20 Most Stressful Tourist Cities in the World, Is Jakarta on the List?

For many people, traveling is a miracle cure for releasing fatigue. However, who would have thought that some cities dreamed of by millions of travelers could actually trigger more stress than the tiredness before departure.

A recent study cited from Daily Mail attempts to uncover the other side of the tourism world: the cities that cause the most stress for tourists. 

This study analyzed 51 of the world's most visited cities, considering various factors from unfriendly weather, crime rates, tourist density, to visitor reviews containing the word "stress".

The results are quite surprising. Although often considered challenging, Jakarta and Bali did not make the top 20 list of the world's most stressful cities. 

This is certainly relieving news, given that these two destinations are always crowded with international tourists.

However, different fates befell other major world cities, including Paris, France. Paris, long nicknamed the "City of Love", actually ranked first as the most stressful destination for tourists. 

The city enchants with its Eiffel Tower and rows of romantic cafes, but behind its charm lies an equally astonishing fact.

Each year, Paris attracts over 47.5 million tourists to an area of just 105 km². 

This means the French capital is 10 times more densely packed than New York when measured by tourists per square kilometer.

Although its weather and crime rates are moderate, the incredibly dense crowds make holiday experiences in Paris feel more like marathon queuing. 

No wonder this city is crowned the world's most stressful place for travelers.

In second place is Hanoi, Vietnam. The city offers remarkable history, culture, and cuisine, but also high humidity that often overwhelms visitors. According to the study, extreme humidity in Hanoi is a major contributor to tourist stress, making them feel hot, annoyed, and quickly tired.

"The city's extremely high humidity causes visitors physical discomfort," the report stated, making Hanoi the city with the highest weather-related stress levels.

Meanwhile, Shanghai, China, occupies third place. This futuristic city with skyscrapers and non-stop nightlife attracts about 300 million people annually, or 47,318 people per km². 

High density, coupled with considerable crime rates and stress-filled complaint reviews, reinforces Shanghai's reputation as a destination that challenges tourists mentally.

Nevertheless, each city retains its own charm. For some, Paris's crowds are part of European romance; Hanoi's humidity is the exotic spice of Southeast Asia; and Shanghai's bustle is the pulse of modernization.

Perhaps what truly determines whether a journey is stressful isn't the city, but how we enjoy it.

List of 20 Tourist Cities in the World That Cause the Most Stress to Tourists

City | Rank | Negative Reviews | Crowding | Crime | Weather |

1, Paris, France | 1 | 24 | 1 | 5 | 14 |

2, Hanoi, Vietnam | 2 | 4 | 38 | 24 | 1 |

3, , China | 3 | 19 | 15 | 33 | 20 |

4, Berlin, Germany | 4 | 30 | 30 | 25 | 30 |

5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | 5 | 11 | 45 | 23 | 9 |

6, Lumpur, Malaysia | 6 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 37 |

7. London, England | 7 | 22 | 33 | 7 | 24 |

8. Hong Kong, China | 8 | 17 | 17 | 49 | 10 |

9. Cairo, Egypt | 9 | 3 | 41 | 12 | 47 |

10. Rome, Italy | 10 | 40 | 21 | 21 | 18 |

11. Amsterdam, Netherlands | 11 | 36 | 8 | 42 | 3 |

12. Los Angeles, USA | 12 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 35 |

13. New York City, USA | 13 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 38 |

14. Auckland, New Zealand | 14 | 9 | 50 | 28 | 4 |

15. Cape Town, South Africa | 15 | 21 | 49 | 2 | 13 |

16. Singapore, Singapore | 16 | 41 | 23 | 39 | 2 |

17. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 17 | 48 | 42 | 1 | 7 |

18. Florence, Italy | 18 | 18 | 7 | 29 | 29 |

19. Phuket, Thailand | 19 | 35 | 26 | 31 | 11 |

20. Toronto, Canada | 20 | 5 | 32 | 26 | 5 |