The U.S. State Department recently issued a Level 2 travel advisory, warning travelers to “exercise increased caution” due to crime and possibly shark attacks in The Bahamas.
Violent crime — including armed robberies, burglaries and sexual assaults — can occur anywhere in the Bahamas, according to a statement from the State Department.
However, most crime occurs in Nassau and Freeport on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands.
Travelers should stay alert in the “Over the Hill” area in Nassau, south of Shirley Street, where gangs have killed residents, according to the statement.
They should also exercise caution at vacation rental properties, especially where private security is not present.
The State Department recommends locking doors and windows and not answering the door unless travelers know who the person is.
In addition to the crime notice, the State Department warned travelers of risks while boating and visiting the beach.
Boating is not well regulated, and injuries and deaths have occurred, according to the statement.
Watercraft might not be safe, while some operators are not licensed or insured.
Due to the risks, U.S. government employees are prohibited from using jet skis and personal watercraft rented from independent operators on New Providence and Paradise islands.
Sexual assaults by jet ski operators and on and near downtown Nassau beaches have also been reported.
“Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert in public restrooms,” the State Department advises.
Sharks are another concern, with recent attacks leading to serious injuries and death.
In February, two American tourists were attacked by a shark at a popular Bahamas resort.
The female swimmers were at Bimini Bay, part of the westernmost island in The Bahamas and about 50 miles from Miami, and were airlifted to New Providence, a separate island in the Bahamas, for further treatment.
In December 2023, Lauren Erickson Van Wart, a 44-year-old newlywed from Massachusetts, was killed by a shark while paddleboarding less than a mile off the western end of New Providence Island.
Just a month later, a shark bit the leg of a 10-year-old boy from Maryland on Jan. 15, 2024, while he was in a shark tank at a resort on Paradise Island.
The State Department, in a statement to Fox News Digital, said the travel advisory for The Bahamas was previously Level 2 before the update on March 31.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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