Top Ten Ultra-Safe Destinations to Travel

There are some countries in the world where fear and insecurity are unknown, and you can go for weeks without any breaking news of serious crimes or even minor offenses.  So if you are a bit paranoid about your safety, planning to go solo or take your family along, check out these ten countries that boast some of the lowest crime rates on the globe.

Following a number of surveys (Mercer, national stats, WHO) we have selected world's ten safest destinations - without any particular order here:

1. Singapore

Singaporeans practicing TaiChi. By

Taking into consideration the homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants, tiny

Singapore

is the safest place in Asia and one of the safest on the globe. The country boasts a rate of 0.38, which is extraordinarily low - by the way of example, the most recent data shows that Honduras and Venezuela have recorded 58 and 52 intentional homicides per 100,000 people a year respectively.

Although considered a bit too sterile, Singapore is in fact a fascinating place to visit - a melting pot of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arabic and Western cultures is everything but chaos, social tension and racial antagonism. Given the huge penalties to offenders (including death penalty for drug trafficking), crime and theft are really rare in the country.

2. Norway

Norway

is one of the safest countries in Europe. Its homicide rate is only 0.71 per 100,000 people and the risk of other crimes, such as pick-pocketing and petty thefts, is minimal. There are no natural disasters or social or political unrest either, so this beautiful country is also a perfect destination to travel with your family. The only concern when it comes to travelling in Norway is the safety of your wallet - it is the most expensive Scandinavian state so one should not expect to have a cheap vacation.

Of course, basic security awareness is necessary, especially in Oslo, where theft-related incidents do happen.

3. Japan

In terms of the homicide rate,

Japan

is a runner-up on the list of Asia's safest countries, with 0.44 intentional homicides per 100,000 a year. Theft and crime are also occasional and in comparison to other Asian destinations Japan could be considered an ultra safe destination. Believe it or not, but even the lost-and-found services do work in Japan. Also if you leave something behind, you are most likely to find it right where it was left. Moreover, Japan is a great country to travel with kids - there are children facilities in most of the hotels and public places. The only concern is the traditional Japanese food that your kids will most likely refuse to eat.

4. Iceland

You are also safe in

Iceland

. To be honest, you are ultra safe in Iceland. Believe it or not, but there are only 700 police officers in the country, and they do not carry guns. Some of them also have other jobs because there is simply not much to do for them in terms of crime prevention. The country has around 130 prisoners, who regularly go home on public holidays, and the crime rate is the lowest in the world. Apparently, Iceland is the only country on our globe where no death is caused by homicide. Its murder rate is 0.0!

5. Switzerland

For years

Switzerland

has occupied the top positions in the international safety ranking. According to the Mercer research and advisory firm, the three Swiss cities: Brno, Geneva and Zurich, are among the safest metropolises in the world. Famed for its snow-coated Alps, great winter sport opportunities and chic resorts, Switzerland is a country of cultural varieties where people speak four languages and have a wide range of traditional customs. Despite their multi-ethnicity, the Swiss are rule-oriented, hard-working and have a strong sense of national belonging. The homicide rate is 2.2 per 100,000 people a year, one of the lowest in the world, and the gun crime rate is so low that statistics are not even kept.

6. Denmark

The international rankings cannot be wrong. For years

Denmark

has been considered one of the world's safest countries, inhabited by one of the world's happiest and wealthiest people. Indeed, Denmark is a very safe destination, with the homicide rate as low as 0.88 per 100,000 people and very low statistics for crimes such as robberies and pick-pocketing. There is almost no risk of natural disasters or animal attacks in Denmark either. The only threat to your health is too much of irresistible Danish beer that makes both natives and travelers go wild.

7. Cyprus

Another destination where personal safety is guaranteed is

Cyprus

, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the conflict with Turkey that divided the island into the South and the North in the 1970s, Cyprus is one of the safest places in Europe (politically) and the Middle East (geographically), with minimal crime rate and basically no need to lock the doors at night. At least that's what the locals claim they hardly ever do. The country has one of the highest incomes per capita in Europe and absolutely no records of terrorist attacks. Petty thefts do happen, but common sense will help you avoid them.

8. New Zealand

New Zealand

is an obvious choice for another world's safest destination. Stable economy, isolation and lack of social and political unrest make the country an ultra safe place to visit. Its homicide rate of 2.0 is relatively low and violent crime is minimal. Thanks to its isolation, New Zealand has no venomous creatures such as spiders, snakes and jelly fish that can be found in Australia, and there are no recorded shark attacks on humans. Moreover, the chances of being involved in a natural disaster are slim as the islands are too far south for tropical cyclones.

9. Luxembourg

According to a survey by Mercer, Luxembourg is the safest city in the world. This applies to the whole country, however, which is inhabited by only half a million people. Its tiny size makes it easier to control it, but the perfect order is also down to Luxembourg's much rule-oriented and happy folk. They even have this national saying: "We want to remain what we are", which sums up their overall satisfaction.

10. Ireland

Last but not least,

Ireland

also made it to the world's safest countries list. According to WHO (World Health Organization) the island has one of Europe's lowest homicide rate (0.32 per 100,000 people). Mercer's ranking shows that Dublin is far less dangerous than major cities in Japan, Australia or Canada. Still, the capital is the main playground for thieves and pickpockets, so use some common sense to avoid unpleasant situations.