Travel warning issued for popular tropical destination over crime concerns, sharks

They should also exercise caution at vacation rental properties, especially where private security is not present.

The State Department recommends locking doors and windows and not answering the door unless travelers know who the person is.

Boating is not well regulated, and injuries and deaths have occurred, according to the statement.

Watercraft might not be safe, while some operators are not licensed or insured.

Due to the risks, U.S. government employees are prohibited from using jet skis and personal watercraft rented from independent operators on New Providence and Paradise islands.

Sexual assaults by jet ski operators and on and near downtown Nassau beaches have also been reported.

"Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert in public restrooms," the State Department advises.

Sharks are another concern, with recent attacks leading to serious injuries and death.

In February, two American tourists were attacked by a shark at a popular Bahamas resort.

In December 2023, Lauren Erickson Van Wart, a 44-year-old newlywed from Massachusetts, was killed by a shark while paddleboarding less than a mile off the western end of New Providence Island.

Just a month later, a shark bit the leg of a 10-year-old boy from Maryland on Jan. 15, 2024, while he was in a shark tank at a resort on Paradise Island.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Fox News Digital's Mollie Markowitz contributed to this report.