Traveling is an exciting and eye-opening experience that allows you to discover new places and expand your horizons. However, with the fun comes dangers such as getting robbed, sick, scammed, or worse, kidnapped. Such incidents can easily ruin your adventure, especially when you’re out of the country. Ideally, travel safety starts with you, and it begins before you even plan your trip. Here are some travel safety tips every traveler should know.
Research About Your Destination
Information is power, and being forewarned is being forearmed. Before entering the plane, make sure you have done sufficient research on your destination. Learn some of the most common scams, which neighborhoods are unsafe, which hotels are safe to stay, and whether there are reliable car-sharing services like Avail. Research helps you prepare and feel more confident and comfortable when traveling to a new place. You also want to know how to get help during an emergency in the new country. Get the contact information for the nearest police station, your embassy, and other emergency departments.
Lock Your Valuables
Traveling with valuable items to a new country is never a good idea no matter how safe you think the place is, but if you have to, lock them up in a safe. Things like your expensive camera, sports gear, passports, laptop, and phones should be kept in a secure travel-locked bag at all times. The market today provides many safety travel bags to keep your valuables from unwanted hands and eyes. Use versatile bags that you can easily protect if someone tries grabbing as they run or drive away. If possible, lock your documents in your hotel room to avoid losing them when you go out.
Blend In
Whenever you travel to a new place, especially where culture is valued, blend in. For instance, dress like the locals, and when lost, simply ask a local, don’t make it obvious. Don’t stop to take photos in unsafe areas, and avoid wearing expensive jewelry that will make you an easy target. Choose simple, comfortable, and inconspicuous clothing that won’t attract attention and be discreet when consulting maps or asking for directions.
Keep Your Family and Friends Updated
Don’t be too carried away in your activities that you forget to share information about your location, travel destinations, and who you talk to. You can also share your itinerary with a few people who will follow your everyday plans and whereabouts. Provide specific dates, locations, contact information, and travel destinations for easier follow-up. If you don’t plan prior or find yourself veering away from your plans, make sure someone knows about it.
Buy Travel Insurance
It’s easy to skip insurance, especially if you have a lot of planning to do, but travel insurance is a must-have for every traveler. That means it should be on your priority list. Travel insurance is quite reliable as it can even compensate you for canceled flights and hotel bookings. It also pays for stolen or lost items or injuries if you’re hurt in your traveling activities. Travel insurance policy provides that peace of mind that your valuables will be replaced in case they’re damaged or stolen.
Spend More for Safety Reasons
At some point in your travels, you might need to spend more to stay safe in a new environment. That means keeping some money aside for safety emergencies such as using a particular transport at night. While it’s always tempting to save more money by getting cheaper accommodation or using public transport, cheap can sometimes become expensive, and it’s worse when your safety is compromised.
