10 Key Travel Advisories Announced in August

August was a relatively quiet month by the U.S. State Department's latest standards as officials issued fewer than 30 updated travel advisories. These included a worldwide caution issued on August 2 warning of a "higher potential for anti-American violence given the death of [al-Qaeda leader] Ayman al-Zawahiri on July 31, 2022." As far as individual countries are concerned, the department published updated advice for destinations all over the globe, from the Americas to Asia and Africa in between. Here are some of the most notable updates over the last month that Americans should know about heading into the fall travel season.

Vietnam is listed at a Level 1 heading into the fall as officials encourage visitors to exercise normal precautions in the Asian country. As of May 15, travelers no longer require a negative COVID-19 test prior to entry.

The State Department also issued a travel advisory update for Indonesia on August 1, recommending that travelers exercise increased caution in the country due to terrorism and natural disasters. Additionally, officials ask Americans to reconsider travel to Central Sulawesi and Papua due to civil unrest.

The State Department released its annual update to the travel advisory for Mexico on August 17. Six Mexican states are on the State Department's "Do not travel" list for American citizens due to crime, kidnapping and cartel-related activity, including Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. Meanwhile, Americans are asked to reconsider travel to seven states, including Baja California and Sonora and exercise increased caution when traveling to 17 other states, including Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur and Mexico City. Visitors should use standard precautions when visiting Campeche and Yucatan.

The State Department asks Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia at the moment due to the threat of missile and drone attacks on civilian facilities. Visitors should also exercise increased caution in the Middle East country due to terrorism. If in Saudi Arabia, travelers should avoid being within 50 miles of the Saudi-Yemen border and the cities of Abha, Jizan, Najran and Khamis Mushayt as well as Abha airport, Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah, due to missile and drone attacks and terrorism.

On August 22, the State Department reissued its Level 2 travel advisory for Ecuador with an update to information regarding Guayaquil, south of Portete de Tarquí Avenue, which should be avoided. Visitors should continue to exercise increased caution in the country due to civil unrest and crime and also avoid Carchi, Sucumbios, and the northern part of Esmeraldas provinces, including Esmeraldas city, due to crime.

The State Department advises travelers to exercise increased caution in Cuba at the moment "due to demonstrable and sometimes debilitating injuries to members of our diplomatic community resulting in the drawdown of embassy staff."

The Philippines is also listed at Level 2 as of August 15. Visitors should exercise increased caution in the Asian country due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping and avoid the Sulu Archipelago, including the southern Sulu Sea, and Marawi City in Mindanao due to the aforementioned risks. Officials also advise Americans to reconsider travel to other areas of Mindanao due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping.

Despite the recent easing of quarantine requirements, travelers are asked to reconsider travel to China and Hong Kong due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws and COVID-19-related restrictions, the State Department warns. If they do visit, travelers should also exercise increased caution due to the threat of wrongful detentions.

The State Department advises Americans to exercise increased caution in Jordan due to terrorism. Visitors should not travel within 2.2 miles of the Jordanian border with Syria and east of the town of Ruwayshid in the direction of the border with Iraq due to terrorism and armed conflict, officials state. Other parts of the country to avoid include designated Syrian refugee camps in Jordan due to government restrictions on entry; Zarqa, Rusayfah, and the Baqa'a neighborhood of Ayn Basha due to terrorism and crime. Travelers should also reconsider travel to Ma'an City and some areas of Ma'an Governorate due to terrorism and crime.

As of August 29, travelers are encouraged to exercise increased caution in Morocco due to terrorism this fall. According to the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Morocco, eligible U.S. travelers-those with passports with at least six months of validity-will only require a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of boarding their flight if they do not have proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.