Travel safety comparison · Asia
Sri Lanka vs Myanmar: safety comparison
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Sri Lanka vs Myanmar: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Sri Lanka carries a materially lower safety risk than Myanmar on the composite Warnely score: 38/100 against 70/100, a gap of 32 points. The biggest single category gap is in civil unrest, where Sri Lanka scores 2/5 against Myanmar's 5/5. Women's-safety rating differs: Sri Lanka is Generally Safe and Myanmar is Exercise Significant Caution. Drug law diverges sharply: Sri Lanka carries a tier-severe regime against Myanmar's more permissive framework.
| 🇱🇰Sri Lanka | 🇲🇲Myanmar | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 38 / 100 | 70 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | High Risk |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #97 | #153 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Death penalty possible |
| Women's safety rating | Generally Safe | Exercise Significant Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | illegal | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | LKR | MMK |
Sri Lanka vs Myanmar: common questions
Is Sri Lanka or Myanmar safer to visit?
Sri Lanka has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 38/100 vs 70/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Sri Lanka or Myanmar safer for solo female travellers?
Sri Lanka is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; Myanmar is rated Exercise Significant Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Sri Lanka and Myanmar?
Sri Lanka: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Myanmar: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).