Is it safe now to rest in. In which countries is it safe to travel? Red Sea: beautiful and dangerous

Most of the vacation season is just around the corner, but for some it has already begun, so it's time to be puzzled by the choice of a destination and place for a summer vacation.

For families with children, youth and people on a budget, Turkey has always been the number one vacation spot. Due to recent political events, this country was closed to russian touristsand people were forced to look for an alternative.

However, in the fall of 2016, the tourist flow began to gain momentum again. The coming season promises to bring back turkish shores the former popularity and love of tourists, however, vigilant citizens have concerns about whether it is not dangerous to go to Turkey in the summer of 2019. Let's figure out whether such fears are justified.

The country's main external problem is that Turkey borders on Syria, a country in which military operations are being conducted with terrorist groups. The common border, purely theoretically, creates opportunities for radical Islamists to penetrate the territory of Turkey.

The hostilities in Syria have not stopped at the moment, so the territory of Turkey, which borders with Syria, may be restless. However, all resort areas are located in another part of the country, at a considerable distance from the Syrian border.

In order to be less concerned about their safety, I would like to recommend the following to those who go on vacation.

1. If possible, do not leave the hotel grounds again.
2. If you go outside the territory, try to avoid crowded places (markets, public transport, mass performances).
3. When leaving the hotel, be sure to take your voucher and copies of your passports with you (we remember that the police will be very vigilant).
4. Many people ask if it is possible to go on vacation now to Istanbul and other cities besides the coastal ones. Still, refrain from leaving the resort areas. It is better not to tempt fate and postpone trips to the eastern regions of the country and to cities bordering on Syria.

I hope the information helped you make the right decision regarding the choice of a vacation spot!

Many tourists are now wondering if a vacation in Egypt is dangerous, and if so, how much. In fact, at present the political situation in this state is calmer than, say, some time ago, but there are still areas in which the situation remains quite tense. However, the resorts themselves, located on the coast of the Mediterranean and Red Sea, are not covered by riots and demonstrations, so it is quite safe here. The main danger for tourists is not at all in the unstable political situation.

Safety on excursions

Those who like to study foreign countries on their own should remember - to travel around Egypt alone (not as part of excursion group) dangerously. It is also highly undesirable to go on excursions organized by local residents - there is a high probability of running into serious trouble. Book tours and excursions through Russian tour operators.

Before booking a tour to Egypt, contact the Foreign Office to find out if it is safe now in the area you intend to travel to. If you become aware that the political situation in the country is currently unstable, postpone your trip for a while. Even if the tour has already been purchased, tour operators in most cases meet halfway and postpone the departure date and change the program of excursions around the country, trying to make your vacation as calm as possible.

Sanitary condition

Another danger lurking tourists who are going to go to Egypt is unsanitary conditions. Doctors warn - you can't drink tap water here! Drink only bottled water and eat only in tourist-friendly restaurants. In terms of nutrition, it's generally better to follow the guide's recommendations.

Stay away from river water. Moreover, the Nile is very polluted, and if you know about it, then you are unlikely to want to swim in it. For swimming, choose either the waters of the Mediterranean or Red Sea, or specially equipped pools. It should also be said that the quality of medical care in Egypt leaves much to be desired, so you will have to take care of your safety in advance. Before booking a tour and going to Egypt, take out health insurance and carefully read each of its points.

Be sure to visit your doctor in advance and get vaccinated if necessary. This is always a must before traveling to tropical and subtropical countries.

Insidious sun

If you are going to go to the desert, beware of dehydration - it is extremely dangerous for the body. Therefore, make sure you have enough drinking water. In addition, in the hot climate of Egypt, it is very easy to get sunburn, which can completely ruin your vacation. Treat your skin frequently, thoroughly and generously with strong sunscreens, which you should always have on hand.

Sand can be a problem in the desert, especially if you are going on holiday in the spring when desert winds blow. Handkerchiefs and special glasses will help protect against sand.

Dangerous fauna

Egypt's dangerous animals can also pose a problem on vacation. First of all, these are mosquitoes and other insects that can carry dangerous diseases (for example, malaria). Be sure to take a repellent with you on vacation.

