Keeping out of danger, risk, or injury. Use with questions about people; when referring to things, use "security" instead.
6
votes
2answers
115 views
Is it safe to visit Peru?
I have come by these news recently and now I am wondering how real the threat is. Is there someone who recently came back from Peru, Bolivia or Argentina and can report how the situation is?
UPDATE: ...
5
votes
3answers
230 views
Is travelling to the West Bank safe?
I am currently signed up for a trip to Israel and am planning an extension to visit the West Bank, probably Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Bethlehem. Given that Israel recently bombed Syria and Hezbollah is ...
4
votes
2answers
63 views
Family travel in Thailand - is it safe, can we improvise?
We are planning a group trip to Thailand for three weeks in July/August. We are two families with 3 12 year old daughters and 1 7 year old boy.
We are doing a lot of research in terms of what to ...
4
votes
1answer
39 views
Name (or search terms etc) for enhanced travel insurance for locations with travel warnings
I'm trying to research options for enhanced travel insurance that is valid for regions with cautionary "advise against non-essential travel" warnings. Every approach I've tried had found nothing, ...
-1
votes
1answer
148 views
Where is the safest country in Africa? [closed]
As the title asks, which African country is safe for visiting with peace of mind?
14
votes
3answers
288 views
Is cycling in Tokyo safe?
I have booked a hotel in Tokyo near JR Ueno Train Station and it offers bike rental. I know that around the station there are various attractions like Ueno Park and temples of Asakusa. I thought I ...
7
votes
1answer
147 views
How safe is northeast India?
How safe are the North-Eastern provinces of India, like Tripura or Nagaland?
I keep reading articles about some uprisings but they are years old.
Is it better now? Has anyone ever been there?
8
votes
1answer
280 views
Why are airplane passengers asked to move their seats to the upright position during take-off and landing?
The reasons for fastening seat belts and closing tray tables are obvious. But what danger poses having a reclined seat?
8
votes
1answer
150 views
Safety [petty crimes, mostly] in Japan
I'm fully aware of the fact that Japan is considered a quite safe country in regards of petty crimes. However, I recently stumbled upon alerts about the Roppongi area where [quoting from wikitravel]
...
25
votes
6answers
966 views
Is it dangerous to drive through Death Valley?
I planned to drive through Death Valley with a rental car during end of May or beginning of June. Now a friend of mine told me that this is a little bit dangerous, and that a lot of rental companies ...
7
votes
2answers
129 views
Is it safe to walk around downtown Portland, Oregon (USA) at night?
I will be visiting Portland on a business trip, and will be able to sightsee only at night. Is it safe to leave my hotel located downtown and walk around?
10
votes
1answer
245 views
Is Casablanca totally safe?
My daughter is going to have a flight with one day stopover in Casablanca. Are there places to be avoided in Casablanca for a single young woman? Which ones might they be?
1
vote
0answers
164 views
Are Japanese women visiting middle eastern countries at risk of being seen as “easy”? [closed]
I've heard that in some (but not all!) areas in the middle east, there's a stereotype held by some (but not all!) that western women are easy. From The Arab myth of western women by Khaled Diab:
...
0
votes
0answers
70 views
What is the safest route by ground from Iran to Tajikistan via Afghanistan? [closed]
I wanted to try it 2 years ago but my alarm bells started ringing after hearing and reading the news about changing the situation of many safe areas like Kunduz,Kabul and the other cities in the north ...
4
votes
1answer
77 views
Is it possible to hire a tour guy through Iraq with a film crew for a documentary film on Iraq ancient history?
We have three people working on a film in Iraq.
We would like to do it with a guide.
We have 2 cameras for est. $6000 each, which is a safety concern.
We plan to make shots in bigger cities but ...
8
votes
2answers
111 views
How trustworthy are government travel advice sites? Are there alternatives?
In How do I know if it's safe to travel to a country at a specific time? , the main suggestion for determining the safety of travel to a certain country are travel advice agencies run by ...
8
votes
2answers
97 views
How safe is the Sugar Loaf trail (Brazil)?
The Wikitravel article for Rio de Janeiro, recommends a 20-30 minutes trekking trail to access the Sugar Loaf for free. Is it safe?
4
votes
1answer
56 views
What's the cheapest way to reach the Cristo Redentor (Corcovado)?
