Travel

10 Travel Safety Tips That Every Traveler Must Follow

If you love to travel and see the world, you will probably know what goes into making amazing trips. Beyond planning and packing, there is much that you need to think about. Safety is one aspect that you cannot ignore when you are in a foreign city or country. In fact, it should be a top priority as soon as you leave for a holiday. You will find threats everywhere, from travel scams to deceitful taxi drivers, unscrupulous tour guides and insincere people who offer help but have wrong motives. Is there anything that you can do to protect yourself while you travel? Being vigilant is the first rule, while you can also follow some travel safety rules every time. Here are some travel safety tips that every traveler must adhere to as a habit.

Be aware of the common travel scams

You may think that you are too smart to be taken for a ride. But believe it or not, even the smartest people do get conned. The best thing you can do is to be aware so that you can figure out when something is amiss. Have a proper look at travel packages and deal s that look too good to be true. You can go online and check the travel scams that have been reported across the globe and your destination in particular. Talk to friends who travel frequently and get their insights as well.

Write down emergency information

Keeping emergency information at hand is a good idea because disaster can strike any time and anywhere. You will probably not have time to search for the numbers of the local helpline, police or ambulance services when there is a problem or accident. The best thing to do is to write to them or save them on your smartphone. When you travel abroad, save the contact information of the embassy as well.

Avoid carrying expensive stuff

Another important safety tip for travelers is to avoid carrying expensive stuff. If you are fond of jewelry, keep it for wearing back home. Avoid having too much cash in your wallet; just have enough to last for the day and lock up the rest in your hotel room. Don’t take along expensive gadgets while you travel. People who carry such expensive things are easy targets for criminals.  Additionally, there is always a risk of loss of valuables.

Get travel insurance

If you prioritize safety, getting travel insurance is mandatory. The idea is to keep yourself and your belongings covered. After all, you would not want to pay for hospital bills if you get involved in an accident while vacationing. Similarly, getting insurance for your expensive camera and computer is a smart thing to do. Though you may think that insurance as a useless expense, it keeps you covered and stress-free.

Research your destination

When you decide the destination, do extensive research to find the safest places to stay and see. There are certain tourist destinations that do not have a good reputation from the safety perspective. Prepare a list of top things to do on vacation while considering this fact and you will know the places that you need to skip. In case you do want to check them out, move in groups and go only during the day. Proper research helps you plan a safe holiday that you can enjoy to the fullest.

Ask locals for advice

Arming yourself with good research is a great idea but you can also seek advice from the locals. They will have a fair idea about the places that are not safe to stay or visit. Look for trustworthy people such as the staff at your hotel, taxi drivers and local shopkeepers. You can even talk to a traffic policeman for getting the right information. Do take their word but still be smart enough to smell wrong intentions.  

Stay in touch back home

If you are traveling solo, make it a priority to stay in touch back home. You will be tempted to enjoy the alone time but staying connected is essential from the safety point of view. Call family and friends every day and let them know your whereabouts. You can even mail them your itinerary so that they have an idea about your daily plans. If you are in trouble and fail to connect, they can at least connect with the local authorities to check back on you.

Don’t share too much with strangers

A safety rule that no traveler should forget is to avoid sharing too much with strangers. You may find a friendly taxi driver or local guide who seems harmless and helpful but there could be con artists looking to trap you. Avoid drinking with strangers as well because there have been incidents of tourists being intoxicated and robbed. Getting romantically involved with a stranger is another thing you should avoid.

Learn basic self-defense

A basic self-defense course keeps you on top when it comes to safety back home and on a holiday. It ensures that you are well-armed to handle dangerous situations to some extent. Be extra trained when traveling solo because it makes you a soft target. Carry a pepper spray in your bag so that you need not depend only on physical strength while dealing with attackers. Wear comfortable shoes so that you can run easily when in danger.

Pay attention to your gut feeling

The most important tip to stay safe while traveling is to trust your gut feeling. Your instincts will always tell you when there is danger in the form of a person or a situation. So you must absolutely listen to what that little voice inside has to say. Avoid flaunting your bravery when you get into a dangerous situation because the best thing to do is stay safe.

These tips will definitely help you in staying safe and enjoying a stress-free holiday, whether you are traveling alone or with your family. Making the children and family members aware of these precautions is equally important. Just the basic safety and some smartness are enough to ensure that you can deal with any danger.

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