Yes, Chile is safe to visit for ordinary tourists, but you must exercise caution around street crime, airport transport scams, and regional unrest. The live panel above displays the current advisory levels from three governments, none of which urge travelers to cancel general travel to the country.
At Safe to Go, we track official travel warnings daily so travelers know which specific risks matter on the ground. The regional warnings cover the Araucanía Region and four provinces under a state of emergency, plus rain and mudslide alerts in eastern Santiago.
Where the Travel Warnings Concentrate Across Chile
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) reports ongoing civil unrest in the Araucanía Region, especially around Temuco, including attacks by groups of demonstrators against people and property. The British government notes that groups claiming to represent indigenous interests have carried out attacks in Araucanía, Biobío, and Los Ríos. A state of emergency is in place in the provinces of Biobío, Arauco, Cautín and Malleco because of a significant increase in violent incidents, and the military is assisting regional police.
In the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED) declared a Red Alert for heavy rain and severe mudslides in the Andean and pre-Andean east. The alert covers San José de Maipo, Puente Alto, Pirque, La Florida, Peñalolén, La Reina, Las Condes, Lo Barnechea, Vitacura and Colina, and the UK FCDO says to follow local authorities’ advice, including any evacuation orders. The UK FCDO advice also covers Rapa Nui (Easter Island), and its regional warnings do not name it.
Muggings and Airport Taxi Scams in Santiago and Valparaíso
Petty crime is common in Chile. The US Department of State travel advisory for Chile warns that common crimes include mugging, pickpocketing, and theft, while violent crimes including assaults, carjackings, and residential break-ins also occur.
Muggings occur frequently in central Santiago and Valparaíso, increasingly involving guns or knives during daylight hours in plain sight of bystanders. Thieves target mobile phones, high-value watches, jewelry, passports, and people departing currency exchanges or automated teller machines. Criminals also puncture rental car tyres, often at traffic lights, then distract the occupants and steal valuables. Others break into hire cars parked at viewpoints and petrol stations.
Many foreign visitors have been scammed by unlicensed taxi drivers at Santiago airport, the UK FCDO says. Criminals in the arrivals hall dress as authorised drivers, with official-looking lanyards, jackets and printed price lists. Some have added extra digits to fares, charging 5,000,000 Chilean pesos (CLP) instead of 50,000 CLP, and people have lost up to 10,000 pounds by entering a PIN into a card reader whose display they could not read. Luggage has also been stolen before check-in and from the arrivals carousel.
- Distraction thefts: Thieves work in pairs in cafes, bus stations, hotel lobbies, and churches, using liquid spills or distractions to steal bags left under tables or on chair backs.
- Highway carjackings: Armed attackers target high-end vehicles on Santiago highways or wait for gates to open at private residential entries.
- Andes virus (hantavirus): The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a Travelers’ Health Notice for the region, and the US State Department says the risk for most travelers is extremely low.
How the US, UK, and Canadian Advisories Compare on Chile
The three governments set different levels of caution for Chile. The US asks for increased caution and Canada for a high degree of caution, while the UK FCDO advises against travel to no part of the country.
The United States urges increased caution primarily due to crime, unrest, and health. The US State Department warns that demonstrations can start with little or no notice and often disrupt public buses and Santiago metro services.
The latest change to the Government of Canada travel advice for Chile added a flooding and landslides warning for the Santiago Metropolitan Region.
The UK FCDO names the dates when nationwide protests often happen and lists the scams used on British nationals at Santiago airport. The UK FCDO also says anarchist groups have carried out attacks, mostly in the Santiago Metropolitan region and mostly aimed at property, and that terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Chile.
Protest Dates in Santiago and Other Chilean Cities
Public demonstrations can erupt with little advance warning in major urban areas, particularly in central Santiago. The UK FCDO advises you to avoid all demonstrations. Under Chilean law, you can be deported if you take part in or promote violent acts that could disturb social order.
The UK FCDO says there is a risk of violent protest in Santiago and other Chilean cities, particularly on Friday afternoons and evenings. Nationwide protests also often take place on significant dates, such as these three:
Even peaceful protests can become violent, and police can use tear gas and water cannons against protesters. On these dates, expect disruption to buses and the Santiago metro, and keep away from any demonstration.
- 29 March: Day of the Young Combatant
- 1 May: Workers’ Day
- 11 September: anniversary of the military coup
Santiago Airport Taxis and Rental Car Precautions
Book and pay for an official taxi at one of the two official taxi booths in arrivals at Santiago international airport. The booths are immediately after customs, just before the public arrivals area. If the card machine at one official booth is out of service, walk to the second authorized counter rather than negotiating with anyone in the hall.
Never accept rides from people soliciting fares inside the airport terminal, regardless of official lanyards or printed rate cards. If you pay in the taxi, check the amount and the number of zeroes on the card machine before you hand over your card. If a driver takes you to a cash machine, do not let the driver near it while you use it.
Across cities, do not resist any armed robbery or carjacking attempt. Local authorities advise drivers to raise their hands and step out of the vehicle immediately during a carjacking. Carry a photocopy of your passport and keep the original and other valuables in a hotel safe. When driving, keep the doors locked and the windows closed, and wait for gates to close fully before you leave the car.
How to Check Whether Chile Is Safe Right Now
The live panel above shows each government’s current level for Chile, and we re-check those advisories every day. You can evaluate the country alongside neighbors by reviewing our guide to the safest countries in South America or using our tool to compare destinations side by side.
US citizens can enroll in the STEP, and the UK FCDO Chile page offers email alerts when its advice changes. For rain and mudslide alerts, the UK FCDO points to SENAPRED and local officials.
To weigh Chile against its neighbors, see is Argentina safe? and is Brazil safe?, or check the latest advisory changes across every country we cover. If you plan to travel in the Araucanía Region or the four provinces under the state of emergency, the UK FCDO warnings apply to you, so be cautious and follow the instructions of local authorities. Our verdict would change if any of the three governments advised against travel to Santiago or any other part of Chile. Before you leave, get travel insurance that covers your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.