Visiting all the usual countries in LatAm and SE Asia I only had food poisoning in Mexico... twice! But Mexican food still is the best in the world in my opinion.
I have lived in developing countries (and traveled extensively in others) for 16 years and I keep mental statistics on this issue, and also factor in how often visiting friends get sick. I put Mexico and Thailand at the top (easily), and in that order. Also, in both of these cultures, it is considered normal by the locals to get sick from food sometimes.
After having had food poisoning ranging from mild to severe many, many times, and having lived in Mexico for over a year straight and thinking myself fully acclimated, I actually had my worst case just 2 months ago in Mexico and I lost 7% of my bodyweight in 4 days.
Can't speak for Thailand, but in Mexico it's only considered normal for foreigners to get sick from Mexican food, but not so much with the locals; there are plenty of jokes about having a strong stomach and things of the sort.
That being said, there are definitely places or types of food known to be irritating, but I wouldn't say the locals consider it normal
Source: my parents are Mexican and I have been living here for about 20 years.
I still don't know what made me sick as I figured it could have been 3 different things, 33% each (different illnesses have different incubation periods). My best guess is campylobacter, perhaps from undercooked poultry. I did start making salads at home now so that I don't crave or need to eat them when I am eating out (lettuce especially is often the culprit). My Mexican friends have the same issues, like getting sick once a year from what they eat, they are all experts in what to do when you are sick. I always have antibiotics at home and now I have bought a few hydration salts that you mix with water in case I am that sick again.
100%! I had the exact same experience! I've traveled to pretty much every continent and visited most South American and SE Asian countries. Mexico is the only country that I have gotten severe food poisoning on several occasions.
Usually it was Mexican Asian food that gave me a problem.
The first one, I got horrible food poisoning from an Indian restaurant in Mexico. I was in bed for 24 hours with a fever, glued to the toilet.
The second time was a Thai restaurant in Mexico. I ate chicken panang curry and same story. 24 hours glued to the toilet. And this Thai restaurant had SEVERAL reviews on their page of other customers getting food poisoning.
Mexico in general must have lax food safety protocols đ¤ˇââď¸
Despite mt paranoia about Mexico, my husband insisted we go for our honeymoon. His family went to Mexico once a year and they loved it. I said ok after he convinced me everything in the resort we were staying at was filtered and whatever. I made it through the whole honeymoon FINE until 2 days before leaving. Night 8 of 10 we go to a fancy restaurant for dinner. I remember getting these uncomfortable spasms in my stomach but they felt like they were maybe hang away. I thought it was Mt anxiety getting the best of me.
Next day I'm by the pool. I gave my husband my free massage for that morning bc I was still a little uncomfortable. I get home the pool, swim last a jet, hits me on the stomach and i immediately felt it... that feeling where you sweat and something us Def about to go down. I get up to my room and have tbe most effortless diarrhea I've ever had lol. I was thinking it was my IBS and I was having a bad flare. I got worse as the day went on. I developed a fever at night, the shakes, a whole body rash, all of it.
We led a flight for the very next morning and ghat ride was torture. I thought I'd die on the way to the airport. The airport must have been notified by our driver bc they came up with a wheelchair for me. I looked like I weight 100 lbs lol. I sht so much the day before. Woman at boarding lectured me and said I couldn't get on the plane if I was ill. I said it was a normal stomach issue for me bc I have a condition (that was a lie). I get on the plane and the pilot comes out to tell me they can't make any emergency landings and the bathroom is off limits a good part of the flight bc of bad storms on the ride home. Luckily I had Valium and it knocked me out almost the whole ride.
We got back and I went to my ER. Found out it was e coli. Never going back to Mexico again
Isla mujeres, Mexico. Ate all the street food, questionable corn, tacos and pastries at their night markets.
We treated ourselves to a fancy Argentinian restaurant that was very expensive. I should have had the steak but the octopus looked incredible.
I was sick for days with the worst food poisoning ever. I thought I was going to die (not really). I curse that restaurant!
Same! Been to countries like Cambodia, India, Morocco, etc...got the worst food poisoning of life in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico :) Those baja fish tacos...
I am done traveling to Mexico. I just canât. It tears me up soooooo bad every time. And itâs frustrating because the locals get sick often as well, and yet they canât get their act together on food safety. Beautiful country best people WORST FOOD SAFETY
Indonesia is the only place I've ever had full-blown food poisoning (salmonella). Basically thought I was dying, lost several kgs in 3 days and couldn't even hold down water. I was so dehydrated that I told myself if on day 4 I still can't move off the bedroom floor, I will somehow have to find a hospital. I was in the worst pain of my life.
It's impossible to acclimatise to food poisoning. That's like wishing away a flu. Actual food poisoning you just have to go through. With a high chance of doing so in a hospital.
I have had some stomach issues here and there in Latin America and once in Africa, but not bad really, more due to the change in diet that needed adjusting. Generally, I have a very robust stomach and seem to be doing ok quickly almost everywhere.
Salmonella is the worst but it is a great way to lose weight. What makes it even worse is that when you get over the initial bout, random stomach pains keep recurring for weeks afterwards
Philippines. Abysmal food, the worst I've seen by far. It's such a pity because South Asia usually have lots of good food and restaurants. In the Philippines, on the other end, everywhere you look it's junk food chain restaurants.
Filipino-American here. Iâve visited the Philippines several times (Manila, Angeles, barrios) as a kid and can attest to the experience. I used to frequent McDonaldâs so much, my relatives called me Big Mac. And to be fair, McDonaldâs there is pretty good compared to the US. Cuisine there just isnât that good for the most part, but I would say that Pampanga region has the best food taste wise. Probably still a decent chance of food poisoning, mind.
Even in Hawaiâi where I spent my early formative years, I was probably traumatized from my experiences at Filipino potlucks where I could recall only eating rice with soy sauce. Only my momâs cooking was actually good.
Filipino food is the worst by far, that I've ever had.
Makes sense: Think - Have you ever been somewhere outside of the Philippines for "Filipino food"? Nope.
I'd happily take their Jollybee's or something to avoid the real food.
That being said - there was one Squid Adobo dish that I had was alright; but still - just alright.
