As anxious travelers, travel safety was once our biggest concern – especially before we left on our year-long honeymoon. What if we got robbed? What if we got lost? What if we got kidnapped by guerillas in a jungle or something and nobody even noticed we were gone until our faces showed up in the news like something straight out of a Wes Anderson movie?!
… We may have particularly active imaginations, but leaving the comforts of home and exploring a foreign country is undeniably a little scary. If you feel vulnerable and like a target for professional scammers and thieves who prey on innocent tourists, you’re not alone. We’re right there with you!
Some of the worst advice we’ve gotten from seasoned travelers is to “not worry about it.” As if “just chill out and enjoy your vacation” is actually useful advice. Y’all: IT IS NOT. That advice never helped us and frankly, we’re not going to tell you to just relax and not worry, either. Worry leads to preparation, and preparation is what’s gonna help you feel a lot less vulnerable and a lot more savvy. Once you’re armed with our travel safety tips, you’ll feel like an informed, prepared traveler – and not like a walking target.
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Psst: Planning a trip? We’ve got a few more posts that might help you! Take a look:
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- 12 Long Haul Flight Essentials & Travel Tips for Economy Fliers
Why Travel Safety Is Important
For a practical traveler like me, there are loads of emergency worst-case scenarios to anxiously envision before traveling abroad. From injury to kidnapping to theft, a lot of disorienting things can happen in a foreign country. And the farther from home you are, the more confusing and scary that can be!
That kind of anxiety can make you so nervous that traveling sounds more like a nightmare than a dream come true. And letting your anxiety keep you from traveling would be a real shame.
But there’s also a nice middle ground between “don’t worry about it, you’ll be fine” and worrying so much you never leave the house, and that middle ground is where you take reasonable precautions and prepare yourself to face any of those scary circumstances that can pop up on a trip.
Step one, I think, is to take a deep breath and acknowledge that something bad might happen – and that it’s all part of the adventure. And most things either aren’t as bad as your imagination makes them out to be, or aren’t as likely as the news – and your overly concerned parents – would have you believe.
For example, although everyone’s heard horror stories of being mugged and left stranded while traveling abroad, in my personal experience, most theft while traveling abroad is an opportunity crime: make one rookie mistake and you become an easy target.
And it’s not just traveling abroad, either. I was robbed no less than 3 times when I moved from the safe, friendly Midwest, to the big city of San Francisco. In my first 3 months, I had my phone and ID stolen twice, and my purse was stolen out of a locked locker at a gym (stupid cheap lock). I even had a man attempt to mug me in broad daylight on a crowded street at 5 pm in front of my office!
Am I just like, a walking bad omen? (Yes). But other than attracting catastrophe like a magnet, I can point to a few things I could have done better in each instance:
- The first time I had my phone and ID stolen, they were sitting in my purse in plain sight on the floor of a restaurant, with easy access to the door. Nowadays at a restaurant, I keep my purse underneath me or the table where they can’t be accessed easily.
- The second time I had my phone and ID stolen, they were in my jacket pocket … but I took my jacket off at a dance club, stuck it in the corner, and hit the dance floor. I wasn’t watching them, so I never saw them get taken. I don’t do that anymore.
- The locked locker was kind of a fluke – although I no longer use cheap locks – and I’ve learned to keep things in the trunk of my car instead.
- My attempted mugging? My mistake was that I was staring at my phone while walking down the street instead of paying attention to my surroundings. (My second mistake was that I fought off the guy who tried to mug me – that’s a really dumb move. Don’t do that. Phones are replaceable.)
Now that I’ve I wised up and built my city-slicker street smarts up, I have not been robbed a single time since at home or abroad.
But that’s not all: combined with the other precautions I take, I know that even if I am robbed, I have a way to access money, insurance to replace my belongings or cover me in case of injury, a network of people who know where I am at all times, and copies of the necessary legal documents to return home. That brings me incredible peace of mind so that I can actually enjoy my trip!
Learn from my mistakes and use these basic safety tips for travelers to protect yourself and prevent theft.
Travel Safety Tips: Before You Start Your Journey
1. Research, research, and more research
Travel safety starts before you even get on the plane.
Ensure you’ve done sufficient research on your destination: what are common safety risks and what scams are prevalent in that country? What neighborhoods are known to be unsafe? Read reviews on the places you’ll be visiting and the hostels you’re staying at.
