Safety & Security

Travel Safety & Security

What’s on this page?

Find here some useful tips and advice when travelling around the world to help you stay safe in foreign countries.

Travel Safety & Security Advice page content:

Country Reports & Travel Advisories

Check latest country reports to make sure you don’t go to a war zone. The UK Foreign Travel Advice website is an example of website giving you some information.

It is good to take some information before going to a country but don’t consider it too much.  Some official reports from embassies are often too careful (for example, Paris is blacklisted in many foreign embassy websites).

Moreover, official travel advisories will sometimes warn for the entire country when there is only a small area to avoid.

These advice are not just written for travellers (business people, diplomats, etc.) and they prefer to be too careful that not enough (avoiding liability I guess).

You will probably be in some countries next door when hesitating about your next one:

  • Ask local sources about safety (but some locals could be too cautious too)
  • Ask other travellers that just came from that country, you will always find tourists that came the way you are going (if you don’t, that might give you a safety tip)

Look Cheap

This is probably my main advice here. I came across quite a few stories or met travellers that got robbed, drugged, etc. but to be honest, I often thought that I would have robbed them too if I was the robber :). Some people just do everything to get robbed, seriously.

I never got robbed and I don’t think anyone had even tried on me, because there were always better targets around me, as simple as that.

Have a Cheap Wallet

No money flashing! Sometimes you don’t realise how much you have on you for local standards. It will tell a lot about your wealth and it will tempt some people.

You don’t need much on you for your daily spending so take a cheap looking wallet with only what you need inside (which is not much) and keep some extra cash at different places.

You are visiting countries where people don’t have much money, showing off your cash is tempting people and it is a lack of respect too.

Look Confident

Same things with looking cheap here, and they often go together. If you look stressed, looking everywhere, feeling like you have nothing to do where you are, people will take advantage. I have seen some tourists looking already so much like they could get stuff stolen that they get stolen.

On the opposite way, if you look confident like you almost live there, like you have been around many times and you know the place, people will believe that. They don’t want to risk robbing someone that might know some locals around.

Learn Local Scams

Some areas around the world are known for certain specific scams. It is funny to imagine but it does happen that way.

Ask around, read forums, etc. before you go to learn what are the current robbing trends in the country.

Random Tips

  • Watch out in big cities. All capital cities in the world have their part of criminality, be extra careful in larger cities.
  • Be careful while partying
  • Drugs (easy to get everywhere, usually quite safe if used with cautious but also a very high risk in many countries, just be careful!)
  • Don’t have too much money on you (even hidden) nor on your debit cards (read the Travel Money Advice)
  • Always have your valuables on you (at least the most important ones) but go exploring without anything if your valuables can be safe somewhere (room safe, etc.).
  • Copy your main papers (read more in the Travel Documents section)
  • Always set prices from the start if using services of someone (guide, taxi, etc.) or anything you will be charged for (read more about Haggling Like A Local in the money section)