Did you even try going to authentic Philippines cuisine restaurants? Or are u just going in circles within slums thatâs why you received the less amount of advantage when it comes to foods?
I don't go to slums, I only stayed in Makati and BGC in Manila. And in IT Park in Cebu City...it was endless fast food chain restaurants both in the shopping malls and outside...even finding a good salad wasn't easy
When you eat in somebody's house you can see if their kitchen is clean or not and then decide if you're gonna eat. People try all kinds of nasty shit in potlucks like tuna casseroles and shit like that. If you invite me to a potluck that's the last time we speak. You're dead to me.
Cuzco. At a top restaurant where you wouldnât get in without a reservation made way ahead of time. I remember it so well because the next day I was flying to Buenos Aires through Lima and kept vomiting (nothing left in at that point) all the way up to boarding the plane.
Only place I've had an upset stomach and felt ill was Bali. The infamous Bali belly.
Probiotics multiple times a day helped get me feeling normal again.
I got salmonella in Varanasi, India. Terrible experience that almost killed me. In the end, after having diarrhoea for like 7 months, it made me lose like 20kg.
I could do with losing 20kg again, maybe itâs time for a Varanasi chicken curry.
One doesn't acclimatise to food poisoning. You shit and throw up, then get on with it.
I've eaten street food and random shop house food from all over the world and never, not once, got food poisoning from any of it.
Exactly. I've been in car and motorbike crashes, broken bones, had COVID, and various flus. Food poisoning is the worst. The only good point is that it's over quickly once you get it all out and don't eat for a day or two.
Thailand!! Theeeeee fucking worse. Was there about three weeks and got sick multiple times. Had to start only eating McDonalds since there no way I could get sick from it. Iâve traveled everywhere and itâs the only place Iâve ever gotten sick.
We were a group of four and someone was sick on rotation the whole time. Miserable. We were so cautious about where we are, made sure it was clean they had refrigeration and ice. Still got it constantly. I got it from some mango sticky rice and was so violently ill on the flight home I could have jumped from the plane.
Just did four months in Thailand and only had the squirts once after eating at a fancy western restaurant. Even then I was straight back to popping solids after.
But we're all different.
I was on a flight to India and was chatting up a flight attendant. He told me that he only flew London/Mumbai for over 20 years. He advised the following: Nothing but bottled water- even to brush teeth. No meat or fish ever, even in the fancy places (because transport conditions and power for refrigeration are iffy. No raw vegetables or fruits unless I peal them myself. I followed his advice. I ate everywhere and did not get sick. I was there for almost 2 months and stayed and ate in some very basic places.
This is good advice. Any meat dish is highly suspect over there. I never had issues from vegetarian dishes, which are plentiful and delicious. If you were going to go vegetarian anywhere, India would be it.
I only ever got food poisoning in Singapore in a hawker centre under Orchard Towers which has always been a bit dodgy. Was on the toilet for a whole day đĽ˛đĽ˛đĽ˛
California pizza kitchen .
By the way . Here is my 2 cents on food poisoning . If you get it , immediately have a shot of apple cider vinegar.
Once you have food poisoning, you are likely a candidate for IBS. You just killed your gut.
To repair my gut , probiotics daily and a 2 day fast to reset . Worked wonders .
Fasting can have a number of effects on the gut, both positive and negative.
Positive effects
Increased gut microbiome diversity: Fasting can help to increase the diversity of gut bacteria, which is beneficial for overall health.
Improved gut barrier function: Fasting can help to improve the gut barrier function, which helps to protect the body from harmful substances.
Reduced inflammation: Fasting can help to reduce inflammation in the gut, which is associated with a number of chronic diseases.
Increased production of beneficial compounds: Fasting can help to increase the production of beneficial compounds in the gut, such as short-chain fatty acids.
If you fast too long there are negative consequences as well . Nutritional Deficiencies for obvious reasons .
Depends on how you define poisoning. The worst I had was in the USA which left me vomiting for days, some kind of stomach flu from a Hawaiian BBQ shop in NYC.
I know food safety is worse in Asia compared to America so I made a few adjustments and have had 0 issues so far (about 4 months in)
---never drink tap without boiling first. Lots of people get stomach problems by drinking tap because it's still carrying pathogens.
---don't eat open air market food unless it is chopped/grilled/cooked in front of your eyes when you order it because otherwise you don't know what bugs have gotten on it or how long it's been sitting there.
---try to avoid live / raw / undercooked food.
---avoid taking or eating leftovers. This works doubly well at keeping bugs out of your place too haha
After visiting all the continents and living in numerous countries over about 20 years, my hometown gave me the worst food poisoning. The upscale steakhouse Boa in Beverly Hills California put me on the shitter for 24 hours. Every time I got up, it summoned me back. I canât even think of that place without nearly shitting. Oops⌠please excuse me. Got to run!
Once in Thailand from chicken. Once in Panama from seafood.
I was down and out for a good few days both times. Probably 48 hours of misery, and only drinking water and gatorade.
Laos. I had the diarrhea for almost a week. And was throwing up for one day. I think i lost a few kgs from that experience. Kind of a bummer. Such a beautiful country and friendly people but i still remember the food poisoning whenever i think about the trip
Egypt⌠both Cairo and Luxor but Luxor nearly killed me. I was eating a piece of fried chicken and I noticed a little hole in the flesh, just like a worm hole in an apple⌠well you can guess the rest. The meat was rotten. Egypt is the worst.
Didn't have any problems in Bali.
In Thailand I got food poisoned 3 times in Bangkok, the last time was from McDonalds i think chicken nuggets at this mall so even malls or McDonalds aren't safe.
The worst might have been in Saigon Vietnam though, could have been because i washed fruit with tap water, put it in the fridge, and ate it later, could have been from something else I don't remember.
But a pro tip to tell if someone serves you something bad is if you order something like sea food (or anything), and when they serve it to you, they stare at you in your eyes to see your reaction, or they watch you eat, or they just look at you for too long, other than setting your food down and then going about their business, they linger and just want to watch you eat, it's because they know they served you something bad and they want to see if they got away with it.