I've read about a trail to get to the Cristo Redentor, but I'm not sure about the safety of a trail like this in Rio de Janeiro. Tours to the Corcovado are very expensive and the cable car is not ...
6
votes
1answer
107 views
Biking tour in Russia
I am from Turkey and planning a bike tour in Russia and in Ukraine. I'll ride from Sochi to Yalta by using the Sochi - Anapa - Rostov on Don - Mariupol - Yalta destination. Is this route secure and ...
-1
votes
1answer
154 views
Safety concerns of travelling by plane [closed]
Recently I have completed a 9-hour flight by Boeing-747. It managed to get into a storm with a strong turbulence. While inside the plane I was very much afraid of the possibility of the plane ...
18
votes
5answers
1k views
Is it risky to wear a name tag in public in an unfamiliar city?
A couple of years ago, I came across Smart Traveller claiming that wearing your name tag can increase the risk of crime and assault in the form of someone who pretends to already know you taking ...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
Walking through Northern Mexico safest route [closed]
I realize walking through northern Mexico has its issues and most of those issues can't be avoided. I am just looking for the "safest" route by foot in the southern gulf states. Now keep in mind the ...
5
votes
2answers
330 views
Should I buy a weapon if travelling to dangerous countries
There are some countries that is consider "dangerous", which I will not specific it.
My main question is whether is it best practice to buy a weapon to protect yourself and people who accompany you ...
7
votes
3answers
248 views
Is it allowed to carry “a knife” or “a pepper spray” while traveling by road in the Schengen area as a woman?
Can a solo female traveler carry a knife or pepper spray to be able defend of herself when she is on the road or when hitchhiking, or it is illegal?
7
votes
2answers
143 views
Is it important to wear a necklace with medical history for people with medical conditions while traveling?
Is it advised for people with chronic medical condition (diabetes, asthma, allergies, etc.) to wear necklaces with medical history when travelling? Is it a worldwide thing to check people's necklaces ...
20
votes
5answers
2k views
Is it wise to pretend to be Christian to safely travel through the US?
In this Economist blog it is stated:
In the most religious parts of America, it is tough being a secular teenager. Many of the kids at Camp Quest say that, at school, they either keep quiet about ...
11
votes
6answers
869 views
How dangerous is the 'La Boca' neighborhood of Buenos Aires?
I've heard a few warnings about going to La Boca, especially at night. I'm curious how dangerous it is in the area.
I don't really know how one would rate the level of danger, but what I'd like to ...
0
votes
0answers
58 views
Where can I find out about specific areas are unsafe to visit travelling by bike [closed]
I am going on a long distance bike tour, around the world hopefully. I am a little concerned about areas that I should definitely not visit. I have heard that its possible to check the FCO website for ...
10
votes
3answers
423 views
Is there a website that measures the level of xenophobia in countries/cities?
Is there a website that measures the level of xenophobia in countries or cities? It would be better if it's color coded.
Xenophobia could mean a lot for some tourists, I myself do not like to travel ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
How dangerous is India for solo women travellers, or female-only groups?
Why India is not safe for solo women is an article in The Telegraph (UK) describing one woman's issues with sexual harassment in India.
Some of the information there describes a worse situation than ...
10
votes
1answer
225 views
Is it a breach of South African Law or International regulations to not do a full safety briefing on a commercial flight?
I was recently on a scheduled flight (Boeing 737) from Victoria Falls (VFA) to Johannesburg (JNB). At the check in desk I was informed the flight was stopping at Livingston (LVI) on route.
When I ...
9
votes
1answer
130 views
Do I need to take any precautions regarding smog when travelling?
Recently, Beijing had issues with severe smog.
I understand that too much smog can be unhealthy, but also that the likelihood of possible damage is probably related with the exposure time. For ...
5
votes
1answer
335 views
Safety and practicalities of eating dolphin meat in Taiji, Japan
At a recent Japan festival, amongst the various tourist brochures I got, one was for Wakayama prefecture, which included a page for Taiji. If I visited there, I'd have to decide whether or not to eat ...
7
votes
2answers
165 views
Is it safe to travel by bus in Peru at night?
Do you think it is safe to travel in Peru by bus in the night?
