These are the countries the US has issued “do not travel” advisories for:
North Korea
Burkina Faso
Yemen
Iran
South Sudan
Syria
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Afghanistan
Lebanon
Central African Republic
Belarus
Iraq
Ukraine
Venezuela
Haiti
Libya
Somalia
Russia
Burma
Mali
Sudan
A pity.
And the weather in Burkina Faso is lovely… especially this time of year.
“Last month, government officials added North Korea and Burkina Faso to the list of countries Americans are advised against visiting.”
So month before last it was OK to visit them? :-)
They warn us not to travel to these countries while having let the people of these countries into our country.
So much for my summer vacation plans.
Sometimes you read about “Americans” being detained in one of the countries on the list. The news generally tries to imply it’s someone like Bob Jones and his wife Nancy. But if you delve down to paragraph eighteen, it’s Ali Ben Mohammed. And along about paragraph twenty you find he was visiting his parents and was arrested because he wrote something about the dictator in a social media post five years ago.
I’ve spoken to a man who escaped the Soviet Union and a man who immigrated from Iran, converted to Baptist and married. The Russian said no amount of money could get him to ever visit Russia again. He had nightmares that they’d arrest him, and he’d never come back. The Iranian said, “I loved my family, but the religion is crazy. They’d be required to murder me, my wife and my children. They are believers and I know they’d do it. God, how I miss them.”
Anyone who goes to one of those places is low on intelligence.
None of these were ever on my list. If they were considered Paradise I wouldn’t go. Aruba, Virgin Islands, Bermuda…yes
Huh. Let me see here, plenty of food, water, fuel, clothing, shelter, energy, etc., although expensive for now, all are available for most of us, along with relative security in the good ole USA. Why I would want to go to one of these hell holes doesn’t make any sense. We do have crime, but nothing like these Godless places.
Now I’m really mad. Wife and I bought a vacation to Burkina Faso just yesterday, and it’s non-refundable. Our next most favorite vacation spot is the DMZ part of North Korea, now that’s spoiled too. /s/
Seriously, nothing beats the USA and we will be staying here.
Wait for it. Wait for it. Eastern Canada. LOL!!!
On March 30, 2025 I sailed on beautiful cruise ship Voyager of the Seas to Haiti as main stop. It was discounted 33% compared to other destinations. So my girl friend and I booked it. We had another stop at a private island which was great. In Haiti, we were allowed to go ashore only with a group excursion sponsored by the ship. We skipped it and enjoyed the beautiful weather day shopping in the well guarded area near the dock and enjoy sunning on ship. I have already visited every Caribbean port several times. So I don’t even bother to go in town unless it is virgin islands or Martinique stop.
It’s the highest of the US State Department’s safety ranking system.
Plus the one not for public consumption:
Get your diplomatic A$$ and family the }{€££ OUT NOW !!!
At least there are some safe places for Americans to travel to, such as Vietnam. (Level 1), unlike more dangerous countries such as France, the UK, and Germany (Level 2).
Well, I can rest easy as none of these places are on my itinerary.
They should do the same for American cities.
I have spent days in State Department Level 4 areas.
They are sketchy, but good people can still, sadly, live there.
The Level 4 rating prohibits US government embassy and consulate staff from going there, but has zero effect on you.
I didn’t see the warnings about traveling to Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, etc...
We are just adding North Korea? It is insanity that it has not been there for years.
Putin has declared full support and protection for Burkina Faso... LOL.
My Sister-in-law’s husband, now deceased, fought his way across North Korea several times in 1950-1952. When relieved they got on the ship and he absolutely REFUSED to get off at any of the ports of call till the ship landed in the USA. They had quite a few stops from Korea to Asia-Europe and the USA. He stayed on board.
Hopefully, Tesla will have similar designations for US neighborhoods so your self-driving car knows to avoid level 4 south Chicago, etc.