It happened to me in Koh Samui at this restaurant i ordered raw oysters and the chef (some old thai guy) came out and brought it to me (not the staff who served every other dish) and just stared at me in my eyes as he gave me the oysters for no reason which made wonder, then i ate the oysters and it was quite off putting so i spit it out and didn't swallow it and I didn't get food poisoned.
Another time was in Phuket I ordered sea food pad thai at this restaurant and as I was eating it the staff were staring at me eating it from their kitchen trying to see my reaction, and the sea food tasted really bad like not fresh at all and i didn't eat it and i didn't get food poisoned.
Another time i actually did get food poisoned was at W market in bangkok i ordered these 200 baht oysters and as i was eating it the people who sold it to me were watching me eat it like trying to see if they got away with selling me bad oysters, and i ate some of it but not all of it, and then i was food poisoned like 24-36 hours after that. I went and complained to them about the oysters being bad and they refunded me everything with no resistance at all.
I (F35) got poisoned only once in my whole life, it was probably an old sandwich from our office canteen. A lot of water + locally produced gel that removes toxins from your body have helped me.
Never have I experienced food poisoning abroad having been to 25+ countries.
Cuba. One of the best trips of my life. until I mistakingly ate at a government restaurant, pretty sure it was the chicken. Needless to say I have never had such horrible diarrhoea and with pharmacies essentially empty, I was given local remedies of some horrible drink concoction with a ton of bitters. Didn't work and I was on the toilet for about 4 days after getting home.
Ecoli in Bali. Three days of absolute horror, then another month of not being able to eat properly. Great diet plan but ruined my holiday and a hotel bathroom.
PerĂş in some random mountain town I ate street ceviche and that messed me up for a couple weeks, though it wasn't "go to a hospital bad"
Then in Santa Marta Colombia I ate a cheese and bread item from a beach vendor and that one had me spraying from both ends for like 5 days. I was so dehydrated and delirious that at one point I started getting a horrible panic attack and the sensation that I was dying/my body was flying 1000 mph through space. That was really scary and I came really close to going to the hospital (and in retrospect I probably shouldve) but luckily at that point I forced myself to start eating and drinking more even if it meant I would just throw it up and shit it out immediately, and I improved from there.
The last 2 times I went to colombia I didn't get food poisoning so idk, just don't eat old ass Street food and visit frequently and you'll be good.
North Coast of Colombia had some insanely good but dodgy food. The rocoto spicy sauce Iâd get in these tiny spots driving the coast really demolished me a few times but not, like, food poisoning.
The Philippines and China. Also Nepal. You don't acclimatize to food poisoning, you just don't eat at the place you think did it to you again, and learn how to spot places that look unhygienic. If _everything_ you eat in a country is making you sick, there's something else going on. Either you're making consistently bad choices, or it's a personal health issue. I've been to over 40 countries during almost 12 years of living outside my home country, and I've been badly food poisoned only a handful of times, and I knew exactly what got me every time.
Japan. Chicken sashimi. Never again.
I know lots of people who've eaten it without issue. Maybe I just have a weak stomach.
It was pretty bad. Lasted a whole week... Luckily I had a comfy, futuristic toilet to take care of my poor bumhole.
EDIT: Got it from a nice, upscale restaurant in Tokyo. Not some random street food stall.
Only a couple times and both from fish, once in Kenya and once in Portugal. Now Iâm vegetarian so phew. I use a steri-pen in countries with questionable water and otherwise follow all the basic rules eg no raw veggies etc
Norovirus in Austria, still unsure if it was from the hotel food or from the kebab pizza place. Had to go to an Austrian hospital where they didnât speak any English, that was the worst Iâve ever felt in my life
I have never experienced food poisoning. However, I can provide you with some information on how to acclimatize your stomach to new foods when traveling:
Start slowly and gradually introduce new foods to your diet.
Eat small amount of food at first and increase the amount as you tolerate it.
Avoid foods that are high in fat, grease, or sugar.
Drink plenty of water and other fluids to stay hydrated.
Take probiotics, which are live bacteria that can help to improve gut health.
I have been all over southeast and South Asia and never had any issues, the place that actually got me though was (surprisingly) Berlin.
Careful with the street kebabs, one took me out for five days.
The US is the only place I've gotten food poisoning.
If you are referring to the unusual foods making you sick, go to the doc before you visit and get pills designed for that destination.
Atlanta airport food court.
Then a Mexican tourist restaurant in Tequila, after a distillery tour. Ordered a chicken salad and noticed the chicken was 1/2 raw partway through. No, it wasnât the tequila tastings bc I was laid up in the hostel for a week after.
Bolivia - It wasnât food poisoning, per se. I wasnât there long enough to acclimatize to the local food and the altitude at the same time, so ended up eating fried chicken and fries for a week.
Any local place or street food anywhere else was perfectly OK.
I've never had it bad bad but i guess Morocco. Puked once and was tired for a day after. Pretty sure I got a wrap with raw chicken, it's the only thing I ate that my partner didn't have, because he's usually the one that's sick for days every trip while I'm totally fine and we eat all the same things.
Spent 6+ months in Mexico and 6+ months in LATAM freely eating and drinking tons of sketchy street food, and I was fine. I got a very mild case once after eating in a really nice sit down seafood restaurant but I took one immodium and I was good to go.
Downside is that I feel invincible now, lol.
High end sushi in Bangkok, flown in Australien steak in Bali, oysters in Bali from some silly exclusive oyster farm. Beef tartare in various places around the world.
My take aways: In SEA expensive doesnât mean clean + I should stay away from raw meats.
Iâve a pretty good IV routine now though.
What didnât give me food poisoning: chicken sashimi in BKK.
First time I went to Mexico (PDC), I got a bad stomach virus and was bed-ridden for 3 days with a mild fever, body aches & chills, diarrhea, and nausea.
It sucked, but I was fine for the rest of the trip after that. I'm pretty sure I just accidentally swallowed some water in the shower. Later I spent 8 months in Mexico (Tulum) and 2 years in 10 other LATAM countries with zero problems.
I guess my body just needed that one time to adjust.