The underwater fauna is no less dangerous than insects. Despite the outward beauty, many of the inhabitants of the Red Sea can pose a deadly threat. This is not only about sharks, of which there are just not so many off the coast of Egypt. Much more dangerous sea \u200b\u200burchins, moray eels, rays, jellyfish, cones, sea snakes and some types of fish. Many of them can be harmful not only while diving, but also when walking along the water's edge or while swimming. Special rubber shoes and extreme care will help avoid these problems.

Of course, diving in the waters of the Red Sea is one of the favorite pastimes of tourists. But divers should be very careful when diving near coral reefs - this is where most of the dangerous creatures live.

Petty hooliganism

Petty theft is not common in Egypt. If your tour includes a lot of excursions, then you will spend most of your vacation near huge desert buildings, where, in principle, there are not many people. But even in crowded places it is relatively safe. Avoid only political demonstrations, which can escalate into riots at any time.

In Egypt, of course, it is dangerous, but no more than, for example, in Turkey. And all of the above dangers definitely cannot be a reason not to go on vacation on the Red Sea coast. Follow the tips given above, and no trouble will happen to you, and the trip will only bring positive emotions.

1. Full inspection of incoming vehicles. It should be noted that the time spent on the examination of documents, the passenger compartment and the trunk is compensated by the increase in the number of entry lanes (5 instead of the previous two), so there is no particular transport delay.
2. The number of passengers subject to body searches at the entrance to the airport has been increased.
3. Expansion of the staff responsible for security in the building and in the territory of the resort's air harbor. Today it employs over 1,600 employees, up from 350 in 2017.

By the way, the sufficiency and effectiveness of the security measures carried out at Antalya airport have been confirmed by the International Civil Aviation Commission.

Bodrum

Due to its territorial location and special distance from the Syrian border, this Turkish town is one of the safest.

By the way! Seasoned tourists say that Bodrum is more Greek than Turkish in its atmosphere.

An additional safety factor is the fact that it is possible to get to the resort by a direct flight from the Russian capital, which excludes forced transfers, for example, at the Istanbul airport. During the summer, the number of flights to Bodrum may increase, as charter programs are often launched.

The atmosphere of Bodrum in the video:

Marmaris

Unlike provincial and cozy, but not devoid of youth entertainment, Bodrum, this Turkish resort is a city of European atmosphere. There is everything for a good rest - luxury shops, beautiful park areas, picturesque embankments and streets and, of course, the gentle sea.

The only factor that should be taken into account if you plan to travel with regular flights, that the flight will involve a connection at the Istanbul airport. Plus, the nearest air harbor is Dalaman Airport, which is 50 km from Marmaris itself.

Criteria for choosing a place of rest

So the direction is open chartered flight - Scheduled. However, when going on vacation, you should adhere to some rules.

Try to choose the right hotel. To do this, find out all the information about the current situation in the area, as well as the level of stability in nearby cities. It will not be superfluous to write down the emergency phone numbers. Ambulance, fire and police numbers can come in handy. Be sure to always keep with you the address of your embassy and its phone number, if you are going to leave the hotel, always take all documents and money with you. But it is still better to refrain from excursions that require a long journey.

Be sure to constantly monitor the events taking place in the state, especially at the time of arrival and departure. Be aware of the rules for visiting the country. Often, a tour package is redeemed long before the scheduled departure date, so it is necessary to monitor possible changes in the level of stability in the selected region.

The vigilance and full awareness of the tourist is the key to a good and, most importantly, safe rest on.

