 21:32, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

This is a travel guide written for travellers. The ESTA is not a death camp ticket for anyone, even now. Brycehughes (talk) 21:41, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

List of deaths in ICE detention. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 21:49, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

There are many bad things in the world. Our target audience is travellers. Brycehughes (talk) 21:52, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Please stop telling me things that you know that I already know and you already told me. There are ongoing and recent travel advisories for the United States, so acting like there is no cause for concern is actively doing a disservice to travelers. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 21:54, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Those travel advisories do not remotely approach the level of bombast in your posts. If you were posting travel advisories for some reason, fine, do that. Brycehughes (talk) 22:01, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

The fact that American allies are posting them at all should be concerning and to someone motivated to appreciate the gravity of this situation, it's hardly bombast. To someone who isn't so motivated, I guess it's just one of those "bad things happen" kind of things. ―Justin (koavf)❤T☮C☺M☯ 22:45, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

That article seems to be out of date: Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and Denmark seem to have all lowered their travel advisories back to exercise normal precaution (only Germany appears to have kept the level 2 equivalent since the article was written). //shb (t • c) 23:18, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Years ago I argued that travel advisories were themselves political, but I'm not going to win that debate :) Brycehughes (talk) 23:31, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I mean...you kinda aren't wrong there. I check most of them about every month or two to update our warningboxes, and you kinda just have to more or less read through the lines, especially in the case of the US Department of State for just about any destination outside North America (the others such as Australia, Canada or NZ aren't immune to being political, but they tend to be a lot more nuanced, and the UK would be nice if it had an actual usable web interface). //shb (t • c) 23:43, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Right. You will never see the U.S. State Dept warn about the dangers of travelling to France due to terrorism (although who knows these days)... but you get one bombing in Africa and it's head for the hills. Canada, NZ, etc., tend to follow their geopolitical alliances, although the Canada/India spat was a pretty funny one. Brycehughes (talk) 23:51, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

• about tourism in Russia, I must mention I've been there on a 3-week vacation in August, took a flight to Moscow, spent a few days, went by train to Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk and Listvyanka, flew back to Moscow and spent a few more days there. Wonderful trip. Nice, clean, hospitable cities, wonderful food, wondeful natural and man-made attractions, and not a single complaint about anything but the hard language and having to use cash because Visa and Mastercard are blocked; also, all of it for a much lower final price than a similar trip to France or Italy or England. It's very recommended as of 2026, much more than going to London or Paris or Miami. Ibaman (talk) 14:03, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

I am very jealous! Brycehughes (talk) 21:25, 23 October 2026 (UTC)Reply

Of course Russia is very welcoming to tourists. Not only are they a nice source of money, but happy tourists returning home and telling stories are also a great way of spreading Russian propaganda. And if you do something illegal while in Russia, like spreading Western propaganda, they'll give you a fake trial and some draconic prison sentence, then make a deal with your home country to extradite you in return for some political favour. So don't mention the war. Unless of course your home country says: “Look, we issued this code red travel advisory, so you were warned, and we will not pay any favours, financial or political, to Russia to get you out.” Travel advisories have real consequences. PiusImpavidus (talk) 11:04, 31 October 2026 (UTC)Reply