Top 5 Tips for Staying Safe When You Travel Abroad

Sometimes those of us who travel the most are the people most likely to get careless. We’re pros, after all. We do this all the time. And if we haven’t yet had a bad experience or an emergency, we begin to think we never will. So the following 5 tips are just a reminder that whenever you’re traveling, it’s better to play it safe so that you don’t wind up being sorry.

1. Be smart about guarding your personal information. Being friendly is nice but sharing too much with strangers is foolish.

2. Plan for emergencies. Whether you’re traveling with business colleagues, family, or friends, decide on a spot where you’ll meet should you be separated or have to evacuate your hotel.

3. Always carry a couple of hundred dollars and some of local cash so that you don’t get stranded having to look for a bank (which could be closed) or an ATM (which could be out of order or out of cash).

4. Stay alert. Be aware of your belongings and your surroundings. Try not to look lost or confused. Take a local map with you but don’t be obvious about opening it up or waving it around. Most locals are more than willing to help a tourist in distress, but there will always be a few who take the opportunity to take advantage.

5. Always carry a card from the hotel or piece of hotel stationery with the name, address, and phone number on it. You should also have a map with the hotel’s location circled—the concierge can certainly do this for you. The point is that, if you need to ask directions or direct a taxi driver who doesn’t understand you, you can show them where you want to go on the map as well as written in black and white. And you can phone the hotel yourself if necessary.