Safety by Country

Singapore is called a fine city for a reason.

This is one of the safest large cities in Asia.

You can walk almost anywhere at any hour of the night without a worry.

Denmark is among the safest countries anywhere, though it is still worth staying alert in crowds at the main stations.

Conditions in the Alps change within minutes, so even a straightforward summer hike needs proper boots and a warm windproof layer.

The general picture: one of the safest countries in the world.

The single biggest hazard for a visitor is the red-surfaced bike lane.

The general picture: among the safest countries in Europe, and walking at night in any city is unremarkable.

The Emirates is one of the safest countries anywhere.

The real danger here is not crime but the weather.

Slovenia consistently ranks among the calmest countries in the world for visitors.

This is one of the calmest countries in the world, crime is minimal and walking around the cities at night is entirely fine.

One of the safest countries in the world, with almost no street crime.

The country is very safe and you can walk through cities late at night without concern.

Austria is exceptionally calm and walking at night is unremarkable even in outer suburbs.

Qatar consistently ranks among the safest countries on earth.

Korea is one of the safest countries in the world, and walking through back streets alone at night is unremarkable here.

The Grand Duchy sits consistently on the lists of the safest places on earth.

The general picture. China is one of the safest countries anywhere for walking alone, including late at night.

The general picture. Brunei is one of the safest countries in the world for an independent traveller.

This is one of the calmer countries in Europe, and walking at night is not a concern.

Portugal ranks among the calmest countries in the world, and walking alone late in the evening is entirely comfortable in the cities.

Bahrain is among the calmest countries in the region for visitors.

Poland is one of the calmest countries in Europe for independent travel.

Germany is orderly and safe, but watch your bag in the crowds at Alexanderplatz.

Barcelona has a reputation for professional bag snatchers and phone thieves who target distracted visitors.

Install the Zachranka app, which sends your exact coordinates to emergency services.

Lithuania is a calm country with low crime, and walking alone in the evening does not normally give anyone pause.

Oman counts among the safest countries in the world, and you can walk any district at night without concern.

Uzbekistan is one of the calmer countries anywhere to travel in.

The country is very calm and even a night walk through the middle of the capital raises no concern.

Saudi Arabia is one of the safest countries anywhere.

The island is one of the calmer places in Europe for walking around on your own.

Armenia is among the safest countries anywhere, and walking alone at night is unremarkable.

The biggest risk is the chaotic local driving style.

You'll feel comfortable at any hour, though it's worth keeping an eye on your bag and wallet where tourists gather.

The general picture. The country is comfortable for walking around on your own, including at night.

The general picture. The country is extremely safe and walking at night is comfortable even in remote districts.

Kuwait is one of the safest countries in the world for visitors, women included.

Ireland is one of the safest countries in Europe for independent travel.

Serbia is an exceptionally calm and safe country.

Malta is one of the calmer countries in Europe and walking at night is genuinely fine.

Monaco has the highest density of police officers and surveillance cameras in the world, which makes it safe at any hour.

The general picture. Bulgaria is calm, and violent crime against visitors is rare.

The country is very calm, with a street crime rate below that of many European capitals.

The UV index here is extreme and you can burn in fifteen minutes under cloud.

The country is genuinely welcoming and street crime is lower than in most European capitals.

Safety levels are high and you can walk central streets late in the evening without any real worry.

The country is one of the calmest in the world and evening walks are entirely normal.

The country has low crime and a genuine warmth towards visitors.

The general picture. Belgium is safe, but stay alert in Brussels and Antwerp.

In Rome, Naples and Milan thieves work the stations and public transport hard.

The country is calm and welcoming to independent foreigners.

Scooters are the main source of injury, since the rules are loosely observed.

The general picture. Malaysia is one of the calmest countries in the region for independent travel.

Landmines. The country's one genuine peculiarity is that mined ground remains in rural areas, so never step off surfaced roads and marked paths.

The new border system: the EU's Entry/Exit System now records biometrics for non-EU visitors and passports are no longer stamped.

The ozone layer over the country is thinner than over Europe, so you can burn in fifteen minutes under cloud.

Levels are very low and you are safer here than in most European capitals.

The single biggest hazard is the road.

The biggest threat is theft in crowded spots like the Metro or near the Eiffel Tower.

This is a real risk above 3,000 metres.

Jordan remains stable despite the neighbourhood, and it is one of the easier countries in the region for independent travel.

