'We visited region on government's red list and it felt safer than the UK'

Nicole Docherty and Jordan Sinnamon travelled to Tranistria (Image: Kennedy News & Media)

A couple who travelled to an area on the UK government's "do not travel to" list claim that they felt safer there than in the United Kingdom. Nicole Doherty, from Greenock, Scotland, and Jordan Sinnnamon travelled to the separatist area of Transnistria, an unrecognised state that sits between the countries of Ukraine and Moldova.

Whilst Transnistria is not officially recognised as an independent country, it is supported significantly by Russia who have soldiers located in the region. As a result, the UK government has advised people not to go to the region that borders wartorn Ukraine. But this didn’t stop avid travellers Nicole and Jordan travelling there, however, with a surprising verdict upon their return.

Jordan Sinnamon (Image: Kennedy News & Media)

The couple entered Transnistria by flying from Istanbul, Turkey, to Chisinau, Moldova, before taking a £2.50 bus to the country. Following their experience, Nicole said that there are a lot of misconceptions about how dangerous the unrecognised state is.

She explained: “A lot of people think you need a tour guide (around £90 per person), but honestly, we did it ourselves and it was fine. The advice is 'don't go because of political instability'.

"There's no UK embassy there, so if something goes wrong, you're on your own. But in terms of street crime, it felt safer than the UK, this is the case in most places.

"We got off the bus, showed our passports, said how long we'd stay, and that was it. No scary stuff like people say online. They don't stamp your passport because they're not officially recognised, you just get a little slip of paper.

"There's definitely political tension. There is also the war in Ukraine and with it being on the border there is a danger of military activity spreading into the region and that's why the official advice says 'don't go.'”

An old car parked in Transnistria (Image: Kennedy News & Media)

Despite the lack of an embassy, Nicole said she and Jordan felt perfectly safe as the experienced the “Soviet vibe” and visited local food shops to try Placinte and urged other travellers to give Transnistria a go.

She said: "In our experience, the western media makes it sound far more dangerous than it actually is. For us, it was calm, friendly, and nothing like the scary headlines. While the Soviet vibe is definitely real, it's not all grey or dominated by huge brutalist buildings.

"Instead, you'll spot Lenin statues, old buses, and plenty of Soviet emblems, murals, and mosaics everywhere. It honestly feels like stepping back in time, which is pretty surreal."

Nicole in Transnistria (Image: Kennedy News & Media)

Nicole, who has visited nearly 60 countries, subsequently urged people to travel there and critiqued those who had called the pair stupid for going. She said: "Some people called us stupid for going against travel advice. Others said we were supporting Russia because Russia helps the region a lot.

"But loads of people were curious and excited, some even added it to their bucket list after seeing our posts. It’s not for everyone, but if you love unique places, go while you can because Transnistria might not be around forever.

"If Moldova takes back control or Russia steps away, the region could look very different. Visiting now feels like seeing a piece of history before it disappears.

"It felt frozen in time with Soviet symbols and quiet streets, but also modern in some ways clean streets, nice cars, and decent buildings. Overall, a great experience.”

The FCDO (Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office) advises against all travel to the region. In their travel advice they say: “FCDO advises against all travel to Transnistria.

“There is widespread military activity in Ukraine, including close to some Moldovan borders. Transnistria is outside the control of the Moldovan government.

“FCDO’s ability to offer support is extremely limited and will be more limited if there is military action on or near the Moldova-Ukraine border.”