A passionate solo traveler from New York City has candidly shared her reluctance to revisit three particular countries due to the dire living conditions faced by their residents. Chloe Jade, known for her immersive travel blog on Instagram under the handle @chloejadetravels, has embarked on an ambitious quest to explore every corner of the globe. So far, she has ventured into 164 countries, documenting her journey every step of the way.
Her travels have taken her to breathtaking destinations such as the Peruvian Amazon, the icy expanses of Antarctica, and the picturesque islands of Micronesia. Chloe feels incredibly fortunate to witness the world’s stunning diversity and natural wonders. However, she also emphasizes the importance of understanding the reality of life in places where hardship and adversity are part of daily existence, particularly in regions deemed unsafe for their inhabitants.
Chloe’s travels included a visit to Afghanistan, a nation she describes as ‘beautiful’ despite the challenging circumstances its people face. She observed firsthand the struggles endured by locals since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Her experience left her feeling conflicted about the privileges afforded to foreign visitors that are not extended to the Afghan people.
In her reflections, Chloe expressed a poignant sentiment: “It feels almost disrespectful to enjoy freedoms as a foreigner that are denied to local residents. For this reason, I don’t believe Afghanistan is suitable for the average traveler.” Her observations underscore the complexities of tourism in regions marked by political and social unrest, and the ethical considerations that come with such journeys.
And, in a recent video shared to her page, Chloe explained why, as a tourist, she has no plan to revisit Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan.
Despite having had a generally pleasant experience in Afghanistan, a country she calls ‘beautiful’, the traveller believes locals are suffering under the grip of the Taliban, which returned to power in 2021.
She added: ‘It’s almost disrespectful to me, to take the freedoms they give to foreigners that aren’t given to locals. I don’t think this is a destination for the every day traveller.’
Moving on to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chloe explained how she ‘really enjoyed’ travelling through the Central African nation but would not revisit due to the dangers posed to both locals and tourists.
Chloe Jade, from New York, has so far visited 167 countries, including Afghanistan (pictured), a nation she does not plan on returning to due to the lack of freedoms experienced by locals (stock)
Chloe explained how she ‘really enjoyed’ travelling through the the Democratic Republic of the Congo (pictured) but would not revisit due to the dangers posed to both locals and tourists
The country is currently going through a severe humanitarian crisis that has seen millions displaced and an increased risk of disease outbreaks due to escalating conflict in the eastern provinces, with key cities and territories seized by the M23 rebel group.
Chloe’s third and final ‘no-go’ destination is Sudan, an ‘incredible’ country that is dealing with the ‘serious misfortune’ of a civil war that she claims is ‘backed by foreign powers’.
She continued: ‘What happens to women every day is horrific and the only area even allowed for tourists to attempt to visit is port Sudan and it’s usually on a humanitarian visa.’
The traveller insisted that while all of the aforementioned countries are ‘amazing,’ she has decided to avoid visiting them ‘out of respect for the people there in general’ and encouraged her fellow tourists to steer clear.
In the comments, some viewers agreed with Chloe’s stance, others pointed out the traveller’s privilege, while others maintained that the presence of foreign visitors actually enhances the lives of locals who they claimed would be suffering otherwise.
One person wrote: ‘As an Afghan who has also been many times, I understand your perspective but disagree. The state of Afghanistan is worse when foreigners don’t visit than if they do, as their views then support even more carnage on an already battered country.’
Another said: ‘You travelled to Afghanistan when Afghan women themselves cannot freely travel and explore their own country. Please don’t pretend you didn’t know the Taliban were using you as their PR machine.’
A second added: ‘I’m surprised you went to these in the first place. But I think this is common sense.’
Chloe’s third and final ‘no-go’ destination is Sudan (pictured), an ‘incredible’ country that is not only experiencing a civil war, but is a destination that cannot be freely explored by tourists
However, one person advised the content creator: ‘Consider reframing. The US devastated Afghanistan post-9/11, there are genocides taking place in Congo and Sudan, waged by foreign powers.
It comes as another female solo traveller revealed Japan is the only destination that has ever made her feel completely comfortable walking alone at night.
Taking to Reddit, the tourist described the country’s atmosphere as ‘freeing,’ and praised it for offering a level of safety that allowed her to do ‘whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted’.
She explained she had returned from a week-long trip to Tokyo, which she described as ‘one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.’
