12 Popular summer destinations with high crime and kidnapping rates
Summer travel bookings remain high across North America, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe, according to major airline and lodging trend reports released through 2026. At the same time, the U.S. Department of State continues to warn travelers about violent crime and kidnapping in several vacation hotspots that draw large summer crowds. This list breaks down 12 popular destinations where official advisories or local security data show a higher-than-average risk profile.
Cancun, Mexico
Cancun remains one of Mexico’s busiest beach destinations, with Quintana Roo receiving millions of visitors each year through Cancun International Airport. The U.S. Department of State has kept Mexico under a countrywide travel advisory framework, and it has specifically noted crime as a concern even in heavily visited tourist zones.
For Quintana Roo, the State Department has said travelers should exercise increased caution due to crime. The advisory notes that criminal activity and violence can occur anywhere in the state, including in popular tourist destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. That warning has remained a key reference point for U.S. travelers planning summer trips.
Local and state authorities continue to deploy security forces around hotel zones and public beaches, but official notices do not say those measures eliminate risk. What is confirmed is that tourists still visit in large numbers, while kidnappings and organized criminal activity remain broader security concerns in parts of Mexico, according to U.S. federal guidance.
Tulum, Mexico
Tulum has grown from a smaller beach town into one of the Riviera Maya’s biggest summer draws, with new resorts and a recently expanded airport network boosting arrivals since 2023. That growth has come alongside repeated security concerns in Quintana Roo, the same state-level advisory area that includes Cancun.
The U.S. Department of State’s language for Quintana Roo says travelers should exercise increased caution due to crime. That advisory does not isolate Tulum with a separate rating, but it does make clear that violence can happen outside and inside tourist areas. That matters for a destination known for nightlife, beach clubs, and road travel.
Public reporting in recent years has also documented shootings tied to criminal groups in or near tourist districts. While not every incident involves visitors, the pattern has kept safety concerns in the spotlight. Officials have not released a single public metric showing risk only for tourists in Tulum, so the broad state advisory remains the clearest federal benchmark.
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Playa del Carmen is another major summer stop in Quintana Roo, especially for U.S. travelers taking short-haul flights from Texas, Florida, and the Northeast. It is regularly named in State Department advisory language covering the state, alongside Cancun and Tulum.
That advisory says crime can occur anywhere in Quintana Roo, including tourist areas. Kidnapping is a concern cited in broader Mexico travel guidance, even though local risk varies sharply by state. The federal advisory system does not provide a city-by-city kidnapping count for U.S. visitors in Playa del Carmen.
The practical reality for travelers is that resort corridors remain active and heavily policed, but official warnings still urge extra caution. The State Department has also said U.S. government employees have some travel restrictions in parts of Mexico, which reflects how seriously security conditions are monitored at the federal level.
Acapulco, Mexico
Acapulco has long been one of Mexico’s most famous beach cities, but Guerrero state carries one of the highest warning levels in the U.S. advisory system. The State Department has advised Americans not to travel to Guerrero due to crime, and that advisory specifically includes concerns tied to armed groups and violence.
The “Do Not Travel” designation is more severe than the increased-caution warning used for places like Quintana Roo. Kidnapping is one of the crimes the State Department regularly cites in high-risk Mexican states, and Guerrero has faced years of documented cartel-related violence. That context places Acapulco in a different category from many mainstream resort areas.
Tourism activity has continued in parts of Acapulco, especially after rebuilding efforts linked to storm damage in 2023 and 2024. Still, the federal U.S. position remains clear as of 2026. For American travelers, the advisory itself is the most direct official fact, and it remains one of the strongest warnings on this list.
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is one of the Caribbean’s most popular cruise and resort destinations, with New Providence island serving as the center of Bahamian tourism. In January 2024, the U.S. Department of State updated its advisory for the Bahamas and warned travelers to be aware of crime, especially in Nassau and Freeport.
The advisory said armed robberies, burglaries, and sexual assaults had occurred, with most crime taking place in Nassau and Freeport on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands. It did not issue a kidnapping-focused warning at the same level seen in parts of Mexico, but the crime concern was direct and specific.
For summer travelers, that means the destination remains heavily visited while still carrying an official caution notice. Cruise traffic and resort stays continue at scale, but U.S. officials have said visitors should stay alert in vacation rental areas and some neighborhoods south of downtown Nassau, where violent incidents have been publicly documented.
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Montego Bay is one of Jamaica’s top tourism gateways, with Sangster International Airport handling a large share of the island’s visitors. The U.S. Department of State has maintained a high-level advisory for Jamaica, citing violent crime and limits in emergency service response in some areas.
Jamaica has appeared under a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” advisory, and the State Department has said violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides are common. It has also noted that the homicide rate in Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, a specific data point that has shaped concern.
