Today we’re sharing our top travel safety tips to be cautious and overly prepared for what can go wrong while traveling. 

1. Research Your Destination: Before you travel, research the local customs, weather, and safety advisories. Knowing about your destination can help you prepare better and avoid potential risks.

2. Stay Connected: Always have a way to contact someone back home. Share your itinerary with family or friends and check in regularly. Having a eSIM card or an international phone plan can be very helpful. If traveling internationally, you can register with your country’s embassy in the location/country you will be, so they know you will be there and to advise you if any travel warnings arise.
   
3. Beware of common safety scams – If someone tries to bring you to another place, seems pushy – these are warning signs. Don’t go!
   
4. When out drinking – Don’t get too drunk you lose your wits. If someone won’t leave you alone, you can ALWAYS go to the bartender and tell them. They will protect you from the weirdo

5. Keep Valuables Secure and Stay Alert: Use a hidden pouch to keep your passport, cash, and other valuables secure. Avoid displaying expensive items like jewelry or electronics openly. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded places like markets, tourist attractions, and public transportation. Trust your instincts and leave if you feel uncomfortable.

6. Health Precautions: Get any necessary vaccinations and pack a basic first-aid kit. Know the location of the nearest medical facility and have travel insurance that covers health emergencies. Look on CDC website for recommended vaccines to pre-prepare.

7. Emergency Contacts & Important Documents: Keep a list of emergency contacts, including local emergency services, your country’s embassy or consulate, and personal contacts. Store these in both physical and digital formats. Make copies of your passport, visa, travel insurance, and other essential documents. Keep one set of copies with you (separate from the originals) and leave another set with someone you trust back home.

8. Blend In with Locals: Dress conservatively and respect local customs to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. This can help you avoid becoming a target for scams or theft.

9. Transport Safety: Use reputable transportation services. If using rideshare apps, verify the driver’s identity and vehicle before getting in. For public transport, be aware of your surroundings and avoid traveling alone late at night. Google information about your destination and if there is any travel safety info you should be aware of.

10. Local Laws and Regulations: Familiarize yourself with the local laws and regulations. What might be legal at home could be illegal abroad, so it’s important to respect the laws of the country you are visiting.

11. Use ATMs Wisely: When withdrawing money, use ATMs located inside banks or well-lit, secure areas. Avoid using ATMs at night or in isolated places, and be discreet when handling cash.
    
12. Learn Basic Local Phrases: Knowing a few key phrases in the local language can be very helpful in case of emergencies. Phrases like “Help,” “Police,” “Doctor,” and “I need assistance” can bridge communication gaps and get you the help you need more quickly.

Check out our other travel safety episodes.

Travel Safety Tips – Episode Transcript

0:35

And get ready to embark on a new adventure with us around the globe.

Hey, Squatty’s Travel Squad Podcast is back with Just the Tip, our Friday mini episode series where we give you quick travel stories, hacks and recommendations to set you off into the weekend.

0:50

Right.

Today we’re sharing a very important topic with you guys in this episode and that’s travel safety and tips to keep you safe while traveling.

We have a lot of different tips for you guys, so we’re going to dive right in.

But the first one’s pretty simple.

It’s to research your destination.

1:06

And I mean, I think a lot of people think like, why would you recommend that tip?

But a lot of people go on vacation and don’t do a lot of research about their destinations.

And it could just be simple research, just, you know, research the customs in that area, always research the weather to know what to pack, and then if there’s any travel safety advisories.

1:25

Definitely like what neighborhoods not to go into when you’re traveling to a new city.

I think that one’s really important.

That’s a great tip, Kim.

Another great tip is to stay connected.

Always have a contact with somebody back home to check in with.

1:41

Let them know, especially if you’re traveling from city to city, place to place, that you’ve arrived at a new location.

You’re there where you’re staying.

Share your itinerary with family and friends.

Very important to have somebody that you stay connected with back at home.

So I got to be honest, I don’t do this one.

1:59

I think I should start.

You should start you.

It could be as easy as texting Jamal and I saying like, hey, I’m going to be here for this amount of time and this is where I’m going.

Here’s my itinerary.

OK.

How often are you travelling alone?

Because a lot of times we’re travelling together.

And yes, I know you travel without us sometimes, but I always feel like when you do, you’re still with somebody.

2:18

And yes, maybe when you’re travelling with somebody, you should still do this and stay connected back at home.

But you’re also with people that it’s like, all right, I’m in a Group, A little bit more safe setting when you’re in a group situation versus if you’re traveling solo.

Have you seen Kim party and not walk home till 5:00 AM in the morning?

2:35

She could still be with a group and that could still happen.

I did get a ride home from a random moped guy in Thailand one.

So yeah I need to start doing this.

I am going to take my first solo trip next year so I will be letting mom and dad know.

