Safest travel destinations (according to Smartraveller)

Travel is back on. With borders relaxing, airports filling up, and the world reopening, every day brings more choice of holiday destinations. But which places are the safest to go, even with travel insurance? 

Here’s an update on some of the safest travel destinations in 2022.

Run by the Australian government, Smartraveller offers travel advice to help Aussies jet-set smoothly and safely. Part of how they do this is through classifying countries into four different levels of risk:

• Level 1 - Exercise normal safety precautions.
  
• Level 2 - Exercise a high degree of caution.
  
• Level 3 - Reconsider your need to travel.
  
• Level 4 - Do not travel.
  

Generally, travel insurance providers won’t cover you if you travel to countries labelled as either Level 3 or Level 4, since they’re considered extraordinarily risky (though make sure you read the product disclosure statement first). Countries that fall into Level 2 – or better still, Level 1 – are among the safest in the world. 

RELATED: How do Smartraveller advice levels affect your travel insurance?

Countries are assessed on multiple criteria, including entry requirements, local laws, health risks (including COVID-19), healthcare quality and availability, and any specific safety issues like natural disasters, unrest or sociopolitical violence, and local crime rates.

Smartraveller also includes specific advice for female and/or LGBTQIAP+ travellers, since these groups can face additional safety risk when journeying abroad.

According to Smartraveller, these are currently the safest destinations (classified Level 1). 

NOTE: No country is completely safe – think of bluebottles or floods in Australia! So keep in mind there might still be some threats or hazardous areas to be wary of within the following countries. You can visit Smartraveller for more specific warnings and advice.

Africa

• Seychelles
• Mauritius
• Zambia
• Botswana
• Namibia
• Rwanda

Americas

• Canada
  
• United States of America
• Uruguay
• Argentina

Asia

• Laos
• Singapore
• Cambodia
  
• Japan
• South Korea (Republic of Korea)
• Brunei
• Bhutan
• Mongolia
• Taiwan
• Malaysia
• Vietnam

RELATED: Travel Insurance Asia

Europe

• Norway
• Iceland
• Finland
• Croatia
• Ireland
• Czech Republic
• Slovenia
• Austria
• Lithuania
• Estonia
• Spain
• Poland
• Greece
• Romania
• Latvia
• Switzerland
• Slovakia
• Hungary
• Netherlands
• Malta
• Bulgaria
• Portugal
• Georgia
• Armenia
• Serbia
• Montenegro
• North Macedonia
• Italy

RELATED: Travel Insurance Europe

Middle East

• Qatar
• Oman

Pacific

• Guam
• French Polynesia
• Palau
  
• New Zealand
• Fiji
• Vanuatu
• Cook Islands
• Solomon Islands
• Federated States of Micronesia
• Samoa
• Niue
• New Caledonia
• Tonga
• Marshall Islands

Don’t see your dream destination on this list? Don’t worry! You can head over to Smartraveller to check out more specific travel advice.

Have a destination in mind? Compare travel insurance policies to cover your trip. You can also check out our travel hub for more holiday guides, insights, and inspo.