25 Important Travel Safety Tips You Should Know
1. Learn Common Travel Scams
For example, the milk scam in Cuba. “Broken” taxi meters in Costa Rica. Or the famous ring scam in Paris. Every country has its own special scams to watch out for! Research more on Google.
2. Write Down Emergency Info
Write it down on a small card or sheet of paper, get it laminated (easily done at your local office supply store) to protect it from moisture, and keep it in your wallet/purse.
3. Lock Up Your Valuables
Your job is to minimize the easy opportunities for theft. Contact the accommodation to ask about secure storage options like a room safe, lockers, or a locked storage area. Carry your own locker padlock when staying at backpacking hostels.
4. Get Travel Insurance
You never think you need it, until you do. If you’re really worried about the safety of yourself and your gear while you travel, you can almost completely relax if you have some good insurance. You should carry some kind of health and property insurance when traveling.
Ask us about our travel insurance options.
5. Register With Your Embassy
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, from the U.S. Department of State, is designed to make a destination’s local embassy aware of your arrival and keep you constantly updated with the latest safety information.
6. Email Your Itinerary To Friends/Family
Once you’ve worked out where you’re going and when, make sure someone else knows too.
7. Be Aware Of Your Clothing
When it comes to travel, the wrong clothes scream “TOURIST” and make you a target for scammers, thieves or worse. The less obviously a visitor you look, the less attention you’ll get from the wrong kind of people.
8. Learn Basic Self-Defense
You don’t need black-belt skills, but joining a few self defense classes is a worthwhile investment in your personal safety.
9. Tell Your Bank Where You’re Going
Imagine you are on your exquisite travel – only to have your trip ruined because your bank thinks you’re the thief, and locks down all your cards. Most online banking services have a facility for letting the bank or credit card provider know about your upcoming travels. Make sure you use it, shortly before leaving – and keep them in the loop if your travel plans change.
10. Food & Water Safety
Don’t be scared of the food when you travel! In fact, eating strange new foods can be a highlight for many people on their adventures around the world. I also recommend getting filtered bottled water. Food eating tips:
Eat at popular places with long lines
Try to watch how your food is prepared
Pack translation cards to express your allergies
Fully cooked food is always the safest
Only eat peel-able fruit to avoid bacteria
11. Travel In Groups
The more people around you, the more eyes are on your valuables – and the more legs are available for running after thieves (ok, this may not be safe). A group is a much more intimidating physical presence, which helps ward off predators of all kinds. It will help to keep you safer than trying to go it alone in a foreign country.
12. Pack A First Aid Kit
Injuries can happen when you travel abroad, no matter how careful you are. That’s why traveling with a basic first aid kit is always a good idea. Stocking the basics to treat cuts, sprains, stomach issues, and burns can help if you or people around you may need them.
13. Stay (Relatively) Sober
Getting too drunk or high when you travel is almost always unacceptably risky. If you are wasted, you’re not present, and anything could be happening around or to you.
14. Don’t Do Stupid Things For Photos
In the age of Instagram & TikTok, it often feels like tourists are engaging in increasingly riskier activities just for likes on social media. Know your personal and environmental limits! Don’t do stupid things that have a high potential to get you hurt or killed.
15. Don’t Share Too Much With Strangers
If you’re ever tempted to make your itinerary more public on any social media platform, just remember it can be a roadmap of your movements – just the sort of thing someone with ill-intentions would love to know.
Safe Traveling
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