Is Guangzhou Safe For Tourists? Crime Rates & Safety
Due to its ideal trading location, Guangzhou attracts millions of visitors every year. But, what about the safety and security measures of the city? Is Guangzhou safe for tourists? Scoring 64 out of 100 on a safety index score makes Guangzhou a low to moderate risk place to visit. Pickpoketing and tourist scams are the biggest concern for travelers.
With an estimated population of about 13 million, Guangzhou is the third most populated city in China. Guangzhou is also known by its alternate name Canton. The name “Canton” is derived from Canton Fair, which is regarded as one of the largest and the oldest Import and Export Fairs in China.
Guangzhou Crime Rate & Safety Index
Crime: 54.36
Safety: 64.64
Overall Safety Risk: LOW/MEDIUM
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Safety In Guangzhou
With respect to all criminal activities that can be defined as “potentially life-threatening,” Guangzhou is regarded as a fairly “Low” criminal-activities risk city. The frequency of occurrence of any kind of major criminal activities in Guangzhou is LOW as per The U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory.
Small crimes are common; however, the absence of any major life-threatening criminal activities such as mugging, terrorism, or women’s safety makes Guangzhou a non-violent city, and also a tourist welcoming place as well.
So overall, Guangzhou is a safe place for tourists. However, there are various petty crimes that a newcomer should be aware of on his/her first visit to Guangzhou.
Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing in Guangzhou one of the highest areas of concerns for foreigners travelling. Due to the attraction of large tourists mainly because of the Canton fair, the trend of pickpocketing in large shopping areas or crowded public transports is a common occurrence.
Tourists are advised against showing off their cash in large quantities in public areas, especially in crowded places.
Bag Snatching
Apart from pickpocketing which is mainly targeted for cash or credit cards, bag snatching also poses a serious threat to tourists visiting Guangzhou. It is therefore advisable for visitors to make copies of their passports or any other relevant documents and keep it safe in the event of any unfortunate incidents.
Mugging
Violent crimes such as mugging are rare in Guangzhou. Tourists are most unlikely to face any kind of kidnapping or mugging incidents in Guangzhou.
Terrorism activities
Any types of terrorist activities in Guangzhou are minimal as well.
Bars and night clubs in Guangzhou
Although the rate of occurrence of violent crimes is rare, they sometimes do occur. The most prone places for the occurrence of such activities are bars and night clubs.
Women’s safety
Guangzhou, in general, does not have an extensive record of female related harassment or assaults, especially tourists. For women traveling alone in China, Guangzhou is a safer place than most metropolitan cities around the world.
However one should always be careful not to go out alone at night, especially around the bar and night club areas.
Scams In Guangzhou To Avoid
Due to the large number of visitors that Guangzhou attracts every year, the problem of locals running a scam is high. The most common form of scam is luring tourists with fake currency exchanges. One should only deal with proper authorities to change their currency to the Chinese Yuan.
Another scam exists in the form of taxi drivers charging tourists in excess refusing to take out the passenger’s luggage from the car if they refuse payments.
Shop owners may also slip in a fake note while giving back changes as well. It is, therefore advisable to check the currency whenever one is shopping in Guangzhou.
Overall safety
Overall Guangzhou is a fairly safe place for any visitors. The only precaution that visitors should take is to board registered taxis or take public transports, and of course, keep a close watch on their wallets at all times. So, is Guangzhou safe for tourists? Yes, with perceived caution, everyone should feel safe during their visit.
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