Belgium is a country made up of two large ethnicities. The Flemish and the Wallonians. North Flemish part speaks Dutch whilst the southern Wallonian part speaks French with small communities to the southeast speaking German. This, however, does not stand in the way of an incredible mixture of cultures, cuisine, and its very own vibrant Belgian atmosphere. Brussels being the capital of Europe attracts millions of tourists each year. Although Belgium has a lot to offer there are many risks and hazards involved with touring the country.

Traveling hazards

Because Belgium is a member of the Schengen convention all members of this agreement may move freely to Belgium for tourist, business, starting a new life or any other purposes without the requirement to obtain any sort of a visa document. The only document required to cross the border is an ID card. There are several countries who are outside of the European Union however they are a part of the Schengen convention. These are Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland, and Switzerland. Nationals of countries which are not part of this convention are required to obtain a Schengen visa that will allow them to move freely within the boundaries of the Schengen convention nations. (list of countries in sources). Schengen visa is normally admitted once per half a year for a duration of 90 days. Schengen visa holders can not work or study during their stay within the Schengen boundaries. Visitors who decided to use rental or private vehicles as a mean of transport will be required to have their domestic license, certificate of insurance and vehicle registration documents at all times whilst driving. Visitors who are coming from outside of the EU or the EEA must obtain an international driving permit in order to drive. Such permit may only be issued by the citizens country of origin driving department.

Traveling hazards

Driving in Belgium is safe. Infrastructure in Belgium well developed with extensive highways and secondary roads across the country. Roads have proper signage and markings with most but some rural roads were well illuminated. The road fatality rate is far below the world average and below the European average meaning that the roads are among the safest in the world with the worst thing to happen is possibly getting stuck in a terrible traffic jam during the rush hours in Brussels. Public communication such as buses, railways, etc is very well developed and is available almost everywhere in the country at a very accommodating price. It is possible to get from Paris in France to Brussels in less than an hour and a half by train.

Environmental hazards

There are no dangerous animals in Belgium with the exception of the common European viper and ticks. The viper can be found throughout Europe and usually inhabits areas around lakes and rivers. Its venom is potent enough to kill a grown adult however fatality rate is very low and may or not occur if medical help is not sought. If the bite is not fatal, it may result in lengthy rehabilitation. Tick is more and more common throughout Europe and some of them carry serious Lyme disease which can only be cured in early stages. Advanced stages are extremely hard to cure and usually result in death after a period of up to a decade. If being bitten by a tick, carefully remove it and submit it to a laboratory for a Lyme disease test as soon as possible. If the tick was infected, treatment should be started as soon as possible. Swimming in the coastal waters of Belgium is safe. There have been no reports of shark attacks in Belgium or attacks from any other fish however there are much fish that would simply cause panic due to their huge size like the basking shark occasionally surfacing the sea which reaches lengths exceeding 8 meters long.
Floods are a serious danger to Belgium. Particularly in the areas reclaimed from the sea that is protected only by concrete barriers and are below the sea level.

Health hazards

There are currently no outbreaks of any diseases nor are there any requirements as to vaccinations. There are however several vaccines which are recommended to ensure safe travel. These are the routine vaccines, Hepatitis A and B and rabies vaccine. Belgian healthcare is at a very high modern level. Both the private and public sectors will deliver high-quality service. Private treatment comes at an expense however citizens of Belgium receive free service from the public sector. This also applies to the holders of the European health insurance card. Citizens of countries who are not eligible for an EHIC or are not citizens of Belgium should consider purchasing travel insurance.
In case of an emergency dial 112.

Crime

Belgium is currently on the highest terror alert. Terrorist attacks in Belgium forced the government to deploy additional police force and military onto the streets to reduce the risk of the terrorist threat particularly in around main transport facilities and tourist zones. Besides the terrorist threat, Belgium is relatively safe. Violent crime is very low however petty crime such as theft of unattended goods, bag snatching, pickpocketing and other forms of theft is common. Although it is difficult to predict when could a terrorist attack possibly occur, it is quite easy to avoid falling a victim of petty crime. In order to avoid petty crime, there are several guidelines to reduce the risk. To avoid being targeted it is advised to stay low key. Wearing expensive clothes, jewelry and exposing wealth will certainly attract potential thieves. In order to avoid falling a victim of pickpockets, small gadgets like money belts are very helpful. Money belts allow storing money or important documents such as passports, IDs, driving permits, etc. The darker it gets outside the riskier it is. Although Brussels and other major urban areas of Belgium are generally safe at night for both female and male solo travelers, instances of violent crime have occurred particularly during the night. If exploring Belgium at night for safety it is best to stay around popular tourist areas and to travel from and to the hotel in a registered taxi or a private/rental vehicle. Public communication is widely available however it may be less safe at night than during the day. The Belgian drug laws do not consider possession of cannabis as a criminal offense however there is no specified amount one may possess. Narcotics other than cannabis are illegal and even minor possession is considered a criminal offense.

Summary

Belgium is certainly a place to visit for its many incredible war memorials, museums, incredible town architecture and much more. While visiting do not forget to try the Belgian chocolate or some Belgian fries. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Source

(Visa)
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/belgium-visa/
(EHIC)
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559
(Vaccination)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/belgium