Why you should go to Turkey

The attractiveness of the country and an affirmative answer to the question whether it is worth going to Turkey in 2019 are caused by a number of factors:

The attractiveness of the country is due to a number of factors:

1. Visa-free regime, which means the possibility of "spontaneous" travel on a "hot" ticket.
2. A short flight from the central part of Russia, as well as the availability of non-stop charter flights from other cities of the country. The Turkish authorities provide subsidies for the implementation of charter flights from Russia. In the past year, the amount for each flight was 6-8 thousand US dollars.
3. Excellent value for money, including the ability to choose accommodation and meals on the All Inclusive system, while paying less than for a similar range of services in other countries.
4. Optimal ratio of sea water and air temperatures. In Turkey, for example, in the summer there is no sweltering heat felt in the same period in Egypt.
5. The presence of ideal conditions for families with children of different ages. This includes the level of equipment of children's play areas, a variety of entertainment and the presence of Russian-speaking staff.

This is not a complete list of the benefits that many Russian travelers seek to get from their vacation.

The Turkish authorities are no less interested in the presence of Russians in their resorts, therefore, the issues of ensuring the safety of foreign citizens are put on a par with the further development of the tourist infrastructure.

How much does it cost to travel to Turkey in 2019: prices and special offers

An interesting fact remains that with a steady increase in the demand for the Turkish destination among Russian tourists, the Turkish authorities have not received any proposals to increase the number of specially designated flights. At the same time, representatives of the Turkish tourism industry talk about a possible increase in prices for vouchers, the percentage of rise in price will be 10-20%

A reasonable question arises, how to save money on a trip to Turkey. Surface solution - early booking and redemption of the tour. This will allow not only to redeem a ticket without an additional rise in price (savings will be about 15%), but also to exclude the fact that there will simply be no space left for the charter.

Expected Rates for September 2019

A ticket for two to Antalya with a flight from Moscow for 7 days will cost at least 40,000 rubles. This rate is available for 3-star accommodation and breakfast included.

It should be noted that even taking into account the rise in the cost of a ticket to Turkey, this direction remains the most sold among operators such as Anex Tour, Pegas Touristik, TUI, Intourist. These companies are seeing an average 60% increase in demand for safe resorts in Turkey.

And from the beginning of the year, flights are available for the entire tourist season in Turkey.

Turkey is a country of unique culture and service. Following safety precautions, choosing a suitable resort can make your trip to this country unforgettable.

Looking at the unstable world situation, natural disasters, terrorist threats, multiplying in last years, involuntarily, when planning your annual vacation, you ask yourself: in which camps you can relax calmly and safely? After all, unpleasant and sometimes tragic situations arise quite unexpectedly. No one would have thought that Egypt, one of the most beloved holiday countries for Russians, would be closed after an airbus explosion in the sky, which happened due to the poor performance of the security service at the Egyptian airport. Nobody thought that it would ever be dangerous to go on vacation to their favorite resorts in Tunisia, after the shooting of vacationers on the beach in. Could anyone have thought that the situation with Turkey would also become very ambiguous, and although air traffic with it is open, many are afraid to go there on vacation. It would seem that in the recent past such a safe Europe and its countries - Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Greece - have now become a refuge for migrants who do terrible things there.

In order for your vacation to pass safely and calmly, you need to thoroughly prepare for it, explore several countries where you would like to relax at sea, analyze all the pros and cons, possible man-made and natural problems that may await you there. And only then make a choice: is this foreign country worthy of becoming your holiday destination at sea, does it guarantee you maximum safety, or will you go there at your own peril and risk? We decided to help you in this choice, having considered a number of countries where, according to tourists' reviews, you can have a relatively safe and calm rest. But the decision is, of course, yours.

Strange as it may seem, but the leaders in safe recreation this year are asian countries, and the leader among them is Vietnam. It is rather difficult to imagine a terrorist with a beard hanging around on one of the beaches of this country. Surely, this type would have attracted close attention and would not have been able to merge with the crowd. According to the Interpol safety rating, Vietnam is the leader among the countries with a low crime rate. In addition, there is practically no organized crime here, thanks to the stability of the political regime. Vietnam has nothing to do with international political terrorism. In this country, even murders are very rare, and armed robberies have practically never occurred. Of course, as in any country in the world, there are pickpockets here. Well, where are they not? The only problem that tourists who come on vacation to Vietnam may have is intestinal upset due to the consumption of unusual food, but this is easily solved by modern pharmaceutical preparations. And also, we recommend that you get vaccinated, just in case, against some exotic disease characteristic of a humid climate.