Google “[Your Destination] Common Scams” or “Is [Your Destination] Safe?” to find suggestions and experiences that will help you to prepare. (But try not to let it make you too anxious! You want to be prepared, not terrified.)
Doing research will help you to feel more comfortable and confident when traveling to a new country… and to not buy that train ticket from that pushy French guy at the airport metro station in Paris who just happened to be sitting around waiting for a crowd of tourists to help him offload his definitely-not-fake $20 train ticket. I nearly fell for this on my first trip to Paris, by the way!
2. Scan your passport, drivers license, and other important legal documents
In case of theft while traveling or simply bad luck, you may find yourself in need of a replacement passport, which is much easier when you’ve got some identification to provide.
Print out a hard copy of your passport and driver’s license and keep them separate from your actual passport. Upload a digital copy to a secure online location, like Dropbox or Google Drive, and share it with a trusted friend or relative.
You might also want to upload copies of other important documents into this Dropbox, such as a Power of Attorney, Healthcare Power of Attorney, or a Living Will (both of which are fun legal documents that you should definitely consider filling out before a major trip, like our year-long honeymoon).
Ideally, you’d have already had physical copies of these documents notarized and on file with a lawyer or your most responsible family member.
We went full “just in case” and also uploaded things like a copy of our marriage certificate, just to be safe. Just make sure you’re uploading them to somewhere safe and fully encrypted (again, like Dropbox)!
3. Send out the dates, locations, and contact information for your travels to friends and family
This can be as basic as an itinerary that includes flight numbers and hotel names, or as detailed as a 200 page PDF detailing every place you’re going, every booking you’ve made, and your travel insurance information.
Include notations when you expect to be in or out of range of WiFi or phone usage. If your friends and family don’t hear from you when they expect to, they’ll be able to call or email as needed to make sure you’re safe – and if you’re missing, it can help speed up the process of finding you.
If you’re veering away from your plans or you don’t make plans in advance, provide information as it is available. Going MIA while traveling is risky.
As a major bonus, in our experience sending this information out in advance will also significantly ease the minds of your poor, concerned parents!
4. Buy travel insurance!
Travel Insurance is a must-have for travel safety! It protects you in case of a medical emergency or theft. It even covers the cost of your trip if you have to cancel it or end it early for a covered reason, like a death in your immediate family or sudden illness.
Still not sure if travel insurance is worth it? We’ve got a detailed guide to travel insurance that will help you decide.
Dedicated travel insurance companies offer variants of the same plans, so choose carefully. Think about the activities you’ll be doing on your trip and read all the details to make sure you understand what you’re paying for.
Also, note that no travel insurance will help you out in the event of a sudden war or terrorist act in the same city that you’re traveling in, and there are specific restrictions on what can be reimbursed in case of theft. You’ll need separate insurance for your expensive camera gear, for example.
We’ve got a lot more things to consider, plus recommendations for our two favorite travel insurance companies, in our travel insurance guide:
In the past, we’ve used World Nomads travel insurance, and we’ve had to fill a BUNCH of claims with them (because we are walking disaster magnets). They’ve covered everything from an ear infection in Costa Rica that led to a hospital stay, 2 missed flights and 2 extra nights in the country; a whole month of booked, non-refundable travel for a canceled trip after my 90-year old Grandfather landed in the hospital (and subsequently faked his own death); and even that time we ran our rental BMW into a medieval castle in France.
Honestly, at this point, our claims have equaled out the amount we paid for policies. These days, we straight-up refuse to go on a trip without buying World Nomads travel insurance first.
Curious how much a World Nomads travel insurance policy would cost to cover your next trip? Get a quote!
5. Keep your insurance information handy and send it to a trusted friend or loved one
In the event of an emergency, you may not be able to communicate the specific details of your travel insurance – your insurer may require you to call before you can go to a hospital, for example, or be able to help you find the nearest doctor, like World Nomads does.
Have that information easily accessible, and provide it to someone who isn’t traveling with you so that they can help arrange care as needed.
We recommend printing something out and keeping it with your passport, as well as uploading a digital copy of your insurance policy to that secure Dropbox or online storage.
