Safety

Practicalities Getting Organised Safety Advice Before You Go 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice Unit
tel: 020 7238 4503

Offers information on political risks in other countries. There are different levels of warning: 'recommends', 'strongly advises', and 'only travel if essential'.

US Advisory

Offers similar, rather more cautious, advice.

Note that if you have booked through a tour operator, this may actually be a more reliable source of information. Operators have representatives on the spot. The British Foreign Office for example relies on a network of just 230 consuls plus honorary consuls and these tend to be in commercial centres, not tourist areas. In addition, the London office has just something like three members of staff in the London office working on travel advice everywhere in the world. If there is a potential problem at one of their destinations, a tour operator will be directing a lot more man hours at it.