Another safe country in the Asian region. As far as terrorism is concerned, this is a very rare occurrence for China. Almost no serious crimes are committed against foreigners, but there are petty thefts, fraud, circulation of counterfeit banknotes. It should be said right away that China is located in a seismically active zone of our planet, sometimes there are earthquakes, and the southeast coast is often subject to typhoons and storms, mostly from July to October. But in order for the rest to go smoothly, tourists only need to choose a suitable season for it or go to rest in that part of the country where it is comfortable at that time. Safe to rest on. This place is famous for its natural beauty, rich cultural and entertainment programs, gorgeous beaches. China is safe for tourists because of the "totalitarianism" of the ruling regime, which successfully provides peace of mind in local resorts. There are also disadvantages of a holiday in China: the duration of the flight, a very humid and sultry climate, but this is where the disadvantages end. And this is a small price to pay for the safety and quality of the rest.

It is very difficult to believe it, but Israel, a country surrounded by warlike and unfriendly neighbors, is considered one of the safest countries in terms of recreation in the world, in addition, it is a state that guarantees tourists a very rich and varied vacation. There are many religious shrines of different religions, wonderful resorts where the highest level of service awaits you, incredible nature, absolutely contrasting in the north and south of the country. Israel, with militant Islamic countries in its neighborhood, has amassed a wealth of experience in the fight against terrorism. In this country, the special services are always on their guard, tourists understand this already upon arrival at the airport, when they undergo a thorough inspection. Due to this vigilance, affecting all areas of life and recreation in Israel, the Holy Land very rarely gets into the chronicle of sad news. There is a very low crime rate, and even at night it is completely safe to walk around the city: the streets are always well lit, monitored by police and cameras. And there is no such thing as a "drunken showdown" in Israel at all. All locals invariably friendly and kind, many of them speak Russian well, and the inscriptions in the resorts of Israel are dubbed into Russian.

A very beautiful and calm country with a large number of historical sights, with numerous sea and ocean resorts. Every year more and more Russians come here on vacation, especially because the Portuguese are happy to give our compatriots "long-term" Schengen visas. The danger of terrorism does not await you here. All Portuguese are nice, friendly people, they always smile and are ready to help any tourist. Vacationers in Portugal do not have to worry about their personal safety, here you can even walk alone at night and be sure that nothing bad will happen. Of course, there are pickpockets and thefts from car interiors, but nothing more. But, nevertheless, we recommend that tourists do not take large sums of money with them for a walk and hang themselves with jewelry. Should you tempt fate? Of the natural disasters, Portugal is not particularly threatened, but in the central part of the country in the summer, fires periodically occur. In Portugal, vacationers are not threatened with any dangerous diseases, so no special vaccinations are required.

One of the safest and most peaceful countries beach holiday Abroad. Russians traditionally love to come to the sea in Bulgaria, because there is a wonderful and healing climate, the locals are our Slav brothers, there is no language barrier, the atmosphere is peaceful and relaxing. Bulgaria pleases Russians with low prices and at the same time very good service. But it should be understood that the economic level of development of the country is not too high, and here pickpockets may try to profit at your expense, but still the level of pickpocketing is not as high here as in others. european countries... Sometimes they can open the car here, especially if you left some expensive things in the cabin. Sometimes in Bulgaria, tourists become victims of scammers. But as such, there are no dangers that threaten the life and health of vacationers in Bulgaria. There are no migrants here, for them this is a too poor country and they will safely bypass Bulgaria.

The beautiful Mediterranean island has been listed by Interpol as one of the five safest countries in the world. One has only to say that in the entire long history of Cyprus, there have never been terrorist attacks or serious political unrest. The crime rate here is so low that locals do not habitually lock their houses. The safety of holidays in Cyprus is due to a reasonable government policy, the efficient work of the special services. Political measures are aimed at preventing the penetration of refugees into the territory of the island and the categorical refusal to admit them, even despite the insistence of officials from the European Union. Cyprus is a welcoming country for tourists, but opposed to accommodating seekers here better life at someone else's expense.

