Singapore named safest city for travellers. Philippines’ Manila, 1 of the riskiest

Travellers have many concerns, but safety is often a major priority, especially for women and LGBTQ travellers.

A recent Forbes Advisor study identified the riskiest places in the world to visit based on seven key criteria – and the destinations that ranked the safest.

The list analysed 60 cities across the globe on a 100-point scale, 100 being the most severe risk for travellers.

The criteria include risk for crime, personal security, health security, infrastructure security and digital security.

Curious to dive into the results? They just might surprise you.

01:29

Chinese tourists flock to water park to escape heat

Safest cities to visit

What cities were ranked the least risky? Well, two of the top three safest cities are located in Asia, while the top 10 safest include destinations from Asia to Australia and Europe.

The least risky city to visit in the world is Singapore, which scored a stunning 0 out of 100. It has the lowest natural disaster risk, the second lowest health security risk, the second lowest infrastructure security risk and the second lowest digital security risk. Singapore is rated by the US State Department as a Level 1 security risk.

The second safest destination is Tokyo, which has a security score of 10.72 out of 100. The large metropolis offers the lowest health security risk and the fifth lowest infrastructure security risk. Japan is known for being quite safe, and the State Department ranks it as a Level 1 risk.

Leaving Asia, our third safest destination is Toronto, Canada. It scored 13.6 out of 100 and ranks with the fourth lowest infrastructure security risk and the seventh lowest health security risk, making it a great big city for travellers to visit with little safety concerns. Canada is also ranked as a Level 1 risk destination.

The full list of cities that ranked lowest on the security list (in ascending order from least risky) are as follows:

1. Singapore, Singapore

Tourists visit the Merlion Park in Singapore in December. Photo: Xinhua

2. Tokyo, Japan

Tourists visit Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on July 17. Photo: EPA-EFE

3. Toronto, Canada

People dance during a two-day Latin American street festival in Toronto, Canada, on July 6. Photo: Xinhua

4. Sydney, Australia

Tourists watch a sunset over the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia on Monday. Photo: AAP/dpa

5. Zurich, Switzerland

The city of Zurich, a global centre for banking and finance, lies at the north end of Lake Zurich in northern Switzerland. Photo: Bloomberg

6. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. Photo: Shutterstock

7. Seoul, South Korea

A night view of Seoul on June 28 taken from the a tethered moon-shaped helium balloon that tourists can ride at Yeouido Park. Photo: Xinhua

8. Osaka, Japan

People walk past shops and restaurants in the Dotonbori area of Osaka at night. Photo: Bloomberg

9. Melbourne, Australia

People walk along Swanston Street and past Federation Square in Melbourne. Photo: Shutterstock

10. Amsterdam, Netherlands

An aerial view of the historic Dam Square in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Photo: Shutterstock

Riskiest cities to visit

The riskiest city for travellers to visit is Caracas, Venezuela. Scoring the only 100 out of 100, the Venezuelan city offers the highest health security risk due to the low quality of healthcare available, the highest crime risk, the second-highest infrastructure security risk and the second highest digital security risk. Venezuela as a whole is rated by the US State Department as a Level 4: Do Not Travel risk due to “crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws”.

The second-riskiest destination in the world is Karachi, Pakistan, which ranked 93.12 out of 100. It has the highest personal security risk due to crime, terrorist threats, economic vulnerabilities and even natural disasters. It also has the fourth highest infrastructure security risk. The State Department ranks Pakistan as a whole as a Level 3: Reconsider Travel, due to terrorism.

The third riskiest destination is Yangon, Myanmar. It scored 91.67 out of 100, and represented the highest digital security risk, the third highest personal security risk and the third highest health security risk. The State Department ranks Myanmar as a Level 4: Do Not Travel country, due to “civil unrest, armed conflict, and arbitrary enforcement of local laws”, which have escalated since the February 2021 military takeover of the country.