Unfortunately, much as we all might hope for peace and harmony in the world, this isn’t the reality we’re living in. Instead, we must be cautious about where we travel, especially as Americans. The world is full of incredible places to see and visit, but to do so, you must know that where you are going is safe for tourists to enjoy.
14. Feira De Santana, Brazil
- Danger: 63.29 deaths per 100,000 people
Political crisis, economic instability, catastrophic flooding, and extreme poverty are some of the reasons why pockets of Brazil are unsafe. With climate change increasing, devastating weather events, flooding, mudslides, and torrential rainfall are additional problems Brazil has recently dealt with. Many of these problems create instability in the city, increasing crime rates.
13. Cancun, Mexico
- Danger: 64.47 deaths per 100,000 people
Mexico has diverse cultures, exports, ruins, and delicious cuisine, but some fear it as being overly violent and dangerous to travel to. Most of the violence is gang and drug cartel-related, but the Mexican government also engages in its fair share of human rights violations. The violence mainly stems from when drug cartels became organized in the 1980s.
12. Belém, Brazil
- Danger: 65.31 deaths per 100,000 people
Belém was the first European colony in the Amazon, founded by Portugal in 1616. It is the largest city and capital of the Brazilian state of Pará and the gateway city to the Amazon River system. It continues to be the main commercial hub of northern Brazil.
11. Cape Town, South Africa
- Danger: 66.36 deaths per 100,000 people
Cape Town and the rest of South Africa are currently under a level 2 travel advisory from the United States, “exercise extreme caution.” Not unlike the rest of the country, Cape Town’s crime is driven by poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
Home to over 2.5 million people, South Africa is afflicted with direct, structural, and cultural violence. Because South Africa “has easy access to weapons, a general climate of lawlessness, high levels of violent protest, and corruption within the criminal justice system,” violent crime has flourished over the years.
10. Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela
- Danger: 60.09 deaths per 100,000 people
In 1999, the Populist Regime gained control of Venezuela, and since then, tens of thousands of Venezuelans have sought asylum each year in the United States. Rampant poverty, crime, food and medicine shortages, political instability, arbitrary law enforcement, kidnapping, and gang violence make life very difficult for Venezuela’s population of almost 30 million people. The United States lists Venezuela under a level 4 travel advisory, or “do not travel,” for the entire country.
9. Fortaleza, Brazil
- Danger: 69.15 deaths per 100,000 people
Fortaleza has a population of 2.43 million and a thriving metro area. Yellow Fever isn’t the only thing you must worry about when traveling to Fortaleza. Fortaleza isn’t recommended for solo women travelers, and rates of robbery are high, although crimes used to be less concentrated in touristy areas and centered around the suburbs.
8. Natal, Brazil
- Danger: 74.67 deaths per 100,000 people
Natal is one of the top tourist destinations in Brazil, being known for its slow pace and pristine beaches. The overall crime rate of Natal has been on a steady decline over the past decade, which is good news for this tourism-dependent beach town.
It is a great place for tourists to experience Carnaval in a beautiful Afro-Brazilian city. High crime rates exist in certain parts of the city, but the tourism-heavy areas aren’t as affected. Still, even with plenty of friendly neighborhoods with vibrant nightlife, caution is key when traveling.
7. Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela
- Danger: 78.3 deaths per 100,000 people
The city of Ciudad Guayana was recently founded in 1961, but previous settlements in the area have a history in the 18th century. It is one of Venezuela’s most important shipping and commercial centers.
The city, like many others in Venezuela, suffers from economic turmoil due to the mismanagement of the country’s economy and rampant political corruption. Both contribute heavily to crime and violence throughout the entire country.
6. La Paz, Mexico
- Danger: 85.56 deaths per 100,000 people
After El Chapo’s removal from the cartel game, rival gangs began to try expanding their territories and controlling more of the drug market. The Mexican government responded by using military force to combat this violence, which only led to more violence. Contrary to what he said while running for the Mexican Presidency, Andres Manual Lopez Obrador, aka “AMLO,” promised to switch back to a civilian-led police force with his “hugs, not bullets” policy.
He also promised programs that would reduce poverty and decrease the need for the illegal drug market. Since he was elected in 2018, AMLO has done almost the opposite.
5. Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
- Danger: 100.8 deaths per 100,000 people
AMLO created a hybrid National Guard that consists of civilian police and military force and has worked closely with the United States to try to use excessive force to curb cartel and gang activity. In 2022, a reform was passed allowing the military to carry out domestic law enforcement until 2028, suggesting that this isn’t just a temporary measure that AMLO first claimed.
Mexican citizens who have family members who are victims of military and drug-related crimes have felt frustrated over the lack of justice that has been reached for their deceased loved ones. The uncoordinated Mexican judicial or prison system isn’t capable of controlling the ever-growing complex criminal networks throughout the country.
4. Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
- Danger: 86.1 deaths per 100,000 people
Despite the high crime rates, Mexico has many tourism-centered cities and areas that are extremely safe for visitors and citizens, as these areas rely on tourism to fuel their economy. The United States has advised against traveling to only six of Mexico’s 31 states, including Colima State, Guerrero State, Michoacan State, Sinaloa State, Tamaulipas State, and Zacatecas, due to the risk of crime and kidnapping.
Popular tourist destinations like Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, and Cancun are in the Yucatan State, categorized under “exercise normal precautions,” among several other states. Popular tourist destinations are sometimes over a thousand miles away or more from some of the most dangerous areas.
3. Caracas, Venezuela
- Danger: 99.98 deaths per 100,000 people
Caracas is Venezuela’s largest city, with a population of 2.99 million, but it is also one of its most dangerous. In 2023, tourism rose to Venezuela by 90% of the previous year, with around 1.25 million foreign tourists visiting.
The country is working with Poland, Russia, and Colombia to schedule charters and change the country’s image. While Caracas has a homicide rate of 111.2 deaths per 100,000, Venezuela as a whole only experiences 26.8 homicides per 100,000 people.
2. Acapulco de Juarez, Mexico
- Danger: 110 deaths per 100,000 people
Acapulco is one of Mexico’s oldest beach resorts. Still, tourism has dropped sharply as violence rose, and Acapulco is now the ninth-deadliest city in Mexico and is usually in the top ten most dangerous cities in the world.
The United States warns its citizens to avoid travel to the city if possible. In 2016 alone, there were 918 murders, and in 2018, the entire police force was disarmed by the Mexican military because the government suspected that the local drug gangs had infiltrated it.
1. Tijuana, Mexico
- Danger: 138 deaths per 100,000 people
Tijuana is one of the major centers of the San Diego Tijuana metro area and the second-most populous city in Mexico. While most famous in the United States for its vacationing and party scene, Tijuana is a dominant manufacturing hub in North America. It is the capital of medical device manufacturing in North America.
Organized crime is also the source of violence and criminal activity in the city, which has resulted in a travel advisory from the U.S. State Department. The kidnapping and murder of tourists have added to the city’s reputation as a dangerous destination.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©stockcam / E+ via Getty Images.
