4 of the Most Difficult Places to Travel to, and Why You Should Go There Anyway
If you have a US passport, you are allowed to travel to hundreds of countries around the world without the need to obtain a visa. This is not necessarily the case for all countries. The worst part is that there are countries that are a great place to visit, but obtaining a visa to go there isn’t easy. Despite the process that you have to go through, you must still push through anyway so you will discover the beauty within those countries.
Saudi Arabia
It is quite a challenge entering this country especially for non-Muslims. Although they don’t have a policy rejecting visa applications of non-Muslims, the process is quite stricter. The explanation behind it is that the country is so rich and they don’t need a few dollars from tourists to sustain the economy. They are rich in oil, and they also have millions of tourists traveling to Mecca each year. To facilitate your visa application, you need connections with established local travel agencies. Saudi Arabia is a haven for those who love seeing amazing structures. It is also a place where people are organized and well-disciplined.
Kiribati
To begin with, they don’t have a lot of embassies and consulates where you can apply for a visa. This small island in the Pacific doesn’t have that much ties with countries around the world. This has gradually changed though as they now allow US citizens to stay for less than a month without visa. Kiribati is one of the countries most endangered by global warming. In fact, some of its islands have already been covered by water. You need to visit this place now before it’s too late.
Russia
Russia and the US have a very complicated relationship. This means that is also difficult US citizens to get a Russian tourist visa. This includes other countries in which Russia has a complicated relationship with, most especially strong US allies. In applying for a visa, you may be asked to fill out information that at some point is intrusive. There are over 40 questions that have to be completed. Everything is worth it though if you see the hidden gems of the country. From the unique architecture to the vibrant city life, Russia definitely has a lot to offer. The Siberian train trip is also one of the most exciting trips you can ever have.
Turkmenistan
You may only get a visa entering Turkmenistan if you sign up with an accredited travel agency. You will also be asked to pay for the trip upfront. Otherwise, your application will be rejected. This country is also seemingly has closed relationship with the rest of the world. You still have to visit the country though considering its impressive buildings. Also, you can claim that you have visited a country most people have not even heard of. You might also not want to miss the “Door to Hell” which has never stopped burning for the past several years.
Photo Attribution:
Featured and 1st image by BroadArrow at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by Francisco Jesús Ayus… [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