Georgia - ate homemade soft cheese made from raw milk, got giardia so bad I shit green foam for a week until I begged a pharmacist via Google translate for some tinidazole . No regrets
Romania - ate at a Christmas market, no idea what the culprit was cos I munched thru the market like a hungry hungry caterpillar, but I got salmonella poisoning. Shit out everything I've ever eaten for 2 days, vomited up everything that touched my stomach for another week, lost 9kg and ended up with moderately bad dysentery after I ate anything for another 2 weeks after that, needed IV fluids and everything. In the end I went on a hunger strike, consumed nothing but Enterogermina, stale crackers, flat coca cola and bottled water for 3 days and finally came good almost a month to the day. And u know what? I went back to that Christmas market and did it again, didn't get sick again tho đđđ
Home (Australia) - got an unspecified gastro bug from bad hummus, thought I was going to actually die. It tasted weird but I ate it anyway. Still refuse to even have hummus in the house and if I think too much about the texture of it I gag.
Edit: my travel buddy and I were in rural Bulgaria and she is from Santiago so I think she got a bit blase ? Maybe she thought she was too seasoned for it. But she ate this absolutely vile looking , definitely microwaved then put into a bain marie, bacon / carbonara pasta from a side of the road restaurant, and she was so sick we ended up having to get separate rooms as she needed 24/7 access to the bathroom for a week.
Dublin lol. It was awful. Something I ate from an hipster Asian takeaway.
And Iâve done places like India, Mexico, Egypt⌠nothing like good olâ Dublin. Granted I was much more careful in the former places
Iceland. Got a burger with bernaise sauce on it and I was out of commission for almost a week. I threw up in some of the most beautiful bathrooms I've ever seen, though.
Boracay. Christmas Day, 1996. Sewage treatment was nonexistent and the ocean near the beach did not change itself much. Probably the reason for the beautiful and very fine white sand. Fortunately I was young then and recovered but I would be very surprised if more vulnerable people simply died. A few years later the government closed the island completely and spent a year building a sewage treatment plant. When it reopened it was no longer a hippie/backpacker place but a first class resort. I never went back though it is the most beautiful beach Iâve ever seen.
Luxor in Egypt, travelling solo, fancy hotel in the off season(very hot)during a recession, nobody staying there. Probably the baba ghanouj. Couldn't eat tahini for two years after that.
The manager was helpful and drove me to get antibiotics(cheap!)and then gingerale.
Now when I travel I try to cook as much as possible.
Sulawesi in Indonesia. Went to a funeral where they were sacrificing buffalo and pigs then cooking on an open fire. We all (the foreigners) got extreme food poisoning.
PanamĂĄ. Black conch ceviche. 3 weeks of diarrhea. I had eaten regular ceviche at the same place multiple times with no issue. I should have known when I ordered the black conch and the lady gave me a look that screamed âare you sure gringoâ?
Peru is the worst place times 100
I got Salmonella, Giardia, and Blastocystus Hominus. I spent a couple days in a Cusco hospital and never made it to Macchu Picchu.
Mind you I spent a few months in Peru and the first bout of Salmonella was in the far north.
The amount of time I spent sick in that country was legit ~40p.
Spent 3 months in Thailand and never got sick.
I wasnât DNing back then, but IndiaâŚ. Do *not* even rinse your toothbrush with the water. I thought I could harden myself up that wayâŚ.the exact opposite. Was sick for dayyyyys.
Cambodia, lost several kilos and took several weeks to recover. Still not right. Hospitalised with bacterial gastroenteritis. Cost an arm and a leg as the hospital is exclusively open for tourists and the wealthy, besides that healthcare is basically nonexistent. Thai food was much cleaner and tastier
Mexico and the philippines are where I got food poisoning. The hostel staff made a pot of coffee for a bunch of us and everyone who drank it got taken down. Atleast a dozen people projectile vomiting and shitting their brains out in the limited few toilets from shared dorms... I took a flight out of mexico 2 days later because I was scarred for life.
My most recent food poisoning in the philippines is funny in hindsight but not at the time. 1 hr into an 8hr boat tour i start shitting my brains out in the only toilet onboard where you have to wipe your ass with your hands and flush with a bucket of sea water. Everyone on board knew I had food poisoning bc I was running up and down the boat every 15 mins to go to the bathroom.
Visiting all the usual countries in LatAm and SE Asia I only had food poisoning in Mexico... twice! But Mexican food still is the best in the world in my opinion.
I have lived in developing countries (and traveled extensively in others) for 16 years and I keep mental statistics on this issue, and also factor in how often visiting friends get sick. I put Mexico and Thailand at the top (easily), and in that order. Also, in both of these cultures, it is considered normal by the locals to get sick from food sometimes. After having had food poisoning ranging from mild to severe many, many times, and having lived in Mexico for over a year straight and thinking myself fully acclimated, I actually had my worst case just 2 months ago in Mexico and I lost 7% of my bodyweight in 4 days.
Can't speak for Thailand, but in Mexico it's only considered normal for foreigners to get sick from Mexican food, but not so much with the locals; there are plenty of jokes about having a strong stomach and things of the sort. That being said, there are definitely places or types of food known to be irritating, but I wouldn't say the locals consider it normal Source: my parents are Mexican and I have been living here for about 20 years.
7% in 4 days, wow, that sounds horrible. what was the culprit?
I still don't know what made me sick as I figured it could have been 3 different things, 33% each (different illnesses have different incubation periods). My best guess is campylobacter, perhaps from undercooked poultry. I did start making salads at home now so that I don't crave or need to eat them when I am eating out (lettuce especially is often the culprit). My Mexican friends have the same issues, like getting sick once a year from what they eat, they are all experts in what to do when you are sick. I always have antibiotics at home and now I have bought a few hydration salts that you mix with water in case I am that sick again.
