Many people want to travel but do not know where they should visit. People, especially those traveling with kids often wonder which are the safest counties to explore. Instead of wondering, here are the top 10 safest places to visit in the world in 2023!
*Note I will be ranking these countries based on sources listed below.
1. Japan
Japan is located in Asia and is the safest country in the world! Somebody left a MacBook in an airport for 3 hours and no one stole it, in fact no one even touched it. Japan is so safe that the police don’t even carry guns. In Japan you almost never hear about murder or robbery. Here is an article on the Japanese law system: An overview of the criminal law system in Japan – Travel.gc.ca. Japan is the most expensive country in Asia so if you do not want to go somewhere very expensive, this is not the place for you! The primary language is Japanese, but some people do speak English! The crime rate in Japan is 0.26.
2. Iceland
Iceland is the safest country to visit in Europe! The crime rate is only 0.60. The worst thing that happens in Iceland is vandalism. The primary language spoken in Iceland is Icelandic, however, English is being taught in all the schools and colleges. It’s crazy how safe Iceland is! The last time anyone was murdered was February 13th, 2021. Here is an article on why Iceland is the safest country in Europe: Iceland Among Europe’s Safest Countries – Iceland Monitor (mbl.is). So yes, Iceland is the safest country in Europe, but that makes it super expensive!
3. New Zealand
New Zealand has a crime rate of 0.70. In New Zealand they speak English. The absolute worst crime people do in New Zealand is steal/pickpocket. Why is New Zealand one of the safest countries in the world? According to Arotravels, “You are more likely to die from diabetes than murder here.” This means New Zealand is very safe! In New Zealand there are more sheep than people! But again, like Iceland, New Zealand is not a cheap place to go, which leads us to…
4. Portugal
Portugal, located in southwest Europe, is the 4th safest country in the world and has a crime rate of 0.60. The primary language spoken in Portugal is Portuguese, but English is their 2nd language. Portugal is considered one of the least expensive countries in Europe! The climate is good too– it’s warm and breezy! Although some do believe that Ireland is the 4th safest country, Portugal and Ireland are both very safe countries, but the reason I put Portugal is because Ireland is very expensive to travel to while Portugal is cheaper. But I will put in the reason why some believe Ireland is the 4th safest. According to World Population Review, “Ireland became notably more peaceful in 2021 and vaulted from 11th place to 3rd in the 2022 rankings as a result. Crime is quite low outside of a few city neighbourhoods (and as in any country, one should be wary of pickpockets and scammers in tourist-dense areas), and there is little threat of cultural violence or terrorism. In fact, the Irish landscape may pose a greater safety risk than its people— the country’s breath-taking cliffs and winding country roads must be treated with respect, especially during a sudden rainstorm or in areas with no cell reception.”
5. Denmark
Denmark, located in Northern Europe, has a crime rate of 0.80, and they speak both Danish and English! Yes, Denmark may be expensive but there’s a good reason for that: Denmark has the highest minimum wage in the world! There are more reasons summarised by this article on why Denmark is expensive: Is Denmark Expensive To Visit? Get The Truth Here (I’m Danish) – Family Travel Planet. Denmark gets all four seasons, however it’s very warm and pleasant in their summer. The worst crime people commit in Denmark is property theft.
6. Austria
Austria, located in the heart of Europe, has a crime rate of 0.61 Although the official language is German, many people speak English! If you are thinking about ever visiting this country, here is an article on the amount of people who speak English: Do People Speak English in Austria? – Polyglot Geek
Like most of these other countries, Austria is very expensive. Here are the pros and cons of living in Austria: Living in Austria: a guide to the pros and cons | Expatica. If you visit Austria, it depends how long you’re visiting for. If you visit for 1 month+ you will definitely need a budget. The climate is temperate and alpine.