A country where many different cultures are mixed: Indian, Chinese, Malay, Arab, - however, there are no conflicts between representatives of these ethnic groups. Singapore is the second most secure country in the world, second only to Luxembourg. In addition, it is the least corrupt world state, with a low crime rate. Of course, there are cases of pickpocketing and fraud here, but this is rare. Many people know that Singapore is a country of continuous bans, for violation of which large fines await. In general, Singapore has very strict laws, here many crimes are punishable by death. It must be said that here it is impossible to decide something for money or by acquaintance, the law is the same for everyone, which is why neither locals nor tourists try to violate it. But thanks to this policy, vacationing in Singapore is completely safe and very calm. Of the infectious exotic diseases, there are rarely outbreaks of tropical fever, but not, which can be recommended to be done before traveling to this country.

If your goal is to find a country for a calm and safe holiday, then New Zealand - the very thing. Thousands of kilometers await tourists on vacation in New Zealand gorgeous beaches, friendly locals, always ready to help the tourist. The country has a low crime rate, here you can feel safe from terrorist threats, other violence against a person. The country is famous for its stable economy, which does not give rise to any political or popular unrest. In addition, New Zealand is in first place, sharing it with Denmark, for the lowest level of corruption in the world. Tourists should not expect natural disasters either, there are no natural disasters, there are no poisonous insects and animals.

On April 11 (for the first time since the terrorist attack in 2015), flights between Moscow and Cairo are resumed. The AIF observer visited Sharm el-Sheikh in order to find out how safe the local resorts are for Russian citizens now.

- Your documents!

- You are welcome.

A soldier in a bulletproof vest at a checkpoint near the village of Taba checks the photo in the passport with my face for a long time, then walks away and calls somewhere. Nearby, in a 30-degree heat, a machine gunner in black uniform languishes: his booth is reinforced with sheets of armor on all sides to repel a sudden attack. My taxi driver explains: more often than not, a suicide bomber flies at breakneck speed, trying to crash into the midst of the military. The sniper will not help here, but the machine gun is very even. The front is located several tens of kilometers, closer to the north of the Sinai: on the eve of the Egyptian aviation bombed the positions of radical Islamists, who for five years have not been able to smoke out of the underground labyrinths. On the way to Sharm el-Sheikh (250 km) I came across many checkpoints with armored cars and barbed wire - at the twelfth I stopped counting. Our car was reluctantly checked only at two checkpoints: the rest nod sleepily, waving their hand - a happy journey. “Did you notice that we drove so much, but did not see a single village? - asks taxi driver Muhammad. - All local Bedouins left to fight for the "Islamic State" (IS - an organization banned in the Russian Federation). Russian tourists have disappeared, that's the problem ... I took 50 dollars from you for this road, and once I drove for 300 ”. That's right - vacationers from Russia have not flown to Egypt since October 31, 2015: on that day, IS terrorists planted a bomb on the route from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, and killed 224 people.

"When will the Russians arrive?"

The frontal situation changes at the entrance to Sharm el-Sheikh. Everything is fine here - palm trees, camels and the sea, but the hotels have more armed guards. Muhammad greets an employee who opens the hotel gates. “We are relatives,” the driver explains. "My sister is married to his uncle." That is, if there were explosives in the taxi, it would calmly drive to the doors of the complex where hundreds of tourists live - easily, by acquaintance. In many things in Egypt, it is still customary to rely on chance, and no terrorist attacks will change this lifestyle. Charters from the Russian Federation have not been flying here for 2.5 years, but local sea "health resorts" are not deserted, as in the very first time after the ban on air traffic. In a large hotel "Sunrise" I was informed: they have 60% of rooms full, although in some hotels things are not so rosy - 85% of rooms are vacant, despite huge discounts. Who eventually replaced us in Egypt?

- Now 300 Ukrainians live here, 200 residents of various Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Palestine,- He speaks hotel manager Karam Motavi. - But, believe me, we are looking forward to Russian holidaymakers. Everyone in Sharm el-Sheikh will tell you this - both merchants and businessmen miss the guests from Russia.

