Safety in Mongolia

Hi,

We would like to talk about a sensitive but important topic: do you feel safe in Mongolia?

How would you define the level of safety in the country?

Can you walk safely during the day and at night without any fear?

Do you think there is a high rate of criminality, social problems or tensions?

Share with us your insight on safety in Mongolia and in the city you live in.

Thank you in advance,

Christine

I lived in Mongolia for one year and had not any bad experience... I'd guess Women from foreign countries will face quite different ways how mongolian men flirt and engage themselves to find girlfriend, this could be "disturbing" to women from foreign countries... pickpockets seem to be quite common, but they're often invited by purses in the back pockets in the pants, and of course traffic lights don't mean anything when police is far away. Better not just cross street when yu have green light, this could be dangerous. And in the night overspeeding with 100 km/h on the main road is quite common.
And taking loans without paying it back is an issue too. Everyone has money problems and "we" westeners are known to be rich so we can just take 100.000 Tugrik from the ATM but won't see it again too soon, at least not at the promised day. Better not do this with a million or 10 millions, better spent some houndred tugriks to a grandma begging at the street.
And there are some bars you better don't show up as a foreigner - there are some people they are qite nationalist and believe that foreigners just don't belong there - except you speak Mongolian and cherish their culture. That makes the difference for them. But usuallly no beating up, but for god's sake these places look so dubious and strange so noone else would go there. There are houndreds of bars in western style along the main road and the Seoul avenue where one could go out and drink in "safe" environments... or go with mongolian friends they'll know where to go and where not to go.

Two years ago on a rare hot day in UB, I stumbled into a bar opposite the wrestling palace, and was surprised to see on the tiled flooring swastikas, and in a corner was a uniform of the Waffen SS in a glass cabinet, taking note of the burly women there sporting tattoos, and giving me dirty looks, made me decide that this is not the place for this blue eyed boy! The only place I have felt unwelcome is the big pub opposite the circus, where I did not get served and was ignored by the staff, but further South towards the State Store the Revolution bar, and the Turning Point bar more than made up with the warm welcome found there, to be honest I find UB very safe when compared to my place in Deming New Mexico in the States when on my last visit I could have been killed three times in one week, that was the deciding factor on coming to live here!