Mosquitoes here carry dengue, so use strong repellent during the day as well as at night.

One of the calmer countries in the region for independent travel.

Mauritius is an unusually calm place to travel.

Cuba is safe on that front.

Bag snatching by motorbike is common in the capital and in Sihanoukville.

Persistence: the main irritation is fake guides and self-appointed helpers.

Ghana is among the calmest countries in the region.

The sun at the equator is incredibly strong and will burn you even on cloudy days.

This is one of the safest countries on the continent, and walking around after dark is entirely normal.

Districts to avoid: stay out of El Chorrillo and Curundú in the capital, even in daylight.

Kazakhstan is a calm destination for independent travel, including for women travelling alone.

Israel lives in a state of permanent readiness, so armed personnel and bag checks at mall entrances are ordinary.

Barbados is among the calmest islands in the Caribbean.

Laos remains one of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world from past wars.

The country is welcoming and generally calm for visitors.

Senegal is one of the calmest countries in the region, with a famously peaceable population.

The north. Do not travel to the northern districts bordering Burkina Faso and Niger.

Personal safety varies block by block rather than city by city.

Moldova is a calm country and visitors are treated warmly.

Crime has fallen dramatically in recent years and the country is now calmer than its neighbours.

This is one of the calmest countries in the region, though that is not a reason to switch off.

Gabon is one of the calmer countries in the region, but Libreville and Port-Gentil still need attention.

The biggest threat in the country is the road accident rate.

The general picture. One of the calmest countries in Asia, with no hostility towards visitors at all.

Vanuatu is one of the calmest countries in the Pacific, with very little crime.

Be ready for lines like "the road is closed" or "your hotel burned down".

Malaria: it is a genuine and constant risk, so antimalarial tablets and repellent matter more than anything else you pack.

Taxis: the main threat to your wallet.

Street theft: in Manila wear your backpack on your front and keep expensive phones out of sight.

In the city. Watch for pickpockets in Ulaanbaatar markets and on buses.

The Seychelles are very safe, but do not leave valuables unattended on a beach.

Chile is considered safe, but do not switch off entirely.

The country is generally safe for visitors, though it pays to stay alert.

Theft. The country is among the calmest in the region, but pickpockets work the busy markets.

Pickpockets work the crowded districts of Lomé and the central markets hard.

The principality ranks among the safest places on the planet, and theft is genuinely rare.

In the towns: crime is moderate, but don't walk alone in Suva or Nadi after dark.

Zambia is one of the most peaceful countries in the region and there is no general sense of disorder.

Petty stealing from beaches and parked cars is the main problem.

The tourist south and the centre are broadly fine, but avoid travel towards the northern frontier.

The main risk is the persistent "helpers" around the pyramids.

Comorians are peaceable and serious incidents are rare.

After dark: do not walk alone through the Palmentuin park or the empty lanes of the historic centre once the sun goes down.

Stay away from the border with Mali, where armed groups remain active.

The Gambia is among the calmest countries in the region and the friendliness is not an act.

Tunisia is welcoming and safe for anyone applying basic common sense.

The country is very calm, with almost no violent crime.

Dili shuts down after nine in the evening and the streets empty out.

Crime levels are low, though petty theft happens in the busier parts of Majuro.

Grenada counts as one of the calmest places in the region, with genuinely friendly people.

The biggest danger on these islands is the rip currents, which drag even strong swimmers out to sea.

The Republic of the Congo is one of the steadier countries in the region, but do not switch off.

Stay alert in the capital, particularly after dark near the markets and the port.

Crime in the kingdom is extremely low and you can walk around at any hour.

This is one of the calmer countries in the region, but do not switch off entirely.

The general picture. Botswana is rightly considered the calmest country in the region.

The first rule is never to be on the highway after dark.

Petty theft is a real problem in the big cities.

Guinea is friendly on the whole, but Conakry calls for some care.

The crime rate is extremely low and people are unusually peaceable.

Samoa is one of the calmest places in the region, with very little crime.

Crime is low and people are open and quick to help with directions.

The republic is reckoned one of the calmest places anywhere, and theft is genuinely rare.

Eswatini is one of the calmest countries on the continent, and people are unusually welcoming to visitors.

In Dar es Salaam do not flash expensive phones or cameras in crowds.

Paraguay is one of the calmer countries in the region, with low levels of violent crime, but that is not a reason to switch off entirely.

There are a lot of patrols and they take order seriously.