Travel Safety Tips: En Route to your Destination
When it’s time to actually pack up and head out, you’ll be relying on the advanced preparation you did before your trip, but there are also a few more habits to develop to make sure you’re staying as safe as can be.
One of the times you’re at your most vulnerable during a trip is in transit: there are a lot of people – crowds are the best places for would-be thieves to hide – and many of them are foreign, which makes them easy to scam. On top of that, you’re almost always lost/confused/overwhelmed – making you an easy target.
One of the few times we got robbed during our year-long honeymoon was at a bus station in Peru: we looked away from our pile of bags for .002 seconds and almost lost the theif carrying our bag in the crowd as he hurried away! Thankfully, Jeremy is a hero and managed to retrieve it, but it was a whole thing – the complete story is in this post.
The bottom line is: do some advance preparation before you leave the airport and you’ll have a huge advantage!
6. Keep your money in multiple locations, and always have an emergency credit card.
This is so important: Never, EVER travel with all your money in one location!
We stash emergency money and credit cards throughout our luggage and on our bodies in separate pockets.
Jeremy has a money belt that he wears under his clothes. I have a handy bra pocket that clips under my shirt with my cash and credit cards (I also totally use this at home when I’m going out and don’t want to carry a purse, it’s the best).
I also have a zippered passport pocket that can hold my phone, because most women’s clothing doesn’t have pockets (except for my favorite ever pair of theft-proof jeans!).
This way, even if we’re robbed while out and about, one of us will still have a card and some cash tucked away somewhere.
7. Don’t use your phone on a city bus, train, or while walking down the street.
Protecting yourself from theft while traveling means being constantly aware of your surroundings. If you’re zoning out on your phone, you’re not aware of what’s going on around you!
Buses and trains that are frequently stopping to let people on and off are hotbeds of phone theft. It’s easy for an opportunistic thief to snatch the phone out of your hand and bolt for the door, disappearing before you even realize what just happened.
Same with walking down the street: your phone is like a target that is all too easy to grab and run away with. I learned this lesson at home in San Francisco, where a good half of my friends – and myself – have had multiple phones stolen.
8. Always keep an eye on your belongings
I learned this lesson the hard way, too: at a bus station in Peru, we set our day bag (containing ALL of our electronics!) down on the seat next to us and turned away from it for roughly 30 seconds. By the time we turned back, the thief was halfway out the door with our bag. We got lucky and were able to retrieve our bag, but we’ll never make the mistake of looking away again – even for a moment.
Always maintain eye contact with your belongings. When your back is turned, anything from sticky fingers pulling out whatever’s loose to the entire bag being stolen, could happen.
This includes absolutely everything: sunglasses, phone, purse, even your drink. If it’s not in your hand, keep it in eyesight!
9. Be mindful of pockets and purses when in a crowd
Pickpockets are most common in a crowd. It’s all too easy to bump into someone and quickly grab something without them noticing when everyone is bumping into everyone else. This is doubly true for a crowded bus or subway when you can be standing elbow to elbow with hundreds of people.
When you find yourself in a crowd, keep your hands on or in any pocket that you’re keeping something in, and over any openings in a purse. If you can, tuck your purse under your arm so that its opening is towards your body and inaccessible. And never wear a purse that cannot be zipped, fastened, or covered!
Don’t keep anything in your back pocket – it’s an easy target. Also, wear your backpack in the front when walking through crowded streets.
Pickpockets are looking for your attention to be diverted so that you don’t feel something being slipped out of your pocket or purse – don’t give them the chance!
For what it’s worth, we recommend ditching the wallet & purse altogether and using a money belt and bra pocket instead – and investing in clothing with hidden, zippered pockets, like our favorite travel pants for women & men.
10. Deter thieves with locks on your bags
Whenever possible, lock your bag. If your purse isn’t zipped and lockable or doesn’t have a flap that covers its opening, it’s not good for travel. If someone next to you on a crowded bus can quietly slip their hand in your purse, they absolutely will.
A determined thief doesn’t care if you’ve put a lock on your bag, but a casual or opportunity thief will go for an easier target.
Backpacks and luggage should always be locked during transit, even when stowed away.
As a bonus, having locks on hand will double as your locker security in hostels. We prefer non-TSA travel locks because it’s easy for thieves to get a TSA universal lock key, but if you’re checking your bag, you’ll need a TSA-approved travel lock.
