Simon Wilson: Travel YouTuber, Destinations, Videos and No-Money Challenge Style
Who is Simon Wilson? Welsh no-money challenge traveler, North Korea, 7 wonders. Videos, controversies, facts verified Sep 2026.
Key takeaways
- Simon Wilson is a Welsh travel YouTuber and former estate agent who films no-money survival challenges and extreme travel stunts.
- English-language challenge vlogs: Hong Kong, Dubai, Moscow and Bangkok with no money; North Korea tours; seven wonders; sneaking into events.
- About 1.97–2.19M YouTube subscribers, 330–361 videos and ~288–377M views in September 2026 — figures change daily, always check the live channel.
- Start with Dubai with No Money Day 1 (3.8M views), the North Korea diaries, and the Moscow no-money survival series.
Quick facts
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creator | Simon Wilson (@SimonWilson12) |
| YouTube channel | Simon Wilson — @SimonWilson12 |
| Country / origin | Welsh — Wrexham area (verified) |
| Language | English |
| Content type | No-money challenges, stunt travel, North Korea, seven wonders |
| Subscribers | ~1.97–2.19M, 330–361 videos, ~288–377M views (Sep 2026 trackers) — figures change daily |
| Main destinations | Dubai, Moscow, Bangkok, Hong Kong, North Korea, seven wonders, Oscars/Emmy stunts |
| YouTube start | Channel December 2016; first video January 2017 |
| Team | Six staff, Manchester office (2020) |
| Streaming | Simon Wilson Roku series (2026) |
Who is Simon Wilson?
Simon Wilson is a Welsh travel YouTuber and self-described entrepreneur who started his channel with only a phone he filmed and edited on — everything from nothing, right mindset, anything achievable.
After dropping out of university twice and leaving a steady estate-agent job, he left with no money for three months across America and Thailand and loved it. Filming himself spiralled from there: sneaking into events, McGregor-fight stunts, and the no-money challenge format. By September 2020 Wales Online called him one of Wales’ biggest YouTube stars at 661,000 subscribers, with millions of views on Oscars sneak-ins, seven wonders visits and North Korea travel.
His stated best job aspect is meeting and working with new people worldwide; his favourite trip remains North Korea for the humbling friendliness encountered — with return plans stated.
His YouTube journey
Three phases from public sources:
1. Phone-filmed stunts (2017–2019). First video January 2017; Emmy Awards sneak-in claim 2017; Liverpool-to-Madrid £40 car run for the 2019 Champions League final (3M+ views, most popular then). Dubai With No Money Day 1 (January 2019, 3.8M views) sets the survival template.
2. No-money brand (2019–2022). Bangkok, Dubai, Hong Kong three-parters; SCMP March 2019 criticism over MTR fare-dodging and McDonald’s deception with subscriber Peter Jones; North Korea tours with Young Pioneer Tours and guide Matt.
3. Streaming era (2022–2026). 330–361 videos; ~8 uploads monthly; 2026 Roku series (24-hour North Korea train diary, Moscow no-money survival) brings the format to streaming.
Language is English. No dubbed channels officially listed.
What kind of travel content does he make?
Based on actually published videos and coverage:
- No-money survival series. 3-day Dubai, Moscow day-one survival, Bangkok, Hong Kong — sleeping rough, fan food, turnstile hacks, order-confusion plays.
- Stunt entries. Emmy 2017 photographer-pose claim, Oscars sneak-in, £40-car continental runs.
- North Korea tours. First-day Pyongyang diaries, 24-hour train journeys, guide-led interactions.
- Seven wonders visits. Checklist travel at stunt pace.
- Team productions. Six Manchester staff on filming, brand, multi-platform and office work.
What he does not do: silent walks, luxury reviews, or planning guides. His value is high-energy survival entertainment — with documented ethical debates attached.
Controversies: read before you watch
Two documented episodes, reported neutrally. Hong Kong March 2019 (SCMP): three-day no-money series with MTR turnstile fare-dodging advised by a subscriber and McDonald’s wrong-order deception for two burgers and a drink — criticized in a city where 1.3M live below poverty; reactions mixed. Awards sneak-ins (2017 Emmy claim; Oscars visit): celebrated by fans, questioned by press. This article neither endorses the methods nor calls for boycotts; viewers, especially young ones, should know fare-dodging and deception carry real legal and ethical weight abroad.
