There’s the glitzy Mediterranean spot with ‘no culture’, the African nation where men will ‘just pee anywhere’ and the Asian nation with ‘a hostility that seems to linger just beneath the surface’.
Allow us to introduce globetrotter Lauren Heavner’s hall of shame – a list of the ‘least favourite’ places she’s been to that’s noteworthy because she has been to an astonishing 170 countries in total.
So she’s certainly not lacking in perspective.
Lauren, a professional vocalist from Arkansas, talks through the list on a TikTok (@laurenheav) video with over 3,000 likes and reveals further details here about experiences she had in the countries she’s named.
Scroll down for more, including her explanations for the controversial decision to include France and Canada on the list.
Monaco
In her TikTok video, Lauren explains that she’s been to city-state Monaco ‘at least 20 times’, but says ‘it’s not for her’.
She says: ‘It just doesn’t have much of a culture. It’s impossible to walk around the streets and see anything.’
Speaking separately to MailOnline, Lauren reveals: ‘The thing about Monaco, the bitter pill you can’t quite swallow, is that it’s unapologetically built for the ultra-rich. Every time I’m there, I’m confronted by my place in the food chain. Just someone passing through, acutely aware of what I don’t have.
‘It’s not even subtle, either. Monaco whispers it to you through every overpriced glass of wine, every gleaming yacht, every diamond-studded wristwatch you pass on the street.’
In the video, Lauren recounts her experience of entering a shop to look at a ‘pair of shoes’ that she thought she could afford and being told by the shop assistant that they were $500 (£394) and feeling like a ‘peasant’.
Despite its flaws, Lauren admits that Monaco is ‘beautiful at night’ in the video and tells MailOnline the ‘view alone’ could get her back there.
The traveller says: ‘To be fair, Monaco is something else entirely.
‘It’s a playground of indulgence and spectacle, where the city lights at night from the harbour hit you like a scene out of a dream or movie you’re not rich enough to star in. That view alone could bring me back. But if there’s one thing that might really pull me in again, it’s the Grand Prix.’
She also explains that Monaco isn’t a dangerous destination, saying: ‘Monaco isn’t the kind of place where you feel unsafe. It’s too polished, too tightly controlled. When there’s this much money floating around – billions tied up in yachts, diamonds, and offshore accounts- petty crime doesn’t stand a chance.’
And perhaps the best part of Monaco is the ease with which you can leave it.
Lauren tells MailOnline Travel: ‘Monaco, for all its gilded edges, has its charms. One of them is the train station. In 15 minutes flat, you’re in France. Head the other way, and you’re in Italy. It’s like a portal, a quick escape from all the polished perfection.
‘On the train, suddenly the French Riviera unfolds before you from your window. Towns like Villefranche-sur-Mer, Antibes, Cannes, and Nice – places that feel less like an exclusive club and more like somewhere you actually belong.’
Ghana
In the video, Lauren explains that she’s been to the capital of Ghana, Accra, a few times, but laments that there ‘wasn’t really much to do’.
What’s more, she tells MailOnline Travel that she felt ‘unease’ as she explored.
She comments: ‘I wandered the streets of Accra on my own for a while. But it didn’t take long before unease crept in.
‘The chaos, the unfamiliarity, it’s not the kind of place that coddles a lone outsider. I felt slightly on guard.
‘Maybe it was paranoia, maybe it was instinct – but either way, I retreated after only a short time of wandering solo.’
In the video, another negative about Accra, according to Lauren, is that ‘men will just pee anywhere’.
She adds to MailOnline: ‘What stayed with me most about Ghana was the stark reality of its struggles. The poverty was impossible to ignore. Children working, shops stocked with imported goods far out of reach for most.’
Despite her experiences, Lauren explains that ‘the lingering regret of not seeing enough’ could lure her back.
The traveller reveals: ‘There’s depth to Ghana. It’s a country that deserves more than a passing visit. It’s not just a country to see, but one to understand.
‘What I did get to see was a gift, a glimpse into a culture so vibrant. There’s so much more I want to see, so much more I need to learn.
‘It’s a country that calls you back, not just for the sights, but for the depth of understanding you can only gain by staying longer, listening harder, and letting it all change you and your perspective.’
Malaysia
In her TikTok video, Lauren slams Malaysia as ‘pretty corrupt’ and reveals that she visited the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, and the Batu caves, a series of limestone caves that are a popular tourist attraction.