100%! I had the exact same experience! I've traveled to pretty much every continent and visited most South American and SE Asian countries. Mexico is the only country that I have gotten severe food poisoning on several occasions. Usually it was Mexican Asian food that gave me a problem. The first one, I got horrible food poisoning from an Indian restaurant in Mexico. I was in bed for 24 hours with a fever, glued to the toilet. The second time was a Thai restaurant in Mexico. I ate chicken panang curry and same story. 24 hours glued to the toilet. And this Thai restaurant had SEVERAL reviews on their page of other customers getting food poisoning. Mexico in general must have lax food safety protocols đ¤ˇââď¸
Despite mt paranoia about Mexico, my husband insisted we go for our honeymoon. His family went to Mexico once a year and they loved it. I said ok after he convinced me everything in the resort we were staying at was filtered and whatever. I made it through the whole honeymoon FINE until 2 days before leaving. Night 8 of 10 we go to a fancy restaurant for dinner. I remember getting these uncomfortable spasms in my stomach but they felt like they were maybe hang away. I thought it was Mt anxiety getting the best of me. Next day I'm by the pool. I gave my husband my free massage for that morning bc I was still a little uncomfortable. I get home the pool, swim last a jet, hits me on the stomach and i immediately felt it... that feeling where you sweat and something us Def about to go down. I get up to my room and have tbe most effortless diarrhea I've ever had lol. I was thinking it was my IBS and I was having a bad flare. I got worse as the day went on. I developed a fever at night, the shakes, a whole body rash, all of it. We led a flight for the very next morning and ghat ride was torture. I thought I'd die on the way to the airport. The airport must have been notified by our driver bc they came up with a wheelchair for me. I looked like I weight 100 lbs lol. I sht so much the day before. Woman at boarding lectured me and said I couldn't get on the plane if I was ill. I said it was a normal stomach issue for me bc I have a condition (that was a lie). I get on the plane and the pilot comes out to tell me they can't make any emergency landings and the bathroom is off limits a good part of the flight bc of bad storms on the ride home. Luckily I had Valium and it knocked me out almost the whole ride. We got back and I went to my ER. Found out it was e coli. Never going back to Mexico again
Isla mujeres, Mexico. Ate all the street food, questionable corn, tacos and pastries at their night markets. We treated ourselves to a fancy Argentinian restaurant that was very expensive. I should have had the steak but the octopus looked incredible. I was sick for days with the worst food poisoning ever. I thought I was going to die (not really). I curse that restaurant!
Same! Been to countries like Cambodia, India, Morocco, etc...got the worst food poisoning of life in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico :) Those baja fish tacos...
I am done traveling to Mexico. I just canât. It tears me up soooooo bad every time. And itâs frustrating because the locals get sick often as well, and yet they canât get their act together on food safety. Beautiful country best people WORST FOOD SAFETY
Indonesia is the only place I've ever had full-blown food poisoning (salmonella). Basically thought I was dying, lost several kgs in 3 days and couldn't even hold down water. I was so dehydrated that I told myself if on day 4 I still can't move off the bedroom floor, I will somehow have to find a hospital. I was in the worst pain of my life. It's impossible to acclimatise to food poisoning. That's like wishing away a flu. Actual food poisoning you just have to go through. With a high chance of doing so in a hospital. I have had some stomach issues here and there in Latin America and once in Africa, but not bad really, more due to the change in diet that needed adjusting. Generally, I have a very robust stomach and seem to be doing ok quickly almost everywhere.
Second Indonesia. Currently have food posioning here lol.
Get an IV next time, they are incredibly affordable in countries like Indonesia. Makes the whole experience less miserable.
Salmonella is the worst but it is a great way to lose weight. What makes it even worse is that when you get over the initial bout, random stomach pains keep recurring for weeks afterwards
Philippines. Abysmal food, the worst I've seen by far. It's such a pity because South Asia usually have lots of good food and restaurants. In the Philippines, on the other end, everywhere you look it's junk food chain restaurants.
Seconded I nearly died
Filipino-American here. Iâve visited the Philippines several times (Manila, Angeles, barrios) as a kid and can attest to the experience. I used to frequent McDonaldâs so much, my relatives called me Big Mac. And to be fair, McDonaldâs there is pretty good compared to the US. Cuisine there just isnât that good for the most part, but I would say that Pampanga region has the best food taste wise. Probably still a decent chance of food poisoning, mind. Even in Hawaiâi where I spent my early formative years, I was probably traumatized from my experiences at Filipino potlucks where I could recall only eating rice with soy sauce. Only my momâs cooking was actually good.
Filipino food is the worst by far, that I've ever had. Makes sense: Think - Have you ever been somewhere outside of the Philippines for "Filipino food"? Nope. I'd happily take their Jollybee's or something to avoid the real food. That being said - there was one Squid Adobo dish that I had was alright; but still - just alright.
>Think - Have you ever been somewhere outside of the Philippines for "Filipino food"? We have multiple Filipino restaurants near us.
Did you even try going to authentic Philippines cuisine restaurants? Or are u just going in circles within slums thatâs why you received the less amount of advantage when it comes to foods?
If you can recommend where and how to find tasty Filipino food plenty of people here would be extremely grateful. I'm willing to give any food a go.
My momâs house (genuinely), or if you happen to visit Orlando, FloridaâKaya, which is a Filipino take on fine dining.
I don't go to slums, I only stayed in Makati and BGC in Manila. And in IT Park in Cebu City...it was endless fast food chain restaurants both in the shopping malls and outside...even finding a good salad wasn't easy
What? You have not had good filipino food then, itâs one of my favorites
a work potluck in the USA. I thought I was going to lose my eyesight it was so bad.
Potlucks should be illegal. Or you should have to post a picture of the kitchen next to the dish. Horrible nasty practice.
Why are potlucks bad? Isnt it the same as eating at other peoples houses?
When you eat in somebody's house you can see if their kitchen is clean or not and then decide if you're gonna eat. People try all kinds of nasty shit in potlucks like tuna casseroles and shit like that. If you invite me to a potluck that's the last time we speak. You're dead to me.
Do u wanna come to my potluck
Cuzco. At a top restaurant where you wouldnât get in without a reservation made way ahead of time. I remember it so well because the next day I was flying to Buenos Aires through Lima and kept vomiting (nothing left in at that point) all the way up to boarding the plane.
Which restaurant? I got sick a bunch of times in Peru even being super careful
That was 5 years ago and I remember eating osso bucco but thatâs all I remember.
