Traveling can be an exciting venture, Seeing new places, meeting new people, having brand new experiences. But sometimes things can go wrong and that dream vacation can quickly turn into a nightmare from hell. So when traveling never throw caution aside, it’s important to follow a few safety tips. The Caribbean is no different, while the Caribbean has a lower than average crime rate and is one of the safest locations to visit, it is not crime free.
Some of the Safest Caribbean Islands are :-
Antigua and Barbuda
Dominica
Grenada
Anguilla
Montserrat
Aruba
Martinique
Turks and Caicos
and so much more
Now this does not mean that crime is non-existent within these islands and many others. Just like any other location on this blue marble we call home (earth) there will be crime, and just like every other location, when traveling you should take necessary precautions. Here are a few things to keep in mind when traveling to the Caribbean
Don’t Leave Belongings Unattended
People tend to think that the Caribbean is crime free and that you can simply leave your bag on the beach at any hour of the day or night, go swimming for hours while not even to bother look at their bags on the exposed shore for everyone to see, and that it will all be fine. ” The Caribbean is paradise, no one will steal my stuff”, Wrong most of the crime in the Caribbean are opportunistic, so someone walks down the beach and they see an unattended bag, while most people will not try to steal your stuff, you will get the odd one that will take your bag and go. And that can leave a bad taste in your mouth when you’ve come to enjoy a relaxing vacation in the Caribbean and your stuff get’s stolen. Always keep an eye on your bags, I cannot stress that enough.
Don’t Venture Off To Isolated Places Alone
So many of you may have heard of the tragic murder of a US Citizen while on vacation to the Spice Island of Grenada, which you may have noted that is listed as one of the safest islands in the Caribbean above. While this is a most horrific and tragic crime, it highlights the point, don’t stray to lonely areas alone. As someone who has previously been to this very same beach in Grenada, that area of the beach is quite remote, not in sight or air shot of anyone. So when traveling to any Caribbean island do not stray to lonely isolated places. The chances are quite slim that any crime will occur but don’t ever throw caution to the wind.
Don’t Flaunt
The general idea in the Caribbean is that most foreigners make a lot more money than most people living in the Caribbean. So when you visit the Caribbean and you wear your thick gold chains and Rolex watches and comment about how much money you make back in your home country, it’s as if your painting a bulls eye on you sticking a rob me note to your back. And while crime is low in the Caribbean, a few people will find this as an opportunity to get some quick money. So keep it low-key, enjoy your vacation, but nobody needs to know what your net worth is and see your most precious jewellery.
Watch Your Company
This is another point that you should definitely keep in mind. In general most people in the Caribbean are friendly and you can have a great time and develop some good friendship, Just be careful and don’t reveal too much about yourself as discussed in the paragraph above, be cautious as to who you pick up as your buddy old pal old friend.
Get a reputable tour guide
Now personally i have not heard of any crimes taking place where someone pretended to be a tour guide and ended up robbing their guests, but it’s always good to be cautious, get a tour guide that is recommended by the hotels or the board of tourism. Many guys on the streets will claim to be a tour guide for you but i highly recommend getting a tour guide that has a name for himself with previous tours.
Travel Safely
As said repeatedly through this blog post, the Caribbean is a safe place, but it is by no means crime free. So when visiting the Caribbean, be wise don’t throw caution to the wind. and have an enjoyable and safe vacation.
Let us know some of your Travel experiences down below.