The most dangerous cities in the world for tourists

Caracas, Venezuela

In the heart of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, lies the city’s main square, Plaza Bolivar. Near it are concentrated many attractions: the Cathedral, the National Congress and the Archbishop’s Chamber. In addition, the Juan Antonio Perez Museum, which preserves the cultural and historical heritage of the country, the University Campus, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge deserve attention. And at the Oriental Park and Caricuao Zoo, you can spend time outdoors surrounded by greenery and beautiful scenery. However, enjoying the natural and architectural beauty of Caracas is hindered by the high crime rate. Murder, armed robbery, pickpocketing and auto theft are commonplace here, especially in poor neighborhoods. It is not uncommon for people to be kidnapped for ransom on the streets of the city. The situation is complicated by the fact that local law enforcement agencies, to put it mildly, are not very interested in their work. According to statistics, 98% of crimes in Venezuela do not result in criminal prosecution.

Tijuana, Mexico

In Tijuana, located on the border of Mexico and the United States, you can find a lot of interesting things. These include the Monumental Arch – the symbol of the city and the most popular place for photo shoots, the Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, characterized by curious architecture with Baroque elements, the Avenue Revolucion, famous for souvenir stores, restaurants and bars, and the Assembly Museum, dedicated to modern art. Tijuana would be a great city for tourism if it weren’t for the off the charts organized crime rate. In 2022, the city was awarded the “title” of the most dangerous in the world – it registered 138 murders for every 100,000 inhabitants. By comparison, Acapulco, the second most dangerous city in the world ranking, has 110 murders per 100,000 inhabitants.

Nairobi, Kenya

The Kenyan capital is famous for its national park, the only one in the world located within the city limits. Elephants, giraffes, buffalo, lions, leopards, jackals and other curious wildlife living in the park are not deterred by this fact. Nairobi also boasts a National Museum full of unique artifacts and authentic markets selling a variety of local handicrafts, jewelry and produce. That said, due to the poor economy and poverty of the population, the city has major security problems. Carjacking, armed robbery and theft are extremely common crimes here. Thieves often snatch valuables from open car windows when drivers are stopped at stoplights or standing in traffic. Kidnapping and gun trafficking also occur.
Fraud is also not uncommon, with criminals extorting money from gullible tourists using fake documents and posing as government or police officers. Real police officers, alas, are not always able to stop crimes. In addition, Nairobi is sometimes targeted by the extremist group al-Shaabab. For example, in 2019, terrorists attacked a hotel in the city center, killing 21 people and injuring about 30.