Top 10 AMAZING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATIONS

One can only imagine the look on the tourist’s face who had the notion that the korowai people of Papua New Guinea were friendly, only to end up as sumptuous meat for the locals. Misconceptions, either silly or biased stereotypes can go a long way to affect your experience in a new country. Expectations not being met and not having a satisfactory tourist experience are just a few of the negative outcomes associated with these misconceptions. This is why in this article are 10 amazing misconceptions about popular tourist destinations.

1. You’re likely to be accidentally served with dog meat –VIETNAM
   Owing to the Vietnam war, eating of pets was the last alternative for survival. And this is why Dog or Thit Cho is a popular delicacy amongst Vietanamese people. Aside from the fact their population of dog isn’t what it used to be, Dog meat is a special dish and definitely more expensive than your average meal. So it’s definitely not likely that they’re so generous to add something that special to your meal.
   
   
2. Wild animals roam freely - KENYA
   It’s important to state that Kenya is a country in Africa since many people believe Africa to be a country where everybody lives in huts. While there’s certainly no doubt that Kenya is well known for being rich in exotic animals, chances of seeing these animals in the vicinity are very slim. These animals are mostly found in the zoo or game reserves, and this is why people from all over the world come to watch them on Safaris.
   
3. Technological heaven- JAPAN
   So you might think I’m full of shit for including this as a misconception, but the truth is even with superfast and excellent rail system, robots, sophisticated infrastructures and super smart toilets, Japan is still yet to full adopt some conveniences that are being taken for granted in the US. For example, Japan is largely cash based, meaning you’re not being able to make transactions with your credit card as much as you want, the worst part is that ATM opens at specific hours of the day. Obsessed with hard copy of documents, the Japanese largely favor the use of fax machines, copy machines and hand written sealed documents over the use of emails and other electronic alternatives of storing information. Another thing is outside Tokyo and some major cities, Japan isn’t all that futuristic.
   
4. Weed smokers- NETHERLANDS
   It is a common misconception that the Dutch are pot heads, yet the use of weed in the US and UK is higher than that of Netherlands. According to beingdutch.com, in every category the rates of drug use are lower than that of USA. And In Netherlands 9.7% of young adults (aged 15-24) consume soft drugs once a month, comparable to the level in Italy (10.9%) and Germany (9.9%) and less than in the UK (15.8%) and Spain (16.4%), but much higher than in Sweden (3%), Finland or Greece.
   
5. You’re most likely to be killed by a dangerous animal- AUSTRALIA
   Yes, Australia is home to many venomous animals such as snakes, crocodile, sharks, jellyfish and spiders, yet it is very unlikely that you encounter any of them except you’re out bushwalking or swimming in dangerous waters. With an average of one shark attack per year, and five wildlife induced deaths per year, there’s certainly no reason to be afraid since other overlooked trivial incidents cause more deaths.
   
6. Provincial living devoid of modern luxuries- NEW ZEALAND
   New Zealand which is a separate country and no part of Australia has modernized urban areas which are no different from the western world. The beautiful scenery, natural environment and captivating mountains that made the country the perfect set location for the lord of the rings trilogy is not what you see in most of the areas of the country. Of the 4.5 million inhabitants, 72% live across the main urban areas which have fast food joints, modern recreational centers, internet, and most of the things we enjoy in the USA.
   
7. INDIA is always hot.
   The interesting thing is that India has six distinct ecological seasons. Which are; Spring season, summer season, Monsoon/Raining season, Early Autumn, Late Autumn and Winter season. Just as Indian gets hot summers, so also it gets cold winters which you can experience in areas like Kashmir and Cherapunji.
   
8. All ginger with freckles- IRELAND
   It’s a common stereotype to think that most Irish people are red heads with freckles, while in truth, the country that’s gradually becoming more multicultural only have 10% of the total population to be red heads which is less than their Scottish neighbors (13%) who have the highest number of red heads in the world.
   
9. CANADA is always cold
   Most of Canada experience snow and ice during the winter months, yet they have a warm summer, with a temperature greater than 30°C and of course a fall season and spring. Mountain tops and some areas way up north are the only places with constant winter.
   
10. Attractive and Model like Women – ITALY
    Before you go on that trip to Italy for the sole purpose of finding that beautiful brunette, you need to realize that beauty is evenly distributed across all nations. While there’s no doubt that Italy have attractive women, but their number is no more or less than other places in the world!