There are always travel advisories, news stories and rumors to scare us out of visiting certain places around the big bad world. If we take all of them to heart, we might never go anywhere. But us brave and adventurous types often throw caution to the wind and venture forth anyway. More often than not, these journeys are without incident and lead to those kind of serendipitous, enriching experiences that only travel can bring. However, there are some hotspots on the globe that really do pose a credible threat to health, safety and well-being at the moment. Now is not the time to go cowboy and take an unnecessary risky trip. Here’s a list of some of the top dangerous cities that are worthy of a visit someday, but are best avoided right now.





1. San Pedro Sula, Honduras

This second largest city in Honduras has the unfortunate “honor” of being the world’s most violent city. As a center for arms and drug trafficking, San Pedro Sula has imploded with widespread gang wars. This combined with poverty, corruption and lax gun laws has lead to alarming homicide rates. Mass shootings, massacres, military coups, violent protests and prison riots have filled the news these past few years. It’s a real shame, because Honduras as a whole has a rich natural and cultural heritage that is brimming with tourism potential. Its Mayan ruins, Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, colonial villages and exceptional diving are tempting to explore. More tourist dollars could help the local economy and, in theory, reduce crime. But until this horrendous violence quells, consider San Pedro Sula one of the top dangerous cities to stay clear of for the time being.





2. Fukushima City, Japan

Fukushima City and its surrounding prefecture has impressive mountains, lakes, beaches, onsens, feudal castles and ski resorts. However, since the tsunami disaster and nuclear meltdown on March 11, 2011, it has understandably fallen off the tourism radar. Three and a half years later, official reports say that Fukushima is now safe and sound to travel in. Beyond the no-entry zone right around the Daiichi Nuclear Plant, airborne radiation levels are supposedly well within government safety standards. However, you have to consider the source of these reports (Tepco) and their own agenda to downplay the crisis. They seem more interested in damage control to save face than actually dealing with the damage. There has been negligence, misinformation and cover-ups before and since the crisis, it’s hard to trust anything they say. You can’t see, feel or taste radiation, and its ill effects don’t necessarily manifest until 10 years down the road, so it’s easy to lull people into a false sense of security – at least for a while. There’s just so much we don’t know and the health stakes are so high. Why take the risk?

3. Caracas, Venezuela

Caracas, the once vibrant capital city of Venezuela, used to be considered the “Paris of South America”. It boasts consistent warm weather, stunning mountain views, proud people, eclectic cuisine and exceptional coffee. What’s not to love? Well, the city and country have undergone a rapid decline in recent years. Drug cartels, armed robberies, kidnappings, street fighting and violent protests are all too common. Caracas has one of the world’s highest homicide rates in the world – 134 per 100K inhabitants, with 95% of them remaining unsolved. In 2013, there were 625 reported kidnappings, with an estimated 80 percent unreported. There are serious food shortages, and hardly anyone dares go out at night. Keep Caracas in your thoughts and hearts, but wait it until tensions simmer down before visiting here.