A woman who has visited every country on earth has shared the ten countries she would not advise people to travel to.
Lexie Alford – who holds the Guinness World Record for being the youngest person to travel to every country in the world – has more than half a million subscribers to her YouTube channel Lexie Limitless.
Travelling can be a wonderful and fulfilling experience, but there are a lot of things to consider when doing it.
But for some destinations you should be less worried about which swimsuit to take and more worried about your personal safety.
When travelling in risky places there are a lot of factors you need to take into account.
They range from petty crime all the way up to active war zones in the most extreme examples.
Kidnapping remains a big risk in many places, as well as getting on the wrong side of the local authorities.
Somalia was one of the dangerous places. (AMAURY FALT-BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Basically, these places are probably best avoided for safety reasons, and that’s before you delve into the ethics behind going on a tour sponsored by the government of an oppressive regime.
So what are the ten countries Lexie does not recommend visiting?
North Korea
The first is North Korea. While the country is known for being highly secretive and closed off it is still possible to go on a government-arranged tour.
But these are very risky. Visitors who misbehave can face dire consequences, including one US tourist who died after being detained by authorities for trying to steal a poster.
Bangladesh
Secondly we have Bangladesh. The South-Asian country faces many challenges including terrorist threats and natural disasters.
In the day to day, Lexie recalled that there was a high level of petty crime and very little tourism, meaning tourists are likely to stick out.
Libya
Libya comes next. The country remains split in two following the deposition and killing of dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The medieval citadel in Aleppo, one of many historic sites damaged in Syria’s ongoing war. (Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Large swathes of Libya are plagued by organised crime and militias making the country very dangerous.
South Sudan
South Sudan is next, with a high risk of foreigners being targeted for kidnapping and violence.
Kabul in Afghanistan. (AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The Central African Republic
The Central African Republic came next, where Lexie said her plane had to descend to land in a corkscrew pattern to avoid missile strikes. Enough said really.
Somalia
Somalia is next, with a lot of instability and kidnapping risks for tourists. Armed guards are a requirement for anyone visiting.
Syria
Syria has been mired in ten years of war since the Syrian Uprising in 2011.
Many of the country’s incredible historical sites and heritage have been victims of the bloody conflict which has seen dictator Bashar Al-Assad cling to power.
Mali
Next is Mali, which Lexie said was among the worst places to be kidnapped as rescue is practically impossible.
Yemen
In second place is Yemen, another country plagued by war as Saudi Arabia targets Houthi Rebels who themselves are fighting the Yemeni government. Yemen is plagued by humanitarian crisis including famine and disease, and very few countries have embassies there.
Afghanistan
Finally in first place is Afghanistan. Since coalition forces withdrew in 2021, the Taliban swept back into power.
Despite no longer being plagued by war, Lexie said the strict government enforced by the Taliban renders the country extremely dangerous to visit, particularly for Western tourists.