Countries and destinations covered
Representative selection: UAE Dubai (no-money trilogy flagship); Russia Moscow (2026 survival series); Thailand Bangkok (early no-money); Hong Kong (2019 trilogy); North Korea Pyongyang and rail journeys (favourite trip); seven wonders circuit; USA (Emmys, road legs); Thailand/Malaysia early travels; Champions League Madrid run. A thumbnail alone is never proof of a visit — only described videos and coverage count.
Videos to discover
A selection; exact titles via channel search (no invented URLs).
1. DUBAI WITH NO MONEY – DAY 1
- Destination: Dubai, January 2019. Three-day survival opener. 3.8M views; the template-setter.
- Start: https://www.youtube.com/@SimonWilson12
2. MOSCOW, RUSSIA WITH NO MONEY – DAY 1/2
- Destination: Moscow. Instincts, strangers and quick thinking survival. 2026 series companion.
- Search exact title on @SimonWilson12
3. IS NORTH KOREA WHAT YOU EXPECT?
- Destination: Pyongyang day one. No-expectations tour diary with Young Pioneer Tours.
- Search exact title on @SimonWilson12
4. 24-Hour Train Into North Korea (2026)
- Rail journey diary of anticipation; streaming series episode.
- Search on @SimonWilson12 and Roku
5. Hong Kong no-money trilogy (2019)
- Three-part survival series. Watch with the SCMP critique in mind.
- Search on @SimonWilson12
6. £40 car Liverpool–Madrid
- Champions League final run. 3M+ views early peak.
- Search on @SimonWilson12
No-money method: how the survival format works
His series run on repeatable mechanics worth understanding before judging or copying. Phase one is entry: arrive with nothing, often with a subscriber companion (Peter Jones in Hong Kong), and convert fandom into food and shelter. Phase two is transport hacking: turnstile squeezes advised by locals, wrong-order plays at chains, fan rides between zones. Phase three is the night problem — sleeping rough solved via 24-hour spaces, fan couches or pure endurance. The Dubai trilogy (January 2019) is the cleanest demonstration across three days; Moscow 2026 adds winter survival and instincts-first decision making. Behind it sits a real operation: six Manchester staff handling filming, brand, multi-platform distribution and office work — the phone-filmed aesthetic is backed by shift work. The Roku leap (2026) repackages the same mechanics for streaming with train diaries and structured episodes. Ethical boundary to keep in mind: what reads as cheeky content is fare-dodging and deception in jurisdictions that prosecute both, as the Hong Kong coverage showed.
Travel style
Facts vs reading: phone-origin fast vlogging, challenge-first structures, fan-fueled logistics. Difference from Silent Walks: he shouts survival; a Silent Walk silences the city.
Who is the channel for?
- Challenge FORMAT fans: Survival entertainment, stunts, dares.
- North Korea curious: Tour diaries with humbling encounters.
- Budget-extreme viewers: Zero-spend mechanics (with ethical caveats above).
- Young travelers: High energy, team-produced pace.
- Slow walkers: Adrenaline here, silence in our Walks.
No score or ranking — just fit.
Destinations inspired on Global Silent Walks
After his cities, walk calm ones with us: Bangkok Silent Walk, Tokyo Silent Walk. He does not recommend, sponsor or use Global Silent Walks unless officially stated.
Explore the destination differently
He survives cities loudly; a Silent Walk walks them silently. Watch for adrenaline, then walk silently for atmosphere. Start with World Destinations.
Official socials
Only official accounts. Counts September 2026, change daily:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SimonWilson12 — ~2M
- Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQCrKxBj5Id79syQEsY2Qxg
- Socials: simonjwils (IG/Twitter/FB); skintstuff merch; [email protected] business
No other accounts listed here to avoid fakes.
In pictures: Simon Wilson
FAQ
Who is he?
Welsh ex-estate agent; no-money challenges and stunt travel since January 2017; Manchester team of six.
Subscribers?
About 1.97–2.19M, 330–361 videos, ~288–377M views per 2026. Check live channel.
Best videos?
Dubai No Money Day 1 (3.8M), £40-car Madrid run (3M+), North Korea diaries.
Controversies?
Hong Kong 2019 fare-dodging/deception criticism (SCMP); awards sneak-in claims. Reported neutrally above.
North Korea?
Yes, favourite trip; Young Pioneer Tours; 2026 train series.
Where to start?
Dubai Day 1, then North Korea first-day diary.
Sources
- Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SimonWilson12
- Wales Online September 2020 (Wrexham origins, 661K then, team of six)
- SCMP March 2019 (Hong Kong criticism); Roku 2026 series listings
- vidIQ May 2026 (1.97M, 330 videos); ReachRanking (2.19M, 361 videos)
Data verified September 28, 2026. Last verification: September 28, 2026.
