TOP 10 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY
Before you start packing, keep in mind a few safety rules for your hassle-free trip. No, it’s not intended to worry about solo travel, but to minimize risks and make you feel safer. This applies to both male and female travelers and is meant to raise your awareness and reduce your anxiety. So let’s look at the TOP 10 essential tips to travel safe.
Table of contents:
1.) Inform your family/friends about your travel plan
2.) Create an emergency plan
3.) Get a travel insurance
4.) Be smart when booking a flight
5.) Do your research about your travel destinations
6.) Be aware of scammers
7.) Make copies of your travel documents
8.) Respect the community – immerse in the local culture
9.) Stay focused – stay connected
10.) Use your common sense
1.) Inform your family/friends about your travel plan
Especially when you start traveling alone, it is advisable to share your travel plan with people you trust. From the entire itinerary to flight numbers and booking confirmations. This way they can follow you and on the contrary, you feel safer on the tour. Stay connected frequently and update your plans.
2.) Create an emergency plan
In the best-case scenario, your travel plans will run smoothly and without obstacles. However, it is advisable to draw up an emergency plan for all eventualities so that you can react quickly if necessary. Often when booking a flight you will be asked for an emergency contact, this person needs to be informed on your part to be aware of this. In the event of medical problems or an accident, it is advisable to place a note on the case of your phone with your emergency contact and blood group.
3.) Get a travel insurance
As mentioned, there can always be an issue that disrupts your travel plans. Here are some main points of travel insurance coverage:
– Emergency medical expenses and transportation
– Loss of personal luggage, personal money and passport
– Delayed or canceled departure
– Family issues may interfere with your travel plans
If you are traveling with a credit card, check whether and what your credit card company covers. In this case you can see if it meets your criteria or not. In addition, you can make a travel insurance at any time to close gaps or increase the coverage.
4.) Be smart when booking a flight
Booking cheap is not always cheap. Depending on the airport you are arriving at, you will need to look for transportation such as buses, trains or taxis (Uber preferred). Some of the airports are not well connected to the city, forcing you to more time and money consuming travel options. One of the most important things is the arrival time. It is recommended not to arrive late at night as there may be no buses and trains going downtown. Taking a taxi or an Uber is usually the only option unless you are waiting for the first bus or train to leave the airport. To be on the safe side, find out about the airport, arrival time and transport options.
Remark: If Uber is available, use Uber. You can check who you ride with, you know the route and the price. In general, Uber is cheaper than a regular taxi and you avoid excessive charges.
5.) Do your research about your travel destinations
Try to get an idea of the city you are traveling to – what are the best and safest neighborhoods? Get an accommodation with the best infrastructure (metro, train and bus stations), restaurants and attractions. If you decide on a hotel or hostel, check the valuable reviews before you book it. Use Google Maps and Booking.com to look at the reviews to make sure there are enough reviews for this property and not just 1-5. Talk to the staff about what you need to consider and what recommendations they can give you. Share your ideas too, so that other travelers can benefit from your experience.
6.) Be aware of scammers
Solo travelers are a prime target for scammers, so be wary of being approached by so-called “friends” offering something for free. Or advise you to take a cheap taxi because the bus doesn’t run. Be alerted immediately and don’t fall into this trap – check with the information center or search the internet for more information. You can always go back to take a taxi.
Contact the hotel and make sure your booking is confirmed and in order. Sometimes the hotel staff will warn you about some scams and give you advice that you should seriously consider. Experienced by myself in Hong-Kong, scammers tried to stop tourists before they reach the hotel and offered them a much better and cheaper hotel. They also say that the existing booking will be automatically canceled “free of charge”. At the end of the day you have to pay for two rooms and the room you got doesn’t meet your expectations.
Once in town, you enjoy snapping photos of the sights around you. Maybe someone will offer you to take photos of you or with some animals that they surprisingly have with them. Everything is free. But in reality, if you reclaim your phone, they will do it for a fee. This scam also goes the other way, that someone asks you to take a picture of him/her and when you return the camera “accidentally” drops on the floor, so the scammer is accusing you of paying for the damage. It’s a tough time that you really don’t want to waste time with.
