ASIA-PACIFIC nations managed to nab the three top spots in the world’s safest countries for travel, according to a new ranking by security website Backgroundcheck.org.
The American company placed autonomous territory Hong Kong in its top spot, with Singapore and Japan coming in second and third respectively. The metrics used to create the rankings include crime, security, tourism and natural disasters. The full top 10 is below:
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Japan
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- France
- Germany
- Canada
- Norway
- Australia
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The survey described the Chinese territory as an “East Asian destination where a woman or man can walk any street at any time of day or night without fear.”
“With a substantial and well-developed tourist sector, widespread use of English, and a fast, efficient and modern subway system, travelers to Hong Kong will continuously feel at ease,” the report said.
Hong Kong managed to beat both Japan and Singapore for the top spot as it does not have an authoritarian government, as we see in Singapore, and it is free from risk of national disasters, unlike Japan. The territory also has low – and continually declining – crime rates.
Dotonbori tourist district in Osaka, Japan, September 2017. Source: Photo_DDD / Shutterstock
While Singapore has one of the lowest crime rates in the world, the one area of concern flagged by Singapore law enforcement is the recent increase in online scams, particularly sex-for-credit scams. But any tech-savvy travelers should have no problem dodging that potential danger.
Japan similarly has incredibly low crime, with a homicide rate of only 0.3 people per 100,000 – among the lowest in the developed world. Drug use is also extremely scarce and theft is almost unheard of.
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The country’s vulnerability to earthquakes and tsunamis are the factors that pushed it back into third place.
The website also ranked the world’s most dangerous countries for travelers, with Honduras coming in the top spot, mainly due to having the highest homicide rate in the world. No Asia-Pacific nations made it into the top 10, maintaining its status as one of the safest regions in the world to go exploring.
This article was originally published on our sister website Travel Wire Asia.
