With everything that has been happening in our world today, like terrorist attacks, etc., a lot of places call for caution when traveling. According to Safe Cities Index, some places show more risk than others, also it ranked the safety of 60 international cities and all of them showed high risk in crime rate, terrorist attacks, etc. Stated in Safe Cities Index, the five most dangerous destinations are Caracas, Venezuela, Karachi, Pakistan, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Yangon, Myanmar, and Quito, Ecuador.

Karachi, Pakistan is a dangerous destination to travel to because of their high crime rate, terrorism, and ongoing security issues, according to The New York Times and Matthew Bradley, the regional director of security for International SOS. Greg Boles, an associate managing director for Bradley, also said, “Karachi is subject to a high number of terrorist attacks from both foreign and indigenous terrorist groups, including the Pakistani Taliban. U.S. citizens are a target in Karachi and get kidnapped for ransom.”

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is in this list because of their high crime rate, including both violent and petty offenses. Bicycles and scooters are a common mode of transportation there. Mr Bradley said, “Visitors, particularly when in tourist areas, such as those around Pham Ngu Lao and Dong Khoi, shouldn’t display any valuable items like jewelry or cell phones, or walk alone after dark. Also, they should be aware that drinks and food may be drugged.”  

Next is Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, which starts to get unsafe in personal security, as stated in The New York Times. Mr. Bradley said that this is due to, “ the prevalence of violent crime and frequency of sexual assaults on women,” also mentioning that, “crime is endemic and opportunistic street crime and more serious offenses such as kidnapping, carjacking and armed robbery have become increasingly common.” Mr. Boles had previously worked in Caracas, Venezuela, and said that the city has a medicine and food shortage which leads to social unrest and protests. Also, the population there does not have free access to basic needs, which makes people frustrated when they can’t get what they need. If someone was visiting there from America or someone that does not live there could fall into what the population goes through there and be without food and water.

Then there is Quito, Ecuador, which is actually a tourist destination for people, but you just have to be aware about the dangers there, such as robbery, theft in hotel rooms, and pickpocketing. Most tourists that travel there will just be walking around and get robbed out of nowhere, according to Bradley and Boles. They also have another danger there, which is called express kidnapping. Bradley said, “Travelers perceived to be wealthy have been seized and forced to withdraw large sums of money from their ATM accounts. While most express kidnappings end in the release of the abductee in some cases, they have resulted in the death of the targeted individual.” In Ecuador, crime is a widespread problem, and they also warn people that travel there about express kidnappings, according to The State Departments site.

Lastly there is Yangon, Myanmar, with one if it’s biggest dangers being the tension between the Muslim and Buddhist communities. The violence between these groups can be very bad and always unpredictable; it is an unstable city in a tourist’s perspective because you never know what will happen next, according to Boles. A Muslim ethnic group named Rohingya has been a subject to serious human rights abuse that includes murder and rape, among other things, according to Amnesty International.

Tourists need to be aware and cautious of where they want to travel, and if it is an exotic place that is not well known, do research before traveling so you are not robbed or attacked. Traveling is fun, but when traveling, make sure to be safe at the same time.