For travel creator Drew Binsky, visiting every country has meant encountering both memorable hospitality and deeply uncomfortable situations. Among the destinations he has discussed, one stands out for the wrong reasons: Conakry, the capital of Guinea.

Binsky, who has documented his travels to 197 countries, described a visit dominated by police encounters and political unrest. According to his account, he arrived during a coup and saw officers in protective equipment lining the streets.

He recalled being stopped twice within roughly ten minutes of walking around. During another encounter, he said an officer took him in a vehicle to a further checkpoint, where his difficulties continued. Those experiences shaped his view of the city and left him feeling uneasy about exploring it.

His disappointment also extended to everyday interactions. Binsky complained about unpleasant smells and said he was asked to leave a restaurant when he tried to eat there. A mosque visit was one of the few experiences he singled out positively.

Conakry was not the only capital that left him with difficult memories. He placed N’Djamena, in Chad, second among his least favourite cities, recounting problems with police and an alleged attack by a man carrying a knife. Despite those experiences, he said he would consider giving the city another chance.

His criticism of Delhi centred on different issues. Although Binsky expressed affection for India overall, he said the capital’s traffic and pollution made his stay frustrating and left him eager to move on.

At the other end of his personal rankings was the Philippines, which he praised for its variety and described as his favourite country.

Binsky’s accounts offer a traveller’s perspective on how strongly individual experiences can influence a destination’s reputation. His comments about Conakry reflect a particularly troubled visit; they should be understood as his personal assessment, rather than a definitive description of the city or its residents.