The US has issued an urgent 'do not travel' warning for two countries amid increased political unrest and even risk to life.
While it's great to experience new countries and cultures by traveling the world, even seasoned veterans need to keep in mind places that are not safe to visit.
I mean, people like Drew Binsky, who has traveled to every single country in the world, managed to travel such countries unharmed - but the official advice from the US is to avoid these visiting these two particular nations.
The State Department has issued a 'do not travel' warning to parts of Colombia amid increased risk of 'violent crime' and 'terrorism'.
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"Do not travel to these areas for any reason. Violent crime, like armed robbery and murder, is common in these locations. Terrorist groups are active in some areas here," the department states on its website.
"Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in Colombia are prohibited from traveling to these areas."
While some regions are in the 'reconsider travel' category, the State Department advises against visiting Arauca, Cauca, and the Colombia-Venezuela border because of crime.
The department added: "Violent crime, like murder, assault, and robbery, is common in many areas in Colombia. In some places, organized crime is rampant. This includes extortion, robbery, and kidnapping.
"There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in Colombia."
The department also stated that US nationals that have entered Colombia without a visa have faced 'terrorism charges', which has led to them being held for 'long periods'.
Burkina Faso is another nation the US government advises against all travel due to a 'terrorism, crime, and kidnapping' risk.
The landlocked country based in West Africa has an estimated population of 23 million, and its one of the least developed nations in the world.
Issuing a warnings to travelers thinking of paying Burkina Faso a visit, the State Department said: "Do not travel to Burkina Faso for any reason due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
"Terrorist organizations continue to plan and conduct terrorist activities throughout Burkina Faso."
They continued: "The threat of kidnapping remains persistent throughout Burkina Faso, including in Ouagadougou and especially in the Sahel and East regions.
"Due to the risks, the U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in most of the country. U.S. government employees working in Burkina Faso are prohibited from traveling to regions outside the capital due to security concerns."
Topics: Travel, US News, World News
Callum Jones