I Visited Every Soviet Republic. Here's My Rankings

Why It Matters

The video reshapes tourist perceptions of former Soviet states, highlighting how visa policies and on‑ground experiences directly influence travel demand and regional branding.

Key Takeaways

• Ranking based on personal vibe, visa ease, and local interactions.
• Turkmenistan ranks last due to restrictive visas, curfew, and poor infrastructure.
• Kazakhstan suffers low score from vast distances and unreliable transport services.
• Georgia’s scenery and food excel, but rude service drags its ranking.
• Armenia tops the Caucasus list with vibrant culture and affordable hospitality.

Summary

Bald and Bankrupt chronicles his quest to visit all 15 former Soviet republics, culminating in a personal ranking from worst to best. He explains that the list reflects his own travel experience—how easy it was to obtain a visa, the friendliness of locals, the presence of Soviet‑era relics, and the overall vibe—rather than geopolitical analysis. The video highlights extreme contrasts: Turkmenistan lands at the bottom because of a nightmarish visa process, mandatory escorted tours, curfews, and costly black‑market exchanges. Kazakhstan follows, penalized for its massive size, grueling overland travel, and a scathing taxi‑driver incident. In the middle, Azerbaijan earns a modest spot thanks to a smooth e‑visa and pleasant Caspian coast, while Estonia is praised for safety and tech‑savvy cities but deemed too tranquil for adventure. Georgia, despite its breathtaking mountains, beaches, and cuisine, drops to tenth due to perceived rudeness in the service sector and heightened Russophobia. Latvia offers a gritty, Soviet‑flavored edge, and Uzbekistan shines for cheap Silk‑Road attractions and stellar plov. Armenia emerges as the Caucasus champion, celebrated for its lively nightlife, historic monuments, and low‑cost hospitality. Lithuania earns personal points for friendships and selfie opportunities, while Russia, the cultural cornerstone, rounds out the top five. Overall, the ranking underscores how bureaucratic hurdles, infrastructure quality, and local hospitality shape travel desirability across the post‑Soviet space, offering viewers a candid, influencer‑centric guide to navigating these diverse nations.

Original Description

Since I started this channel in 2018 I was on a mission to make a video in every former Soviet republic. Well, I recently completed that bucket list dream by visiting the final piece of the map: Turkmenistan. In this video you will find my rankings of all 15 republics from the very worst to the very best. And I'm not pulling any punches. Join me!