By Joan Torres Leave a comment Last updated on May 23, 2025
Russia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, Eritrea, Venezuela, and now even Israel.
All of them are countries with controversial regimes, under sanctions or at war. The list goes on.
From Guyana to the extreme north of Russia, Against the Compass has been traveling to remote locations since 2014.
Many of these remote locations, for one reason or another, happen to be in countries ruled by controversial regimes, usually not particularly good friends with the West.
As a result, we are often facing criticism, with some accusing us of supporting those governments simply by traveling there.
This article explains why there’s nothing inherently wrong with visiting such countries — and why, as long as you’re a conscious and respectful traveler, you should feel free to explore the world without self-censorship.
You shouldn’t be selective with your principles, double standards aren’t good
Fact: The countries typically not accepted to travel are shaped by geopolitics, rather than ethics.
Today, Russia is arguably the country that faces the greatest stigma as a travel destination.
After our recent trips to the North Caucasus republics and Siberia, I received more messages than ever — not about the places themselves, but about the supposed controversy of traveling to what many now see as the West’s number-one enemy.
Some people were polite, expressing disagreement while still respecting my decision. Others, however, were openly hostile.
What I find interesting is that some of the most vocal critics were the same travelers who have always been keen to travel to Syria, or who already traveled there after 2019.
Former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad murdered hundreds of thousands of people, while forcing millions to flee the country. His brutal repression originated into a conflict which has not ended yet, since there are still war zones where people live under constant threat.
So if we look purely at the numbers — at the scale of violence, repression, and humanitarian crisis — wouldn’t Syria be an even more ethically difficult destination than Russia?
Why is it OK to visit Turkmenistan, Eritrea and North Korea, the 3 most repressive countries in the world, but it’s not OK to travel to Russia?
We can’t turn a blind eye to what is happening to Ukraine but just because the Russian Government is the biggest strategic rival of the West, doesn’t mean that the lives of Syrians and Afghan women are less worth than Ukrainians’.
If we apply outrage selectively, we’re not standing on principle — we’re just echoing foreign policy and Western media headlines.
Moscow is beautiful, just as it used to be back in 2022
Travel is something personal
Afghanistan is the country in the world where women’s rights are most violated.
Traveling is very personal so, if a certain traveler doesn’t want to travel to Afghanistan because of that, we should respect it because that’s their decision.
At the same time, however, don’t let others shame you for wanting to travel to Afghanistan during Taliban rule.
Remember that you aren’t traveling there to violate women’s rights further, but to learn, observe, break stereotypes and become wiser.
At the same time, it’s important to stay sensitive to the struggles of the people living under such regimes, and to travel in ways that support them, not their oppressors.
Check: How to travel to Afghanistan
Afghan women in the city of Kandahar, one of the hardest places in the world to live as a woman
It’s not the local people’s fault. Travel to break stereotypes
It’s important to always separate people from Governments.
Leaders like Netanyahu are responsible for military actions in Gaza and yes, he has a large support among Israelis but at the same time, millions oppose his agenda and are horrified by all the violence.
Many Israelis I know feel extremely ashamed of the war in Gaza, just as I’ve met Russians in Moscow who are heartbroken about what’s happening in Ukraine.
Nobody likes war, or to live under sanctions.
Traveling to these countries allows you to get an unbiased perspective of the local’s opinion on the matter, something you’ll never see in the media.
It builds bridges and breaks down stereotypes, which might even work both ways, since it shows locals that not all foreigners are hostile, arrogant, or judgmental.
A nomad woman from the Siberian tundra. What does she have to do with the war in Ukraine-
You actually do more for the country than any armchair activist
An armchair activist refers to the person who likes to express strong opinions about political issues on social media but doesn’t take any action beyond that.
If you travel to countries with controversial regimes and like to post about it on Instagram, you are likely to be the target of an armchair activist, that’s what they do.
As I mentioned in the previous section, don’t let others shame you for your travels, you may actually be contributing more than they realize, as long as you are a responsible traveler, of course.
By backpacking in a country independently, having genuine local interactions, and spending money in local, small businesses, you are engaging more with local humans that most do from their couch.
Keep in mind that this isn’t a self-congratulatory statement.
We are travelers, not activists or humanitarian workers but still, I strongly believe that a responsible traveler leaves a more meaningful footprint than what most people on Instagram believe.
The guy on the left offered me to stay with him when I traveled independently to the Minaret of Jam
Those Governments benefit very little from your travels
Armchair activists tend to argue that no matter how responsibly you travel, part of your money will always end up in the hands of the Government.
Sure, that’s actually true.
During Bashar al-Assad’s regime, for example, the cost of the Syrian visa for Europeans was €70.
That money went directly to an evil Government but, are those €70 making any difference?
In reality, think about it as it was a trade-off.
You pay a €70 visa fee but then, you spend cash €1500 in family-owned hotels, local restaurants, and independent guides, while having genuine human interactions.
No trip is ethically perfect, but a responsible traveler will certainly bring more positive than harm.
Buying xaatar from a locally-owned shop in Aleppo. Buying in these places makes a big difference
Did you ask the local’s opinion?
This doesn’t really apply to places like Russia, but for war-torn countries like Yemen or Syria.
The first time I ever traveled to Yemen, someone told me:
Traveling to Yemen is like slapping on the faces of all the families who have lost someone in the war.
Have you ever asked Yemenis how they feel about foreign visitors?
In my opinion, making such strong statements on behalf of people you have never talked to comes close to colonialism.
There isn’t any tourism industry left in Yemen, locals barely benefit financially from your visit, but there are few countries left in the world where where people are so excited to see a foreigner.
In places like Yemen or Syria, your presence can feel like a sign that the outside world isn’t forgetting them, or even an inflection point that their country is getting better, but that’s something you won’t understand unless you see it with your own eyes.
Yemeni people in Mukallah, the city that has suffered the most in the region of Hadramut
More information
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