If safety is at the highest of your vacation checklist, one tiny Caribbean island just earned top honors for peace, calm beaches and a world-class food scene.
Anguilla, a British overseas territory just north of St. Maarten and east of the Virgin Islands, was named the safest destination within the Caribbean, in response to a 2025 rating from World Population Review, which evaluates crime, policing and political stability based on data from the Global Peace Index.
“Anguilla crime rates are the bottom within the Caribbean, with only a few violent or petty crimes to mar its repute as a tropical oasis,” the report found. “Tourists can feel protected and relaxed in tranquil Anguilla.”
While the review noted that drug-related offenses are “moderate,” it added that such crimes rarely affect visitors.
The US Department of State also lists Anguilla at a Level 1 travel advisory, the bottom possible risk level, advising tourists to easily exercise normal precautions.
“Here, peace isn’t found, it’s felt,” the Anguilla Tourist Board wrote on social media after the report was released. “From 33 beaches to the heat of our community, safety is solely a part of island life on Anguilla.”
Following Anguilla within the World Population Review’s safety rating were Barbados, St. Barts, Martinique, the Cayman Islands and Aruba.
John Rose, chief risk adviser for Altour, a worldwide travel management company, said Anguilla’s rating stems from several distinct benefits.
“Its isolation and limited access points also reduce cross-border criminal activity, and tourism is managed in a more controlled, boutique environment,” Rose told Fox News Digital.
The designation is a meaningful recognition not just for traveler confidence but in addition from a tourism economics perspective, he added.
It’s also not the primary time Anguilla has earned international praise for its appeal.
Anguilla was also recognized by Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards as one in all the highest islands globally — and the highest-ranked within the Caribbean — earning praise for its friendly hospitality, diverse cuisine and luxury resorts.
Experts and travel blogs often highlight Anguilla as a distant, exclusive escape freed from shopping malls, cruise ships and high-rises where travelers can absorb crystal clear water, white sand beaches and fresh seafood feasts.
In accordance with Encyclopedia Britannica, the island “is noted for its easy-going atmosphere and luxurious beaches and waters.”
Erin Schroeder, an Atlanta-based travel adviser and founding father of Major Traveler, told Fox News Digital she agrees that Anguilla stands out as one in all the best destinations within the Caribbean.
“The island of Anguilla being named the safest country within the Caribbean is an incredible win,” Schroeder told Fox News Digital. “Safety within the Caribbean is a top three deciding factor when travelers are weighing various islands.”
Along with safety, travelers also seek destinations that provide easy transportation and walkability, each of which Anguilla has, she added.
“I personally love the power to walk along the beach at night to local restaurants or exercise on the island’s flat roads knowing that it’s protected to accomplish that,” Schroeder said.
She noted that Anguilla’s exclusive, off-the-beaten-path appeal also makes it slightly harder to achieve, with just one direct flight option from the US.
“There’s a high price of entry, as travelers should fly to St. Maarten and take a ship, which costs about $115 per person each way for a shared ferry,” she said.
Rose offered additional travel suggestions, like taking a “layered” approach to safety by reviewing local advisories, checking with hosts or advisers for up-to-date information and practicing commonsense precautions, like limiting displays of wealth and using registered transportation.
“Safety is dynamic, not static,” he said. “The perfect travelers prepare by gathering accurate information before they go, monitoring while they’re there and staying able to respond if something changes. That’s the way you travel smart, not scared.”
If safety is at the highest of your vacation checklist, one tiny Caribbean island just earned top honors for peace, calm beaches and a world-class food scene.
Anguilla, a British overseas territory just north of St. Maarten and east of the Virgin Islands, was named the safest destination within the Caribbean, in response to a 2025 rating from World Population Review, which evaluates crime, policing and political stability based on data from the Global Peace Index.
“Anguilla crime rates are the bottom within the Caribbean, with only a few violent or petty crimes to mar its repute as a tropical oasis,” the report found. “Tourists can feel protected and relaxed in tranquil Anguilla.”
While the review noted that drug-related offenses are “moderate,” it added that such crimes rarely affect visitors.
The US Department of State also lists Anguilla at a Level 1 travel advisory, the bottom possible risk level, advising tourists to easily exercise normal precautions.
“Here, peace isn’t found, it’s felt,” the Anguilla Tourist Board wrote on social media after the report was released. “From 33 beaches to the heat of our community, safety is solely a part of island life on Anguilla.”
Following Anguilla within the World Population Review’s safety rating were Barbados, St. Barts, Martinique, the Cayman Islands and Aruba.
John Rose, chief risk adviser for Altour, a worldwide travel management company, said Anguilla’s rating stems from several distinct benefits.
“Its isolation and limited access points also reduce cross-border criminal activity, and tourism is managed in a more controlled, boutique environment,” Rose told Fox News Digital.
The designation is a meaningful recognition not just for traveler confidence but in addition from a tourism economics perspective, he added.
It’s also not the primary time Anguilla has earned international praise for its appeal.
Anguilla was also recognized by Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards as one in all the highest islands globally — and the highest-ranked within the Caribbean — earning praise for its friendly hospitality, diverse cuisine and luxury resorts.
Experts and travel blogs often highlight Anguilla as a distant, exclusive escape freed from shopping malls, cruise ships and high-rises where travelers can absorb crystal clear water, white sand beaches and fresh seafood feasts.
In accordance with Encyclopedia Britannica, the island “is noted for its easy-going atmosphere and luxurious beaches and waters.”
Erin Schroeder, an Atlanta-based travel adviser and founding father of Major Traveler, told Fox News Digital she agrees that Anguilla stands out as one in all the best destinations within the Caribbean.
“The island of Anguilla being named the safest country within the Caribbean is an incredible win,” Schroeder told Fox News Digital. “Safety within the Caribbean is a top three deciding factor when travelers are weighing various islands.”
Along with safety, travelers also seek destinations that provide easy transportation and walkability, each of which Anguilla has, she added.
“I personally love the power to walk along the beach at night to local restaurants or exercise on the island’s flat roads knowing that it’s protected to accomplish that,” Schroeder said.
She noted that Anguilla’s exclusive, off-the-beaten-path appeal also makes it slightly harder to achieve, with just one direct flight option from the US.
“There’s a high price of entry, as travelers should fly to St. Maarten and take a ship, which costs about $115 per person each way for a shared ferry,” she said.
Rose offered additional travel suggestions, like taking a “layered” approach to safety by reviewing local advisories, checking with hosts or advisers for up-to-date information and practicing commonsense precautions, like limiting displays of wealth and using registered transportation.
“Safety is dynamic, not static,” he said. “The perfect travelers prepare by gathering accurate information before they go, monitoring while they’re there and staying able to respond if something changes. That’s the way you travel smart, not scared.”