Montego Bay’s resort zone remains a major draw for Americans in summer, but official guidance says risk can extend beyond the hotel footprint. The advisory does not say every tourist area is equally dangerous, and officials have not published a separate kidnapping warning for Montego Bay alone, but the nationwide crime warning is clear.
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is better known as Jamaica’s business and cultural capital than as a beach destination, but it still draws summer visitors for events, music, and connecting travel. It sits under the same U.S. advisory as Montego Bay, which means the federal concern applies nationwide rather than to one district.
The State Department has said violent crime in Jamaica is a serious issue, and some neighborhoods in Kingston have long been associated with gang activity. Kidnapping has not been the lead warning for Kingston in the way it is in some Latin American advisories, but violent crime risk has remained the core official concern.
Travelers passing through Kingston should understand the distinction officials make between controlled tourism sites and broader urban conditions. The U.S. advisory does not provide a street-by-street list of high-risk zones for visitors, but it does confirm that serious crime has affected both residents and foreigners in Jamaica.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town ranks among the world’s best-known scenic cities, and its summer season overlaps with the Northern Hemisphere’s winter. Even so, it remains a year-round destination for Americans, and South Africa’s crime rates continue to shape official travel advice.
The U.S. Department of State has advised travelers to exercise increased caution in South Africa due to crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping. In Cape Town, authorities and local tourism groups regularly point visitors away from isolated areas after dark, especially in certain neighborhoods and on remote roads. Carjackings and armed robberies are among the crimes officials have repeatedly highlighted.
What makes Cape Town notable is the gap between strong tourism demand and persistently high violent crime levels in the broader metro area. The city still hosts large numbers of international visitors, but the federal kidnapping mention puts South Africa in a more serious category than destinations where theft is the main concern.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg is a major aviation hub for Southern Africa and often serves as the first stop for travelers heading onward to safaris or regional resorts. It is also one of the South African cities most closely associated with armed robbery, carjacking, and express kidnapping concerns in official travel guidance.
The State Department’s South Africa advisory specifically mentions kidnapping alongside crime and civil unrest. U.S. officials have also pointed to risks in central business districts and at some fuel stations, where follow-home robberies and vehicle-related crimes have been reported. Those warnings have been repeated in embassy security messages over multiple years.
For U.S. travelers, Johannesburg often involves short stays tied to airport transfers, conventions, or overnight hotel bookings. That limited exposure does not remove the risk described by officials. The city remains a key gateway, but the official message is consistent that situational awareness and secure transportation matter there.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro stays on summer travel lists because of its beaches, festivals, and international recognition, even though Brazil’s official risk picture is mixed. The U.S. Department of State has advised increased caution in Brazil due to crime, and some areas carry more severe warnings.
For Rio, common concerns in official and consular notices have included armed robbery, assault, and theft, particularly in crowded tourist areas and on transit routes. Kidnapping, including short-duration or express kidnapping, is a risk U.S. officials have cited in Brazil. That places Rio in a category that goes beyond pickpocketing or petty street crime.
The city continues to host large visitor numbers, including cruise passengers and international sports fans. But U.S. government personnel in Brazil have faced restrictions in certain areas and conditions, according to federal guidance. That detail is often used by travelers as a practical signal of how security agencies assess local risk.
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is one of Colombia’s biggest leisure destinations, especially for beach vacations and cruise traffic in the Caribbean. Colombia remains under a U.S. advisory that warns about crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping, with risk levels varying significantly by department.
Cartagena’s walled city and resort areas are heavily visited, but the countrywide advisory still matters because kidnapping remains a named concern in Colombia. The State Department has said violent crime, including armed robbery and homicide, is widespread in parts of the country. It has not issued a tourist-only kidnapping rate for Cartagena itself.
That means visitors should separate the image of a well-known coastal destination from the broader security context federal officials describe. Cartagena is not subject to the same warning level as every inland conflict zone in Colombia, but it still sits within a country where kidnapping remains an official travel concern.
San Pedro Sula, Honduras
San Pedro Sula is not a classic beach town, but it is a common gateway for travelers heading to Roatan and other Honduran vacation spots in summer. Honduras has long appeared in U.S. travel advisories because of violent crime, with San Pedro Sula often cited in public safety discussions due to its past homicide levels.
The U.S. Department of State has warned travelers about crime in Honduras, including armed robbery, extortion, and kidnapping. While homicide rates in San Pedro Sula have declined from peak years reported in the 2010s, official warnings still describe serious risks that can affect residents and visitors. That keeps the city relevant in any summer travel risk roundup.
For Americans connecting through Honduras, the key fact is that transit hubs can sit inside high-crime environments. Officials have not said every traveler passing through San Pedro Sula will face danger, but the federal advisory confirms kidnapping and violent crime remain part of the country’s current risk picture.