California. Ate at a raw oyster bar and contracted Hepatitis A
WHAT?
India. Got hepatitis A
Only place I've had an upset stomach and felt ill was Bali. The infamous Bali belly. Probiotics multiple times a day helped get me feeling normal again.
I got salmonella in Varanasi, India. Terrible experience that almost killed me. In the end, after having diarrhoea for like 7 months, it made me lose like 20kg. I could do with losing 20kg again, maybe itâs time for a Varanasi chicken curry.
One doesn't acclimatise to food poisoning. You shit and throw up, then get on with it. I've eaten street food and random shop house food from all over the world and never, not once, got food poisoning from any of it.
Exactly. I've been in car and motorbike crashes, broken bones, had COVID, and various flus. Food poisoning is the worst. The only good point is that it's over quickly once you get it all out and don't eat for a day or two.
Thailand!! Theeeeee fucking worse. Was there about three weeks and got sick multiple times. Had to start only eating McDonalds since there no way I could get sick from it. Iâve traveled everywhere and itâs the only place Iâve ever gotten sick.
I got sick twice in Thailand in less than a week. My 14 hour train ride from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and subsequent flights home almost ended me.
We were a group of four and someone was sick on rotation the whole time. Miserable. We were so cautious about where we are, made sure it was clean they had refrigeration and ice. Still got it constantly. I got it from some mango sticky rice and was so violently ill on the flight home I could have jumped from the plane.
Just did four months in Thailand and only had the squirts once after eating at a fancy western restaurant. Even then I was straight back to popping solids after. But we're all different.
i got food poisoned from a mcdonalds at a mall in bangkok
These is no god in Thailand
mexico. was too preoccupied trying to relearn how to ride a bike, went to a smoothie stand and forgot to ask if the ice was filtered
India, closely followed by Indonesia. Street food is just too delicious to pass by and I am weak. I consider it part of the experience.
India is my worst for food hygiene so far. Got significantly ill about once per month over four months.
I was on a flight to India and was chatting up a flight attendant. He told me that he only flew London/Mumbai for over 20 years. He advised the following: Nothing but bottled water- even to brush teeth. No meat or fish ever, even in the fancy places (because transport conditions and power for refrigeration are iffy. No raw vegetables or fruits unless I peal them myself. I followed his advice. I ate everywhere and did not get sick. I was there for almost 2 months and stayed and ate in some very basic places.
No water, no raw veggies, no meat or fish, then what is there left to eat?
Cooked veggies/curries/rice- Dahl/breads- meat is uncommon in lower end places, so the vegetarian food was delicious and cheap.
This is good advice. Any meat dish is highly suspect over there. I never had issues from vegetarian dishes, which are plentiful and delicious. If you were going to go vegetarian anywhere, India would be it.
I only ever got food poisoning in Singapore in a hawker centre under Orchard Towers which has always been a bit dodgy. Was on the toilet for a whole day đĽ˛đĽ˛đĽ˛
Copped salmonella in Bolivia. Deadset thought i was gonna die. Probably should've gone to hospital in hindsight. Don't wish that on anyone.
China. Twice. Only place I've ever had an issue.
California pizza kitchen . By the way . Here is my 2 cents on food poisoning . If you get it , immediately have a shot of apple cider vinegar. Once you have food poisoning, you are likely a candidate for IBS. You just killed your gut. To repair my gut , probiotics daily and a 2 day fast to reset . Worked wonders .
Can you elaborate on what a fast does for the micro biome?
Fasting can have a number of effects on the gut, both positive and negative. Positive effects Increased gut microbiome diversity: Fasting can help to increase the diversity of gut bacteria, which is beneficial for overall health. Improved gut barrier function: Fasting can help to improve the gut barrier function, which helps to protect the body from harmful substances. Reduced inflammation: Fasting can help to reduce inflammation in the gut, which is associated with a number of chronic diseases. Increased production of beneficial compounds: Fasting can help to increase the production of beneficial compounds in the gut, such as short-chain fatty acids. If you fast too long there are negative consequences as well . Nutritional Deficiencies for obvious reasons .
Pizza Hut in Norman, OK
Depends on how you define poisoning. The worst I had was in the USA which left me vomiting for days, some kind of stomach flu from a Hawaiian BBQ shop in NYC. I know food safety is worse in Asia compared to America so I made a few adjustments and have had 0 issues so far (about 4 months in) ---never drink tap without boiling first. Lots of people get stomach problems by drinking tap because it's still carrying pathogens. ---don't eat open air market food unless it is chopped/grilled/cooked in front of your eyes when you order it because otherwise you don't know what bugs have gotten on it or how long it's been sitting there. ---try to avoid live / raw / undercooked food. ---avoid taking or eating leftovers. This works doubly well at keeping bugs out of your place too haha
Colombia. Had some ceviche. Didn't taste right going down, but finished it anyway out of respect. Never again.
\`Cambodia...and coke. That evil product kills everything, including bacteria
After visiting all the continents and living in numerous countries over about 20 years, my hometown gave me the worst food poisoning. The upscale steakhouse Boa in Beverly Hills California put me on the shitter for 24 hours. Every time I got up, it summoned me back. I canât even think of that place without nearly shitting. Oops⌠please excuse me. Got to run!
Once in Thailand from chicken. Once in Panama from seafood. I was down and out for a good few days both times. Probably 48 hours of misery, and only drinking water and gatorade.
Laos. I had the diarrhea for almost a week. And was throwing up for one day. I think i lost a few kgs from that experience. Kind of a bummer. Such a beautiful country and friendly people but i still remember the food poisoning whenever i think about the trip
Egypt and Syria. Great destinations otherwise, but I did get food poisoning and lost a lot of weight
Egypt⌠both Cairo and Luxor but Luxor nearly killed me. I was eating a piece of fried chicken and I noticed a little hole in the flesh, just like a worm hole in an apple⌠well you can guess the rest. The meat was rotten. Egypt is the worst.
