Peru travel crime hazardsPictured below is a mother and child on their way to the markets on the shores of Lake Titicaca near Peru's border with Bolivia in South America. You won't be mugged by these two but crime is a constant hazard when you travel in Peru and this page has advice on the safety risks during your holiday. |
|
Argentina
Australia Austria Bolivia Brazil Chile Denmark Egypt France Germany Greece Holland |
|
Hong Kong
India Israel Italy Luxembourg Mexico Norway Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey Travel Shop |
|
CLICK ON THE PICTURE above for more world tour photos with travel tips about low-price holiday spots and tour agency links for airline tickets, hotel reservations and car rentals. What's on the next page? Peru Holiday Health Concerns If you're looking for cheap airline tickets, discount hotel rooms, holiday products, car rentals, travel books, maps, etc, visit our Travel Shop. Thumbnail Picture Index Last Minute Travel Tips Useful Peru Links Maps of Peru |
|
Peru travel hazards Crime is a hazard that should keep travellers vigilant throughout their Peru holiday travel, particularly in Lima. Street crime in Peru is rampant. Don't wear anything that even hints at your wealth and if you must keep travel documents, holiday tickets, credit cards or cash on your person, put them at the front of your body to deter pickpockets. It's sensible to be on constant guard against pickpockets, particularly in crowded areas like train stations and markets, and a money belt is advisable throughout your South America holiday. Even taxi drivers are known to rob western passengers in Peru. Criminals are particularly dangerous in the region surrounding Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport. The crime hazard is comparatively low in rural Peru, although still a reality in major regional cities such as Cusco and Puno, and it's unfortunately true that tourists should never lower their guard while they travel. Travel tip ... Women in particular shouldn't travel alone in Peru and the US Government warns that thieves appear to be targeting young tourists who holiday in low-cost accommodation, carry backpacks, and travel alone or in pairs in isolated areas, rather than in large groups. Safety in numbers. Low police numbers have been increased in tourist areas of Peru over the past few years to tackle the crime problem. If you hire a car for your Peru holiday travel, be aware that road conditions are poor and it's safer to travel in convoys because of highway bandits, particularly in remote areas. Even some intercity bus trips in Peru have been ambushed by armed robbers in recent years, and the buses themselves are involved in a few more crashes than they should be. For example, a bus crash in May 2005 near the town of Jauja killed more than 35 people. Most Peruvians are friendly and honest but travelers should always be alert to criminal hazards, of which there are plenty. Westerners are assaulted less frequently in Peru than in several American cities so it's pointless being paranoiac about safety. However, theft is a particular hazard for tourists. You should take a few more precautions than you would at home by avoiding being alone late at night in dark backstreets, hiding your valuables, and only trusting taxi drivers from reputable or recommended firms.
If you have expensive jewellery, don't wear it, and keep all valuables in a secure spot such as a hotel safe. Many hotels provide a safety deposit box for valuables such as passports, airline tickets and other travel or holiday documents. Don't carry too much cash with you at any given time while on holiday in Peru. Theft, assault and even kidnapping of tourists are not uncommon. This antipathy toward westerners can be partly explained by the violent oppression and exploitation of the indigenous people throughout Peru's history. Nevertheless, a vast majority of Peruvians are abundantly friendly toward travelers and holidays in Peru are safe if sensible precautions are observed. Travel tip ... Make sure you have travel insurance and always suspect you're going to be robbed. Pickpockets and bag snatchers target tourist areas in Peru so a money belt should be worn to protect your cash and travel documents (travel with a passport photocopy but leave your passport in a secure place such as a hotel safe). All baggage should have locks and some travelers prefer to chain their carry bags to the belt around their waist. Thieves sometimes uses razors to slash bags open so defensive strategies should be considered whenever you travel in Peru and other South America countries. Crime hotspots in Peru are in crowded tourist areas such as train stations. Peru has long been regarded as the most hazardous South American country for holiday travel when it comes to thieves. Unless accompanied by friends, avoid using ATMs in Lima and large towns late at night as these are a popular target of thieves. If you are robbed, report it to the local tourist police and ask for a certified "denuncia" so you can more easily convince your travel insurer to reimburse the loss. The terrorist group Shining Path has been responsible for kidnappings and fatal bombings during 2002/03 so there is a very low risk to tourists in Peru, particularly Americans and during travel through remote regions. Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Peru weather for holiday travel To book low-price airline tickets to Bolivia, hotels, car rentals, etc. for most South American cities, visit our Travel Shop. |
Search for tips about your preferred travel destination: Bookmark this page! Just press CTRL-D (PC) or Command-D (Mac) on your keyboard. 
Cheap World Travel Tips has dozens of exciting travel images and travel tips that are worth coming back to explore!
Copyright 2009. All text and graphics on or related to this page are under strict international copyright and their use for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited without prior permission. All rights reserved. |
