Top 10 Travel Destinations for 2025: Where Safety Meets Adventure

What are the most secure places to visit in 2025? A recent report by International SOS—a foremost provider of security and health risk services—delivers essential insights and useful guidance for travelers navigating a world that is increasingly uncertain.

International SOS has recently published its yearly Risk Map 2025, which forecasts what the upcoming year will resemble—from the safest nations globally to the most perilous ones, along with the major issues influencing the travel landscape.

The Risk Map by International SOS evaluates risks in four primary categories: security, health, climate, and mental health hazards. Countries are classified into five risk levels, ranging from negligible to extreme, depending on the category. This year’s map features a more detailed analysis, providing insights into over 1,000 cities globally along with the main factors driving risks, including conflict, crime, infrastructure, and healthcare access.

When comparing these findings to last year’s report from International SOS, it’s clear that the world is contending with numerous challenges. As per International SOS, 65% of senior risk professionals believe that risks have escalated over the past year, with 69% anticipating significant effects from geopolitical issues in 2025.

Safest Places To Travel: Safest Countries

So, where should you journey in 2025 for assurance? Like previous years, Scandinavian nations lead International SOS’s list of the safest spots, including Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. These nations consistently rank high due to low crime rates, effective governmental strategies, and superb emergency services. Iceland has also been recognized as the most secure country worldwide in various reports.

Switzerland is another nation on International SOS’s safe countries list, attributed to its political stability and low crime rates. Smaller nations such as Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Greenland complete the roster of areas with “insignificant” security threats—further evidence that stable governance and robust infrastructure are essential for establishing secure travel conditions.

Island nations like Cape Verde, the Seychelles, and the Marshall Islands also shine as secure destinations on International SOS’s Risk Map. Cape Verde—located off the west coast of Africa—is lauded for its political stability and minimal crime rates. The Seychelles blends a friendly culture with a serene environment to the east of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The Marshall Islands provide a peaceful retreat in a secluded locale in the central Pacific Ocean.

Safest Places To Travel: Riskiest Countries

Conversely, certain countries present elevated risks. Nations like Libya and Afghanistan continue to rank as some of the most hazardous destinations due to ongoing conflicts, weak governance, and inadequate infrastructure to handle security threats. In sub-Saharan Africa, regions such as Somalia and the Central African Republic face instability, high crime rates, and fragile governments.

“Geopolitical tensions have been the primary catalyst, leading to adjustments in risk assessments for areas like Sudan and Lebanon, where the intensity and spread of conflict now affect more population centers and have raised the overall risk rating,” stated Sally Llewellyn, global security director at International SOS.

Other notable risky spots identified by International SOS include Syria, Yemen, and the Sahel, where instability is escalating, and external influences are supporting faltering governments. In Venezuela, authoritarian governance continues to fuel emigration, while Bolivia is facing rising instability due to its declining economy. Additionally, the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains a deadlock with neither party making advances.

Several other locations have seen upward adjustments in security risk ratings due to crime patterns and growing social unrest. South Africa, for instance, saw the risk level rise from medium to high for Johannesburg and eThekwini (which encompasses Durban). In Mexico, increasing cartel activity raised alarms in specific regions. Escalating social tensions in Kenya also contributed to heightened risks. New Caledonia’s risk level shifted from low to medium due to factors like social unrest, economic downturns, and related crime. Likewise, the Philippines, Thailand, and Laos experienced changes in risk ratings, due to a decline in militancy.

International SOS did not lower security risk assessments for any nation in 2025.

Safest Places To Travel: Medical Risks

Access to quality medical care is another crucial factor for travelers. For 2025, International SOS’s list of the least risky medical destinations includes nations like the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and a significant portion of Europe. These areas benefit from robust healthcare systems, access to essential medications, and dependable emergency services.

Conversely, nations such as Afghanistan, North Korea, and Somalia are categorized as having extremely high medical risks. This is attributed to limited access to healthcare, insufficient resources, and widespread infectious diseases presenting considerable challenges for travelers, which should be considered prior to planning a visit.

Two countries that have experienced notable shifts in medical risk this year are Bolivia (which increased from medium to high) and Libya (which transitioned from extreme to high). “Changes to medical…

“Risks are determined by elements such as the quality and accessibility of healthcare services, the availability of pharmaceuticals, and the incidence of infections and ailments,” stated Dr. Katherine O’Reilly, regional medical director at International SOS.

Safest Destinations To Visit: Climate Threats

The 2025 Risk Map further illustrates the increasing influence of climate change in travel decisions, evaluating the nations that are best prepared to cope with its effects. Scandinavian nations continue to set the standard for mitigating climate-related challenges. The primary reason? Forward-thinking environmental policies and robust infrastructure.

Additional destinations with low climate threats include New Zealand and the UAE, both of which are heavily investing in sustainability initiatives and adaptive strategies, as well as utilizing innovative technologies like “digital twins” to enhance land and water management, making them pioneers in sustainability and resilience.

The regions facing the most severe climate consequences include several African nations (Mali, Chad, Ethiopia), along with vulnerable regions such as the Philippines and India. According to International SOS, these already delicate areas are affected by resource limitations and severe weather phenomena.

The 2025 Risk Map also sheds light on how innovation is contributing to the reduction of climate-related threats. For example, the U.N.’s “Early Warnings for All” initiative seeks to safeguard global populations from hazardous meteorological events through timely forecasts.

Safest Destinations To Visit: Psychological Health Threats

The psychological well-being of travelers is another significant issue. The 2025 Risk Map assesses nations based on the incidence of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress-induced ailments. It also underscores how worldwide factors like misinformation, political tension, and climate anxiety are exacerbating mental health challenges.

In nations such as Vietnam, cultural perceptions and strong social support systems contribute to comparatively low mental health risks. Similarly, Scandinavian countries like Iceland and Norway achieve lower mental health risk ratings owing to their well-established healthcare systems, societal welfare, and focus on work-life equilibrium.

Conversely, places like the United States score higher on the mental health risk scale, reflecting greater societal issues that include stress, burnout, and inadequate access to mental health care in certain areas. These issues are particularly pronounced in metropolitan regions where stress levels peak.

Continue reading for lists of some of the safest countries to visit (based on destinations with “negligible” security risk) and the riskiest nations to travel to (locations with “extreme” security risk). Countries are arranged in alphabetical order. For further information, you can review International SOS’s complete Risk Outlook 2025 report here.

Safest Nations To Visit In 2025

• Cape Verde
• Denmark
• Finland
• Greenland
• Iceland
• Marshall Islands
• Norway
• San Marino
• Seychelles
• Slovenia
• Switzerland

Most Hazardous Countries To Visit In 2025

• Afghanistan
• Central African Republic
• Iraq
• Libya
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Syria
• Ukraine
• Yemen

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