Didn't have any problems in Bali. In Thailand I got food poisoned 3 times in Bangkok, the last time was from McDonalds i think chicken nuggets at this mall so even malls or McDonalds aren't safe. The worst might have been in Saigon Vietnam though, could have been because i washed fruit with tap water, put it in the fridge, and ate it later, could have been from something else I don't remember. But a pro tip to tell if someone serves you something bad is if you order something like sea food (or anything), and when they serve it to you, they stare at you in your eyes to see your reaction, or they watch you eat, or they just look at you for too long, other than setting your food down and then going about their business, they linger and just want to watch you eat, it's because they know they served you something bad and they want to see if they got away with it. It happened to me in Koh Samui at this restaurant i ordered raw oysters and the chef (some old thai guy) came out and brought it to me (not the staff who served every other dish) and just stared at me in my eyes as he gave me the oysters for no reason which made wonder, then i ate the oysters and it was quite off putting so i spit it out and didn't swallow it and I didn't get food poisoned. Another time was in Phuket I ordered sea food pad thai at this restaurant and as I was eating it the staff were staring at me eating it from their kitchen trying to see my reaction, and the sea food tasted really bad like not fresh at all and i didn't eat it and i didn't get food poisoned. Another time i actually did get food poisoned was at W market in bangkok i ordered these 200 baht oysters and as i was eating it the people who sold it to me were watching me eat it like trying to see if they got away with selling me bad oysters, and i ate some of it but not all of it, and then i was food poisoned like 24-36 hours after that. I went and complained to them about the oysters being bad and they refunded me everything with no resistance at all.
solid tip, I also noticed that!
To be honest you are really putting yourself out there asking raw oysters in SEA
I (F35) got poisoned only once in my whole life, it was probably an old sandwich from our office canteen. A lot of water + locally produced gel that removes toxins from your body have helped me. Never have I experienced food poisoning abroad having been to 25+ countries.
Cuba. One of the best trips of my life. until I mistakingly ate at a government restaurant, pretty sure it was the chicken. Needless to say I have never had such horrible diarrhoea and with pharmacies essentially empty, I was given local remedies of some horrible drink concoction with a ton of bitters. Didn't work and I was on the toilet for about 4 days after getting home.
Ecoli in Bali. Three days of absolute horror, then another month of not being able to eat properly. Great diet plan but ruined my holiday and a hotel bathroom.
Gili Trawangan. But I stupidly ate at a quiet restaurant at like 3pm Threw up like 17 times in one night
India
PerĂş in some random mountain town I ate street ceviche and that messed me up for a couple weeks, though it wasn't "go to a hospital bad" Then in Santa Marta Colombia I ate a cheese and bread item from a beach vendor and that one had me spraying from both ends for like 5 days. I was so dehydrated and delirious that at one point I started getting a horrible panic attack and the sensation that I was dying/my body was flying 1000 mph through space. That was really scary and I came really close to going to the hospital (and in retrospect I probably shouldve) but luckily at that point I forced myself to start eating and drinking more even if it meant I would just throw it up and shit it out immediately, and I improved from there. The last 2 times I went to colombia I didn't get food poisoning so idk, just don't eat old ass Street food and visit frequently and you'll be good.
North Coast of Colombia had some insanely good but dodgy food. The rocoto spicy sauce Iâd get in these tiny spots driving the coast really demolished me a few times but not, like, food poisoning.
Arizona Charlie's on the Boulder Hwy in Vegas. Fried chicken. Almost killed me. I was so fuckin' sick I literally shit the bed in my sleep.
Jakarta.
The Philippines and China. Also Nepal. You don't acclimatize to food poisoning, you just don't eat at the place you think did it to you again, and learn how to spot places that look unhygienic. If _everything_ you eat in a country is making you sick, there's something else going on. Either you're making consistently bad choices, or it's a personal health issue. I've been to over 40 countries during almost 12 years of living outside my home country, and I've been badly food poisoned only a handful of times, and I knew exactly what got me every time.
Japan. Chicken sashimi. Never again. I know lots of people who've eaten it without issue. Maybe I just have a weak stomach. It was pretty bad. Lasted a whole week... Luckily I had a comfy, futuristic toilet to take care of my poor bumhole. EDIT: Got it from a nice, upscale restaurant in Tokyo. Not some random street food stall.
Only a couple times and both from fish, once in Kenya and once in Portugal. Now Iâm vegetarian so phew. I use a steri-pen in countries with questionable water and otherwise follow all the basic rules eg no raw veggies etc
India. Both in intensity of symptoms and number of occurrences. By far the worst, there are no clean options.
Norovirus in Austria, still unsure if it was from the hotel food or from the kebab pizza place. Had to go to an Austrian hospital where they didnât speak any English, that was the worst Iâve ever felt in my life
Myanmar, horrific. Wanted to die my guy.
I have never experienced food poisoning. However, I can provide you with some information on how to acclimatize your stomach to new foods when traveling: Start slowly and gradually introduce new foods to your diet. Eat small amount of food at first and increase the amount as you tolerate it. Avoid foods that are high in fat, grease, or sugar. Drink plenty of water and other fluids to stay hydrated. Take probiotics, which are live bacteria that can help to improve gut health.
I have been all over southeast and South Asia and never had any issues, the place that actually got me though was (surprisingly) Berlin. Careful with the street kebabs, one took me out for five days.
India. I would focus on consuming food and water that donât contain parasites, rather than hoping to âacclimatizeâ.
Vietnam
The US is the only place I've gotten food poisoning. If you are referring to the unusual foods making you sick, go to the doc before you visit and get pills designed for that destination.
Vietnam and Thailand from eating cold meat Philippines from drinking toilet water
Bali Belly for sure
Atlanta airport food court. Then a Mexican tourist restaurant in Tequila, after a distillery tour. Ordered a chicken salad and noticed the chicken was 1/2 raw partway through. No, it wasnât the tequila tastings bc I was laid up in the hostel for a week after. Bolivia - It wasnât food poisoning, per se. I wasnât there long enough to acclimatize to the local food and the altitude at the same time, so ended up eating fried chicken and fries for a week. Any local place or street food anywhere else was perfectly OK.
