The Safest Place to Travel in the Caribbean is...

Anguilla beats out Barbados, St. Barth and Aruba in new World Population Review ranking

If safety is at the top 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 in the Caribbean, according to a 2025 ranking from World Population Review, which evaluates crime, policing and political stability based on data from the Global Peace Index.

“Anguilla crime rates are the lowest in the Caribbean, with very few violent or petty crimes to mar its reputation as a tropical oasis,” the report found. “Tourists can feel safe and at ease in tranquil Anguilla.”

While the review noted that drug-related offenses are “moderate,” it added that such crimes rarely affect visitors.

The U.S. Department of State also lists Anguilla at a Level 1 travel advisory, the lowest possible risk level, advising tourists to simply 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 warmth of our community, safety is simply part of island life on Anguilla.”

Following Anguilla in the World Population Review’s safety ranking were Barbados, St. Barth, Martinique, the Cayman Islands and Aruba. John Rose, chief risk adviser for Altour, a global travel management company, said Anguilla’s ranking stems from several distinct advantages. 

“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 only for traveler confidence but also from a tourism economics perspective, he added.