For what it's worth, Kurdistan, the north of Iraq has been open for tourism for many years. Kurdistan is the semi-autonomous region of Iraq, whose capital is E

For what it's worth, Kurdistan, the north of Iraq has been open for tourism for many years. Kurdistan is the semi-autonomous region of Iraq, whose capital is Erbil. I've been through twice, the first time at possibly the the 'worst' time - just after the rise of ISIS in Mossul, and when the US was bombing just south of Erbil. Despite initial concerns, safety was never a problem. I felt safe; did not feel like an unwelcome presence, and moreover, it was an incredible experience. No visa is required, you get stamped in at the border. The police and Pershmerga were kind, dutiful and not overbearing. Although it's a sliver of the rest of the country, there are many very interesting things to see (the spiritual centre of the Yzidi, Erbil, the mountains to the North, etc etc). Kurdistan is secular, with a mix of ethnicities and religions. There is at least one third of women who do not wear the hijab, and the burqua is rare. (You see more burquas in the east of Turkey). My second visit was during Ramadan, and I was surprised to see people drinking alcohol in the streets and bars. (Please note, I don't consider a country's "modernity" by its acceptation of alcohol. The point is more that there is a deep culture of tolerance and acceptance within Kurdistan, which can be demonstrated with examples such as the consumption of alcohol). In regards to losing rights to travel under ESTA, I have visited the US since without issue, even with an Iraqi stamp in the passport. With that said, I imagine that simply replacing your passport after a trip would be a workable solution as well. Photos for the interested: http://travel.ninjito.com/2014-08-10-Kurdistan http://travel.ninjito.com/2014-08-10-Kurdistan http://www.ninjito.com/2019-05-15-Iraq http://www.ninjito.com/2019-05-15-Iraq