The U.S. Department of State Issues a Travel Advisory for the Bahamas; Here's Why

The U.S. Department of state has issued a travel advisory for American travelers headed to the Bahamas, according to ABC News. The warning comes as violent crime in the country has increased.

The advisory was issued earlier this week and urged travelers to "exercise increased caution" when visiting the Caribbean country. Burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assaults in the Island of New Providence, home of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, are some of the felonies mentioned by the State Department.

There has been violent crime in both tourist and non tourist areas, according to the State Department. Travelers have been urged to stay vigilant when staying in short-term vacation rental properties, such as AirBnbs —where private security companies do not have presence.

"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," the government alert states.

The advisory also warned travelers to stay away from certain commercial recreational activities such as boat tours. U.S. government personnel for example, isn't allowed to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on the New Providence and Paradise Islands.

According to the State Department, in the Bahamas, watercraft operators have the discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts, injuries and fatalities that have occurred.

"Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not  have safety certifications," the government alert states. "Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities."

The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas also issued a security alert, warning citizens to be aware that "18 murders have occurred in Nassau since the beginning of 2024."

"Murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets," the statement declared. "Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders."

The Bahamas remains on a Level 2 travel advisory, meaning increased caution must be taken when visiting. The Department of State has issued Level 3 Travel Advisory for all South American countries except Uruguay which remains at Level 2 as well. Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, all under a Level 4 — the do not travel list.