Nauru

Is Nauru safe to visit?

Yes, as far as anyone can tell. Nauru has a US Level 1 advisory, reissued unchanged on 1 December 2024, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary's advice does not even include a crime section. What you need to plan for is the island's isolation: very basic medical care, dengue, biting dogs, drought and almost no access to cash. We score Nauru 74, level with Fiji and above the Federated States of Micronesia at 71.

"As far as anyone can tell" matters here. Nauru has about 12,000 people on 21 square kilometres, and the usual sources are almost empty. UNODC has no homicide figures for it, WHO has no homicide estimate, the World Bank has no road death series, and the Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary leaves it out. This page rests on government travel advice and a handful of WHO and Ministry of Health figures. Our confidence is low.

Crime and security

With no homicide data, we cannot score violent crime against the rubric in the usual way. Both the US and the UK treat Nauru as a normal-precautions destination, and neither describes violent or petty crime aimed at visitors. We give violent crime 75, a little below Samoa (80), which has measured rates, rather than reward the absence of data with a higher number.

There is no known terrorism threat and no unrest that affects visitors. Nauru's society is conservative: same-sex relationships are legal, but the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says public affection between same-sex partners may cause offence. Drug penalties are severe.

Health care and dengue

Health is the weakest factor. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes medical facilities as "very basic", and anything serious means an air ambulance to Australia. With few flights in and out, an evacuation can take time to arrange, so if you are pregnant or have a heart, lung or other long-term condition, talk to your doctor before you go. Supplies of basic and prescription medicines are limited, so bring enough for the whole trip, in the original packaging and with your prescription.

Nauru had a dengue outbreak in 2025. The Republic of Nauru Hospital reported the first cases on 27 June, and by 19 September the Ministry of Health had confirmed 453 cases from 1,535 tests. More than 100 people were admitted to hospital and two teenagers, aged 15 and 17, died on 30 July. Most cases were children aged 5 to 10, spread across almost every district. New cases had slowed to a trickle by September, but dengue can return. Use repellent in the daytime and see a doctor for any fever. CDC recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines.

Stray dogs are a real nuisance. The FCDO says visitors have been bitten, particularly on the beach; do not run if a dog approaches.

Roads, weather and water

WHO's modelled estimate for 2021 is 8.0 road deaths per 100,000. With 12,000 people that is about one death a year, and the World Bank series has no figure for Nauru to compare it with. We score on the WHO 2021 estimate, which gives 74. Distances are tiny, but roads are shared with pedestrians and dogs, so drive slowly and avoid driving at night.

Nauru sits just south of the equator, away from the main cyclone tracks. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary still warns of strong winds, sea swells and cyclones from November to May. Drought is the more common hazard: the FCDO says Nauru suffers periods of severe drought, when the authorities may restrict water. Drink bottled water and do not waste it.

How to prepare

• Get your visa before booking flights, and declare any food, plants or animals on arrival; the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says customs rules are strict.
• Bring all the Australian dollars you will need; cards are not accepted and the one ATM is often empty.
• Pack all your medicines and a basic first-aid kit.
• Buy insurance that covers air ambulance evacuation to Australia.
• Save the emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 111, fire 112.

How we scored it

Conflict (90) and petty crime (82) are the strongest factors, as nothing in US or UK advice points to security or theft problems. Health (50) is the weakest, for very basic care, limited medicines and the 2025 dengue outbreak. Road safety (74) uses the WHO 2021 estimate, and violent crime (75) is a judgement made without homicide data, which is the main reason confidence is low.