If your current bag isn’t lockable, check out this massive guide to anti-theft backpacks. We’ve also got a list of our favorite bags for traveling in our ultimate packing guide!
11. Watch your back when using ATM’s.
ATM’s have long been an easy place for thieves to swipe information from unsuspecting travelers – but they’re also the most convenient place to get money in the right currency abroad, especially if you have a debit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees or ATM fees (which is why we love Charles Schwab).
So while we DO recommend using ATM’s, we also encourage you to be cautious! When at an ATM, always cover your card with your hand when entering your pin, and wiggle the card reader a little to ensure there are no signs of tampering.
Also, ensure that the person behind you isn’t too close, and if they are, politely ask them to move further back.
12. Keep valuables on you at all times while in transit
We’ve heard too many stories about a checked bag or a bag hidden away under a bus getting rifled through.
So when we travel on a train, bus, or plane, we pull out all of our electronics, important documents, and other valuables, and keep them on us in a locked bag that we never let out of our sight or off our person.
Even if our backpacks get rifled through, all they’ll find is clothing – the important stuff is safe with us!
13. Don’t bring anything with you that is irreplaceable or that it would break your heart to have lost or stolen
It’s so easy to have things disappear while traveling, whether it’s the scarf you left behind at a restaurant or the prescription sunglasses that fell out of your bag in a cab (yes, those are both real-life examples from our travels. RIP, scarf and sunglasses).
Don’t take anything with you that would break your heart to have lost or stolen (although some things can’t be left behind, like a good camera! Not a Nomad Blog has a fantastic article about how to travel safely with your camera, read it here.)
Whenever you can, bring a cheaper version of your prized possessions: an older smartphone, travel-friendly wedding rings, clothing that is cheap enough to accidentally lose, just in case. We also bring a small backup camera just in case, since taking photos is a huge part of our jobs!
We leave everything expensive or treasured at home, safe. Er, well, except for all of our camera gear. Read about what we packed for South America here, and what we wish we didn’t pack here!
14. Know when to splurge and spend money on your safety.
At some point in your travels, you will be warned about potential red flags or high-risk areas, be it using public transport at night or staying in a particular village alone.
When you’re traveling on a budget, it’s easy to opt for the cheaper option to save a few bucks. But sometimes, it isn’t the safest.
Your life is worth protecting and if you are feeling anxious or nervous, rather spend a bit more money by taking a private vehicle, booking into a hotel or paying for an organized tour through a reputable company.
15. Know where you’re going and use GPS.
When traveling in an area that you’re not familiar with, have the destination set in your GPS to ensure you’re on the right route home and monitor the journey.
If your driver veers off route for no reason, you need to think quickly and get out of the vehicle.
“But how will I use my phone’s GPS when I’m in another country?” Good question! We always recommend downloading the map of your destination on your phone to use offline when you’re traveling and don’t have data. You can do this using an app like Maps.Me or even Google Maps. You might also consider investing in a global wireless service like TEP wireless, which will allow you to have WiFi anywhere you go!
Travel Safety Tips: At Your Destination
16. Practice a healthy amount of skepticism.
Be wary of the people you meet on your travels, including other travelers. Many thieves are professional scam artists. They’re good at what they do! Don’t let overly-friendly people distract you and let your guard down. Not that we’re saying not to meet new people and make friends, just… you know, be a little bit on guard.
It takes time to earn someone’s trust. So before you go leaving your valuables with you “new best friend,” or going to take a shower in your hostel while leaving your locker wide open, ensure that your new travel companions are trustworthy (or just err on the side of caution and call it a habit). Also, think before you share too much of your travel information with someone you’ve just met.
Having said that, don’t be afraid to meet locals and make friends with other travelers. Travel safety is about being street smart, and wary of other people’s intentions.
17. Watch your drinks!
At all times, no matter what the circumstances, watch your drinks.
It’s easy for someone to slip a pill inside when you aren’t looking. Or maybe you’ve been offered a drink from someone you’ve just met at the bar. Make sure you can see it being poured and watch the barman to ensure that it hasn’t been spiked.
Again, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way at home: it’s all too common for friends – both male AND female – to get “too drunk” after only having one or two normal strength drinks at the bar. THAT IS A WARNING SIGN! That is not a sign that they can’t hold their alcohol, it’s a sign that their drink has been spiked.
