Australian Travel Warnings

The Australian government has a system of travel warnings in place for prospective travellers to help advise on potential risks to your safety while overseas. The DFAT system works on five levels of alert: from the standard common sense approach to personal safety at level one, to the more serious warning levels: four -reconsider your need to travel, or five – advised not to travel.

If you are planning on travelling to a country that has a level 4 or 5 warning in place it is worth checking with your travel insurance company if this will affect your cover, as some policies may be void by this level of advisory from the government.

Have a look online at www.smarttraveller.gov.au for information on the places you plan to visit.  You can also sign up for travel alerts via email to keep you aware of any developments.

It’s also a great idea to register your travel plans on the site, making getting in easier for you to be found if there is any trouble where you are heading.

Government travel sites tend to lean on the side of extreme caution (some might say paranoia).  In most destinations your biggest risks are statistically still do do with common accidents (with a big percentage due to drugs or alcohol).   That’s not to say some regions are not racked by political instability and that you should ignore government warnings.

For another point of view the equivalent British government site is a great resource for travel safety information (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/) and tends to be less over dramatic than the Australian site.

The US state department also has a similar and comprehensive site, though reading through it might give some indication as to why Americans might feel jittery about leaving home.  In parts the site will have you thinking staying put and locking the doors is the only option.

When travelling keeping an ear for local advice on threats, natural or manmade, can be invaluable.  Speaking to locals and fellow travellers will keep you up to date with local events and no go areas, the locations of which might not make it onto government sites.

Where should I definatley avoid?

While some countries on alert can raise debate (such as Indonesia), at the time of writing there are a bunch of ‘no go’ zones that would be wise to avoid completely. Subject to change and not a complete list by any means, these are some of the real hotspots where tourism is not presently considered a safe option.

Algeria, Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Columbia, Haiti, Iraq, Niger, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen

In recent weeks both Thailand and India, two big destinations for Aussies, have been in the news for the wrong reasons.  The threat of terrorism in India remains high, while political instability in Thailand (an almost annual event) makes travel to Thailand at best a hassle and at worst a threat to your safety..Check out smarttraveller before you go!

Also check out  information for solo women travellers,  is my destination safe? and  travel health on this site for more advice and resources.

Back to the home page for more for the Aussie traveller

Category: Cautionary tales, Travel Blog, Travel Health, Travel Safety