November 6, 2026, 1:01 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Believe it or not: I am currently 43 years old, have been using the internet for 20 years, and have never read, let alone written, online reviews. You know, those comments that many people read before heading to a place or attraction. Or not, because the opinions written online by complete strangers somehow dissuade them. I’ve been to about 70 countries, and I just can’t understand why this concept is so successful. Why on earth does it seem so interesting to many to build an adventure around the absolutely subjective comments of strangers? I would not only never do that, but I also consider it a danger to travel as we (still) know it.

As early as 2016, I observed the first worrying signs on a months-long trip to South America. During my stay, I encountered the same faces at certain places over weeks, always the same type of traveler. Fresh out of high school or military service, now looking for lots of fun. Apparently, it shouldn’t be too adventurous, which is why these young people read online reviews everywhere and almost constantly in advance. It even happened that someone skipped a trip because the destination didn’t receive the highest number of stars or other completely nonsensical rating criteria for me.

Fear of Traveling

Instead, the masses were always found in places that the internet had hyped up–which for me as an individualist/oddball eliminated any appeal to want to go there. For me, travel is about a sense of discovery, something I have dubbed the Columbus effect. Seeing places that the ordinary tourist doesn’t reach, which only reveal themselves to the true traveler. But you certainly won’t find such places if you trust online reviews. It almost seems to me today as if many travelers are actually afraid of the act of traveling, of letting themselves fall into the great unknown.

Only when as many online reviews as possible unanimously write the same thing and one knows almost everything about a place before even being there do some people seem to feel comfortable. Heaven forbid taking a risk by spontaneously sitting in the café on the corner–it might not be among the top ten rated locally. It indeed seems that for some people, there is hardly anything worse. All aspects and supposed risks must be examined from all sides before giving a place a thumbs up–preferably publicly on the internet. Or, in the worst case, abusing their power to “avenge” a personally perceived disappointment.

Also interesting: Why I almost never plan my trips

The Power of Online Trolls

Even though I never use online reviews myself, I repeatedly experience how much destructive potential they have. Some fools publicly threaten with bad reviews just because something doesn’t fit their worldview. They are kept waiting too long for their food. The coffee was too hot/cold/strong/weak. The digital threat finger is looser than ever for many today. Tragically, this often leads to providers publicly caving in submissively. Writing a nice response to every ridiculous comment to avoid provoking a shitstorm. The customer is king, yes. But on the internet, many users develop more into despots.

It also seems that online reviews are sometimes no longer about what a place truly stands for, but how social media-friendly it is. In other words, how much one can brag about what they’ve seen afterward. A place can serve absolutely terrible food or be a scam in every conceivable way–yet the masses line up because it’s so photogenic. And isn’t there also the danger of arriving with a preconceived opinion/expectation when you put so much stock in others’ online reviews? Be that as it may, even I, despite being a total refuser, cannot escape the power of web comments.

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More on the topic

TRAVELBOOK Author Reports Why I Almost Never Plan My Trips

Experience Report 9 Things I Wish I Knew Before My First Trip to Central America

The Thrill of Discovery

This is because my girlfriend, who is six years younger, seems to trust them blindly at times. She is more the norm, and I have to go along. The irony is hard to beat that users with their posts create the tourist traps that everyone supposedly despises. A mutual friend is even more credulous about online reviews. She has already stood in line for hours in Naples for a pizza because it was supposedly the best in the world. She regularly leads us to usually culinarily subpar establishments that the internet celebrates for reasons I cannot comprehend.

This text is not (only) a rant from an old guy who still struggles with the digital world. Rather, it’s a plea for more courage to embrace individuality. Dare to discover a place simply because you want to. Skip reading online reviews and just go. There is hardly a greater thrill than making a discovery yourself. Those who let others discover and subjectively evaluate things for them will only become part of a large, gray, boring collective.

Also interesting: Why I only go on long hikes alone

Screen Off, Eyes Open

Take the risk, if you must read them, to visit a place despite online reviews. There is an absolutely insane analog tool for this, called a “personal conversation.” I can hardly count how often I had a unique experience based on the recommendation of someone I met while traveling, which was never mentioned in any internet comment forum. In a conversation, you usually get a sense relatively quickly if a person seems reliable. Whether you want to trust their suggestions.

For me personally, I experienced the most unforgettable adventures, especially after such situations. Maybe you are even braver and simply listen to your intuition, your gut feeling. It is usually a safer indicator than the head and heart, which can be easily corrupted. Online reviews seem to have this unfortunate effect on many travelers, almost muting the inner voice. Therefore, I can only advise you from the best experience and 30 years as a world traveler: Turn off the internet more often and open your eyes. Make your own picture that doesn’t come from a screen.