Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In

Odessa Warnings or Dangers

Search:
email to friend | help
Home » Travel Guides » Europe » Ukraine » Odes'ka Oblast' » Odessa » Warnings or Dangers

Odessa Travel Guide


Sponsored Links for Odessa

Ukraine Travel
Take Precautions To Reduce Risk Of Contracting Hepatitis-Travel Safely

Wives from Odessa Ukraine
Easy & Effective Dating 10,000 Profiles with Pictures

Find Apartment in Odessa
Save up to 75% - Book with Us! Full Amenities. View Details Online

Airline Tickets to Kiev
Very Cheap Airfares to Ukraine USA to Ukraine: $505 RT & $380 OW

Ukraine Vacation
Discover the secrets of Ukraine on MIR's escorted cultural tours.

Odessa Warnings or Dangers

De Ribas Street (called Derobassovskaya Street) - Odessa
De Ribas Street (called Derobassovskaya Street)
by hunterV
Odessa travel tips posted by real travelers and Odessa locals.
Local Time 11:51 am Saturday, May 17, 2008
Odessa Map
• Odessa Hotels
Popular Warnings or Dangers | Miscellaneous Warnings or Dangers Tips | All Tips (18)
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Beware of Thieves!
  • Tip Rating:
  • Although I love Odessa -- grew up not far from it -- it is a common knowledge that this city is full of accomplished thieves. They are great actors, too! So watch out! Here is Odessa joke: "Zhorik (male name), take 'my' coat!" "But there is a person in it!" "It is OK, shake him out!" Don't let this comment to divert you from visiting Odessa, though. Just keep your eyes and ears open and your brains functioning!

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Dogs, dogs, dogs
  • Tip Rating:
  • There are many stray dogs in Odessa. While they are not usually aggressive, avoid contact with them as one does not know what diseases they may be carrying. I saw several with red, swollen eyes and several with "battle scars", bite wounds and sores. There are many cute puppies among the strays, but do not get too close! Momma may be close by and may not want a strange being getting close to her pups! Many hang around dumpsters and if you buy food at an outdoor kiosk, be prepared to have many new "man's best friends" follow you around if you eat the food while walking around.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Why Street Games?
  • Tip Rating:
  • De Ribas Street (called Derobassovskaya Street) - Odessa
    De Ribas Street (called
    Derobassovskaya Street)
    by hunterV
    Send Photo to a Friend
    Please avoid taking part in any street games such as lottery, "thimble", etc., no matter how harmless and attractive they might seem to you. In fact, these games might include the whole performance of many "actors" who are a part of the gang, but it is common knowledge that they are all aimed at squeezing money out of you. Besides, be careful about buying liquors at the street kiosks: there is a lot of fake vodka, cognac, brandy, champagne and wine. It’s always safer to buy them at a big supermarket or at a distillery store or a specialized wine store. There are also health risks like everywhere alse in Ukraine: TB (it's just your hygiene) , HIV, sex-transmitted diseases (it's your descretion). Take care and ~ be safe ~ !

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Dark Lanes
  • Tip Rating:
  • Do not walk in dark lanes and side streets in the evenings. Grab a cab instead or order it by phone! If you order a cab by phone, it would be even a bit cheaper. The city thieves behave very orderly. If they find themselves in a dark lane and you are nearby approaching them, at first they will catch up with you, then leave you behind and at the very inappropriate moment, when you are fully relaxed and think that the danger is over, they will run past you gently tearing off your handbag (or anything else) from your shoulder. Therefore take care!

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Be Careful!
  • Tip Rating:
  • City Hall, Odessa, Ukraine - Odessa
    City Hall, Odessa, Ukraine
    by hunterV
    Send Photo to a Friend
    It's common knowledge that the tap municipal water is not for drinking. It is always better to buy and drink only mineral water in Odessa. It is available as still water and as gas water. Still water usually has light blue caps on the bottle whereas gas water bottles have dark blue caps... Besides, when traveling in overcrowded public transport watch your bags and pockets. Never put your wallet into your back pocket of your jeans! The Odessa pickpockets tend to be very inventive and skilful. Please do not doubt that...