These scams mentioned are just a few of a diverse selection – I’ll briefly mention a few others here:
– Bump and grab > especially on buses, subways or crowded areas > keep your valuables safe and tucked away in a front pocket or better yet, zipped pants
– Distraction > While someone is getting your attention, another person grabs your bag or phone > If someone approaches you, try to grab your belongings before speaking to others
– Friendly locals > Some of them try to practice English and ask to go with you. All they want is to gain your trust until they ask you to visit his shop where he sells clothes, art, jewelry, etc. Insist on a NO and tell them you’re running out of time. Otherwise you will be pressured in the shop to buy something from the friendly locals.
– The helping hand > When you get on the bus, train or metro and someone offers to help you carry your bag, politely say NO. It sounds logical not to hand out your stuff, but other situations make us think differently and in the worst case, you see the person running away with your bag.
– The overpriced bill > Well, a typical situation that many people have experienced. Be sure to ask about prices BEFORE you buy or consume anything. Sometimes you won’t find a price on the menu or the product, but once you take it because you think it’s cheap or affordable, you’ll be surprised afterwards. Even the small food stalls work like this. Check prices before ordering.
Remember, nothing comes for free – there are people out there with bad intentions, so don’t give them a chance to extort money from you.
7.) Make copies of your travel documents
Be prepared in case your travel documents are lost or stolen. It is advisable to have hard and soft copies of your documents such as passport, visa, bookings, boarding passes, driving license and keep them separate from your original documents. The soft copies shall be stored in a cloud or emailed to you so you can always access them in case you lose your phone too. If you lose your original passport, it will be easier for the embassy to issue you with an emergency passport to at least allow you to travel back to your country of origin.
8.) Respect the community – immerse in the local culture
Coming from a different country and culture, it’s wise to have a conservative view of the local community to understand how things work. Therefore, treat people with respect and avoid offensive gestures and body language. Wear respectful clothing that suits their culture, especially in Arab countries. While kissing in public is normal in Thailand, it’s less desirable in the Middle East or other conservative countries. Try to familiarize yourself with the spoken and unspoken rules by talking to locals and observing how they behave in public.
This also applies to traffic rules, while at home a crosswalk is a protected area for pedestrians, in other countries it means nothing. Pay attention and follow the locals until you understand the system and how it works. The honking of a car horn may offend you, but in other countries it is common to warn people. While it’s not always easy to deal with, try to keep calm and go with the flow.
9.) Stay focused – stay connected
Even if you have done some good research and created a perfect itinerary, things may not go as planned. The bus didn’t come as planned? Maybe some taxi driver will tell you that there is no bus today or there is no bus at all like happened to me in China. Stay focused and suspicious > ask the information center if available. Definitely buy a local SIM card to be online and do your own research. Look for alternatives like another bus line, subway, Uber, taxi, etc.
If you already have a SIM card, you can follow the route by bus, taxi or train. This helps a lot to avoid getting lost. In India I was told to take the train from platform 2 and it takes me straight to my final destination, which was not the case. I got off at the next station as soon as the train turned, went back and researched the right train. Otherwise, ask the locals once you know the name of your station where you want to get off.
Therefore, before you travel, I recommend that you download an offline map on Google Maps of the city you are traveling to, to be prepared if a SIM card is not available at the airport. In case your phone runs out of battery and you have nowhere to charge it, it’s good to have alternative transportation and a map of the city with the names of the stations printed out.
10.) Use your common sense
The meaning of common sense according to the Cambridge Dictionary is the basic level of practical knowledge and judgment that we all need to help us lice in a reasonable and safe way. Increase your independence and pay special attention to your surroundings. Awareness is your guide when traveling alone, so observe the people around you and how they behave. If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, leave the place and listen to your intuition.
From time to time you expand your knowledge of human nature, which helps you to reduce risks when travelling.
The following examples should sharpen your thinking:
– Do not post real-time images and videos to avoid being tracked
– Use a second wallet with only the necessary amount of money for the day
– Always carry some cash with you in case your credit cards get broken or stolen
– Don’t be ashamed to be strong and say NO, NO and NO
– Be careful with your passport and never give it out as a “deposit”.
– Keep track of your drinks (male and female) to avoid K.O. drops
Okay, now what does all this mean? No, traveling alone is not as dangerous as it looks when you read these 10 important tips for your own safety. It is designed to inform you and sharpen your mind to minimize risks to your personal safety. That doesn’t mean you’re constantly under threats. However, following these security tips will increase your security awareness, and that’s what it’s all about.
Enjoy your travels as much as I do and stay safe 😉
You know how to tavel safe, get inspired for your next trip and check out the following 9 essential tips for your next trip.