Stay Safe While Traveling: Essential Security Tips for Every Explorer
Traveling opens up a world of adventure, but staying safe is essential to fully enjoy your journey. Whether you’re navigating bustling cities or exploring remote areas, knowing how to avoid theft, scams, and other dangers can make all the difference. Here are key strategies to help you travel securely and confidently.
We cover tips to avoid pickpockets and robberies, plus how to stay safe in a crowd and on public transportation. We also cover my ATM safety tips, how to make sure no one drugs your drink. In addition, we’ll look at ways to prevent getting sick while traveling and what to do in man made or natural disasters.
Finally, we look at some unexpected ways to avoid trouble with unusual laws you might inadvertently break, and finish up with a handy checklist. Be sure to get access to the printer-friendly version here.
How to Avoid Attracting a Pickpocket
There are ways to make yourself less attractive to a pickpocket and to make his or her job harder:
- Stay alert to your surroundings and look confident (if you are lost, step inside a store to look at your map or phone).
- Don’t wear flashy jewelry or visibly carry expensive cameras or electronics
- If you get bumped or someone spills something on you, ASSUME YOU ARE A TARGET. This is a very common trick to distract you while an accomplice steals your valuables
- Carry an anti-theft cross body bag
- Keep passport and ‘big money’ on inside pockets. I sewed a hidden pocket onto my breastplate on a camisole.
- DECOY MONEY: I like to keep small ‘pick pocket’ money in an easily reachable pocket. I keep a decoy wallet in a less accessible area. This is what I would present if robbed. Deep inside, whether a money belt or tucked in a hard to reach interior pocket, would be my passport, other credit cards and main cash.
Avoiding Getting Robbed
On Public Transportation
- Don’t stand by door where someone can grab your purse and depart as the door closes
- We are often exhausted when traveling and it’s not uncommon to accidentally snooze. So carry a locking cable so no one can run off with your bags. Loop the cable through the handles and maybe even around your leg before locking
- Don’t share a cab with a new ‘friend’ you make on the bus or train. It could be a set up to be robbed.
- Check before your trip whether cabs or ride shares are considered safe where you are going. If not, find out the safest means of travel
- Upload your destination on your phone’s map app so you can follow your journey (GPS works offline!). Set an alarm for 15 minutes before you are scheduled to arrive in case you fall asleep.
- Try to be at your destination before dark
In Your Hotel
- Choose the neighborhood (for safety) before choosing your lodging. See if reviews mention the quality of door locks
- Don’t tell strangers where you are staying
- Place a wedge under the door and possible a portable door lock so no one can enter
- Roll a towel and tightly wedge it between the door and handle so no one can run a jimmy from under the door to open it. See how here.
- Keep windows shut and locked unless you are too high to climb and adjacent rooms can’t access
- Try to stay at floors 3-4 so you are above the street, yet not too high to jump in case of fire
- Don’t let anyone in the room unless you call the front desk to make sure they sent them
- Don’t share your trip details or even that you are gone on your social channels until you return
In Public
- Blend in and try not to look too touristy or attract too much attention
- Pay attention to local custom: do women need to cover their hair or shoulders? Public displays of affection are often a no-no, regardless of sex or sexuality or marital status
- Listen to the ‘hairs on the back of your neck’: your brain has usually sensed a danger you may not be mentally atuned to. GET OUT! Do not be afraid to make a scene if you fell threatened
- If you need help, YOU CHOOSE WHO HELPS YOU! Look for a mother or family. Anyone who volunteers can be setting you up
- Someone ‘found’ your wallet: a ruse to distract you while someone picks your pocket
- Does an ‘Official’ need to see your papers? Could be real or a fake; plain clothes or uniformed. Ask to see identification. Does it look legit or is is blurry? If the ‘officer’ needs to see your cash to see if it’s counterfeit or is in a hurry or otherwise acts oddly, it’s likely a fraud. Ask for a uniformed officer
- Fake tour guides often try to sell you access to closed venues. Use shop front or official kiosk to book
- Fake street performers can pull a fast one: they slip a bracelet on your wrist and then demand payment. In Egypt, they’ll encourage you to get on a camel. “It’s free!” they tell you. But what they don’t tell you is that is costs to get off! And don’t get street henna tatoos: the ink can be poisonous!
ATM Safety When Traveling
Bank ATMs tend to give you the best exchange rate when traveling, so that’s my preferred way to get cash. There are several ways to make using an ATM safer:
- Get cash only from a bank ATM and not from one of the common and random machines dotted about
- Try to choose one that has an inside machine
- Only get cash during daylight and when the streets have people
- Pull on where the card goes in to make sure it doesn’t have a skimmer on it (do this at home, too!)
- Keep a reasonable but ‘robbery’ max amount in your regular ATM bank account. Then ‘feed’ from a separate bank account that is electronically linked to restock your travel ATM balance whenever it hits a predetermined threshold. This way, should a robber take you to an ATM and demand you withdraw the balance, that’s the max they can get. For example, I top off at $250 and refill up to around $500.
- Keep your entire transaction visible to the camera. I was twice charged form $250 withdrawels where the machiine did not give me any cash. The camera video proved I wasn’t lying so I got reimbursed.
