The 5 Most Dangerous Tourist Destinations on Earth
All of these places have a lot to offer to those willing to take a chance and visit them, but, compared to other, just as beautiful, destinations they pose a higher risk. Just to be clear this is not a list of the most dangerous places on Earth; countries like Iraq, Sudan or Liberia haven’t been listed here because they are so dangerous that tourists have lost any interest of traveling there.
5. Brazil
Slums of Brazil
Brazil is a beautiful country, with sunny beaches, clear waters, lush rainforests, incredible culture and many other attributes that make it a lovely travel destination. Unfortunately there is also a down side, a dark side of Brazil you’re bound to experience if you ever go. Despite the accelerated economic growth of recent years, poverty is still a serious issue here and people will do just about anything when their survival instincts kick-in.
You could end up with a switchblade pressing hard on your throat and be forced to surrender your wallet and valuables in order to keep your life. Kidnappings aren’t unusual in large cities like Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paolo; you just get pulled into a car and taken to the closest ATM in order to pay your own ransom. If you can’t do that, well, you better hope your family can or you’re in serious trouble.
Drug cartels have a firm grip over the slums of many of Brazil’s large cities and the police simply don’t have the power to bring them to their knees, so you might be unlucky enough to find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time and become a victim of their crossfire.
4. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Beach
Resembling a tear falling down from the Indian mainland, Sri Lanka is an exotic paradise where natural beauty and man-built luxury combine perfectly. With some of the most beautiful sights on the planet and a few of the world’s most luxurious resorts, Sri Lanka might seem like paradise to many tourists.
But those who keep in touch with world news would know that terrorism has been a great problem here ever since a conflict between the government and a revolutionary faction called the Tigers of Tamil broke out in 1983. Over 70,000 people have died since then and although foreigners are not directly threatened they could easily become collateral victims.
3. South Africa
South Africa
With all the civil wars going on as we speak in African countries like Sudan, Liberia, Burundi and many others, some might say South Africa is one of the few islands of peace in an ocean of war.
But South Africa has its own problems and for many, they are enough to make them change their minds about spending a vacation there. The 2010 World Cup host is always rated as one of the top countries by homicide rate. Most of the killing takes place in the poor parts of the country but it often reaches the more peaceful cities as well.
South Africa has been named the “rape capital of the world” on numerous occasions and more than 10 million of its inhabitants are HIV positive. Not exactly your dream destination, is it?
2. Colombia
Colombian Landscape
With a gorgeous coast, lovely mountainous inland and some of the most beautiful women on Earth, Colombia sounds like the perfect travel destination. And it is indeed worth a trip if you can live with the risks. It’s a known fact that Colombia supplies almost 80% of the cocaine in the world and people like Pablo Escobar have become legends to those that want to leave poverty behind through any means necessary. Drug cartels around Colombia have no fear of the law, they bribe who they can and kill the rest, especially local authorities who refuse to do their bidding.
And one mustn’t ignore the dreaded FARC rebels, famous for kidnapping people and releasing them when nobody really thinks they’re alive anymore. Those are the lucky ones, many others are simply killed. There are thousands of people kidnapped in Colombia every year.
1. Haiti
Haiti
One of the most beautiful countries in the Caribbean, Haiti is also the lawless, poorest and most dangerous. Riots, killings and kidnapping used to take place on a daily basis but, after the deployment of UN troops in the area, the country gained some political and social stability.
Still, the inefficiency of the police and judiciary system help maintain Haiti in a state of crisis. Even the UN Council called for aid in stabilizing the country that is now confronted with problems caused by devastating hurricanes. Of the 57 million demanded by international humanitarian organizations to help the Haitians, only one had been raised at the end of September 2008.
Famine and the lack of shelter could throw Haiti back into the chaos it fought so hard to climb out of.
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