You don’t want to be scammed, robbed, pickpocketed, or feel victimized on vacation. No one does. So choose your destination for next year wisely. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has announced the 2023 Safest countries and safest cities for travelers. Find out if your next vacation spot makes the list.
As a travel insurance specialist, compiling accurate data on how dangerous locations are for tourists is crucial to BHTP’s core business. Every year they survey travelers and combine the data with sources such as Global Peace Index, The Economist’s safe-cities index, and the State Department’s travel safety ratings and other sources.
So whether travel is your favorite hobby or you only take a vacation once every few years, step off the plane into one of these countries and have the holiday you deserve.
The complete Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection lists can be found here:
Europe
Despite the war in Ukraine, Europe is still the safest continent if you’re planning a trip in 2023. It takes 11 of the 15 spots in the safest countries and 8 of the safest cities to travel to in 2023.
1st Netherlands
4th Safest city: Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s once unsavory perception has turned around in recent years, and it was even crowned the world’s most tourist-friendly city in 2019. Travel Safe – Abroad agrees, scoring 75 on its 100-point safety scale.
Amsterdam is more than Anne Frank’s house, and the red light district, galleries, and museums like the Van Gogh Museum dot the city. Stroll over canals and down Amsterdam’s Jordaan district streets with an Iberian ham and cheese croissant. You won’t regret it.
2nd Denmark
2nd Safest city: Copenhagen
In 2021 The Economist ranked Copenhagen as the safest city on the planet, and not much has changed. It ranks as 2nd safest city to travel to in 2023.
You can’t go to Copenhagen without finding the house (he actually owned three) of Hans Christian Anderson. Nyhavn, where they are located, with its pastel-colored houses, feels like jumping into a fairy tale, so it’s not difficult to see where Hans found his inspiration.
3rd Iceland
1st Safest city Reykjavik
The Global Peace Index has named Iceland the most peaceful on the planet for the 12th year. Reykjavik is its capital and ranked first on the 2023 safest city list.
If you’ve ever wanted to feel like you’re on another planet, make Reykjavik your goal for 2023. In winter, sunrise is often after 11 am, and in summer, it’s as early as 3 am. The steam and occasional geysers spurting from cracks in the ground and the sky, which turns green at night with the Northern Lights, make Reykjavik otherworldly.
North America
The U.S. didn’t make it onto the list for the safest country, but one city did – Honolulu. However, if safety is your main concern, consider a trip to Montreal in Canada first.
6th Canada
3rd Safest City: Montreal
A jewel in North America reflecting European culture but uniquely Canadian, Montreal is a city you don’t want to miss. In 2018 data from Statistics Canada and the FBI found that Montreal was the safest city in Canada.
So why not learn a little French and sit in the cafes or bagel shops in the Plateau-Mont-Royal, recently voted the 5th coolest neighborhood in the world?
Unranked: U.S.A
12th Safest City: Honolulu
At less than six hours of flight time from the West coast, there’s a reason over 5 million tourists headed to Hawaii in the first seven months of 2022. Honolulu, the island state’s capital, is the most popular tourist destination in the island chain.
However, despite its rating of 12th safest city to travel to in 2023, Travel Safe – Abroad has a long page of safety advice concerning Honolulu.
Oceania
Of the 14 countries that comprise Oceania, only two made it onto the list – the neighboring countries of Australia and New Zealand.
4th Australia
10th Safest City: Sydney
Sydney consistently ranks as the safest city in Australia, so it’s no surprise to see it in the top ten safest cities in the world. You can walk around the opera house without worrying about pickpockets or scam artists.
There’s more to Sydney than the opera house, however. You’ll find perhaps the best cheesecake in Australia at Lorraine’s Patisserie and stunning views of Sydney Harbour Bridge at Wendy’s Secret Garden. But, of course, if you’d rather lay back at the beach, Sydney has you covered there too. The emerald water at Wattamolla Beach within the Royal National Park has to be seen to be believed.
10th New Zealand
The Global Peace Index ranks New Zealand as the second safest country in the world, so there was no question it would make BHTP’s list.
If you’ve watched The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit movies and wished you could venture into Middle Earth, you’ll be happy to know that you can! The set of the iconic films where the shires were filmed is open to visitors.
Asia
Berkshire Hathaway’s lists represented Asian cities more than their countries, so if you want to take a city break, feel safe choosing one of these cities in Asia.
Unranked: South Korea
5th Safest City: Seoul
After the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush, some may revise Seoul’s position as one of the safest cities for travelers in 2023. For now, however, Seoul, South Korea’s capital, ranks as the fifth safest city.
Shopping and eating are at the soul of Seoul. Visit Myeongdong at lunchtime to find a shoppers paradise converted into a street dining experience like no other. Despite the efficiency and modernity, everything here is distinctly Korean. From the kimbap (rice rolls) to dak gangjeong (fried chicken.)
Unranked (as a country): Singapore
6th Safest City: Singapore
Strict laws are in place in Singapore, making offenses like the possession of chewing gum or spitting punishable by a fine. The result is the safest place in Asia, according to The Global Peace Index.
Gardens by the bay, a seamless interweaving of nature with space-age biodomes, is the perfect metaphor to describe Singapore. The high-tech economic powerhouse of South East Asia is also home to over 300 parks and four nature reserves.
Unranked: Japan
7th Safest City: Tokyo
Even though it didn’t make the safest country list, Japan is still considered a safe country for visitors. Travel Safe – Abroad ranks it an 83 on their 100-point scale, the same score as Ireland, which ranked in the eighth position.
The 2023 edition of the Michelin Guide Tokyo lists over 200 restaurants with at least one Michelin star. So if you didn’t already, expect fantastic food when you’re in Tokyo. But Tokyo is known for more than just food. As home to Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and Nikon, it’s also the best place to discover new tech.
