With thousands of islands and a slew of travel advisories, figuring out which Caribbean islands are safe to visit can take time and attention to detail.
Videos by TravelAwaits
The great minds at Going, a travel platform that finds deals departing from your preferred airport, took a fine-toothed comb to the Caribbean islands. (You might remember Going as Scott’s Cheap Flights.) Their goal? Identify which are safest for travelers who don’t have a Jason Borne-caliber background.
To find the safest Caribbean islands, they studied crime stats and safety infrastructure, which includes things like safety preparedness and even weather-related resources. The results are a three-tier list of the safest Caribbean countries.
Here’s what you need to know.
Inside the safest Caribbean countries: top 3 picks
Going lists three islands in its safest tier, Tier 1. According to the Going study, the safest Caribbean country is St. Barts, officially Saint Barthélemy. It’s a French overseas territory that’s renowned for its upscale and exclusive beachfront properties and resorts. Going cites the island’s large-scale security teams and low crime rates in the study.
The second Caribbean island listed in Tier 1 is Anguilla. Anguilla is a tiny British overseas territory that’s famous for its lush jungles and mountain hiking, in addition to its tropical beaches. Once again, that small size and air of exclusivity make it safer than others, thanks to standardized safety practices.
Last in the Tier 1 category is Aruba. Aruba is part of the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, all of which are Dutch overseas territories. Aruba stands out thanks to its comprehensive, island-wide security measures aimed at tourists and tourism infrastructure.
Here are the rest of the results from the Going study:
- Tier 2 Caribbean islands that are safe for tourists: Caymand Islands (British overseas territory), Barbados, & Turks and Caicos (British overseas territory)
- Tier 3 Caribbean islands that are safe for tourists: Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, & Grenada
