13 Of The Scariest Cities People Have Stepped Foot In

Most adventurers would tell you that traveling to and exploring places you’re unfamiliar with can be very exciting. Though it can be scary, too, especially when you’re not ready for what awaits you there.

Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community have recently shared their stories about being frightened to death in different parts of the world. They did this after one user asked them about the scariest cities they’ve ever been to, and while some answers proved to be more common than others, people have seemingly experienced spine-chilling things in places all over the world. Scroll down to find their stories below, but be aware that some of them might be rather disturbing.

Below, you will also find Pictolic’s interview with Dr. Frédéric Dimanche, Director of Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, who was kind enough to share his insights regarding how to keep yourself safe while traveling in different cities.

13 PHOTOS

#1

I have traveled to lots of places in this world. The most scared I have ever been was lost in downtown Baltimore at night on a weekend. I had made a series of mistakes trying to go around the city and had accidentally taken a spur that put me right into the downtown. I have no clue what area of town I drove through, but the only human beings that I saw out and about at 3:00 in the morning looked like zombies. It's really hard to describe, but the way that they moved, the way that they looked at me as I drove by, it was very scary.

Out of desperation (this was way before cell phones did anything more than phone calls and basic texts, I was still using a paper atlas) I stopped at a 7-Eleven. I was waiting in line to ask for directions, and a guy went out of his way to ask me what I was doing there. That's how much I stood out. I told him that I was trying to get directions to get back onto the highway, and he told me that he was an undercover cop, things were about to go down right there, and I needed to leave. I told him that's what I was trying to do. He thought about it for a second, told me to get in my car follow him and try to keep up. He would get me to an on-ramp and then go back to the store.

He drove like a bat out of hell, and did get me to the freeway and then busted a u-turn and flew away.

I have no clue how bad my night would have continued to be if he hadn't been there and guided me out of there.

#2

Johannesburg. When you stop at a red light you have to be ready to punch the gas as there are broad daylight carjackings at intersections.

#3

Bagdad or Baltimore at night. Shot at in both places at least in Bagdad I was also armed.

Unfortunately, nobody is immune to danger or bad luck, be it in a foreign country or their own home. But in both cases, the likelihood of something unfavorable happening can be minimized to some extent, at least.

When it comes to avoiding bad things happening abroad—whether in a moderately or very scary city—the first step should be doing your research.

“It is essential to do your research before traveling to your destinations,” said Dr. Frédéric Dimanche, Director of Ted Rogers School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto Metropolitan University. According to him, before the trip, you should learn, at minimum, the cultural norms and customs. “On-site, you need to learn about the local regulations that govern a site, be it a beach or a cultural attraction,” he added.

#4

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. At the height of the Iraq war, it was still listed as more dangerous. The gangs ran the city, driving around in technicals with mounted machine guns. Hotels had 6-foot thick concrete walled fences with razor wire and armed guards. For an added cost they offered “r**e cages”, a cage that would drop down over your bed when a sensor was triggered to protect you from being r**ed if people broke in.

#5

Juarez, Mexico...I'm an Irish/Mexican. Redhead. Went with cousins to see my Aunt and Uncle. My family members were in a cartel. There was a cartel war going on. Had armed men all around at all times. For all the money, cars, and opulence at their home, it was like being in prison. The tension in the air was thick. I was treated like a king, but that whole week, I was terrified inside. Different world. Was told, no matter what happens, do not call the police. They worked for the other guys. I was told that if s**t kicked off, and anyone made it through the gates, to grab a gun and shoot myself. That would be the best possible outcome. I haven't been back.

The expert continued to point out that risk management is essential before and during a trip to avoid disappointment and crises. “Ask for advice from travel counselors,” he suggested. “We now think that with the Internet we can do everything on our own: It's true, but we still lack the expertise of a travel specialist who knows the destination. A counselor may be a travel agent before you leave, but also a representative of the local tourist office or a concierge in your hotel. Ask for advice!”

#6

Juarez around 2007. They told me that the cartel had some heads hanging from a bridge for everyone to see and they didn't get taken down until several hours later.

#7

I once accidentally crossed the wrong border from Thailand, traveling to Laos. I ended up in a place called the Special Economic Zone of The Golden Triangle. No data, couldn't speak the language, nothing. I ended up in some weird hotel that looked like a jail cell. I managed to book a 36-hour bus journey out of there for the next day. That evening, I went for a walk around. I was offered child [escorts] and when I realized how extremely dangerous this place was. I went back to my room and went to sleep. The next morning, police raided my room with guns pointed at my head. I later learned the only real reason any Westerner would ever travel there is because they haul mass amounts of [illegal substances] out of there, so I was a suspected d**g dealer. Also, I accidentally pissed some guy off who I assume was a gangster. So I don't know if that had some part to play. Terrifying. Now, I sometimes get questioned at airports because of my travel history.

#8

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Every property is surrounded by solid fences topped with razor wire, and if you can afford it, patrolled by armed guards and guard dogs. As a visitor, you should never use a local taxi, or walk outside your hotel compound at night.

#9

Tijuana.

I saw a dead body on my way to the bus terminal, just lying on the sidewalk. People were standing around him, smoking, drinking, and just having a good old time while the dude was just dead, like dead af, stiff, purple, and blue.

Wildest s**t I've ever seen. No one gave a single s**t.

#10

Port Moresby, New Guinea.

Ex-pats live in compounds with massive walls topped with broken bottles.

Even my mother, who was a missionary who had lived in a variety of countries throughout SE Asia and the Pacific, couldn't live there for more than 3 weeks.

I had warned her not to go, having been there twice myself.

#11

Overtown and Liberty City neighborhoods of Miami.

I lived not too far from there 20some years ago. Drove a coworker home one night because she missed the last bus. She called some guy on her phone to tell him to let people know not to mess with the blue Focus about to come down the street.

I felt like I had a hall pass from danger.

#12

Rizhao, China. Not scary so much like the others - China is insanely safe - but extremely creepy. I felt like I was on a movie set. 

First off, it's a city of 500,000 but it's built for a population of 10 million. But it's not like those ghost cities out west where there never was anyone. It seemed like it was a big city, but everyone just left suddenly. The beaches were well-maintained and empty. The buses ran frequently and were empty. The streets were lined with all the usual Chinese stuff and were empty. 

We went into a breakfast restaurant, and the food was great but we were the only customers and the staff seemed surprised to see us. We asked for directions to the famous fish market. No one there could tell us where it was. It turned out to be about 750 meters away. It was massive and filled with vendors selling huge quantities of incredibly fresh fish. It was mostly empty. 

Also, almost everything was open until the wee hours of the morning, if not 24 hours. This is unusual even in the biggest Chinese cities, let alone this abandoned town.

It was just an unsettling experience all around. 

“Pay attention to what you eat. If your stomach is not used to a different cuisine or street food, it may be best to be very careful to avoid stomach infections. Also, there are countries where you should be careful not to drink tap water,” Dr. Dimanche continued, discussing the kinds of risks one might face while traveling.

“Tourists are often easy targets for pickpockets and other criminals. Protect your belongings and watch your behavior not to attract too much attention,” he said, adding that accidents are also common, so it’s important to be aware when renting a motorbike, moped, or car.

#13

Was in St. Louis with my cousin and we crossed that bridge.

East St. Louis has gotta be the most dangerous feeling place I've ever been. Streetlights busted out at night, everything run down/abandoned, bullet holes in the stop signs, etc. We pulled up GPS and got the f**k out of there real quick lol.