Travel Smart
Honest, sourced guidance so you travel confident. Most of any country is calmer than the headlines suggest.
Safety
Countrywide advisory (Government of Canada)
Exercise increased cautionExercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories) Regional advisories apply; see the source for zone-level detail.
Source: Government of Canada · Verified 2026-07-26
Luanda and coast (Bengo, Kwanza Sul)
Exercise increased cautionLuanda is the safest region; street crime exists but is manageable with standard precautions. Petty theft and mugging occur in crowded markets and at night. Coastal towns are quieter and lower risk.
Avoid: Avoid wandering slums at night; use registered taxis. Some suburbs south of the city are high-crime.
Common scams: Fake currency and inflated taxi fares. Goods posing as official souvenirs.
Source: US State Department · Verified 2026-07-06
Eastern provinces (Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Moxico)
Reconsider travelDiamond mining regions with limited infrastructure, banditry, and occasional armed group activity. Travel here is difficult and risky; permits often required.
Avoid: Mining areas; unmarked roads; travel after dark.
Source: UK FCDO · Verified 2026-07-06
3 zones rated separately against Government of Canada, US State Department, UK FCDO. Oldest check on this page: 6 July 2026.
Emergency Contacts
Policia Nacional
police
The police number published by UK FCDO. The number 113, which circulates widely for Angolan police, is not what the Foreign Office gives.
SourceAmbulance
ambulance
The ambulance number published by UK FCDO. Public ambulance response in Luanda is slow and most visitors and residents call a private clinic directly instead, which is what the numbers below are for.
SourceClinica Sagrada Esperanca
hospital · Luanda
A private hospital on the Ilha de Luanda and the usual first call for a visitor in the capital, from the British Embassy list of medical facilities in Angola. Clinica Girassol on +244 226 698 000 and Clinica Multiperfil on +244 222 469 445 are the other large private options on the same list.
SourceClinica Sagrada Esperanca Benguela
hospital · Benguela
The same group's clinic in Benguela, on the same British Embassy list. It matters because Benguela and Lobito are a long way down the coast from Luanda, and the list names only one other facility outside the capital, the Centro Medico do Soyo on +244 938 283 029 in the far north.
Source