Whether you are considering a move or a vacation to the Caribbean you may be wondering which Caribbean Islands are the safest to visit.
The Caribbean Islands are generally safe for tourists and residents. However, there is crime everywhere in the world and you won’t avoid it entirely by moving to the Caribbean. There is no safest Caribbean Island but some locations have a higher crime rate than others.
Tourists are seen as a soft target by petty thieves all over the world and you always need to be careful when you’re on vacation.
Take a basic, common sense approach to travel. Don’t take valuables with you on vacation. Never wear expensive jewellery or watches in a wealth challenged area. Don’t carry large sums of cash on your person as you may be inviting unwanted attention from criminals. Use the safe in your hotel room (or reception) to hold your passport, tickets or spare credit card. Before you venture out of the hotel room lock your baggage to prevent anyone removing items from your luggage. Hotel rooms can be burgled just like a house. The thief may be a hotel worker, another guest or someone who just walks into the hotel.
Home owners can be burgled anywhere in the world and the Caribbean is no exception.
The Caribbean has many homes and apartments built in secure, gated estates designed for expat foreign citizens and tourists. There are many resort-style hotels with private facilities and even private beaches. Vacation packages can include airport transfers, organized tours and even a personal assistant so you don’t have to interact with locals that just want to sell you something.
When you purchase or rent a home always ensure your home has adequate and secure locks. Don’t store expensive artwork, jewellery or cash in your home. Store valuables such as personal identification, jewellery, credit and debit cards in a safe. A small safe can be purchased at hardware stores or online from Amazon. Make sure you bolt it down to the wall or floor so it cannot be stolen.
If you have a car, try to park it in a secure location and always lock it. Never leave valuables on display in a car because thieves can easily open most car doors with a few simple tools.
Crime is not the only consideration for your safety. Other things to consider are safety on the roads, child-friendly activities, swimming at the beaches, hiking on trails, the quality of drinking water, access to medical facilities and the geological stability of the island. That’s right, some islands have active volcanoes and are also subject to earthquakes.
There have always been news reports of crime in the Caribbean region but which islands have the highest crime rate?
All the islands are relatively safe if you stay within the expat and tourist areas.
According to crime statistics, the least safe Caribbean countries are Puerto Rico, Haiti, Trinidad, Tobago and parts of Jamaica.
However, the Caribbean is far safer than many other parts of the world and tourists are rarely involved in serious or violent crimes.
The best advice is to follow common sense precautions while on vacation anywhere you travel.
