Travel safety comparison · Oceania
Vanuatu vs Samoa: safety comparison
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Vanuatu vs Samoa: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Vanuatu and Samoa have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 25 and 20. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Samoa scores 1/5 against Vanuatu's 2/5.
| 🇻🇺Vanuatu | 🇼🇸Samoa | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 25 / 100 | 20 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Normal Caution | Very Safe |
| 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 | n/a | n/a |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Generally Safe | Generally Safe |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | VUV | WST |
Vanuatu vs Samoa: common questions
Is Vanuatu or Samoa safer to visit?
Samoa has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 20/100 vs 25/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Vanuatu or Samoa safer for solo female travellers?
Vanuatu is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; Samoa is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Vanuatu and Samoa?
Vanuatu: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Samoa: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).