Stay connected with us, Kim.

2:51

You can also, and you should let the US embassy know when you’re going out of country.

That’s a really good one, especially if you’re going to some potentially issue countries.

Just let them know where you’re going to be and if something does pop off they will try to help get you out of there.

Or these keep you advised if something’s going to happen.

3:08

And what you mean by that, Kim, to just kind of clarify is contact the embassy of your home country.

So us as Americans, yeah, contact the US embassy in said country that you’re actually visiting.

Let them know what dates you’re there and they will know that you’re there.

And of course, give you those advisories should things start to happen happen or if they need to give you warnings, etcetera.

3:28

That’s so that’s always a great way to stay connected too.

And if you’re in another country, having an E SIM card or an international phone plan can be helpful so that you can send a quick text if you’re needing to contact someone at home.

Oh here’s a good one.

Keep your location sharing on.

3:44

That is true.

I might not share my itinerary with everyone, but I do share my location with a lot of people.

Jamal refuses to share his location with me.

What?

I don’t refuse to.

I don’t refuse to, no.

What are you up to, Jamal?

I’m up to wild stuff these days when Brittany’s not around, you know?

4:03

That’s a hush topic.

Why we bring this up on the podcast?

Part of doing your research, but I want to say this one specifically know what the common scams are.

This could be per destination, but it is it also applies to just travel in general, right?

4:19

So, for example, a very common scam that involves getting robbed or even trafficked, even though that sounds crazy to say, it does happen, right?

So if someone tries to bring you to another place or they seem very pushy about something, those are warning signs that something is amiss and you really should not go.

4:38

We had on Ashley V Travels for her second interview with us and she had told us about a situation.

Was she in Thailand?

She was.

At Thailand where she was out having a drink and someone was trying really hard to get her to go to another place and she basically went to the bathroom, kind of had a freak out moment, did some Googling about scams.

4:59

It came up right away and she kind of waited for a while and then rushed out really quickly.

So if you find yourself in a situation like that, that is a Ave. you can take to get out of it.

It’s really good to Google those things and find out because a lot of times, yes, there’s the common ones that are just tap in everywhere, but there are specific locations where certain things are more pertinent.

5:20

Yes, you mentioned, God forbid, the absolute worst, the trafficking situation, Kim, and that’s like the absolute worst and of course, very rare.

What’s really more common is ripping you off financially or having something stolen from you.

My really good friend Josh, he was in South Africa.

5:35

We went on a South Africa trip together when we did the safaris.

But he loved it so much.

He went back with his then girlfriend and they were out in a bar in Cape Town partying.

People became really friendly with them.

Pickpocket, they realized it, he confronted them about it and they said, what are you going to do about it?

5:52

And they just took this phone like that and they just chummied up to him to kind of get a phone and do that.

And again, something as a good example that’s more location specific.

And this is where it’s not stealing something from you, but really ripping you off.

In Italy, a lot of times local artists will set their work down on the street where you’re walking on the sidewalk, right?

6:13

And the scam is, of course, everybody is naturally going to avoid it that, but somebody who’s working with the artist, who is acting as just a pedestrian walking down the street with you will kind of push you and bump you.

So that way you step on the art and then now you’re being hassled to buy the artwork that you have actually ruined.

6:32

So again, specific locations, different things, just be mindful of all that.

And Jamal, you did mention the scam that Josh was in was when he was out drinking, so this next one is about drinking.

So when you are out drinking, don’t get so drunk that you lose your wits about you.

If someone won’t leave you alone, you can always go to the bartender and tell them.

6:49

I know in the US they actually have like specific words to use so that they can like call you a cab or get you away from someone and provide you with some protection from that person.

I think this year I wanted to do things more on my own, even here in the US, and I did stay out one night after a friend had parted ways with me and kind of had a situation like that.

7:11

I didn’t, I still had my wits about me, but there was someone that like wouldn’t leave me alone.

And I kind of just realized as a female staying out past a certain time at night and drinking, it’s just not smart to do so.

In terms of safety, I would just try to avoid situations like that where they’re more likely more common to occur.

7:32

You’re going to want to keep your valuables safe and secure.

In the USI know a lot of times when we’re sitting at a restaurant, we might have our phone on the table and we’re just talking and we might look away.

That is a good chance for someone to steal your phone.

And it happens while traveling all the time.

7:49

So keep your stuff safe, passport, cash, other valuables that you have.

There’s a ton of things that you could wear, like a hidden pouch, a crossbody bag for women.

Make sure it’s zipped up is really important because I’ve actually had a phone stolen from me in Rosarito, Mexico.

8:07

I did not have my wits about me this time.

It was spring break and someone just took my phone out of my purse because it wasn’t zipped up.

And just be aware of your surroundings, too, especially in crowded places like markets or metros, tourist attractions.

