A man who has visited every country has revealed which place he thinks is the best in the world.
Drew Binsky, who grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, has always loved adventure.
In 2015, he embarked on a mission to see all 197 countries – the United Nations only recognizes 195 countries but the total number of countries on Earth ranges from source to source, as per BBC’s Science Focus.
The traveler has garnered a huge social media following on his journey, with six million followers on Facebook, 4.3 million YouTube subscribers, and over one million fans on Instagram.
He’s also published a travel book titled ‘Just Go,’ described as a ‘globe-trotting guide.’
After ticking off every country, Binsky has shared which place is his favorite, adding that it has ‘everything you could want in one country.’
The keen traveler got hit with the ‘travel bug’ after studying abroad in Prague during his junior year of college.
Two months after graduating, Binsky packed up his life in the U.S. and moved to South Korea to become an English teacher. Although he had no prior experience, he was determined to make it work.
His blog’s ‘about’ page reads: “From the moment I stepped off the plane in Seoul, I was instantly hooked. It was my first time in Asia, and I was already in love with the foreign sights, smells, and feels.”
Binsky left South Korea behind in 2015 and began his mission to visit every country.
Further down in his blog, Binsky adds: “Over the last few years, I’ve developed a love for visiting countries that are perceived as dangerous – Afghanistan, Venezuela, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Libya, and Iran.
“Some of my best memories have come from these nations and I love breaking the stereotypes by sharing positive stories about people and culture.”
But traveling to such countries hasn’t always been plain sailing for the adventurer, with Binsky having issues entering Venezuela.
Chatting to UNILAD, he noted that this is a particular problem for Americans.
“I ended up getting the visa from the Venezuelan embassy but they were difficult because of the sanctions and political tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, but I was able to get one last minute,” he explained.
Binsky also shared that some ‘Eastern European’ countries are not so welcoming regarding tourists, adding that people can be ‘pretty cold.’
In the interview, Binsky was also asked whether one place in particular has stood out to him, to which he replied yes.
He says the Philippines is the ‘most beautiful country in the world,’ and feels ‘super safe’ and is ‘full of nice people.’
However, Binksy and his wife have no plans to settle down there.
The traveler tells UNILAD he and his partner love the ‘culture’ of Dubai and are planning to move there at some point.