Travel Safety Advice⚓︎

Summary⚓︎

Staying safe is highly subjective relative to the situation.

Attention

As with all of the articles in this series, this is by no means a comprehensive guide. It should be considered a practical approach.

Make Duplicates of Important Documents⚓︎

Should something happens to your passport, ID card, visa information, or any other travel documents, you want to make sure you have duplicates to show to the police or a consulate.

Backup Strategies

Store your duplicates separately from your originals.
Leave a set of duplicates with someone you trust back home for easy access in emergencies.

Research the Area Before You Go⚓︎

When traveling anywhere, you should make sure you know as much about the area as possible. Find out what places are safe and what places aren't so you know which areas to avoid.

Local Insights

Familiarize yourself with local customs to avoid offending locals.
Seek local advice to distinguish safe zones from risky areas.

Learn Some Important Phrases in the Local Language⚓︎

While you won't know enough to become fluent, it can be helpful to know a few common phrases should you ever get into trouble.

Language Tips

Prepare a list of essential phrases such as directions to important places.
Attempting the local language can engender goodwill among residents, even if imperfectly spoken.

Provide Your Itinerary to a Trusted Person⚓︎

Providing a trusted person with your itinerary is crucial, especially when traveling alone. They'll know where you're supposed to be and what you're supposed to be doing. This way, if you don't show up where you're supposed to be, it will allow that person to start making inquiries.

Communication Plan

Update your contact if there are any changes to your itinerary.
Avoid sharing your travel plans publicly to maintain privacy and security.

Have a Decoy Wallet and Phone⚓︎

Traveling with your actual wallet and phone is never a good idea. Anything fancy is much more likely to attract unwanted attention. A decoy wallet with an expired credit card, an old ID card, and a few small denominations of the country's currency is a good thing to have on you. If you get robbed, all they'll get is the decoy wallet.

Decoy Tactics

Carry items you can afford to lose when out and about.
Use a prepaid phone while traveling and ensure your emergency contacts are informed of this number.

Don't Flaunt Valuables While Traveling⚓︎

While this is a continuation of the previous section, it bears repeating. While being robbed at home is possible, it's much more likely to happen in a tourist area.

Low Profile Measures

Valuables can mean jewelry, phone, laptop, or wallet, but can also mean less obvious things like a nice jacket or designer items.
Try to blend in. Don't stand out by wearing something a tourist might wear, like a t-shirt from your hometown, having your camera out constantly for photos, etc.
Don't bring anything with you that you can't afford to lose, such as jewelry, a watch, a cell phone, a laptop, etc.

Keep an Eye on Important Items⚓︎

Always stay alert when you're traveling. It can be easy to lose focus when you're traveling, but any lapse in mindfulness can be the moment when you get robbed.

Vigilance Checklist

Regularly confirm you still have all your important belongings.
Before leaving any location, double-check you haven’t left anything behind.

Separate Your Cash⚓︎

Never keep all of your cash in one place. Even when you aren't traveling, this is a good idea.

Cash Distribution Plan

Diversify the storage of your cash among your belongings.
Secure a portion of your funds in a safe location like a hotel safe.

Be Skeptical of Anyone Who is Being Overly Nice⚓︎

People don't generally go out of their way to help you, especially when you haven't asked for help or don't look like you need it. Thieves can orchestrate situations to distract you by "helping" while another thief robs you.

Cautionary Advice

Question the motives of overly helpful strangers.
If assistance feels forced, seek safety in crowded, public areas.