Unhinged: One Star Reviews

"Want sand? Go to the beach. At least there’s usually a bar there and it’s flatter.”

Imagine visiting a famous sand dune and leaving a one-star review because there was too much sand. Welcome to Unhinged, the podcast where we explore the internet's most ridiculous one-star reviews of famous places, landmarks and travel destinations around the world.

In our very first episode, I'm joined by my husband, Niall Mackay, as we revisit our recent trip to Mui Ne, Vietnam. Known for its beautiful beaches, fishing villages and spectacular sand dunes, Mui Ne is a popular tourist destination. But apparently, not everyone is impressed.

We've each brought a mystery one-star review from somewhere in Mui Ne. The challenge? Guess the location from the review, discuss whether the complaints are actually justified, and deliver our final verdict: Unhinged, Semi-Hinged or Hinged (AKA sensible).

From tourists complaining about the smell of fish at a local market to visitors outraged by noisy quad bikes in the sand dunes, we discover that sometimes the biggest problem with a tourist attraction is the tourists themselves.

And just when we think we've heard it all, a British reviewer makes an unforgettable complaint about getting sand in places he didn't even know existed.

Are these legitimate travel complaints, or have these reviewers completely come off their hinges?

Key Takeaways

• One-star reviews aren't always unreasonable: Sometimes even the angriest tourists have a point.
• Expectations vs. reality: Should you leave a bad review because a destination isn't what you imagined?
• The Mui Ne market debate: Is it fair to complain about crowds, smells and cheap plastic goods at a functioning local market?
• The White Sand Dunes controversy: Are noisy quad bikes destroying the natural beauty, or are they part of the experience?
• The art of being unhinged: What separates a legitimate complaint from a completely ridiculous review?
• Too much sand? One British tourist discovers that sand dunes contain an alarming amount of sand.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome to Unhinged: The concept behind the podcast
02:00 Our first one-star review: A very disappointing local market
04:00 Should tourists review places that aren't tourist attractions?
07:00 The verdict: Is our first reviewer actually unhinged?
10:30 Review two: Noise, gasoline and morons on quad bikes
12:30 The White Sand Dunes: Natural wonder or tourist nightmare?
15:00 Are these legitimate complaints or completely unhinged behaviour?
18:40 Bonus review: Too much sand and nowhere to get a beer
20:30 Final thoughts and how to join us on a future episode 

Join the Unhinged Panel

We're just getting started!

In future episodes, we'll be inviting friends and guests to bring their own outrageous one-star reviews from destinations around the world.

Everyone brings a mystery review, everyone tries to guess the location, and everyone gets a vote on whether the reviewer is Unhinged, Semi-Hinged or Hinged.

Have you found a hilariously unhinged one-star review? Or would you like to join us on the podcast? Get in touch!

Unhinged is recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio, located on Pasteur Street in the heart of District 1, Saigon, Vietnam.

And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a one-star review.

Just kidding. Five stars, please.