Arab tourists could not completely replace Russian tourists. Photo: / Georgy Zotov

The question of when the Russians will arrive was asked to me in Egypt by everyone - from a checkpoint officer on the border with Israel to soldiers at checkpoints and airport employees. "Are you from Russia? Indeed? - the Egyptian is surprised, offering a trip to the desert for a double price. - Are you finally coming back? I'm happy. O Allah, how we have been waiting for you! " Honestly, Egypt dreams not specifically about us, but about our money: it is vacationers from the Russian Federation who are considered the most generous, they bargain less for souvenirs and leave the best tips for the hotel employees. Hotel management in Sharm El Sheikh does not hide the fact that as soon as Russian tourists return, prices will surely rise. “We will lose Arab guests, but this is not a catastrophe - Russia is more important to us,” the owner of the resort confides over a hookah. “In addition, stop playing with fire - among visiting holiday-makers from countries like Sudan, Iraq or Libya, there may be sent terrorists. Yes, guests' belongings are inspected at the entrance to any hotel, but you understand: anything can happen. Russians in this sense are much safer than Arabs. "

Vacationers in black

Terrorist attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh have occurred before - in 2005, suicide bombings killed 88 people and wounded 150. Now the militants are on Sinai Peninsula capture settlements, dozens of soldiers are being killed, and last November, in a terrorist attack on the city of Bir el-Abd, 300 civilians were killed. On the beach, I don't want to believe in war. Not far - close at hand - massacre, blood, bombing. And then there are sunbathing girls in bikinis, music, ice cream, swimmers in masks, looking at beautiful fish among the waters of an incredibly azure sea. Could this be the case in the same country? Yes, in Egypt such a situation is a reality.

Arab tourists in hotels usually behave the same way. Men don’t even go to the sea - they don’t stick to the all-inclusive bars, absorbing an incredible amount of alcohol (alcohol is prohibited in their countries), dancing in the pool and singing songs. Women in black robes with completely veiled faces sit on the beach all day long (without bathing) and look after the children. European tourists look at them with undisguised surprise - before there were no representatives of Arab states in hotels, but now it looks like a collision of two worlds. Egyptian citizens (as well as Palestinians and guests from Sudan) are offered rooms 3 times cheaper than Europeans. Explained that with the disappearance of 4 million Russian tourists from Dahab, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, the hotel industry could not have survived otherwise.

The wrong ones are being searched?

At the resort airport, security has improved significantly. If right after the explosion of the Kogalymavia airliner in November 2015 I calmly entered the departure area without even showing my passport (!), Now this is absolutely impossible. At the entrance, the checkpoint tests the taxi for explosives, and they look at the printouts e-tickets - they are not allowed to enter the airport without them. Checks have become better quality: three cordons with translucent beams and metal detectors, individual people (arousing suspicion) are stopped and sorted out in detail carry-on baggage... There is no more chaos and chaos. Commendable, only here's the bomb on board russian aircraft carried not by a passenger, but by some bastard from the airport staff. The airliner itself is now thoroughly inspected by the special services before departure, checking the seats and toilets for foreign objects. It's a shame they haven't done anything like this before.

I fully understand the desire of our people to have a cheap vacation and fly to the sea for a modest price at least once a year. Moreover, in our country - both in Sochi and in the Crimea - for so many years they have not been able to provide visitors with good service and low prices... Let everyone decide for himself whether to take the risk and go to Egypt or not. Just keep in mind: a full-scale war is being waged in this country not too far from the resort areas. The militants declared foreign tourists the target of their hunt and killed them several times. This problem has not gone away. Lying down to sunbathe on the beach, surrounded by roadblocks, tanks and p-ulemets, you should know - alas, there are many people here who want to kill you.

The Egyptian authorities are obliged to guarantee security for the citizens of the Russian Federation: especially after the horrific terrorist attack that claimed the lives of hundreds of Petersburgers. However, for now we will go to Egypt in the same way at our own peril and risk.