{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/south-africa/paarl","updatedAt":"2026-10-29T12:09:38.317Z","place":{"city":"Paarl","country":"South Africa","countryCode":"ZA","lat":-33.7310282,"lon":18.9642117},"safety":{"score":59,"level":"MODERATE","answer":"Mostly — take normal precautions","saferThanPctOfCountries":55,"confidence":0.82,"caps":[],"databaseScore":58,"travellerSentiment":{"score":63,"label":"Cautiously optimistic","summary":"Some traveler accounts suggest Paarl is a beautiful and relatively safe place, particularly during the day, though vigilance is advised, especially at night. Official advisories indicate a need for heightened awareness.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":55,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":62,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":50,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":63,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":75,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":64,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":71,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Tue, 27 May 2025","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/tsg_aem/us/en/home/international-travel/travel-advisories/destination.zaf.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":1,"label":"No advisory against travel","updated":"2026-10-07T10:15:33Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution","updated":"2026-10-28T13:04:44.2520526-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":43.7202551331462,"display":"43.7 / 100k","year":"2022","score":7,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":40.4,"display":"40.4%","year":"2007","score":26,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0.1235572394897154,"display":"0.12 / million","year":"2021","score":91,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":22.2,"display":"22.2 / 100k","year":"2019","score":38,"source":"UN SDG (via Our World in Data)"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":58.9198341,"display":"59/100","year":"2025","score":59,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":59.3034187,"display":"59/100","year":"2025","score":59,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":45.3510173,"display":"45/100","year":"2025","score":45,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":51.872237,"display":"52/100","year":"2025","score":52,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":54.3217993,"display":"54/100","year":"2025","score":54,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":70.2179531,"display":"70/100","year":"2025","score":70,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":74.5,"display":"74.5 / 100","year":null,"score":22,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":37,"display":"37.0%","year":"2022","score":30,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.03,"display":"0.03 / 100k","year":"2022","score":92,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":18,"display":"18.0%","year":"2019","score":62,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":58,"display":"US AQI 58 · Moderate","year":null,"score":86,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":null,"display":"3 global notices","year":null,"score":92,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":33,"display":"October: highs ~33°C · strong winds, wet spell","year":null,"score":74,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · low seismicity","year":null,"score":100,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution · 2 govts","year":null,"score":75,"source":"CA / US"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":62,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":78,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":55,"display":"55 / 100 (Cautiously optimistic)","year":null,"score":55,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"Paarl presents a moderate safety risk for travelers, requiring increased caution.","summary":"While South Africa's overall crime rates are high, Paarl, located in the Western Cape wine region, is considered relatively safer within the country, though petty crime and opportunistic theft are present. Official advisories recommend exercising increased caution due to prevalent violent crime across South Africa.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"While specific robbery rates for Paarl are not detailed, South Africa as a whole experiences common violent crime including robbery."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Petty crime like bag-snatching and pickpocketing can occur in busy areas."},"safeAreas":["Laborie Wine Estate area"],"avoidAreas":["Townships (general)"],"scams":["Distraction pickpocketing scams, often caught on camera, where thieves create a diversion to steal from unsuspecting individuals.","General tourist scams targeting money, phones, cards, and bookings."],"zones":[{"name":"Central Paarl","level":"caution","note":"Generally safe during the day, but exercise caution, especially after dark, due to moderate crime risks."},{"name":"Paarl East","level":"caution","note":"Pockets of higher crime exist; maintain vigilance and avoid deserted areas, particularly at night."},{"name":"Laborie Wine Estate area","level":"safe","note":"Primarily a tourist and business area, generally safe, though a fire occurred in Dec 2025."},{"name":"Drakenstein Correctional Facility area","level":"caution","note":"While hosting official events, general caution is advised due to proximity to correctional facilities and associated security considerations."},{"name":"Townships (general)","level":"avoid","note":"As per general advice for South Africa, avoid townships unless with a trusted local guide due to higher crime concentrations."}]}}