Vacationing in foreign countries is awesome. You see different cultures, meet quite an array of people, and generally have fun. Hundreds of countries will be glad to have you, but others – not so much.
Be it due to politics, geography, or something entirely different, you’ll find these 7 countries incredibly hard to visit.
1. Saudi Arabia
Remember how back in the day Saudi Arabia would issue zero tourist visas to non-Muslims? Those were the Dark times… oh wait, it’s still the case? Well, yes and no. Saudi Arabia started letting tourists in only in 2018, and to get a visa you’re gonna be jumping through a lot of hoops. For example, women are not allowed to enter the country without their men, or a travel agency guide, and if your passport has a stamp that says you visited Israel, let’s just say you better count your blessings and run.
2. Eritrea
You won’t find this African country in the top 10 most visited tourist spots on the planet, that’s for sure. Getting into Eritrea could easily be the plot point of the next Mission Impossible movie, where Ethan would just keep getting declined for the visa over and over again for no apparent reason (apparently, they don’t need an actual reason to cut you loose). Unless you’re a reporter, what would you be doing in a police state anyway?
3. North Korea
If you’re an American citizen, you can just forget about visiting North Korea. Sure you can try to sneak past the border guards, but again… who do you think you are, Ethan Hawke? Stay home and watch a documentary about this screwed-up country.
4. Bhutan
Up until a few decades ago, there was little to no way of getting to Bhutan, due to the harsh geography and non-existent infrastructure. Now, however, there are 2 airlines servicing Bhutan! The worst part is that you’re gonna have to pay your tour guide up-front, $250 per day. But at least it’s an all-inclusive service, so you won’t starve to death or anything.
5. Kiribati
How do you get to Kiribati in the middle of the Pacific ocean? Let me give you a hint: it’s not by swimming. Best way to get to this majestic place is to go to Fiji first (or Australia), then book a flight to Kiribati… Why not just go straight there? I don’t know, I don’t make the rules here. But judging from these pictures it’s a real looker!
6. Tibet
Tibet is a tiny country so they filter out like 99% of the potential visitors. Also, you can’t visit Tibet alone, but it’s fine if you have a licensed tour guide provided by the travel agency. Aside from that, from February till April, Tibet bans all tourists from entering the country, so plan accordingly.
7. Iran
Due to obvious problems with the US citizens, it won’t be a cake walk to get to Iran for them. You’re gonna need to plan this trip months in advance, book a tour with a specific travel agency, then apply for the visa in the Pakistani embassy, and maybe, just maybe you’ll get to visit one of the most ancient and gorgeous-looking countries in the world.
