Looking to book your next trip ..
..want to concentrate on the scenery rather than not getting your bags stolen?
Check out the top five safest countries as voted for by Mobal Members, and a few of the reasons why:
“The safest country to travel is Japan. This is the one of the most advanced country in the world and still very safe. People can have a nap during subway ride. People ( including young females) can walk back home from the train station even after midnight. If you lose your wallet in the street, there is a very high chance to be returned to you without damage. There are no guns on the street. I am from Japan originally, living in the US for more than 10 years, and travel all over the world. I truely think Japan is the safest country.”
Tomoko
“The safest country I’ve visited is Japan. My brother left a briefcase on a train line in Tokyo, and it was still on the train when the train looped around Tokyo and back to the station where he left it. Taxi drivers will go out of their way to return anything you may have left in the taxi. You can walk late at night in many sections of Tokyo without worrying.”
No name
“The safest country I have ever visited is Japan. My wife and I always knew that we had nothing to fear in walking down dark streets at night – something that I would not do in the States.”
Tom
“Anywhere in Japan.”
jK
“I have traveled professionally and privately as well as with with my family for more than forty years. The safest country I have come across was Iceland. Over 50% of Icelanders live in their capital Reykiavik. The entire country must have a population of some 500’000 souls. Reykiaviks Police force counts less than 30 man and they are unarmed. A travel guide enlightened us to the fact that the police is unarmed so they don’t get hurt by shooting themselves accidently into their feet. Over a period of over 100 years not a single murder has taken place in Iceland. Iceland has many exiting natural wonders to see.It is called the Island of fire and ice with volcanos, geysers and glaciers. If you intend to take a dip in Reykiaviks public swimming pool please be aware that the water had to be cooled down as it comes from hot springs the same as most drinking water in the city. Iceland is safer than even the Vatican.”
Peter Basler
Iceland I think is the safest. Even in summer it’s so windy and has such changeable weather that there are very few people out and about. So therefore hardly any who could potentially be thieves! And it is a very interesting (albeit small) country. Looks like the moon from the air….Next or equal would be Norway (where I lived for five years), more or less for the same reasons.
Paula
“It’s Iceland, the safest, by far. Successful egalitarian socio-capitalism, very little immigration, people are pretty content. I was stationed there in the 1980s, I imagine it has changed little.”
Lance Duchesneau
In Iceland, everybody knows everybody else. They leave babies outside alone in buggies on the sidewalks of Reykjavik to sunbathe.
No name
“Safety is made up of more than just freedom from crime. It also includes freedom from disease and from unhygienic conditions.
The safest country I have visited is Singapore, where you can wander the alleys and kampongs any hour of the day or night. You can even get lost in the jungles around the central reservoir overnight with little fear of attack by the venomous snakes or giant monitor lizards. You won’t even catch a chill!
And the food! You can buy — dirt cheap — healthy and delicious Chinese, Indian, Malay and who-knows-what other cooking from warm and friendly hawkers. And then there is the fruits you will find — delicious and healthful. Singapore is a gourmand’s delight.
Singapore is not safe for only one activity — drug use. But few would be stupid enough to test the Singaporean authorities on that issue.”
Mark Clark
“The safest country I’ve visited is Singapore by a wide margin”
Gene Polhemus
“New Zealand is the safest country to visit. We were there for two weeks some years back with a tour, but we often went out for walks, jogs and bike rides on our own. The first evening we stood at a corner trying to figure out which way to go next, when a young couple drove up and asked if we needed help or a ride back to our hotel. That happened again during our stay there. The people of New Zealand are a delight and they like Americans.”
Julia Stalins
“We haven’t felt unsafe in most countries, but New Zealand was the safest. The people are friendly (we have lasting friends from our visit), the folks in the hospitality industry make every effort to take care of the visitor, and you never have a sense there is a crime problem…..like the US in the 50’s.”
Harlan Hobbs
5. Austria = 10%
“I would nominate Austria with Denmark and Germany running a close second. While I have hardly visited all countries, nor have I gone around throughout those countries, I have walked late at night in major cities and smaller towns and never felt in danger. In fact, I went to a soccer (football) game with a friend in Linz which was so boring (the game not the friend) I drank too much of the poor quality beer sold in the stands. While fumbling with my money at a concession stand I felt a hand on my shoulder and a really tough-looking fan handed me a 20 euro bill I had dropped on the ground. I thanked him, offered to buy him a beer – smart man, he turned down the offer – and just said something like “You should be more careful.” I tried to strike up a further conversation but I guess an somewhat enebriated, careless American tourist didn’t interest him.”
Richard (Dick) Pilgrim
And here are the runners up (in no particular order):
Australia
Sweden
Ireland
Portugal
Germany
Finland
Denmark
Norway
Swizerland