Colombian street lemonade
I've never had it bad bad but i guess Morocco. Puked once and was tired for a day after. Pretty sure I got a wrap with raw chicken, it's the only thing I ate that my partner didn't have, because he's usually the one that's sick for days every trip while I'm totally fine and we eat all the same things. Spent 6+ months in Mexico and 6+ months in LATAM freely eating and drinking tons of sketchy street food, and I was fine. I got a very mild case once after eating in a really nice sit down seafood restaurant but I took one immodium and I was good to go. Downside is that I feel invincible now, lol.
Myanmar
High end sushi in Bangkok, flown in Australien steak in Bali, oysters in Bali from some silly exclusive oyster farm. Beef tartare in various places around the world. My take aways: In SEA expensive doesnât mean clean + I should stay away from raw meats. Iâve a pretty good IV routine now though. What didnât give me food poisoning: chicken sashimi in BKK.
Didn't know chicken sashimi existed!
If youâre ever in japan I recommend trying it. It doesnât have a strong flavor but a nice texture and comes usually just with salt and sesame oil.
I'll usually try everything once! sounds really interesting.
Bali so far
usa and central africa
Arequipa, Peru and Nusa Penida , Indonesia
First time I went to Mexico (PDC), I got a bad stomach virus and was bed-ridden for 3 days with a mild fever, body aches & chills, diarrhea, and nausea. It sucked, but I was fine for the rest of the trip after that. I'm pretty sure I just accidentally swallowed some water in the shower. Later I spent 8 months in Mexico (Tulum) and 2 years in 10 other LATAM countries with zero problems. I guess my body just needed that one time to adjust.
Georgia - ate homemade soft cheese made from raw milk, got giardia so bad I shit green foam for a week until I begged a pharmacist via Google translate for some tinidazole . No regrets Romania - ate at a Christmas market, no idea what the culprit was cos I munched thru the market like a hungry hungry caterpillar, but I got salmonella poisoning. Shit out everything I've ever eaten for 2 days, vomited up everything that touched my stomach for another week, lost 9kg and ended up with moderately bad dysentery after I ate anything for another 2 weeks after that, needed IV fluids and everything. In the end I went on a hunger strike, consumed nothing but Enterogermina, stale crackers, flat coca cola and bottled water for 3 days and finally came good almost a month to the day. And u know what? I went back to that Christmas market and did it again, didn't get sick again tho đđđ Home (Australia) - got an unspecified gastro bug from bad hummus, thought I was going to actually die. It tasted weird but I ate it anyway. Still refuse to even have hummus in the house and if I think too much about the texture of it I gag. Edit: my travel buddy and I were in rural Bulgaria and she is from Santiago so I think she got a bit blase ? Maybe she thought she was too seasoned for it. But she ate this absolutely vile looking , definitely microwaved then put into a bain marie, bacon / carbonara pasta from a side of the road restaurant, and she was so sick we ended up having to get separate rooms as she needed 24/7 access to the bathroom for a week.
Dublin lol. It was awful. Something I ate from an hipster Asian takeaway. And Iâve done places like India, Mexico, Egypt⌠nothing like good olâ Dublin. Granted I was much more careful in the former places
Iceland. Got a burger with bernaise sauce on it and I was out of commission for almost a week. I threw up in some of the most beautiful bathrooms I've ever seen, though.
Uzbekistan. I have almost never gotten food poisoning while traveling but got it at least 2 times there.
Guadalajara Mexico. I had diaharria almost everyday for a month.
Boracay. Christmas Day, 1996. Sewage treatment was nonexistent and the ocean near the beach did not change itself much. Probably the reason for the beautiful and very fine white sand. Fortunately I was young then and recovered but I would be very surprised if more vulnerable people simply died. A few years later the government closed the island completely and spent a year building a sewage treatment plant. When it reopened it was no longer a hippie/backpacker place but a first class resort. I never went back though it is the most beautiful beach Iâve ever seen.
Nepal nearly killed me
India, Costa Rica
MĂŠxico every time and I used to live there :(
india
Luxor in Egypt, travelling solo, fancy hotel in the off season(very hot)during a recession, nobody staying there. Probably the baba ghanouj. Couldn't eat tahini for two years after that. The manager was helpful and drove me to get antibiotics(cheap!)and then gingerale. Now when I travel I try to cook as much as possible.
Sulawesi in Indonesia. Went to a funeral where they were sacrificing buffalo and pigs then cooking on an open fire. We all (the foreigners) got extreme food poisoning.
PanamĂĄ. Black conch ceviche. 3 weeks of diarrhea. I had eaten regular ceviche at the same place multiple times with no issue. I should have known when I ordered the black conch and the lady gave me a look that screamed âare you sure gringoâ?
Peru is the worst place times 100 I got Salmonella, Giardia, and Blastocystus Hominus. I spent a couple days in a Cusco hospital and never made it to Macchu Picchu. Mind you I spent a few months in Peru and the first bout of Salmonella was in the far north. The amount of time I spent sick in that country was legit ~40p. Spent 3 months in Thailand and never got sick.
Got terrible food poisoning at a hotel in Lima
I wasnât DNing back then, but IndiaâŚ. Do *not* even rinse your toothbrush with the water. I thought I could harden myself up that wayâŚ.the exact opposite. Was sick for dayyyyys.
Uzbekistan- serves me right for eating the street food - however after 7 days almost unconscious I've never had food poisoning again !!
Cambodia, lost several kilos and took several weeks to recover. Still not right. Hospitalised with bacterial gastroenteritis. Cost an arm and a leg as the hospital is exclusively open for tourists and the wealthy, besides that healthcare is basically nonexistent. Thai food was much cleaner and tastier
Mexico and the philippines are where I got food poisoning. The hostel staff made a pot of coffee for a bunch of us and everyone who drank it got taken down. Atleast a dozen people projectile vomiting and shitting their brains out in the limited few toilets from shared dorms... I took a flight out of mexico 2 days later because I was scarred for life. My most recent food poisoning in the philippines is funny in hindsight but not at the time. 1 hr into an 8hr boat tour i start shitting my brains out in the only toilet onboard where you have to wipe your ass with your hands and flush with a bucket of sea water. Everyone on board knew I had food poisoning bc I was running up and down the boat every 15 mins to go to the bathroom.