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Scammers and marriage business
  • Tip Rating:
  • Scammers and marriage business - Odessa
    Scammers and marriage business
    by Klod5
    Send Photo to a Friend
    The weak standard of living, the number important of only women and the big proportion of pretty women in Ukraine, one brought little of the societies scrupulous to imagine a flourishing trade. These societies sell the young and pretty woman coordinates, and when you bought an option on about twenty these ladies, propose you a cruise or a stay in the country. The tourist candidate to the marriage sees himself surrounded therefore during his stay by charming creatures who are all very attentive with him. The most often, this kind of trade is only a simple, banal and sad swindle, porch of the procuring. The journey is invoiced ten times its cost, and the presented damsels, all very young, don't have really desire to get married. on the other hand, their worries are to make the men spend a maximum of royalties in hope to find a wife. Other wound of this trade type, of the young women, who act in organized strips, via agencies, or to their own account, and that achieve real swindles to the marriage: soliciting money for the passport, the visa, the tickets of planes, and other services.

    Leave a Comment

  • Website: http://www.scamalert.freeservers.com/

  • Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    In general Odesa is safe but...
  • Tip Rating:
  • In general Odesa is safe (I would not suggest to come by car, but that is valid for Ukraine in general). Since there are rather crowded places (Deribasivska, market, etc), it is good as always in such places to use your common sense. Let me tell you an interesting story: when I left Odesa after my first visit I went to the market near the station to buy some foodstuff for the train travel. I left the market area and suddenly a man picked up a pack of dollars (wrapped into plastic) from the ground and said to me - in Russian - that we both now have found that at the same moment and we should divide it half-half. I shouted to him to ... off. Then I went into the station building to get my backpack. About 20 minutes later I walked along my train looking out for my coach and suddenly the same pack of dollars fell in front of me to the platform and in the same moment appeared at my left the same guy who approached me already between the market and the station and a 'colleague' at my right side. The one at my left was really shocked to see me again (I probably looked completely different from behind as compared outside the station because I had my backpack and was somewhat warmer dressed). I just told him 'already the second time today' and both disappeared, quite shocked, I suppose. But when I was in spring next year in Lisbon I went up through the Alfama with the famous tram 28 which was very crowded and suddenly I felt something like fingers in the pocket on the thigh and I tried to catch the fingers and it was again the same guy from Odesa!

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    In general Odessa is a safe...
  • Tip Rating:
  • In general Odessa is a safe city. Most probably you will not meet gangsters or robbers here :). To keep your money safe - do not exchange it with people on the streets (even if they will suggest you unbelievable high rate), please use only official currency exchange ofices. If you want to catch a taxi - please agree about price first. Also will be a big advantage if your Russian or Ukrainian speaking friend or guide will agree about price with taxi driver instead of you, because othervise you will pay same price as in Europe or even higher. In order to avoid problems with stomach please buy food only at a big supermarkets.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Mind the Sidewalks!
  • Tip Rating:
  • Sidewalks need repairs, so if you do not aim at being taken to the surgical department of a city hospital, please be careful while strolling along the streets, especially side streets in the evenings.

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Police corruption/Problems at customs
  • Tip Rating:
  • You may experience police corruption or problems with the customs at Odessa ferry port like I did. They are generally looking for money, its up to you if you want to pay, personally I don't like to although this is standard practice in Ukraine. My advice would be to use your own judgement and report problems to the Ukranian embassy in the hope that they will tackle this issue!

    Leave a Comment


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    More Odessa Tips
    Overview
     
    General Tips
    Tips: 104 - Photos: 95
    Restaurants
    Tips: 35 - Photos: 24
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 49 - Photos: 34
    Things To Do
    Tips: 123 - Photos: 117
    Nightlife
    Tips: 33 - Photos: 26
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 23 - Photos: 19
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 2
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 18 - Photos: 10
    Transportation
    Tips: 39 - Photos: 32
    Local Customs
    Tips: 50 - Photos: 44
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 4 - Photos: 2
    Shopping
    Tips: 9 - Photos: 5
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 4 - Photos: 4
    Flights
    Tips: 10 - Photos: 8

    More Sponsored Links for Odessa

    Search Hotels
    Find the best room rates
    All Odessa Hotels

    Check-In Date:


    Check-Out Date:


    Guests



    Hotels by OneTime.com




    Find:        Matching:  Advanced