10 Most Dangerous Places to Travel
Last Updated on January 11, 2019
Table of Contents
A round-up of some of the most dangerous places to travel at the moment.
When travelling, danger comes packaged in a myriad of ways: copious amounts of poisonous snakes, an unfriendly militia, or sky-high crime rates. Maybe you’re looking for an adrenaline rush – or maybe you just want to know which places to avoid when booking your next vacation. Either way, we’ve put together a list of the 10 of the most dangerous places to visit.
1. Brazil
While travelling to Brazil gives you the chance to gaze over the 250 mesmerizing Iguacu Falls and kayak the Amazon, cities like Sao Paulo unfortunately have high rates of gang violence, and even tourist-ridden Rio de Janeiro has scary levels of murder, rape and theft. If you’re leaning towards that Amazon kayaking adventure, watch out for piranhas, Black Caimans, army ants and jaguars.
Flickr photo by jackhynes
2. Colombia
Colombia has paramilitary groups prone to kidnapping people, and it exports 75% of the world’s cocaine. While Medellín may no longer boast the title of murder capital of the world, narco-terrorist groups are still active in several rural areas and firearms are common.
Flickr photo by szeke
3. Antarctica
Antarctica’s wilderness is breathtaking, and if you’re on a cruise or travelling with an experienced guide, it can be a safe place to visit. But if you wander off, be prepared for weather that could kill you in little less than an hour thanks to temperatures that drop beyond –60 degrees Celsius and powerful winds.
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Flickr photo by Rita Willaert
4. Mount Everest
Everest’s peak is one that not many people can claim to have conquered, and rightly so: many experienced climbers die attempting to reach it. Nature is unkind on Everest, and if you climb into trouble, it’s incredibly difficult to get help.
Flickr photo by eriktorner
5. Haiti
The 2010 earthquake that destroyed Port au Prince launched the already-impoverished nation into devastation. Haiti is recovering, but still suffers from outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and violent crime.
Flickr photo by uusc4all
6. Afghanistan
The world’s top supplier of opium, Afghanistan is home to landmines, political unrest, and frequent bombings. There are continual terrorist attacks, high risk to foreigners of kidnapping, and even if you leave its cities, millions of landmines pepper the countryside.
Photo by Jonny Duncan from Backpackingman
7. Somalia
Unlike the friendly Disney version portrayed by Johnny Depp, Somalia has real pirates, and the nation is famous for its rocky government, poverty rates, and frequent crime.
Flickr photo by frankkeillor
8. Sudan
Since 2003, nearly a quarter million Sudanese refugees have left for Chad, spurred on by terrorism, military regimes, and insurgent groups. Don’t look for safety away from urban areas, either – Sudan has a desert-like terrain that is especially unforgiving.
Flickr photo by Retlaw Snellac
9. Izu Islands
High levels of gas on these volcanic Japanese islands have led to evacuation twice before. If you decide to visit, make sure to bring a gas mask – all residents are required to carry them in case of sudden gas level hikes.
10. Ilha de Queimada Grande
Just off Brazil, this island boasts 1 – 5 snakes per square metre, and not just any snakes: the golden lancehead, whose bite will melt your flesh, has caused 90% of snakebite fatalities in Brazil. If that’s not enough to turn you off the island, maybe the paperwork will – all visitors require permits due to the island’s danger.
Flickr photo by Prefeitura Municipal de Itanhaém
The Comments
Just One Boomer
I hope no one would set off to climb Mt. Everest or visit Antarctica or any place crawling with poisonous snakes without taking reasonable precautions. And I think it's fair to generalize and say that it's a good idea to avoid areas with active civil wars—or any kind of wars for that matter, and failed nation states. I'm kind of surprised that Iraq and Syria didn't make the ten most dangerous list. Having said that, I would remove Brazil and Colombia from the list unless you want to add parts of every large United States city. I kind of wouldn't hang out just over the border in Mexico either, but I had a lovely trip to the Bajio region of Mexico earlier this year. The key is to not be dumb. Do your homework and find out where not to go when you are visiting somewhere. (If you visit Philadelphia, you can ask me, but do come to Philly–the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.) But, of course, the Number One most dangerous place in the world to go is "The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time"—like, for example, a certain movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, the night the new Batman movie came out or at a gathering of liberal party youth on an island in Norway.
Diana
Just One Boomertotally agree with you Just One Boomer, especially in the "the wrong place at the wrong time".
I am Brazilian, I live in Rio, and nothing has ever happened to me or my visitors. But I have been robbed twice in Paris. I am no silly though to say Paris is a dangerous place, not at all. I was careless in a big city, that was all.
In the name of Brazilians, I feel so sorry to read such article…
Kenza
I've never visited Brazil, but it's 2nd on my list after Australia! These are meant to be places that have been reported as dangerous but that are definitely worth visiting. :) So yes, they're not as dangerous as places with civil wars going on where you are actually in absolute danger if you visit, but I didn't intend for them to be. I'm sorry you weren't happy with the article & thanks for commenting!
Just One Boomer
KenzaKenza, I think it was the title of the article that was troubling given that Brazil and Colombia were then listed as numbers one and two of the most dangerous places in the world to visit. By all means, go to Brazil and Colombia, but as you should anywhere in the world, take sensible precautions. Safe travels and enjoy!
Barbara
I would unfortunately add Caracass and/or all of Venezuela much before Brazil. I'm trying to get there and have so many people giving me warnings. Real or imagined? This is certainly an interesting list, though!!!