How to Stay Safe when Travelling Alone?

Although travelling alone is one of the best experiences, it is also true that you must be more careful that usually. So, if you are planning a solo trip, here is the list of the best tips for enjoyable and safe travel.

Take with you only what is necessary:

When you go exploring during the day or plan to spend a night out, take only and exclusively what you need. Anything you carry with you always has the potential to be stolen.

Withdraw only a certain amount of money or carry debit cards with a set limit as low as possible. Leave the rest at home or current accommodation. 

Put all your valuables that you are not going to carry with you in the locker if you go to a hostel or in the safe in the room if you have one. If you don’t have a locker or safe available, leave it in your backpack, but at least put a padlock on it or some other kind of protection.

Hide your cash and valuable things properly:

They say that money is the root of many evils and during your travel it is usually the main problem. Avoid displaying your cash, and distribute it in different places so that if you get robbed, you don’t lose everything you have.

We recommend hiding money in a flat fanny pack, or a foulard with a hidden pocket. 

Additionally, we recommend always carrying your bag in front of you. Everything in front of you is within your field of vision. Most pickpockets find it easier to get your cell phone or wallet out of your back pocket since you don’t see your back, and you probably won’t even feel them as they take your wallet, cell phone, or anything you keep there.

Act like a local:

One of the best international travel safety tips is to act like a local. The quickest way to look local is to try dressing like the people in that place. Of course, this is sometimes not feasible, but if you can, it is highly recommended.

Related to this, we also recommend keeping your valuables hidden until the moment you need them. Only take out your camera if you intend to use it, and avoid wearing jewelry that attracts attention.

Blending in will help you be more culturally sensitive, and you’ll also attract less unwanted attention. It is also a way of respecting local customs. 

Be observant:

Keep alert! In life, many bad situations can come, and most of them can be dodged just by observing those around you.

Be alert always and keep checking what’s going on around. Among other things, do not walk looking at your mobile in places where you have not been before. Being attentive gives you useful information. If you’re walking around a city and the area starts to look dodgy, there’s a good chance it actually is.

Know the local emergency number:

We all learned when we were children that in an emergency you have to call the police, the ambulance, or the emergency number. We guess you’ve already noticed, but those are all different numbers in each country. Yes, each country has its own emergency number. So, it’s advisable to research such phone numbers and other contact info before coming to a country.

Party safely:

There is always a party in any country you visit. In many places, when you’re young, it’s very tough not to attend such activities. You start drinking, and before you can know anything about it, the party room is rockin.. Probably, you should have avoided drinking 2 or even 5 glasses ago.

Drugs, alcohol, and travel safety don’t mix well. You should know about your limits, when you should stop, and, above all, when you should go home. If you’re on any mission to go get drunk, do it with any of your friends you can trust. Probably, the new friends you met in the bar would not be trustworthy enough when you are drunk.

Protect your data and documents (including digital):

This is a classic travel safety tip. The worst thing that can occur to you at the time of travelling is losing your passport. You won’t be able to do many things without it, not even book accommodation, not to mention if you want to leave the country.

While you can pick up an additional passport at any of your nearest embassies, ​​they may charge you to have a few copies on hand. With your passport copy and other important documents, you can still do something. 

It is advisable to carry a passport copy rather than carrying the original one. Leave the original in the hotel room (always under lock and key).

Apart from your physical documents, you should also protect your digital data. If you are going to create a lot of digital files, like photos that you plan to sell, an accident with your computer could be disastrous. If you are a digital nomad, losing your computer could even lead to losing your job.

Avoid getting lost:

Getting lost is not cool, either when you are returning to your hotel or in the middle of a forest. If you find yourself in a risky situation, such as the desert or a less dangerous part of the town, several things can quickly go wrong.

If you don’t want to get lost, make sure to check the immediate surroundings. Know about your nearby landmarks such as museums, mountains, towers, and always use them as your landmarks.

Know the possible roads where the closest public transport routes are. You can mark them on maps before you visit to get an idea of the route you will take. Download a map on your phone – the one that will work even without the internet connection. 

Surround yourself with other people:

Travelling with several people means you’ll have more alert and fairer opinions, and higher overall awareness. Large sized groups also seem more daunting to potential assailants.

However, not all persons travel in a group, some of the people always prefer to travel alone. It is reasonable. But when you find yourself in a possibly high-risk situation, like a night out or a long hike in the woods, having a few friends or companions can be a very good thing.

If you are traveling alone for the first time in your life, join a group when it is necessary, be it for a guide tour or a night out. Youmight not know them well enough, but they can save you. If possible, check new acquaintances on Nuwber. That step will protect you from scammers and fraudsters who pretend to be someone else.