Whether chasing incredible natural wonders or some of the most beautiful countries in the world, one shouldn’t forget about security and privacy. VPNs (Virtual Private Network) help tourists protect their data by giving an extra layer of security to prevent their personal information from getting exposed to unauthorized persons online. These services have become very popular among vacationers who use them any time they are connected to public Wi-Fi at a hotel, a restaurant, or a café. There are some countries where VPNs are strongly recommended. If not connected to a VPN, visitors may find it hard to keep up with the rest of the world, as the internet gets restricted in some places. This means that, in some cases, Facebook and other social media platforms may be inaccessible without a proper VPN service. You will need a VPN service to visit these countries.
The VPN services in this list are recommended to travelers because they are the fastest and most reliable connections. They come with incredible features and offer pricing based on one’s needs. While some of them are expensive, they are definitely the best options and operate in a wide range of locations, making them suitable for visitors vacating abroad.
10 The United Kingdom
Photo by Giammarco Boscaro on Unsplash
The passing of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 makes VPN services extremely important to tourists visiting the country. The act gives certain investigatory powers authority to interfere with privacy. The country is also one of the places where the environment for speaking freely is not that friendly. Cases have been reported where penalties are enforced or arrests made for spreading opinions considered to be politically incorrect on social media. This is why travelers need VPN services when exploring this country, and it doesn’t matter if they like commenting about politics or not. It is just important to stay protected when connected to a public internet connection.
- Best VPN: NordVPN
9 China
Almost everyone is aware of the situation in China when it comes to online security. The government is always monitoring all the information shared online by foreigners or visitors touring the country. This is why one should have a VPN whenever they go to China. Guests cannot always be sure what the government considers dangerous to their country at any given time. So, it doesn’t matter whether one likes posting about their political opinions online or not. Because of this act of always monitoring people’s communications, business travelers are put at risk of having their information exposed and stolen by local companies who may use it for their own gain.
- Best VPN: ExpressVPN Global Programme
8 Russia
Russia is one of the largest countries in the world and spans thousands of miles. While its cold climate puts off many tourists from exploring the country, it is definitely one of the most developed locations and home to some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Wondering why vacationers need a reliable VPN to operate in Russia? Well, it is largely because of internet censorship, which controls what people can access, publish, or view online. This has also banned VPNs, which makes it very challenging to have access to or even use any of the services. But high-quality VPNs will work for travelers, and apart from bypassing internet censorship, they will help them enjoy freedom of speech, having access to content restricted by the government, and torrenting.
- Best VPN: VyprVPN
7 Iran
It's no surprise that Iran is one of the countries to travel to with high-quality VPN service. It is one of the most underrated countries that not many people choose to explore, but has a fascinating history, beautiful culture, warm and welcoming locals, and spectacular architecture. Iran's government restricts access to certain social media and Western apps like WhatsApp and Instagram, which the government considers as "dangerous" to their country. Using a reliable VPN will help vacationers have access to blocked sites while protecting their privacy.
- Best VPN: PureVPN Affiliate Program
6 Turkey
Famous for natural places like Goreme National Park and Cappadocia's most beautiful landscape, Turkey is one of the most stunning destinations in the world and receives millions of visitors every year. Vacationers planning a visit to this country should look for a good VPN because the government recently enforced online censorship. There has been an increase in the number of foreign journalists and visitors detained for making illegal comments online. Since one cannot be sure what the country considers unacceptable at the time they explore the country, using a quality VPN is the best way to avoid being penalized by the Turkish government.
- Best VPN: VyprVPN
5 Vietnam
Vietnam is famous for being one of the most beautiful Southeast Asia destinations and has become increasingly popular over the years. While travelers visiting the country will have access and freedom to use social media and any other online content, they may be in trouble for posting certain political comments. Moreover, Reporters Without Borders has ranked the country as the enemy of the Internet, and Internet censorship restrict access to certain website. A quality VPN service protects tourists' privacy and allows them to have a secure internet connection.
- Best VPN: ExpressVPN Global Programme
4 Cuba
Cuba is one of the most trending destinations in the world and offers a lot for vacationers to explore. Visiting this Caribbean destination is always fun, but since it is one of the countries with censored internet, using a reliable VPN is recommended. Regardless, millions of people still depend on the internet for information and other usage. While political bloggers or lovers in general are the ones most affected by online censorship, social media platforms, especially Facebook, are highly monitored.
- Best VPN: Nord VPN
3 Romania
Home to Cluj-Napoca, one of the most affordable cities in Europe, Romania is always a magical place to visit. When visiting the country, it is important to have a VPN service to protect one's details from getting exposed online. While it has one of the world's fastest internet speeds, the hacker culture is also very strong, which means one is not always safe when connecting to public Wi-Fi. Just visiting a fancy restaurant and connecting to the internet is not safe because someone may be sitting by and waiting to log in details to certain websites and social media platforms.
- Best VPN: Surfshark VPN
2 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is one of the top tourist destinations and home to some of the most expensive hotels in the world. Visitors need a VPN when touring this country because of the online censorship and the fact that certain services like WhatsApp and Skype are blocked. The government also blocks any website that they feel is “dangerous” and all the apps and social media platforms associated with the content. To access such websites, stay in constant communication with loved ones, and prevent the government from having access to one’s online activities, a high-quality VPN is recommended.
- Best VPN: ExpressVPN Global Programme
1 Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland
Switzerland is home to some of the most expensive cities in the world, including Zurich, Bern, Geneva, and Basel. It is home to incredible tourist destinations that draw millions of travelers to the country. Switzerland is always considered one of the top VPN locations, and the services are legal to use. VPN will help travelers prevent their information from being accessed by the government, ISPs, or hackers. They also allow one to have access to websites they wouldn't use while in Switzerland.
- Best VPN: Nord VPN