With winter knocking on our doors and vacation packages starting to pop up on your Insta feed every three posts you scroll past, you might have taken the hint it’s time to start planning your next Caribbean island getaway already.
The turquoise seas, the all-inclusive resorts, the abundant nature, the… rising criminality?
As beautiful as these islands may be, we get it if you’re holding back from booking when there are reports of gang activity in Jamaica, still under a State of Emergency, widespread corruption in parts of the Mexican Caribbean, and high rates of crime in the Dominican Republic.
Let’s be honest: if you’re going to a five-star resort, you’ll be as safe as can be in any of those destinations, anyway, but maybe barricading yourself in a luxurious enclave in Montego Bay or Punta Cana is not your idea of fun––in that case, where to go that’s perfectly safe?
According to the U.S. State Department, these 4 Caribbean islands are some of the least risky for Americans to visit:
Aruba
An often-overlooked beach destination where powdery white sands unfold along aquamarine waters for miles on end, pink flamingos roam the shoreline freely, and overdevelopment is yet to take its toll on local communities, Aruba is incredibly safe for tourists.
According to a report issued by AXA, an insurance company, Aruba maintains a ‘relatively low crime rate‘ compared to neighboring Caribbean islands, with over 75% of reported crime being non-violent, and most occurrences involving pickpocketing and bag-snatching.
It is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, after all, and its citizens are officially Dutch, so you can expect both living and safety standards to be higher than other less-developed, independent island-nations where crime is rife.
Besides offering visitors a higher sense of security, Aruba has a a colorful colonial capital to its name––Oranjestad, full of lively cafes and street markets––and a resort-lined Palm Beach, a quieter, more peaceful alternative to the Caribbean’s jam-packed vacation hotspots.
Barbados
Why take chances in a Level 3 Jamaica when you go on a stress-free escapade to Barbados instead? Unlike its competitor, this is one of the least dangerous islands in the Caribbean, home to friendly locals who will go out of their way to assist you if needed, and well-surveilled resort zones.
The British-built capital Bridgetown is littered with 17th-century colonial architecture, and if you’re a History buff like us, you should know the local Nidhe Israel Synagogue (and its adjacent museum), is among the oldest in the New World, opened as early as 1654.
Barbados’ greatest triumph, however, is its numerous swimming and diving sites, with Carlisle Bay and its historic shipwrecks, Browne’s Beach with its tranquil, teal-colored waters, and a beach club and restaurant-lined Dover Beach, to name three.
According to the State Department, Americans are under no heightened safety risks visiting Barbados, where violent crime is largely under control, and their biggest concern is petty theft, in which case, you know what to do: keep an eye on valuables and avoid those deserted streets.
Cayman Islands
Comprising three gorgeous islands in the Western Caribbean, where some of the clearest waters in the basin are, the Caymans are a British Overseas Territory famous for their plethora of scuba diving and snorkeling spots and thriving marine life.
If it’s the beachfront resorts you’re dreaming of, Grand Cayman is the place to go, with nightly rates starting from as cheap as $98-a-night at the Grande Cayman Resort in Myrtle Beach this season; Cayman Brac, on the other hand, is popular for sea caves and wild swimming.
The third and smallest island, Little Cayman, is a protected reserve where you will find pink sands and natural lagoons housing bonefish and red-footed babies––and if you’re going inland, you might even come across endangered iguanas.
The best part? The three Caymans are virtually free of violence, with only four murders reported in the archipelago in 2024: with a low homicide rate of 7.99 per 100,000 and mugging being the most common offense, albeit still rare, it is the perfect destination for overcautious Americans.
Saint Lucia
Over in the Eastern Caribbean, Saint Lucia is a single-island nation easily distinguished by its pair of towering volcanic peaks, the Pitons, sleepy fishing villages with wooden houses, and surrealistic black sand beaches lapped by an azure ocean.
It is one of the trendiest Caribbean destinations to visit right now, and one that is certain to surge further in popularity with the improved connectivity this season––Americans can fly to Saint Lucia from as many as 8 U.S. cities––and impressive safety levels.
In general, Saint Lucia is perceived as safe, with no reported cases of visitors having been affected by crime when visiting recently, and Washington officials have issued it a Level 1 badge, meaning Americans should exercise normal precautions.
This means staying vigilant in touristy areas, where robberies and pickpocketing are more likely to occur, avoiding traveling around the island, particularly off-route locations unaccompanied, and steering clear of poorly-lit areas at night––you know, the usual stuff.
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