Get to know your destination in depth before you arrive. Read traveler reviews and consult with locals for information about the neighborhoods, places to stay.
Before traveling, check the weather for your travel destination. Consider changing plans if conditions could be unsafe for planned activities, especially outdoor activities.
Extreme weather conditions like heavy rains and floodings could make it unsafe to travel to your destination at all. Keep an eye on weather conditions leading up to your trip, and avoid travel during seasons when extreme or dangerous weather is frequent in the area.
Into every life – and vacation – a little rain must fall, so take steps to protect yourself from lightning, hail, thunderstorms and severe weather by monitoring the local weather and packing the appropriate gear. Also, keep tabs on the weather at home to make sure your property is protected.
Having a list of emergency contacts can come in handy during unforeseen situations. This list should include the contact details of your family, hotel, police station, insurance providers, and your bank.
Primary health insurance plans, including Medicare, often don’t provide coverage abroad. Consider purchasing a travel medical insurance plan or a trip cancellation plan to prepare for unexpected emergency situations or trip cancellations.
Familiarize yourself with the currency in your destination country to ensure you understand how much things are worth, and in turn, to lessen the risk of you being scammed.
You never know when you might need a copy of your passport, driver’s license, National Identity Card or another form of identification. Scan these documents to save online and print out several hard copies. That way, you won’t be scrambling to find proper documentation if you need to get home.
No matter whether you’re going, on an overnight jaunt or a month-long international journey, it’s always a good idea to let friends or family back home know. Before you leave, send a copy of your itinerary to a few trusted people who can keep tabs on your whereabouts. Check in regularly with your contacts so they know you’re where you’re supposed to be.
Posting photos or checking in on social media sites advertises your absence from home. Real-time updates can be tempting, but wait until you return safely home before sharing your adventures.
Ensuring your home appears lived-in can deter potential burglars. Use timers for lights, inform trusted neighbors about your absence, and hold your mail deliveries with Australia Post.
Be sure to look up the emergency services number for your destination, even before you get there. It’s also a good idea to look up the number for your country’s nearest embassy before you leave. Write them down or save them in your phone so you’ll have quick access to them in the event of an emergency.
Don’t let the convenience of Internet access cloud your judgment. When you use public Wi-Fi, hackers looking to steal valuable information can access your data including credit card or Social Security numbers. If you do need wireless Internet service, set up a virtual private network (VPN) that will allow you to access the Internet securely while traveling.
Even if your hotel has strong security measures in place, there are steps you can take to make your room safer. Lock and dead-bolt the door and keep your windows shut. You can buy a jammer, which is a portable device that slips under the door for another layer of protection.
Try to give the impression that you’re in your room even when you’re away, such as placing the Do Not Disturb sign on the outside of your door and keeping the blinds or windows closed.
Don’t let any strangers into your room, even if they say they work for the hotel. You can always call the front desk to check whether someone was ordered by hotel staff to come to your room.
Wearing expensive, flashy jewelry is one sure way to make yourself an obvious target for robbery. Leave it at home, friends, especially if you plan to travel to crowded areas!
Lost wallets are the leading cause of identity theft. Only carry the card(s) you plan to use on your trip and leave your checkbook and the rest of your cards at home. If you decide to bring more than one credit card, consider stashing the extra, along with account information and customer service numbers for the cards you have with you, in a hotel safe or other secure location.
This has to be one of the most important safety tips for travelers.
Lots of people enjoy exploring the local nightlife while traveling, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But keep in mind that it’s even more important than ever to drink responsibly when you’re traveling.
When you’re away from home you’re more likely to get lost or end up in a dangerous neighborhood, and being obviously drunk makes you an easy target for scams, robbery, or worse.
Oh, and ladies, never forget the golden rule of safe drinking in public: keep an eye on your drink at all times!
Any solid resource of travel safety information will tell you that it’s never a good idea to carry huge amounts of cash. Instead, open an account with an international bank or credit card company so you can use local ATMs. If you absolutely must withdraw large amounts of cash at once, leave the bulk of it locked up safely in your hotel or hostel and carry only what you’ll need for the day.
When using ATMs, try to use only those that are attached to banks as these are less likely to have been tampered with by scammers.
Never keep all of your money in one place. Keep cash and credit cards in two or three different places so that if one of your stashes is stolen you aren’t left completely empty-handed.
Use insect repellent and take other steps to avoid bug bites. Bugs, including mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, can spread diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and Lyme. These bugs are typically more active during warm weather.
If you or a travel companion gets an injury or sickness that can’t be helped with basic first aid or an over-the-counter medicine, seek medical attention right away. Visit the nearest medical service provider or Hospital.
Contaminated food or drinks can cause travelers’ diarrhea and other diseases and disrupt your travel. Travelers to low or middle income destinations are especially at risk. Generally, foods served hot are usually safe to eat as well as dry and packaged foods. Bottled, canned, and hot drinks are usually safe to drink. Learn more about how to choose safer food and drinks to prevent getting sick.
Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher when traveling. Protecting yourself from the sun isn’t just for tropical beaches—you can get a sunburn even if it’s cloudy or cold. You are at the highest risk for UV exposure when you are traveling during summer months, near the equator, at high altitudes, or between 10 am to 4 pm.
Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. Wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid animals, including pets, local farm animals, and wild animals. In addition to the risk of rabies, all animal bites carry a risk of bacterial infection.
Drowning is a major cause of death when traveling. Follow water safety recommendations, which includes swimming, boating and diving, especially in countries where emergency services may not be quickly available.