Staying safe while on vacation is a concern for any traveler not familiar with the place he is visiting. However, there are some places that are truly lots of fun but extremely dangerous at the same time.
New Orleans
New Orleans brings together culture, music, great food, history and once-in-a-lifetime parties like Mardi Gras and the annual jazz festival. Despite being one of the most exciting vacation destinations in the United States, it also has a horribly high murder rate. In 2011, the rate was 57.88 murders per 100,000 people earning it the title of Murder Capital of the U.S. The good news for tourists is most of the violent crime actually took place in poor areas of city, awake from tourist areas.
Even though Detroit, Michigan is by many reports the most dangerous city in the United States in terms of overall violent crime, it is by no measures considered a fun destination. For this reason, it did not make our list.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is beautiful and exotic, with unparalleled scenery. It also puts off the phenomenal, world famous Carnival annually. However, the high crime rate, murder rate, corruption and slums make for a scary destination for most tourists. High rates of sexual assault including rapes are prevalent in the city. Gang violence is at an epidemic high in Rio. The U.S. Department of State warns about the dangers of travelling in any part of Brazil, even the very touristy, fun Rio. The department’s website also provides advice on staying safe in your travels.
Maybe the common denominator is that New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro are party cities. They may, by nature, attract danger.
Acapulco, Mexico
Acapulco used to be known as a tourist Mecca. With breathtaking beaches, it was the place to go for a relaxing trip south. However, there is nothing relaxing any more about a trip to Acapulco. It is the most dangerous city in Mexico with the highest murder rate there. The U.S. Department of State issued a travel warning in late 2012 about the safety of travelling in Mexico. Many areas of the country are extremely dangerous, despite the fact that it is our neighbor to the south, and boasts great beaches that make for ideal vacation locations.
Mexican coastal towns like Acapulco are exciting, beautiful and fun destinations in the sun. Be extra careful if you travel there and stay away from areas that are deemed especially unsafe for tourists.
Big Island, Hawaii
Any part of Hawaii is fun. With amazing scenery, great beaches and abundant natural beauty, it is a fantastic family vacation, honeymoon or dream destination. Big Island is actually one of the lesser visited islands in Hawaii, but still has sites worth seeking, like Kona coffee farms and Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The thing is that visiting the island does have its dangers, as there are 3 active volcanoes there. Volcanic gases can cause death. In addition, there are various geographical anomalies created by the lava that while picturesque and interesting, can pose falling dangers for excited tourists.
Add to that danger, the risk of being in an area of the world where tsunamis occur and you have one dangerous vacation destination. Carefully follow precautions that are given about your visit to Big Island and you should return home safely.
There are lots of dangerous places to vacation in the world, but most of them simply aren’t fun places to visit. There is nothing appealing about them and they wouldn’t make the average traveler’s list of must-visit destinations. The ones that do make the cut, like those listed above, combine fun and risk. Regardless of whether that risk is from crime or Mother Nature, if the fun place you want to vacation is deemed dangerous, don’t give up. Do your research, danfind out how best to be safe and go enjoy your fun but dangerous vacation destination.
Mike Wilson is security expert with My Protection Link. In his spare time Mike loves traveling overseas and sampling fine wine.
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