Important Safety Tips For Solo Travelers

Traveling solo can bring the respect and admiration of many. It takes guts and courage to conquer the world on your own. But that doesn’t mean this exciting way to travel isn’t without risk. While you may be a seasoned traveler, here are ten safety tips to think about before your next vacation.

1. Take a moment to listen to your instincts and go with your gut. If a situation doesn’t feel right then it’s probably not. Your common sense will get you out of some sticky spots sometimes.
   
2. Make copies of all of your important identification cards. Passports, driver’s licenses and even credit cards can be handy to have copies of when you are abroad. Better yet email copies of these to yourself or save them to an online storage site like Dropbox.
3. Buy travel insurance. There are too many what-ifs that can keep you awake at night. Rest easy knowing that you are taken care of while enjoying your travels. Insurance can cover everything from delayed or cancelled flights to extreme adventure travel. Do your research and travel smart.
   
4. Made new friends? Stay in a public space when meeting with them until you feel as though you’ve gotten to know people on a more personal level. There are a lot of good people out there, but bad ones as well. Just behave as you would at home and you should be fine.
5. Be alert. Who is around you? Where is your bag? Keep it near you and in front of your body. Don’t get distracted. Most pickpocketing situations start with a diversion that will catch you off guard and leave you without a wallet. Be curious but stay cautious.  
   
6. Lock up your valuables. Use your hotel safe and lock up your important items with a code no one else knows. If you don’t want them to be lost, don’t take them out on the town with you.
7. Know where you need to be and walk with confidence. Keep your head up and your eyes forward. Exuding confidence will make you less of a target and never check a map in the middle of a busy area.
   
8. Try to blend in. Take a critical look at your outfits and try to make them as generic as possible. That usually means leaving sports or other branded t-shirts at home and instead adopting a more universally accepted fashion sense. Thieves love to prey on tourists, so do what you can to look as local as you can.
9. When people ask who you are with, don’t say you are alone. Avoid the topic if possible and even make a little white lie. It’s never a good idea to announce to the world that you are alone and therefore an even greater target for bad acts.
   
10. Familiarize yourself with a map before you go out. Not only will it make you look like a local who knows where they are going, but it also helps you blend in without a giant map in your hands. If you’re in a metropolitan area, consider downloading a map before leaving home. That way you can check directions and look like an urbanite at the same time.

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.