Top Travel Safety Tips for Solo Adventurers!!!
After years of traveling I’ve developed a rather risk tolerant personality. Scuba diving? Daily at times!! Sky diving? Sure, why not? Grabbing a bottle of water and heading out into Beijing with no idea where I’d end up. Yep. Done it. Ended up getting drunk with a famous artist and somehow managing to make it back to my hotel after a night of reckless abandonment. Yep. True story.
But, nevertheless, I do believe that those adventures (or misadventures depending on how you define them), actually led to some realizations of how to be a safe traveler that I will share with you below. So, here are my top tips for traveling safely.
Top Travel Safety Tips.
While my blog is rally aimed at solo travelers, these are generally pretty universal. However, I’ll add some solo traveler thoughts.
No. 1: Research. Specific Research. More Research.
I have a home in Honduras and travel there frequently. Honduras is arguably one of the most dangerous countries in the world, yet I sleep with open windows and unlocked doors (doesn’t hurt that I have two dogs next to me who hear everything).
But my point is this: you need to do very specific research on the area you intend to visit. In the above, I’m using the counter-example. The U.S. State Department would advise against travel to Honduras yet the Bay Islands of Honduras (and in particular the tourist areas of those islands) are incredibly safe sans petty theft and other minor issues.
This may be as specific as the area(s) of town which you intend to visit. I’m writing this in Paris. I’m staying in the Marais area. Which is incredibly safe. As is almost every area intend to visit. So. Do your research. Especially if you intend to go out alone at night.
No. 2: Ask Locals.
If you are staying in a hotel, ask the concierge. If not, ask anyone. Like your waiter at breakfast or your neighbor at the Airbnb. Tell them what area of town you intend to visit and observe their reaction. Is it mild shock? Are they petrified? Do they smirk?
See what folks say online.
For example, if you are staying at a hotel, look at what the reviews of the hotel say on Google or other website. Do people comment about the area? Most will say something like “great location”. If you are staying in an Airbnb, don’t be afraid to point blank ask the host before you book “Hey I’m solo traveling and a bit nervous, is this an area where someone can feel safe going out at night by themselves?”. Normally, most will be honest.
No. 3: Be wary of the Overpolite Stranger.
This is particularly true of solo travelers. We don’t want someone harvesting your organs and leaving you in a bathtub full of ice… I jest. I jest.
But seriously… In one of my other posts I commented that people are nicer when you are traveling alone…
And I still believe that to be true. But there is a difference between being nice and being overly polite so as to lure you into something. You are not a kid and that is not candy…
As a single male, I have frequently been approached by young, attractive females. Despite my strong desire to want those overtures to probably be because I am that good looking that they noticed me across the room, I realize it probably isn’t. If someone seems to be going out of their way to get to know me or to ask questions about who I am with etc, that rings alarm bells and I will move away to a crowded area. So, while I’m not advocating paranoia of strangers (we have enough of that in our World), I’m advocating caution. And on that note….
No. 4: Use Common Sense/Trust Your Instincts.
Humans have actually developed pretty refined instincts for danger over our thousands of years of roaming this earth. So. Not to Geek out. But your conscious mind processes about 40 bytes of information per second. The unconscious mind process about 11,000,000 per second. Yep 11 million bytes per second. Literally 100 times faster than your wifi connection..
So that feeling of being scared. There may very well be a good reason for it and you just don’t know why. Listen to it.
But also use some common sense. Don’t wear fancy jewelry or clothing.. Dress for where you are going. Don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Don’t be loud or boisterous like some Americans. Don’t get sloppy drunk where you can’t perceive your surroundings unless you know where you are. Don’t wander into random side streets at night in a questionable area. Be mindful of your surroundings. Just don’t do something silly.
No. 5: Carry What You Need.
In the same vein as don’t were jewelry or fancy clothes: carry what you need. Take a picture of your passport. Don’t carry the actual passport. Carry a small amount of cash and credit cards. Very few places in the world don’t accept electronic payments. Trust me. I’ve ben there. It’s rare that it’s an issue.
No. 6: Consider More “touristy” destinations at first.
So while you build your travel confidence, particularly as a solo adventurer, consider more touristy destinations and staying within the “resort” or “tourist” zones.
Cozumel? Great place. The entire island is basically safe. Acapulco? Not so much anymore. Matzalan? Great if you stay in the resort areas.
For your first few solo adventures, consider more tourist friendly cities or events! Hotels in major cities in nice areas of town? Perfect solo adventure. Las Vegas strip? Great. The underbelly of Vegas? Not so much. Once you develop really good situational awareness, get more adventurous. You’ll be glad you did.
So…. Have I convinced you?
Are you ready for your solo adventure??? Let me know where you go!!!
The Video.
Check out my youtube video on the advantages of solo travel!!!