7. Canada
Canada, located in North America, has a crime rate of 1.68. Most people in Canada speak English. Canada is very expensive which is why it’s a lot better to visit Canada instead of living in Canada. According to Why Is Canada One Of The Safest Countries In The World In 2022? (my-lifestyle.co), “The healthcare system in Canada enjoys widespread acclaim. All Canadians enjoy free access to family doctors and hospital services nationwide, including those with permanent residence status. No matter where they live or what they earn, all Canadians have access to high-quality healthcare through the country’s national health insurance program.” This shows that their healthcare system is very good! Canada also has one of the best housing systems in the world. The article I listed also states “Many people take housing affordability into account when evaluating a nation’s safety. Fortunately, Canada has one of the best housing systems in the entire world. With rising investments in affordable housing programs, about 80% of residents have their housing needs met by the market. The Canadian government budgeted $2.5 billion for affordable housing in the federal budget for 2021. The government hopes to provide accessible, inclusive, and sustainable housing through these efforts.”
8. Slovenia
Slovenia’s crime rate is 0.64. In Slovenia they speak Slovene but 59% speak English. Slovenia is not too expensive–it’s cheaper than the USA. However, I’d still say if you’re looking to travel somewhere that’s cheap and safe, I would suggest traveling to Portugal. Slovenia is very safe though! There are a lot of car break-ins in Slovenia, but that’s due to people leaving their belongings in the back seat. If you ever visit Slovenia hide anything valuable that’s in the back seat of your car so people don’t steal it! Here is an article on Slovenia’s safety and tips to avoid crime: Is Slovenia Safe? Tips to Avoid Petty Crime (worldnomads.com) They have cold winters with snow and warm summers.
9. South Korea
South Korea is the 9th safest country in the world. One man lived in South Korea for 3 years and he never locked his apartment once. It’s so safe they didn’t even give him keys! If you go to Korea just make sure you don’t go anywhere near North Korea because North Korea is ranked 152 for peacefulness. The citizens of NK are not allowed to leave. Here is the law system in SK: An overview of the criminal law system in South Korea – Travel.gc.ca. The crime rate in SK is 0.60. Another bonus is that South Korea is not that expensive. If you’re looking to save some money, South Korea is a great choice! The common language spoken here is Korean!
10. Norway
Norway has a crime rate of 0.6 and is located in northern Europe. Norway is very expensive–again, if you’re looking to travel and save money go to Portugal because Portugal is very cheap! Norway has not been at war locally since 1945! Pollution levels are also very low. One negative thing about Norway is the weather. During the time of summer there is no night and during the time of winter there is very little day. Overall, Norway is safe but if you don’t want to deal with the weather or you’re not rich I would not suggest living in Norway. The main language spoken is Norwegian, however, many people in Norway do speak English! Norway is a great place to visit, although unless you’re rich I would not suggest living here.
Bonus safe country mentions:
Singapore: Singapore is very safe, women can walk at night alone.
Ireland: As I put under Portugal, some do believe that Ireland is ranked as number 4 but I did not put Ireland because Ireland is expensive while Portugal is very cheap.
10 of the most dangerous countries include:
- Afghanistan
- Yemen
- Syria
- South Sudan
- Iraq
- Somalia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Libya
- Central African Republic
- Russia
That was all of the 10 safest countries in the world! These are all very beautiful countries. But remember, a lot of them are super expensive, so make sure you budget before visiting most of these countries. If you are trying to budget, South Korea and Portugal are the places for you! If you want to go somewhere where they only speak English, try New Zealand, Canada and Denmark. There are many different countries with very different amazing reasons to visit! Which country was your favorite?
This article was very informative, and the inclusion of the bonus safe countries and dangerous countries were great additions. The note about the laptop in Japan was surprising. Nice work London!
Super informative! I loved that you added information about price and costs about individual countries! Amazing work, London!
Nice job, London! I really enjoyed reading your article. Keep up the great work! You’ll be running a travel blog before we know it!
I really learned a lot about these countries. I might even visit one someday! Portugal was my favorite on the list, as it sounds like a beautiful place to visit and affordable. Thanks, London!