Credit Card Safety When Traveling
- Only use a chip card (some companies require you notify them of traveling)
- Try to not let anyone run your card without the machine being fully visible
- Double check your receipts for over charges, double charges, unknown charges at restaurants, shops and taxis
Don’t Let Anyone Drug You When Traveling
Sadly, this is becoming more and more common! Criminals will slip a drug into your drink in order to rob or rape you. Here are some ways to protect yourself:
- Don’t over drink or take drugs
- Watch your drink being made
- Never leave your drink unattended. Have a trusted friend hold your drink or wait until between drinks to use the restroom, re-ordering when you return
- Stick with your friends
- If you start to feel dizzy, confused or unexpectedly drowsy, get help immediately
Don’t Let Your ID Get Stolen When Traveling
- Don’t use Public WiFi without using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), and even then, avoid checking sensitive websites like bank accounts. I recommend Express VPN.
- Don’t charge your devices with USB. They are getting hacked all over the world. Plug in outlets are safe.
- Turn off BlueTooth and use your data
- Carry your passport and credit/debit cards in an RFID protected sleeve or wallet
Avoid Disease and Contamination While Traveling
Sometimes there is nothing you can do to prevent getting sick or injured, but there are ways to minimize your risk:
- Visit a Travel Doc before traveling internationally to get the latest information and innoculations for the countries you’ll be visiting.
- Don’t pet any stray animals, no matter how cute or friendly. Rabies is a big deal worldwide and is more common than we’d like to think. The post bite treatment is REALLY unpleasant, and may not be readily available, depending on where you are. Rabies is deadly. If you are super converned about your risk, you can get pre-treatment. Check with your doctor for advice.
- Mosquitos can be just as dnagerous as they can carry some pretty narly diseases. Where malaria and other nasty diseases are prevalent:
- Always wear long sleeve shirts and pants. Consider treating with Permithrin before your trip.
- Pack a needle and thread to stich together any holes in mosquito nets over your bed
- Avoid Montezuma’s Revenge:
- If you are traveling where you can’t drink the water, pack a LifeStraw Water Bottle (or at least a straw). Brush your teeth with filtered water unless specifically told it’s ok.
- Make sure any bottled water you buy has the original cap on it and it wan’t glued back on after filling with tap water.
- Carry hand gel and use regularly. Wash your hands often and don’t put your fingers in your mouth.
- Beware tourist buffets, especially in latter hours as the food is often not kept warm enough
- Only eat at busy restaurants. Only eat street food (if you must) where locals are eating
- Don’t eat any uncooked fruits or vegetables that haven’t been peeled
Don’t Inadvertently Break the Law
Different cultures value different behaviors, and you may find yourself inadvertently breaking a law that never crossed your mind as being a problem. For example, it is illegal to:
- Chew gum in Singapore >> $100,000 and/or a year in JAIL (for 1st offense!)
- Wear camo clothing in the Caribbean >> $2000 and up to a year in JAIL
- Feed pigeons in Venice >> 50 – 500 euros fine
- Vape in Thailand >> JAIL – 10 years!
- Silently pray within 200 m of an abortion clinic in England >> JAIL
- Flip the bird to a local in the UAE >> JAIL and up to $136,000
It cost Scottish hiker Heather over $2000 when she accidentally broke the ‘no GPS satellite devices’ in India without authorization because she brought her inReach Garmin device with her to take on a hike.
Be careful with prescriptions, too, especially any with codeine in them! Codeine can be found in common allergy and flu medicine, like Vicks inhalers. Many countries, like Japan, consider this illegal. Always pack scripts in their original bottle and consider a letter from your doctor.
Some laws are applied randomly, others strictly.
Check with the State Department Travel page for your country to get more information. This page will also tell you the most common scams for the country and is an excellent resource!
Also do an internet search if visiting one of the more ‘modest’ countries.
Research Natural Disaster Risks and How to Respond – BEFORE You Go!
Everywhere in the world seems to have its risks, whether it’s hurricanes in the southeast US, tornados in the midwest, earthquakes in California, typhoons and tsunamis in the Far East, etc. So before you head to a country, familiarize yourself with whatever the local risks are and what best practices are if you are faced with that crisis.
But pack your common sense when you travel: in the US, it is recommended that during an earthquake, you should stay INSIDE, drop down and hold on until the shaking stops.
With US building codes, that makes sense. In Haiti, seen of a devastating earthquake in 2010, the buildings were often made of concrete, and poorly built at that, so the slab concrete ceiling, simply collapsed, flattening the folks inside. So there, I would get OUT as fast as I could, if the room started shaking.
Plan Before You Go
Use this checklist to plan for safety before your adventure
Prior to Departure:
- Are Visas, ETAs[UK] or ETIAS[EU] required for entry to the country you plan to visit?
- Email yourself a copy of your passport driver license and travel plans. Keep a printed copy of your passport in your luggage
- STEP smart enrollment [or if non-US see if something similar is offered by your country]
- Keep Embassy info on phone and in print in your pocket or wallet
- Know the phone number for emergency services in country
- Do research before your trip to know local scams:
- US State Dept Travel Advisory site
- Forums and blogs
- If you plan to take a taxi from airport, research WHERE the stand is. A lot of crooks get you at baggage and overcharge you
- Buy travel insurance: kicks in for theft in addition to delays and more. Bookmark this handy policy comparison tool
- Avoid fake traveler websites that collect personal info by expediting passport and visa apps, or fake car rental companies or accommodation scammers. The goal of these sites is to get your credit card and personal info. Only use well known sites!
Once on the Ground in Country:
- Pin your lodging on phone so can find it without data: GPS works offline
- If you need to look at a map, go inside a store to do so
- ASK locals on the ground about safety where you plan to go. Shop and inn keepers are good resources.
- Notify family and friends of plans and check in regularly
- Always try to arrive in a new location BEFORE dark!
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