Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler has revealed four locations to which he will not return any time soon.
In a blog titled “I’m Not Going There Anymore”, the 78-year-old adventurer puts the world’s biggest country at the top of his no-go list.
He writes: “I’m not going back to Russia for certain, as long as they’re buddying up with North Korea and the US to attack Ukraine. And as long as Putin continues to kill innocent people.
“There have been untold numbers of Ukrainian deaths of course, but also there were 27 Australians amongst the 298 innocent passengers and crew on Malaysia Airlines MH17 which Putin’s boys shot down in 2014.” Mr Wheeler is a dual Australian and British citizen.
Next on his list: Saudi Arabia, which is investing tens of billions of dollars in a bid to become a leading tourist destination.
The Lonely Planet co-founder writes: “So many reasons I never want to go there anymore, whether it’s murdering journalists (Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul) or check The New York Times for the report on Saudis murdering East African domestic workers.
“Or on my own travels to Somaliland in 2022 I encountered cheetahs saved from being shipped to Saudi Arabia to be kept as pets, and then killed when they grew too large. Who knew Somaliland had cheetahs? Who would be so stupid to think they might make good pets? Saudi Arabia? No thank you.”
Mr Wheeler visited Saudi Arabia in 2002 and Russia in 2013. He was last in the US in December 2024, after Donald Trump had been elected for a second term as president but before he took office.
The adventurous septuagenarian writes: “I was sort of ticking off states until I’d been to all 50. Last year I added Missouri and South Carolina to my checklist, the year before Montana, leaving only three states to go: Alabama, Kansas and Mississippi.
“But right now with the orange one (AKA Liz Trump, or even Donald Trump to some people) and his associated scoundrels running the place I really don’t want to go there anymore.
“Despite having spent nearly 10 years of my life living in the US (Midwest, East Coast, West Coast) and despite having many American friends, I’m currently happy to leave the USA at the bottom of my dance card. As long as Trumpistan is shoulder to shoulder with Russia and North Korea in causing chaos in the world, quite apart from crazy tariffs – sorry, but no thanks.”
The fourth destination on Mr Wheeler’s no-go list is Bali – though he concedes: “There are so many good things about that Indonesian island and I’ve just had a great travel writers reunion trip there.
“But until they sort out the ridiculous traffic I never want to go back. Unless there’s a very good reason to drag me there. “Bali has great places to stay, wonderful art and dance, terrific food, great shopping if that’s your thing, but no way I ever want to spend another two hours of my life travelling between the Kuta beach strip and Ubud.”
Tony and Maureen Wheeler, founders of Lonely Planet, sold the company to the BBC in 2007.
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