The peak summer travel period is entering its final weeks as the calendar flips to August.
While the dog days of the season saw long stretches of silence from the U.S. State Department, some popular destinations received timely updates in recent days.
Here are the most significant travel advisory updates from July and what travelers need to know in the second half of 2025.
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza – Levels 3 and 4
Travelers should reconsider travel to Israel and the West Bank this summer due to terrorism and civil unrest, according to the State Department’s latest advisory issued on July 13.
Meanwhile, Americans are advised to avoid travel to Gaza due to terrorism and armed conflict. Other areas to avoid include “Northern Israel within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders due to continued military presence and activity and the Egyptian border within 1.5 miles, except for the Taba crossing, which is open.”
Egypt – Level 2
The State Department updated its travel guidance for Egypt two days later, on July 15, encouraging visitors to exercise increased caution due to terrorism, crime and health.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock)
Specific areas to avoid include the Northern and Middle Sinai Peninsula due to terrorism, the Western Desert due to risk to safety and security unless traveling with a professionally licensed tour company and Egyptian border areas due to military zones.
Nigeria – Level 3
Travelers exploring Africa are advised to reconsider plans to visit Nigeria due to concerns such as crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed gangs, and inconsistent availability of health care services this summer.
Areas to avoid traveling to include Borno, Yobe, Kogi, and northern Adamawa states, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states and Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states (with the exception of Port Harcourt) due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping and armed gangs.
Aerial view of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Photo Credit: Brady/Adobe)
Haiti – Level 4
U.S. officials reissued a Level 4 travel advisory for Haiti on July 15, listing a slew of potential threats to visitors, including kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest and limited health care.
“Haiti has been under a State of Emergency since March 2024. Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti. They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom. Do not travel to Haiti for any reason,” the State Department warned.
Rwanda – Level 2
The East African country of Rwanda had its travel advisory updated on July 16 to “remove the Level 4: Do Not Travel area near the border with Burundi.”
The latest update also reflects changes to the Level 4: Do Not Travel areas near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Visitors are advised to exercise increased caution in Rwanda due to the potential for armed violence and should specifically avoid Rusizi District within six miles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) border and Rubavu District within six miles of the DRC border due to the threat of armed violence.
Koh Samui, Thailand. (Photo Credit: natalia_maroz/Adobe)
Thailand – Level 2
An uber-popular destination in the wake of season 3 of The White Lotus, the State Department raised its travel advisory level for Thailand due to a border conflict with Cambodia on July 25.
Officials currently warn visitors to exercise increased caution in the Asian hotspot due to the risk of unrest and advise Americans to avoid travel to areas along the Cambodian and Thai border due to armed conflict.
Cambodia – Level 2
Cambodia received an identical update in regards to the country’s conflict with Thailand. In addition to the threat of unrest and guidance to avoid border areas, visitors are asked to exercise increased caution due to crime and decades-old unexploded landmines.
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