There was one time when we were all in Mexico City, and Jamal was so worried that one of us was going to get our phone stolen or a purse stolen.

8:28

And he kept telling, like, have your purses in front of you, have them zipped up.

And it was so crowded on the metro loading zone that Jamal was so worried about us, he wasn’t paying attention to himself.

And he had his phone and his wallet in his pocket, but in two different pockets.

And during all of the commotion of trying to get on and off the metro, his phone did get stolen.

8:47

Back like sardines in there.

I really didn’t feel it happened, but yes, I was travelling with you, Brittany, Kim and Zayna at the same time and you guys had your purses in front of you zipped up.

And I’m looking at that and I just completely lost track of my personal situation and awareness and it happened.

9:04

That’s actually the only time I’ve ever had anything stolen from me or pickpocketed from me while traveling was that.

But also in terms of like keeping valuables secure and staying alert, kind of going back to the tip of certain places have certain scams and things going on.

9:23

Brittany and I are about to be going to Brazil, more specifically Rio de Janeiro.

It’s a very common scam.

Well, I shouldn’t call it a scam.

It’s a very common way to have something stolen from you is when you’re walking along their famous beach promenades.

People have their phones out taking selfies doing this.

9:39

They’re a little too close to the bike lane.

Bikers are known to come and grab your phone while it’s held out.

So again, situational awareness, keep your valuable secure and around you and just stay alert.

Talking about health safety as well, you’ll want to before your trip, look at the CDC website to see what vaccinations they recommend for that destination.

10:00

Get those vaccinations before you go so you have that protection.

Pack a little first aid kit.

We’ve talked about this in different episodes.

Brittany’s a huge supporter of first aid kit.

She even got me on a first aid kit.

Yes, it’s so important, Kim, especially when you wear terrible shoes and you get blisters and, you know, all sorts of other stuff.

10:20

It’s just necessary to have a few band aids and alcohol swabs and things like that.

If we had alcohol swabs when Jamal got scratched by the monkey, he might have had less of a.

Freak out.

I needed like some sort of like.

Antibiotic cream.

Yeah, the antibiotic cream or some sort of shot.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, who know?

10:35

Who knows what I could have caught from that?

One, you know, I I just used my first aid kit when I was on this cruise, one of my family members had a little too many cocktails and it all came up on the dinner table and.

So no.

She was still sick and so I had charcoal pills in my little first aid care and I gave those to her.

10:54

Wonderful.

I’m so glad it came in handy.

And on the note of the CDC website though, and getting those vaccinations, some of them you have to get several weeks in advance for them to be effective while you’re on your trip.

So make sure you’re looking at least a month in advance and give yourself enough time to make the appointment and have the vaccine be in effect before you go.

11:12

You’ll also want to keep with you emergency contacts and important documents.

Jamal, I think you’d be a really good person to talk about this one because you kind of have this, this one buttoned up.

I always do.

And I feel like the real quick on the emergency contacts earlier we mentioned, yeah, have people that you stay in contact with to let them know when you’ve arrived from A to B, where you’re at, etcetera.

11:33

But what happens if your phone gets stolen?

Who remembers people’s phone numbers these days, let alone a majority of phone numbers, right.

So you want to create a little list of phone numbers that you don’t remember or know off the top of your head.

That way you can go ahead and reach out.

But to your point, Kim, every time we travel on a big international trip, I always have a folder with me that has a photocopy of our passports in case we lose it, copies of our credit cards.

12:00

That way we have our credit card numbers and the phone numbers to call the credit cards to say hey, yeah, it got stolen.

This that and the other are travel medical insurance.

Always have a print out copy of that.

So you want to keep and have these important documents should you lose it electronically or your physical items, passport, etcetera, phone get stolen or lost.

12:23

Yeah, Jamal and I have division of tasks when you travel and that is one of his tasks.

So I never have to worry about it because he always just has it done and ready for us for our trip.

Divide and conquer takes a village.

Really does.

Another tip for you is to blend in with the locals right?

12:39

You don’t want to stand out like a sore thumb and attract unwanted attention to yourself.

Doesn’t mean you need to dress like ultra conservatively and not look like yourself.

But if you’re going to, you know, like Costa Rica, yeah, say Dubai, right?

12:56

I mean, they want you to dress conservatively.

So you don’t want to dress like a stripper.

That would bring some attention to you.

And that could cause some bad faith actors to be attracted to you, right?

Or if you’re going to a country that isn’t as rich as Dubai, you certainly don’t want to flaunt all your finest just jewels or designer clothes, right?

13:16

Like you’re going to be a target for a scam or theft or potentially something worse.

So just be a little more.

Mindful.

Exactly Squatty’s in addition to all these tips, we have tons of other resources on our website for you, a ton of other tip episodes, destination episodes, itineraries that you can download and take our exact same trips.