Men, you too – this is not a female-specific tip! Use the buddy system and watch out for your friends, too – if a total stranger is trying to hustle someone you know who’s suddenly incredibly drunk into a taxi to “take them home safely,” your red flags should go way, way up.
And while we’re speaking of drinking, also watch what you drink when traveling to a new country. People prey on travelers who are drunk and go to the dancefloor forgetting their valuables at the table (me, again, in San Francisco). Or tourists walking down a dark alley alone in the early hours of the morning.
Drink responsibly and if you’re traveling in a group, have each other’s backs.
18. Don’t wear flashy jewelry or show off your wealth.
This is another massive travel safety tip! Perhaps you’re newlywed with a big shiny diamond that you want to show off. Or you just bought a designer handbag. Be wary of where you are traveling to, and what you should and shouldn’t wear, and if you’re at all concerned, leave them at home.
It’s better to blend in with the crowd so that you don’t stand out and become a target.
If you visit an impoverished area and walk around with expensive jewelry, it’s also an opportunity for vendors to charge you more for items as they can see you have money.
We learned this the hard way after getting stuck with a rental Mercedes in Tulum, Mexico. It was a nice car, but we were still backpackers – and couldn’t afford the 3x rates we were charged by everyone from parking attendants to tour guides just because we had a nice rental car. Our car also attracted policemen, who pulled us over looking for bribes. Yikes!
Make that another travel safety tip: Don’t accept a free fancy rental car upgrade in a developing country.
Other Important Traveler Safety Tips
19. Wear a helmet
If you’re riding a scooter, whether you’re the driver or passenger, always wear a helmet. In countries such as Indonesia, you’ll see tourists with giant road rashes or worse from insane scooter accidents – it’s all too common. We also, er, drove our scooter into a tree in the middle of the night in Bali *ahem.* Helmets are really important!
This also goes for moto-taxis in countries like Colombia. Always ask for a helmet (and a price) before you hop on!
Remember that you or your driver may be in control, but the person driving straight for you may not, and a helmet can save your life!
20. Know what you can and cannot eat and drink
The last thing you want is a series case of food poisoning. In some countries it’s safe to drink the tap water, in others it’s not (even if the locals do). We always recommend bringing along a way to purify your water, such as a Steri-Pen or Lifestraw Bottle.
Also, be cautious about what you eat. Street food is delicious, but rather buy from a vendor who is preparing the food then and there, instead of purchasing a chicken kebab that has been sitting in the sun for the past day.
Also, do a little prep work to make sure street food is safe. For example, we would highly advise AGAINST eating the street hot dogs in San Francisco, which will absolutely make you sick. But we would highly recommend eating all of the street food in Colombia (and have a whole post about it!) That’s not really what you’d assume, right? But street food is perfectly safe in lots of places!
21. Be observant
What it all comes down it is being alert and vigilant. Always look behind you. Take note of the areas you’re driving in, the people you’re meeting.
When you’re observant, potential thieves won’t target you as they know that you are watching them.
Don’t Let The Fear of Travel Safety Stop You From Traveling
Every day there are stories of innocent travelers who have fallen victim to some sort of crime while on their travels. This is a huge concern and every traveler should be aware of it. Don’t be too optimistic (or naive) and think it will never happen to you, because it can. And frankly, at some point, it probably will.
But, that said: don’t let fear stop you from traveling. The world is yours to explore! Besides, all those disasters make the absolute best travel stories once you return back home. We speak from a LOT of experience!
If you follow these travel safety tips, you’ll be well prepared and in control. You’ll have all the processes in place to handle a not-so-great situation and you’ll take necessary action to avoid being robbed or injured. You’ll have a better trip knowing that you’re well-prepared and staying in safe areas.
I hope you found this list of travel safety tips useful! What are your favorite travel safety tips? What are your biggest concerns about traveling abroad safely? Leave us a comment below!
Psst: Planning a trip? We’ve got a few more posts that might help you! Take a look:
- How to Plan a Trip: The Ultimate Practical Travel Planning Guide
- The Ultimate Packing List: 43 Must-Have Travel Items (by a Full-Time Travel Blogger)
- 12 Long Haul Flight Essentials & Travel Tips for Economy Fliers
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