Whether you’re travelling solo or in a group, safety is extremely important. Here are 5 essential personal safety tips when travelling:

  1. Be aware of the culture.

Couple at Bellapais Abbey

It’s essential to be aware of any cultural sensitivities in the country you’re planning to visit. Dressing appropriately will help you stand out less as a tourist, and as a potential pickpocket victim! This is particularly important for women, as many cultures require you to wear more clothing than you might normally choose to. Being culturally sensitive should reduce the level of unwanted male attention you receive. It is also important for men to dress appropriately however, especially if you are travelling in a religious country and plan to visit churches or mosques.

Other cultural issues to be aware of are the levels of crime and poverty in the country you are visiting. It’s just common sense, but if you’re visiting a poor area or a country with high crime levels, make sure you don’t flash your money or expensive camera around in places where it’s likely to get stolen.

  1. Watch out for pickpockets.

Most big cities have problems with pickpockets. You should always be aware of your valuables, and keep them safely stowed somewhere where they cannot be seen, or taken easily.

If you’re sitting in a cafe, don’t leave your bag under the table, or hanging from the back of your chair. Keep the strap on you at all times, with your leg or arm through the loop. When you get up to leave, make it a habit to look back and check you have everything with you. It’s easy to get distracted while travelling, and this also makes it easy to forget your valuables when you move on.

If you don’t have secure pockets in your clothes, consider investing in a money belt to keep your cash safe. They’re not very expensive, and they make it a lot harder for thieves to get your money.

  1. Don’t keep valuables in one place.

An important rule for travelling is never keep your valuables in one place. If a thief takes your bag, you don’t want to end up with no money, credit cards or passport. So don’t keep your cash and cards in the same wallet, and make sure you keep your passport in a separate place too.

It is also sensible to make a few copies of your passport, and keep these in a safe place in case it does get stolen. Make sure someone you trust back home has a copy too, so they can email it to you in an emergency.

  1. Plan ahead.

Plan a head

Plan a head

Part of the fun of travelling is not knowing where you’re going next. If you’re arriving in a new country late at night though, the last thing you want is to be wandering the streets trying to find accommodation. There are times when it is essential for your personal safety to plan ahead, and all it takes is a trip to a local internet cafe to book a hostel for the night. Make sure you know how to get to your accommodation too!

  1. Don’t trust strangers.

It’s always fun to get to know the locals, but don’t trust anyone with your valuables, or with details of your travel plans. Don’t accept food or drink from strangers that they aren’t eating too, and never accept lifts from anyone other than a licensed taxi driver. It’s also worth doing some research before you visit a new area, to find out if any scams have been reported by other travellers.

What are your personal travel safety tips? Have been affected by any of the above is so please share your experience below.

 

 

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Whether you’re travelling solo or in a group, safety is extremely important. Here are 5 essential personal safety tips when travelling: Be aware of the culture. It’s essential to be aware of any cultural sensitivities in the country you’re planning to visit. Dressing appropriately will help you stand out less as...