Or should I only travel during the day? Actually a few trips are quite long—around 20 hours—so I guess I'm going to travel by night ...
26
votes
5answers
3k views
Can a tourist buy a gun in the USA?
This came up as a discussion. With recent incidents in the news, it's often argued by some members of the public in the US that guns are a requirement for safety, and that everyone should have the ...
12
votes
5answers
488 views
General security concerns about Cancun, Mexico
I am planning to go on vacation with my girlfriend (We are both in our early twenties) in a 5 star hotel in Cancun, Mexico.
My concerns:
I've seen a documentary where a young guy got drugged in ...
3
votes
1answer
113 views
Do seatbelts reduce the risk of injury or death in buses? [closed]
While I was on a two hour bus trip in Tasmania, someone noted that I was the only passenger who was wearing a seat belt. Do seatbelts reduce the risk of injury or death to bus passengers? Is the ...
8
votes
1answer
806 views
Is it safe to attend a soccer game between Croatia and Serbia as a tourist?
In the beginning of next year, Croatia will play against Serbia in the qualification round for the soccer world championship 2014 in Brasilia. The game will take place at 22.03.2013 in Zagreb and ...
7
votes
1answer
417 views
Is it safe for a Muslim to visit Israel nowadays?
Is it safe for a Muslim to visit Israel nowadays? I got different answers for my question every time I ask. Can somebody with real experience help?
7
votes
1answer
141 views
Independent excursions on Panama Canal cruise
I'll be taking a Panama Canal cruise with family with stops at:
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Huatulco, Mexico
Puerto Chiapas, Mexico
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
Fuerte Amador, Panama
Cartagena, Colombia
...
10
votes
4answers
2k views
Statistically, is there a safest seat on the plane if it crashes?
So to clarify, there are lots of different planes, so for the sake of argument, there are areas:
front left
front right
front middle
forward front, right, middle
over the left wing
over the right ...
19
votes
7answers
3k views
How does one recover from a (personal) disaster while abroad, travel-wise?
I was watching the Bond flick Die Another Day last night. In it, Bond ends up in terrible shape, but manages to escape to the shores of Hong Kong, where he strolls into the lobby of a swanky hotel, is ...
18
votes
2answers
844 views
Devil's pool safety at Victoria Falls
The Devil's pool is a natural pool on the edge of Victoria falls you can swim in during certain months (I saw people doing last September).
Image is in public domain. Source: Wikipedia.
Firstly, I ...
8
votes
1answer
98 views
Precautions to take for travelers when doing short-term apartment rental
I'm considering short term apartment rental (about 2 months) while travelling to Canada and Australia, probably with roommates.
What precautions should I take not to get scammed, as well as making ...
5
votes
1answer
201 views
Unsafe seats on a Boeing 777?
On a flight with Singapore airline from Zurich to Singapore with a Boeing 777 I had an aisle seat. Shortly before take off, a flight attend approached my and told me that this seat is unsafe and I had ...
5
votes
1answer
132 views
Are there air traffic routes that are turbulence-sensitive?
Are there any air traffic routes where I have to expect more or more severe turbulences than usual? I once heard that over the Atlantic before the South American coasts there are a lot of turbulences, ...
7
votes
1answer
118 views
Getting to my hostel safely from Asunción airport after dark
My flight into Asunción gets in at midnight, and my hostel is a good 17 km from the airport.
Is it safe to take a taxi at night into Asunción? Should I arrange for a private driver? Is it even safe ...
11
votes
1answer
561 views
Are there high crime areas in Japan that I should avoid?
According to the this link (in the "Crime" section), I should avoid the areas of "Roppongi, Shinjuku (especially the area of Kabuki-cho), Shibuya, and Ikebukuro" in Tokyo, due to them being high crime ...
7
votes
4answers
246 views
Best Way to Prepare For Being Mugged
How would you advise preparing for the possibility of being mugged while traveling in the US, or Caribbean?
Edit: I'm specifically concerned about being able to rebuy your stolen stuff, without ...
6
votes
1answer
348 views
How safe is it for “Western” Muslims to participlate in the Hajj and visit Mecca?
So as I hope you all know, the Hajj is a religious pilgrimage that Islam requests all its believers to participate in at least once in their lifetime if possible.
Now I know that there have been many ...