She says there were ‘like a thousand steps at the cave’ and was disappointed when she reached the top to find ‘it wasn’t a cave’.
Speaking to MailOnline, Lauren adds: ‘I was there with a group of friends. It was one of those punishingly hot, humid days where even breathing felt like work.
‘We were all in shorts, naturally. But then came the rules: women had to be covered – no knees, no shoulders. Men? “Yeah, come as you are, it doesn’t matter.”
‘Typical. A small army of women at the entrance of the steps leading up to the “cave” were forcing us to buy $15 (£11.84) long skirts to cover our bodies. All nine of us bought one, begrudgingly draped ourselves and trudged up the steps.’
Lauren explains that the worst aspect of her time in Malaysia was ‘the lack of things to do in the capital’, which she says ‘felt like a city waiting to impress but never delivering’.
The traveller adds that the country had ‘an edge’ which she describes as ‘a hostility that seemed to linger just beneath the surface’, although she jokes it might just have been ‘the slightly aggressive monkeys’.
And she won’t be back.
Lauren says: ‘If I’m being brutally honest, Malaysia doesn’t call me back. It’s not that it wasn’t interesting or without its charms – it’s just that it didn’t leave a mark. Some places do that – they pass through you without sticking, without giving you much of a reason to return.
‘Maybe I didn’t see the right things or spend enough time digging beneath the surface. Or maybe it’s just one of those places where the connection wasn’t there – and that’s okay. Not every place is meant to.’
Canada
Lauren explains in her TikTok video, after pleading ‘please don’t come for me’, that going to Canada is ‘really not that exciting’ for an American.
Although it’s on her list of worst destinations, she tells MailOnline ‘there aren’t many negative aspects of Canada’, it’s just too ‘familiar’.
She explains: ‘It’s familiar to the point of feeling predictable. The same big-box stores, the same general vibe – just with better manners and a lot more Tim Hortons (a Canadian coffeehouse and restaurant chain).’
Despite her dislike of Canada, there is one region that Lauren likes.
She tells MailOnline: ‘It’s French Canada that holds my heart.
‘Quebec City is an absolute gem. A slice of Europe tucked into North America, with cobblestone streets, centuries-old architecture, and that unmistakable charm that feels both foreign and familiar.’
In the video, she also explains that she thinks French Canada has ‘better food’ than the rest of the country.
And one of those regional dishes is actually Lauren’s favourite memory of Canada. She reveals to MailOnline: ‘One thing I truly enjoyed in Canada? The poutine.’
Poutine is a traditional dish from Quebec made up of French fries with cheese curds and topped with gravy.
Lauren shares: ‘It’s the kind of dish that doesn’t just satisfy – it comforts, indulges, and reminds you that sometimes the simplest things are the most perfect.
‘Poutine isn’t just food – it’s an experience, a little taste of Canada’s soul served on a plate. And for that, I’ll give credit where it’s due.’
But even the poutine won’t tempt her back to Canada.
Lauren says: ‘Canada is great, but it’s not exactly exotic. Sure French Canada has its old-world charm, and British Columbia has that Pacific Northwest mystique, but beyond that? It feels too much like home.’
France
In her TikTok, Lauren prefaces revealing the fifth country in the list with another plea: ‘Please don’t come for me, I am so scared to say this.’
Then reveals that it’s France.
She slams Paris as ‘overrated’ and says the capital is ‘the worst part of France’.
The traveller recommends heading to ‘the French Riviera’ or anywhere ‘other than Paris’.
Speaking to MailOnline, she says she has ‘never felt unsafe in France’ but adds that ‘Paris can be slightly dodgy in certain areas’.
Lauren adds: ‘Let’s just say France isn’t exactly known for rolling out the red carpet for outsiders. There’s a certain coolness, a guardedness that can feel like a wall if you’re not prepared for it.’
It’s not a complete fail, though.
The intrepid traveller shares in her video that she spent at least a month across five winter seasons in ski resort Val d’Isere, which she describes as ‘impossibly charming’.
She adds: ‘It was the kind of place that feels like a postcard come to life – snow-dropped roofs, winding streets and a timelessness that sinks into your bones.’
And the food gets a double thumbs up.
Lauren tells MailOnline: ‘The food alone is worth the journey. It doesn’t matter if you’re dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant or grabbing a baguette from a corner bakery. In France, food is never an afterthought.’
