Violent crime prompts State Department travel warning for the Bahamas
MIAMI - It's one of the most beautiful places to visit, just an hour's flight from South Florida, but the U.S. government is telling its citizens to beware of the Bahamas.
"It's scaring people for the wrong reasons," said Charlotte Albury, who lives in the Bahamas.
The Department of State issuing a level two travel advisory for folks planning to travel to the Bahamas.
The advisory warns people to use extreme caution on the islands, saying:
"In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the "Over the Hill" area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population. Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas."
The Office of the Prime Minister of the Bahamas issued a statement Wednesday, saying that the country's government is "alert, attentive, and proactive" to ensure that the country remains a "safe and welcoming destination."
"The safety and security of everyone is of paramount importance to us and we are confident that The Bahamas will remain safe and welcoming for millions of visitors to continue to enjoy the magic and beauty of our beautiful islands," the statement read.
Later on Wednesday, the U.S. State Department raised its travel alert level for Jamaica amid a spate of murders in the Caribbean nation, urging Americans to reconsider visiting the island "due to crime and [unreliable] medical services," making it the second country in the region to receive any travel advisory.
We caught up with some folks who live in the Bahamas and flew into South Florida on Monday.
When we asked them about the advisory, this is what they told us.
"I haven't heard of any incidents that happened with tourists and it's just an unfortunate situation, but I think they're going to try to get a handle on it as soon as possible," said Carla Turnquest.
"It's all drug-related, it's all just kind of execution-style murders — it's shooting also in areas where no tourists ever would go— they don't even know those areas," said Peter Redmann.
Bahamas residents we spoke to also advised visitors to be aware but told them not to be scared.
"Wherever you go, you have to do your due diligence and be knowledgeable of areas and the people. And Bahamian people are very friendly, it's just pockets of individuals that are causing confusion in our country," said Gavvin Strachan.
If you plan to go to the Bahamas soon, the Department of State lists a few safety tips to keep in mind:
- Do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.
- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency and medical situations.
The State Department advisory comes on the heels of a security alert from the US Embassy in Nassau on January 24 calling attention to 18 murders that have taken place in Nassau since the beginning of 2024. The alert cites gang violence as the primary motive, noting murders have occurred at all hours, "including in broad daylight."