13:37

You can sign up for our newsletter, which comes out twice a month and has even more of all of that.

So head over to our website, Travel squad pod, podcast.com and check it all out.

Another great tip for you guys is Transportation Safety.

You should always use a reputable transportation service.

13:54

And some places, I hate to say this, you should really look, is it better to take a cab?

Is it better to take an Uber or a Lyft?

Because sometimes, depending on the country in which you’re going, they’ll tell you it’s safer to take a Lyft or an Uber.

Or some places they’ll even tell you, hey actually the taxis are a lot more safer than taking it with Uber or Lyft.

14:13

That’s a great tip also.

And in some other different countries, like I know in Thailand, they actually have their own ride sharing app to use.

So it’s one that you’re going to want to download while you’re there.

In the Philippines, we use like jeepneys and in some other places you can use like things called collectivos.

14:30

So it really depends on the destination.

You’re going to just do a little research about transportation and what’s safe to take, what’s not safe to take if the cabs are regulated, not regulated, how to tell the difference between those sorts of things.

And because you have done that research, you will know what is safe.

14:46

And so I have a story for you.

When I was just in Mexico, I know that taking Uber in Mexico is safe.

I’ve done it a million times.

And so we’re standing outside the cruise terminal and waiting for our Uber and all of the taxi people are saying taxi, taxi, it’s not safe and blah, blah, blah.

15:05

And then the person with that I’m with is just hearing all this and believing it.

But what they’re trying to do is not have you do the Uber so that they could get your money for the cab.

But since I know it’s safe, I’m not going to also get scammed financially into paying more for a cab.

15:21

So do your research.

You know what’s safe, and you also know how to save money.

And just in general, for regular public transport, just beware of your surroundings and avoid traveling alone at night.

I think that’s a really good tip in general.

But kind of on that point, and again, we’re not ragging on Mexico.

15:37

We love Mexico, but this is just a good tip.

And since we live so close to it, we’re there a lot more often.

But as a good example too, of doing research, when we were going to Mexico City for the first time, they were saying, yeah, when you arrive in the airport in Mexico City, there is a spot in the terminals before you’re about to leave where you can actually get your cab prepaid for it upfront.

16:01

And they put you in the regulated taxis.

And that’s a lot safer than going outside and catching a taxi from somebody who’s unregulated.

Or even if they’re regulated taxi doesn’t mean that it’s actually metered.

And instead of negotiating a price and then having them change it on you, you don’t want to do that.

16:18

So when you’re in Mexico City, as a great example, that’s something that we learned by just doing the research.

So always comes in handy doing that research to understand these little nuances of the specific location you’re going to be in.

Another tip for you is to just know some local laws and regulations.

16:34

While you’re in certain countries, you may not be able to drink.

Actually in the US there’s some dry counties even or you can’t buy alcohol after a certain hour.

So just knowing some local laws and regulations just can be helpful so that you can respect the laws when you’re visiting that country.

16:51

Like for you all, you’re going to Thailand soon and there is a law that you’re not allowed to speak badly about the Buddha.

Oh, I didn’t know that.

See, I didn’t know that one.

Or say anything bad about their king.

So you can’t even say that that’s against the law.

You.

Can’t get a tattoo of the Buddha either.

17:06

You’re not supposed to, and people do, and they find themselves in a lot of trouble for it.

Interesting.

See, these are good laws to know about.

Yeah, yeah.

When it comes to money, you could attract a lot of unsafe situations when it comes to money, but when you’re travelling you are probably going to have to use an ATM at some point.

17:24

Just be extra careful when you’re doing that.

Try to find one that’s well lit, one that’s inside, one that has a security guard maybe near there.

Like be aware of your surroundings.

You don’t want to get mugged right after you pull out all those big bills.

Yeah.

Even in some countries, if you are trying to pull out a lot of cash, it’ll actually spit out an IOU, but may deduct it from your bank account even though it didn’t give you the money.

17:46

And so knowing that kind of in advance, like our tour guide told us, that could be something that potentially happened while we were in Morocco.

And so he took us to specific ATMs to use that that wouldn’t happen.

Interesting.

And then our last tip for you is to just know a couple key phrases in the local language.

18:04

So we always say, you know, thank you, please, where’s the bathroom, things like that.

But for safety help, please, doctor, I need assistance.

Those could all be key terms that could really help you if a safety situation does come up.

I think anywhere you go internationally, it’s always good to know key phrases.

18:23

Yes, those are great ones for safety, but in general, it’s something polite to do in general to know the customary key phrases.

So why not add on those little extras for your own personal safety if you need that assistance?

Or maybe even target scam getter.

18:41

Turn those ones too.

And with that, squattys.

Thank you so much for tuning into this week’s.

Just a tip.

Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on all the socials at Travel Squad Podcast.

And have fun travelling this weekend.