Is Belarus safe for travel?

True Phillip :)

True Phil :)

hopefully in the future.

My dad used to say I'll take the youngest kid to Disney world when she can say "I want to go to Disney World".

I'll take the wife and boy when he says "I want to go to Belarus"

I like what your Dad said about Disney,Only recently i was talking to a friend about taking my kids to Disney, now 2 and 4, i said i will wait until they are maybe 7 and 9.........

I'm NZ citizen and spent almost a month in Minsk over 08-09 Christmas with my wife and her family. It's true people are direct and quite serious until you break the ice. It's a great place and I would return to live if I could find a decent job without knowing good Russian. Hey the women in Minsk are beautiful and well presented despite their meager incomes. Really safe even late at night in Gorky park or on the metro.
You have to check out the library at night.

i really want to visit belarus, but the press report about the country & it leaders is trying hard to discourage me from going, it more like comng to a place where you'll find hard to leave when you want to, and it is not good for the east european, state. i would love to come and work as a journalist promoting tourism business among the european & Africa nations.And the report of a one whom says they were travelling between minsk and warsaw, and was held for 8 hours because the train staff did not tell them that they need to hold poland pass to enter minsk, though is a lesson to learn, Again how true is the report that one can't travel through the train to visit loved ones in prague of berlin from minsk, Belarus,all these are happening while some many people especially african & sub saharan african are willing to pay through their nose just to get a visa to belarus.

it s good my wife is from there and it s very safe

keep your nose clean don t get involved in the politics and bobd your uncle i ve been there 3 times in the last 12 months.

Phil wrote:

I'm NZ citizen and spent almost a month in Minsk over 08-09 Christmas with my wife and her family. It's true people are direct and quite serious until you break the ice. It's a great place and I would return to live if I could find a decent job without knowing good Russian. Hey the women in Minsk are beautiful and well presented despite their meager incomes. Really safe even late at night in Gorky park or on the metro.
You have to check out the library at night.

yes it s beatiful i was there also christmas 08-09
my wife is from belarus and it s safe very safe.

frederick wrote:

i really want to visit belarus, but the press report about the country & it leaders is trying hard to discourage me from going, it more like comng to a place where you'll find hard to leave when you want to, and it is not good for the east european, state. i would love to come and work as a journalist promoting tourism business among the european & Africa nations.And the report of a one whom says they were travelling between minsk and warsaw, and was held for 8 hours because the train staff did not tell them that they need to hold poland pass to enter minsk, though is a lesson to learn, Again how true is the report that one can't travel through the train to visit loved ones in prague of berlin from minsk, Belarus,all these are happening while some many people especially african & sub saharan african are willing to pay through their nose just to get a visa to belarus.

lots of propoganda russians are nice people we just see them villianized on tv too much
they treat me very well.

Like everywhere people are mostly decent, true its not a good idea to talk about policits, The leader of the free world upto recently was George Bush and if you do talk about politics here its all about how "our president here compares"
to the leader of the free world.
And compared to Bush maybe he's a saint :)
At less then 2 dollar's a half litre for vodka its also true a spare liver would be useful.
Belarus is great for a visit, there are no dangers in coming here for a holiday, in a bar or restaurant in any city here you could be anywhere in the world.
The real Belarus is away from the main cities, Cities are Cities, i know i have travelved lots.
You wont be in a strange new world in Minsk or other main cities here, you can get a big Mc, no problem

Can someone leaving officially in minsk, take a trip to visit their loved ones in neighbouring european states like warsaw, and others?

Yeah they need a visa for poland etc but not for Russia. Just the same as any other country. Iron curtain existed up until 1991

frederick wrote:

Can someone leaving officially in minsk, take a trip to visit their loved ones in neighbouring european states like warsaw, and others?

bartman wrote:

Belarus hasn't really ever gotten good press. I've been there 5 times in the last 2 years, for a total of 4 months, and you'lle be fine. Just don't go handing out wallet sized copies of the US constitution around town. It's an interesting place, go for it. And the women...oh my. Hint--if you're looking for women, forget Minsk. Go to Gomel. You won't be sorry. It's like a fricking Miss America pageant on the street every day.

Gomel has been heavily contaminated with radioactive debris following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, residents were never evacuated from Gomel.

Gomel has been heavily contaminated with radioactive debris following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, residents were never evacuated from Gomel.

Yes, I understand the contamination issue--just don't drink the tap water. And if you have thyroid problems, maybe give it a second thought. Buy your vegetables and meat from the larger shops, not the street vendors.But Gomel has the most beautiful place in the entire country, the central park with palace, with the theate right outside the gates in "Lenin Square". If you read up on the degree of ongoing contamination from a reputable source, you will be put at ease. All of my inlaws still live there, have all their lives, my father in law is 72 and very healthy, mom in law 64 and healthy, sister and brother in law in their 30's, also fine. Aunt, uncle and cousins (one was only 2 days old) were evacuated from a village 3 kilometers from Chernobyl to Gomel when it melted down--they all also remain healthy. I know there were many thousands of people who suffered terrible, devastating effects from the radiation--but be smart, not paranoid. The Eastern European countries are a completely different experience from the western. Think about it--if it's a little more difficult to enter, then the place has had less outside influence. The culture is more intact. It's a whole different, interesting, exhilirating experience. And STOP worrying about the cops. Just don't do anything stupid and you'lle be fine. Don't do anything there you wouldn't do at home. Easy. The police really don't want the hassle of a foreigner.

And Fredrick, Russian and Belarusian people are disctintly different in their their thinking and culture. Their cultures have intertwined at times, but remain very singular. Frankly, I greatly prefer Belarusian over Russian people. Different mindset, more polite, more self sufficient, less entitled. Just an observation on my part, folks, opinion. Don't get offended.

DO NOT GO TO BELARUS, ae you crazy its a dictatorship, and the fact that the people haven't overthrown their dictator yet is evidence that the society is very much backward.

American Dood wrote:

DO NOT GO TO BELARUS, ae you crazy its a dictatorship, and the fact that the people haven't overthrown their dictator yet is evidence that the society is very much backward.

Is this the dumbest post to ever appear on this web-site ?

Living in Minsk right now,traveled and stayed at lakes.Been here 1& half months,can use visa master cards in most eftpos machines,people are very freindly & the dollar goes along way.Resturants are extremly top rate with nz money equiverlant 2 eat for 1 . We normaly go out 6 at nite home 4 in morning.Nite clubs,casino,eating,shows or movies.Have not seen any problems,police very freindly and prolific all nite.Transport all nite metro ,busses,taxis .Loving being here.