How safe is Latvia for travelers?

GPS interference

• Satellite navigation is unreliable across the region. Persistent GNSS jamming affects Latvia along with Estonia, Lithuania, Finland and the Baltic Sea.
• It affects your phone, not just aircraft. Map apps can misplace you or fail to lock on, especially near the coast and in the east.
• Download offline maps before you travel.
• Do not rely on GPS for a route through the forests or bogs. Latvia is more than half woodland and the terrain looks identical in every direction.

Bar scams and nightlife

• This is Riga's characteristic problem - inflated bills, drinks that cost several times the menu price, and touts steering visitors into particular bars.
• Check prices before ordering, and check the bill afterwards.
• Never hand over your passport as a deposit.
• Do not accept an invitation from a stranger on the street to a bar you have not heard of. It is the standard opening.

Crime

• Latvia is a low-crime country and violent crime against visitors is rare.
• Pickpocketing happens in the old town, the central market and on public transport. The central market is the specific hotspot.
• Taxi overcharging is common enough to plan around - use Bolt.

Nature

• Ticks are a real risk - see the health section. Latvia is heavily forested and the tick season runs spring to autumn.
• Winter cold is serious. Weeks below freezing are normal and the wind off the Baltic makes it worse.
• The Baltic is cold and has rip currents on the open coast. Beaches are flagged; take the flags seriously.

The eastern border

• Latvia's border with Belarus is under enhanced protection and there is a heavy security presence. The eastern regions are safe to visit; the crossings are not routine.