12 of the Most Dangerous Places in the World

Some of the links might be affiliate links and, at no extra cost to you, we earn a small commission. See our disclaimer for more info.

Generally, the world is a safe place to explore. We find new and exciting things to see and do everywhere we go. However, while most places are safe, others are the opposite. Unfortunately, various issues make some countries dangerous. There are places you should avoid, whether it be because of political unrest, high crime rates, or an increased risk of natural disasters.

Meanwhile, other places are illegal to visit due to their dangers. To learn more, we’ll show you 12 of the most dangerous places in the world. The places on our list make the cut because they either have high crime rates, increased risk of terrorism or natural disaster, or are illegal to visit.

Damascus, Syria

Save this!

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

Syria consistently ranks highly as one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Located in Western Asia, Syria has been a consistent target for terrorist attacks and wars since 2011, and things have yet to change. Therefore, travel to the capital city of Damascus is advised against.

Ongoing violent conflicts, the threat of terrorism, and other severe crimes such as kidnapping and armed robbery pose a serious risk to locals and tourists. Terrorist attacks and conflict in the city are most likely to occur in residential areas and famous places of interest, so it’s best to avoid the city altogether.

Los Cabos, Mexico

Los Cabos, along the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, is known for its lively nightlife, picturesque beaches, and vacation resorts. However, the city is also famous for being one of the most dangerous places in the world. A World Population Review revealed that the city has the highest murder rate in the world.

The city’s murder rate is 111.3 per 100,000 people, meaning approximately 111 people per 100,000 residents in Los Cabos fall victim to homicide. This is enough reason to avoid Los Cabos, but that hasn’t stopped the city from remaining a popular travel destination. Areas of the city considered safe zones include San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.

Caracas, Venezuela

The same World Population Review study reported that Caracas is the second most dangerous city in the world regarding murder. According to the report, Caracas has a murder rate of 111.2 per 100,000. Unfortunately for Caracas, things don’t stop there either.

Venezuela’s capital is also considered dangerous due to high crime rates. Across the city, violent crime, corruption, kidnapping, and civil unrest aren’t uncommon. Furthermore, burglary, armed robbery, and carjacking are also common. As if things weren’t bad enough, wrongful detention, poor health infrastructure, and the threat of terrorism also impact the city’s safety. Bearing all of this in mind, it’s no surprise travel to Caracas and Venezuela as a whole isn’t recommended.

Tijuana, Mexico

Another Mexican city on our list is Tijuana. A border city south of California, Tijuana has over two million residents and a significant immigrant population. Over 80,000 immigrants reach the city annually, while thousands of tourists visit.

This considerable increase in population has left Tijuana at breaking point. As a result, crime rates have risen. According to Forbes, the city recorded five times as many murders as New York City in 2023. World Population Review reports that 100.8 residents per 100,000 are victims of homicide. The main dangers in the city are put down to an increase in gang-related activity and drug cartels.

Feira de Santana, Brazil

When World Atlas ranked the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, a whopping 17 were in Brazil. Despite its apparent natural beauty and a vast range of things to do, Brazil is surprisingly dangerous. Therefore, locals and tourists are advised to stay vigilant. According to World Atlas, the most dangerous city in Brazil is Feira de Santana.

The city only has a population of just over 600,000, but murder rates are almost as high as 70 per 100,000 residents. Unfortunately, the city also has a busy drug trade and gang violence problems. Other common crimes in the city include burglary, carjacking, assault, and armed robbery.

Pripyat, Ukraine

The Ukrainian city of Pripyat makes our list for a different reason. In 1986, reactor NO.4 at Pripyat’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded, causing one of the biggest man-made disasters in history. An astonishing amount of radiation spilled into the atmosphere, leading to the city being evacuated. It’s believed almost 4,000 people have died as a result of the immediate blast or exposure to the radiation at Chernobyl.

🏨 Explore all your hotel options here

Today, radiation levels across the city make Pripyat one of the most radioactive places on the planet. Exposure to high levels of radiation can lead to poor health, genetic changes, and increased chances of cancer. It’s reported that it could be 20,000 years until people can live in the city again.

Snake Island, Brazil

Ilha da Queimada Grande, more famously known as Snake Island, is a small island approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean. This quite terrifying island is home to 2,000 to 4,000 venomous snakes called Golden Lancehead Vipers.

As a result, the island is off-limits to humans, with the only exception being the Brazilian Navy, which carries out maintenance on the island yearly. Even scientists and researchers need special permission to conduct research on the island. The snakes have few predators, but declining island food sources have decreased their numbers. Therefore, the species has now been listed as critically endangered.

North Sentinel Island, India

Next, we have North Sentinel Island, one of the Andaman islands in the Bay of Bengal. This island is home to the native Sentinelese people, who have remained uninfluenced by the modern world. As such, very little is known about life on the island, and we’ll probably never know much more.

The Sentinelese have been known to attack visitors with arrows and spears if they dare come too close. People attempting to visit the island have been killed doing so. This, along with the fact that the Sentinelese are more vulnerable to disease due to a lack of modern medicine, has seen the implementation of a tribal regulation that prohibits travel to the island. To protect the tribe, nobody can go within five nautical miles (9.3 kilometers) of the island.

Lahore, Pakistan

Lahore, Pakistan, is one of the most polluted cities in the world. So much so Human Rights Watch reports that city conditions can cut residents’ life expectancy by up to seven years. Lahore is heavily polluted for several reasons. However, the leading causes of pollution across the city include an increasing population, industrial and vehicle emissions, residue burning, and general waste.

The situation in Lahore has been so bad that parks, schools, and markets are occasionally closed. To fight pollution, the Pakistani government has used artificial rain. Considering the profound health implications of the air in Lahore, this isn’t somewhere you should visit.

Danakil Desert, East Africa

Spread across Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, the Danakil Desert has one of the most hostile environments in the world, which also makes it one of the most dangerous places. This vast desert is known for its extreme temperatures, toxic environments, and lack of water.

Temperatures in the desert often surpass 50°C (122°F), making it an unbearable place to visit, let alone live. The Danakil Desert also has volcanoes and geysers that release toxic gasses into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, human conflict and kidnapping are common, too. With this in mind, we strongly advise against visiting the desert if you ever get a chance.

Oklahoma City, United States

According to a report by Statista, the United States is the most natural catastrophe-prone country in the world. In 2023 alone, the U.S. recorded 25 natural disasters. In the U.S., one of the most dangerous places regarding natural disasters is Oklahoma City.

The city is home to approximately 700,000 people and is in a perilous location at the heart of ‘Tornado Alley.” This term describes the areas where tornadoes are most frequent in the U.S. Therefore, Oklahoma City is at increased risk. To make matters worse, the city doesn’t have many public shelters, so families without private shelters face a race against time to find shelter when a storm does strike.

Israel, Middle East

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza makes the Middle Eastern country one of the most dangerous places to visit in the world. As such, government foreign offices worldwide advise against travel to the country. The main danger zones in Israel are around the south towards Gaza, but there is potential for danger right across the nation.

The main threat to life in Israel is war and terrorism. Aerial attacks and armed ground assaults have both occurred in recent years. In October 2023, a Hamas terrorist attack killed 1,139 people in Israel, while hundreds more were taken hostage. Terrorist attacks are more likely to occur in built-up residential areas or at popular attractions.