City in Pará, Brazil
Is Belém safe?
Fine in daytime central areas with care, but Pará has high urban crime.
Is Belém safe?
Fine in daytime central areas with care, but Pará has high urban crime. Stay alert around the port and market and use ride apps at night.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 3/5, take real precautions.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-05-28.
- Homicide rate in Brazil: 19.3 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Brazil: 16.0 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193.
Safety in Belém at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Crime | Phone and bag snatching in busy markets and the port area, armed robberies on quiet streets at night, and theft from parked cars. |
| At night | Stick to busy restaurant streets in Nazaré and Umarizal, and take an Uber or 99 door to door rather than walking after dark. |
| Solo women | Solo women can travel here with care. Expect attention on the street; avoid the port and empty streets at night and use ride apps. |
| Other risks | Dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases; Intense heat and sudden downpours; Boat safety on small river craft |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Unofficial guides at Ver-o-Peso asking for large tips
- Unlicensed river-tour touts quoting low prices, then adding fees
Take care
- Ver-o-Peso and the port area after dark: robberies
- Cidade Velha and Reduto side streets at night: empty and risky
- Phones out on the street: motorbike snatch thefts
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Carry ID: your passport or a certified copy; police checks happen.
- Any alcohol before driving is illegal, and Lei Seca checkpoints are common.
- Racist or homophobic insults are crimes that can bring prison terms.
How Belém compares in Brazil
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Fernando de Noronha | 5/5 · Very safe |
| Foz do Iguaçu | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Florianópolis | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Jericoacoara | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Ilha Grande | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Paraty | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Búzios | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Pipa | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Itacaré | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Morro de São Paulo | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Chapada Diamantina | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Lençóis Maranhenses | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Bonito | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Ouro Preto | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Balneário Camboriú | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Porto de Galinhas | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Gramado | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Rio de Janeiro | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| São Paulo | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Salvador | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Recife | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Fortaleza | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Manaus | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Natal | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Maceió | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Belo Horizonte | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Brasília | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Curitiba | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Porto Alegre | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Belém | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Belém safe for solo female travelers?
Solo women can travel here with care. Expect attention on the street; avoid the port and empty streets at night and use ride apps.
Is Belém safe at night?
Stick to busy restaurant streets in Nazaré and Umarizal, and take an Uber or 99 door to door rather than walking after dark.
What is the crime rate in Belém?
Phone and bag snatching in busy markets and the port area, armed robberies on quiet streets at night, and theft from parked cars. Nationally, Brazil records 19.3 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Belém?
Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193.
More about Belém
Going to Belém solo?
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Belém Airport (NOA Airports)
- Uber: Belém airport (BEL) fares
- Diário do Pará: Belém bus fare 4.60 BRL, free Sundays
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.