"This week, a top insurance company charted the world's most dangerous places to do business. Unsurprisingly, regions like Iraq, India and Russia were shaded brown on the "risk map", marking them as at severe risk from terrorism.

But while most countries were classified as "guarded" risk or above, by Aon, the world's second-largest insurance broker, it also highlighted, in a calming sage-green, a handful of states dotted round the globe which remain unaffected by the seemingly ever-present terror threat. So where could you go for a relatively risk-free holiday? Here are just six of the "low risk" countries."

Mongolia, Greenland, Vietnam and even North Korea make the top list. Although Americans and South Koreans will find it difficult to get a visa for North Korea it is by no means an off limit travel location, even so...

"If it doesn't put off the most intrepid traveler, there's this: "Perceived insults to, or jokes about, (North Korea's) political system and its leadership are severely frowned upon. Foreigners have very occasionally found themselves caught up in criminal cases for not paying what is deemed to be sufficient levels of respect.""

I have already booked tickets for the wonder that is Mongolia (heading there this August if all goes to plan). North Korea is also definitely on my top list of places to go. Is it the excitement of stepping in a Nuclear armed country that draws me? Or the fact that in some small way I am rebelling against the Western slant on this region? No. I want to go because it's there, and because the only way I believe you can truly know anything is to experience it first hand. North Korea may scare the wits out of the jumpy Westerner on constant terror alert, but it scares me a lot more to know that the future of this elusive country might rest in the inclinations and opinions of a Global Empire they are becoming less and less related to. A Global Empire who react and ask questions later. First-hand answers are much more interesting to me than any second-hand fear breeding tactics.

Check out the full story and detailed map at the link below...

Archived Link