State Department Issues Updated Bahamas Travel Advisory

The United States Department of State issued an updated travel advisory for The Bahamas Monday, telling tourists heading to the island nation to exercise “increased caution” due to crime.

According to the State Department’s official website, the advisory remains at Level 2, but government officials are warning travelers about potential violent crimes that have become more common in tourist areas, especially Nassau, including burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assault.

The warning applies mostly to New Providence and Grand Bahama islands, where U.S. government officials are no longer permitted to visit the Sand Trap area in Nassau due to crime.

In addition, the lack of safety certifications and proper maintenance of commercial recreational watercraft such as jet-skis makes them a possibly dangerous attraction for tourists. The warning also states “jet-ski operators have been known to commit sexual assaults against tourists.”

As a result, U.S. government officials are not allowed to use jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands. For those visiting the islands, they are being asked to exercise caution in the area known as Over the Hill and the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay in Nassau, especially at night.

In total, three travel warnings were issued by the U.S. and Canadian governments last year for the Bahamas. Royal Caribbean also issued a warning to its passengers about the increase in crime in Nassau last year but backtracked on the statement in the following days.