Hello, travelers!
Are you planning to travel abroad or just in your country?
Safe travel must be your main priority, whether you’re planning a spring break trip with your friends, a summer vacation with your family, or a ski trip. Thus, now is an excellent opportunity to look over some travel safety precautions tips that may help you to travel abroad safely in an environment that is constantly changing.
Travel Safety Precautions That You Should Know
Keep Yourself Ready
- If there is likely to be a communication barrier, search for whatever language or languages are spoken there.
- Learn about the current exchange rates and what the local currency is.
- Explore the map of the area around where you are staying and plan activities. Maybe carry a hard copy that has been marked up as a backup, and in case it rains, put it in a plastic zipped storage bag.
- Check the travel website for the country you are traveling to for advice and details on passports and visas. Keep a record of the destination’s embassy’s contact details for future reference.
- Don’t forget to arrange your hotel transportation ahead of time. Sometimes arriving in a foreign place might be difficult, but having a prearranged plan can help you feel less stressed.
- Arrive at your destination as soon as possible. Daytime can be a better time to get to know new places and business hours are the best times to get in touch with them.
Prepare For Your Trip
- Think about only carrying the required documentation, such as driver’s licenses, passports, information about travel insurance, and visas if needed. It could be easier to stay organized while lowering the possibility of losing non-essential items like shopping cards and train passes if you take them out of your wallet.
- Bring both the original and an extra copy of the documents, if possible. Store them apart. Another option is to keep important original documents, like your passport, in the safe of your hotel room.
- It is essential to have device charging cables and keep in mind that voltage adapters are needed in certain countries.
- If you have additional cash, think about hiding it somewhere in case your luggage disappears.
- Pack a first aid kit that includes basic supplies like cold packs, bandages, tweezers, and antiseptics.
- Bring along lots of personal hygiene items, like hand sanitizer, masks, and cleaning wipes. Because supplies might not always be available, this is one situation where it makes sense to overpack.
- Remember to take any prescription or over-the-counter medications, such as allergy or pain relievers. Security screenings can go more smoothly if you have a prescription from your doctor allowing you to bring specific medications.
- Stay away from open-topped backpacks, loose handbags, and wallets in back pockets. Don’t mix up your ID and credit cards; instead, use a messenger-style bag for water and little souvenirs.
- If your trip ends up taking longer than intended, think about having a quarantine plan ready to go. Make backup plans for mail, plants, pets, and other things from home.
- Make sure you have a ton of useful apps and accessories on your smartphone, such as calculators, flashlights, compasses, translator tools, maps, and weather forecasts.
- Put addresses and phone numbers that are essential into your phone. Consider hotels, airlines, trips, activities, and emergency contacts along with family members.
- Make sure all of your devices are charged, and if you are planning on spending a lot of time outside of your hotel, consider bringing along a portable charger and some charging cables. Power can be rapidly consumed by using numerous apps that facilitate translation and navigation.
- Consider using a personal virtual private network (VPN) when accessing public Wi-Fi when you’re traveling for work or making online transactions. Through the encryption of data during transmission, the VPN might provide a further layer of protection.
Cash And Credit Cards Safety
- Keep in mind that certain places, including your bank or credit union, may provide better exchange rates than others. For instance, certain shops or kiosks at airports may offer better rates than others.
- If you want to make purchases abroad without having to worry about unexpected penalties on your next bill, think about getting a credit card without any foreign transaction fees.
- Let your card issuer know that you will be traveling. Although it’s not technically necessary, doing so could save you trouble in the event of declined purchases.
- Consider only holding as much cash as necessary. Whenever it comes to local cash, less is usually more. To avoid having to spend time exchanging local cash back into your national currency at the end of a trip, try to minimize the amount of local currency you still have over.
- Consider traveling with two credit cards. Carry one, and in case the other is rejected, lost, or stolen, plan on keeping the other in the hotel safe.
Road Safety
- Avoid using a vehicle (car, scooter, ATV, etc.) when traveling to another country. Foreign traffic rules can differ greatly from your home country’s laws, and failure to familiarize yourself with the local traffic laws there could result in fines and/or accidents.
- Take note of the safest public transit alternatives when you receive your on-site orientation.
- When walking, be cautious. While crossing the street, pay attention to traffic directions and stay vigilant at all times.
Solo Travelers Safety
- Check your destination country’s admission requirements multiple times.
- Bring both physical and digital copies of the documentation needed for travel, such as medical test results and vaccination records.
- Pack safety gear, like a whistle, and consider taking a self-defense class before you go. These little things could make a significant difference in your safety.
- Maintain communication with your loved ones and friends. Do not forget to drop a pin, text, or call once a day.
- Keep things low-key. When studying maps, keep your distance, and approach people with caution if you need instructions.
- To ensure that the embassy in your area can find you in an emergency, consider registering your travel with the embassy.
Have Fun On Your Trip!
Planning and preparation can help you avoid or be ready for many of the frequent problems that arise when adjusting to a new environment abroad.
It’s time to get out and see the world now that you have prepared with these travel safety precautions! Cheers to your trip ahead!