This is the single biggest trap for a visitor.

The country is one of the calmer places in the region, partly because of the foreign military bases.

The political situation: conditions in the region change quickly.

Crime: levels are extremely low and Palau is considered one of the safest places anywhere.

The security situation is calm, but the usual precautions still apply.

Levels are low, but watch your pockets in Kingstown.

The north is fine for walking in daylight and there is police presence on every corner.

Bávaro and Punta Cana have a dedicated tourist police force, POLITUR.

In the cities. The big cities run thousands of cameras, and street crime rates are among the lowest anywhere you will travel.

Altitude sickness. This is the main threat to your health and ignoring it in the Andes can kill you.

Street robbery. Never take an expensive phone out on a busy street in Rio.

The crime rate is extremely low and everyone on the island knows everyone else by sight.

These islands are among the calmest and friendliest in the region, and Nevis in particular has a reputation for being exceptionally safe.

In Nassau, avoid the Over-the-Hill district, particularly after dark, where robberies do happen.

Tuvalu is deservedly considered one of the safest countries on earth for solo travellers.

Nairobi requires real attention because of pickpocketing and street robbery.

In the tourist towns.

Overall: moderate. The tourist routes are straightforward, but Peru asks for everyday attention, and the main problem is petty theft rather than violence.

The general picture: street crime is minimal and walking at any hour feels safe.

Watch your pockets in crowded parts of Harare and Bulawayo.

The country calls for a high level of alertness.

Petty theft is common in the capital, so keep your phone and camera out of sight.

The situation has stayed unsettled since the events of 2025.

Avoid travelling between cities after dark.

Avoid Balochistan and any area near the Afghan border because of the risk of attacks and kidnapping, and read your own government's travel advisory before you plan a route.

Traffic: the single biggest threat to you here is the roads, where rules are largely notional.

In rural areas Lesotho is one of the calmest countries anywhere, and people are pleased to see visitors.

Nicaragua counts as a calm country, but that is no reason to switch off.

Namibia counts as one of the calmest countries on the continent for independent travel.

You will not be admitted to the basilica or the museums in short shorts or with bare shoulders.

Liberia has a high crime rate, so basic precautions matter constantly.

Guatemala City needs real attention because of gang activity.

Iran is a calm country where crime is rarer than in most European capitals.

General caution: the tourist areas in the south are welcoming and easy.

The country requires constant alertness and caution with strangers.

Pickpockets: in the crowds at Mercato and in the queues at Bole airport, keep your pockets watched.

In Guayaquil and Quito, take care and do not display expensive electronics.

Watch your phone and wallet in crowded parts of the capital and in markets.

Street crime: extremely low, and Asmara is one of the calmest cities on the continent.

Street crime in the cities is essentially nil.

The capital needs attention, because street crime remains persistently high.

Tourist zones are patrolled, but in Kingston stay well clear of areas like Tivoli Gardens.

South Africa has a very high crime rate.

The crime rate is high, though most of it is gang business among locals.

Kurdistan is calm to the point where night walks are normal.

The crime rate in the capital is high, particularly after sunset.

The risk level remains unstable, so follow the news in real time and check your own government's travel advisory before and during the trip.

Nigeria demands attention to detail and an understanding of local security realities.

Trinidad has genuine problem areas where the risk of armed robbery is high.

The governing rule is no dar papaya.

Venezuela remains a high-crime country and you should plan around that.

The picture: this is one of the more difficult countries in the world for personal security.

Strict restrictions apply nationwide, including an overnight curfew.

The security situation remains highly unstable because of armed group activity.

The overall situation is severe.

South Sudan remains a high-risk country with an unpredictable security situation.

The overall situation: the political situation remains unstable, so keep your route to the established tourist areas.

The country remains a high-risk destination divided between competing factions, and you should read your own government's travel advisory before committing to anything.

Conditions remain extremely tense, the military controls key nodes, and borders with neighbouring countries can close without warning.

The country remains one of the most dangerous in the world because of a smouldering civil conflict.

Fighting between the army and the rapid support forces is ongoing.

Somaliland has been running its own peaceful affairs for thirty years and street crime is lower than in Nairobi.

Socotra remains a quiet haven and is essentially untouched by the mainland conflict.

You cannot move between cities without passing through them.

Expect frequent document checks by armed patrols on the roads between provinces.

Ituri and the Kivu provinces are at war.

Travel to Haiti is not advisable at present.