Why the U.S. is Urging Caution for Bahamas Travelers
The U.S. State Department has renewed its travel advisory for the Bahamas, urging Americans to "exercise increased caution," despite an improvement in crime statistics.
The State Department also warned visitors about risks tied to boating, beaches, hurricanes and strict firearms laws.
"Stay alert in vacation rental properties, especially where private security is not present," says the alert issued Tuesday.
"Boating is not well regulated. Injuries and deaths have occurred. There have been reports of sexual assaults by Jet Ski operators."
The updated travel advisory keeps The Bahamas at Level 2, the second-lowest advisory level, meaning Americans are not being told to outright avoid travel or reconsider trips.
Around 9.5 million Americans visited The Bahamas in 2024 (85 percent of 11.2 million total visitors).
Why It Matters
The Bahamas is one of the Caribbean’s most popular destinations for U.S. vacationers, especially cruise passengers and travelers visiting Nassau, Paradise Island, Freeport and the Family Islands. But crime data suggests a mixed level of safety. Violent crime remains a concern in parts of Nassau and Freeport, while several major crime categories declined sharply in 2025, according to Royal Bahamas Police Force figures.
The State Department’s Level 2 warning means travelers should take extra precautions, particularly in areas where crime has historically been more common.
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What To Know
The U.S. State Department’s latest Bahamas Travel Advisory says visitors should exercise increased caution because of crime, noting that violent crime can occur in the country and that "most crime occurs in Nassau and Freeport" on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands.
The advisory specifically tells travelers to stay alert in the "Over the Hill" area in Nassau, south of Shirley Street, where gangs have killed residents, and to remain cautious in vacation rental properties, especially where private security is not present.
"By international standards, the Bahamas has a relatively high rate of violent crime, but it's highly localized in places that are generally far from the usual tourist resorts," Alex Andreichuk, CEO of Altezza Travel, told Newsweek.
"Whether or not tourists are in real danger depends on how much of a 'local' experience they're seeking. Wandering through neighborhoods that drive the country's crime statistics is never a good idea, and that's not unique to the Bahamas."
The State Department also warned about safety issues involving boating and personal watercraft, saying boating is not well regulated and that injuries and deaths have occurred. Due to these safety risks, U.S. government employees are not allowed to use or rent Jet Skis and personal watercraft from independent operators on New Providence and Paradise Islands.
A separate security alert from the U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas in June said the embassy had received multiple reports involving Jet Ski operators and U.S. women in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and said six U.S. citizens had been hospitalized with Jet Ski accident injuries since August 2024.
The newly updated advisory also warns Americans that firearms and ammunition are illegal in the Bahamas, including small quantities in your carry-on bags or luggage. Travelers have faced arrest, jail time and fines after authorities found firearms or ammunition.
Is Crime Actually Up In The Bahamas?
The latest crime report from the Royal Bahamas Police Force points to a decline in major crime generally in 2025 compared to 2024. Major crimes decreased by 15 percent, from 2,825 cases in 2024 to 2,409 cases in 2025.
Crimes against people fell 27 percent, from 696 incidents in 2024 to 509 in 2025, while crimes against property fell 11 percent, from 2,129 to 1,900 incidents.
Homicides also fell 31 percent, from 120 incidents in 2024 to 83 incidents in 2025, according to the police report. Armed robberies also declined 39 percent, from 265 incidents in 2024 to 162 in 2025.
However, not every category improved. Attempted murders rose 23 percent nationally, from 31 in 2024 to 38 in 2025, and stealing from vehicles increased 7 percent, from 187 to 200 incidents. Stolen vehicles also jumped 2 percent, from 392 to 398 incidents.
The police figures also show that New Providence, home to Nassau and Paradise Island, accounted for the bulk of many serious offenses. In 2025, New Providence recorded 76 of the country’s 83 murders and 157 of its 162 armed robberies.
Are Tourists Being Targeted More?
The latest OSAC Bahamas Country Security Report said violent crime generally does not occur in tourist areas and described gang-on-gang crime as the country’s primary security threat.
The same OSAC report said The Bahamas recorded a 9 percent increase in homicides in 2024, with 120 homicides compared to 110 in 2023, but added that those homicides "did not target tourists" and mostly occurred as retaliation between people with links to crime.
OSAC also said there had been an increase in crimes targeting tourists in 2022, but that this increase was not reflected in the 2024 statistics.
"It's not getting worse, but it's also not particularly well managed. The U.S. travel advisory explicitly states that it's only a summary update, with no changes to the risk level," Andreichuk said. "So unless you were already worried about safety when visiting the Bahamas over the past 10 years, I wouldn't start worrying now."
Should Vacationers Actually Be Worried?
For most travelers, the advisory should be seen more as a caution flag than a red light. The Bahamas remains at Level 2, the same level used for many destinations where Americans are advised to be more alert but are not told to avoid travel.
"The risk is real but not materially different than it has been…We have plenty of travelers going to the Bahamas," Faye Travel Insurance VP of Claims Jeff Rolander told Newsweek.
For most vacationers, the risk appears to be highly location or activity specific.
OSAC said most murders and armed robberies have historically occurred in portions of New Providence that are "not areas generally frequented by tourists." However, some robberies involving U.S. victims have occurred in Nassau, including in areas tourists frequent.
Travelers staying in major resorts who use licensed transportation and avoid isolated areas after dark have a different level of exposure than visitors staying in unsecured rentals.
Generally, carrying large amounts of cash, using isolated ATMs or venturing into higher-risk neighborhoods is not advised.
Vacationers should also pay close attention to warnings about boating, Jet Skis, beach safety, hurricanes and local firearms laws.
The Data Side
What Happens Next
Americans planning trips to the Bahamas should treat the new advisory as a reminder to join the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and review their security advice from hotels and cruise lines.
Generally, experts say vacationers should be cautious, not panicked. The Bahamas remains under a Level 2 advisory, but tourist-specific crime does not appear to be clearly rising.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Kate Nalepinski and Trevor Davies