Safety tips for solo travelers are essential
Hello everyone! Let’s talk a little bit about safety. Now, as you may remember, my parents weren’t super thrilled with the idea of me going to another country alone (especially since they haven’t traveled abroad themselves). I wanted to share a few safety tips for solo travelers that I take before I even leave home — which helps give them peace of mind.
Keep reading to find out my top 5 safety tips for solo travelers.
1. Figure out your cell phone service
When you travel abroad, you likely won’t have the exact same type of cell service/coverage that you do in your home country. If you have T-Mobile, for example, you may still have unlimited data — but at throttled (lower) speeds. And while this can work in a pinch, it may be risky to rely on it as a solo traveler.
In order to make sure you always have reliable cell service, you could plan to buy a SIM card in the country you’re traveling to. Or, even better, you could download an eSIM card, such as Airalo, which is as easy as downloading an app (and setting it up). The benefit of Airalo is that you can get it ready before you’ve even left for your trip.
2. Agree on check-in dates/times
Keeping family and friends updated on your location and wellbeing is important, so be sure you check-in with them frequently. Even though you may be posting Instagram Stories left and right, take the time to let your family know you are safe. It only takes a few seconds to send a text.
Have a conversation about when, and how often, you will check in with your friends or family. With my parents, we decided that I would text them before I went to bed each night. That way, they always knew I had made it safely to my hotel, hostel, or Airbnb.
3. Prepare an itinerary and safety packet
Before I left for my trip, I printed out a comprehensive itinerary and safety packet for my family. It took a little bit of time to put together, but I know they appreciated it. The first section included a simple map of Spain with all the cities I would be visiting; a screenshot from a world clock website, highlighting the fact that Spain was seven time zones ahead of where we live; and a day-by-day list of my activities, including screenshots of travel plans and where I would be sleeping at night.
The second section was addresses and contact information for all my hostels and the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Madrid and Barcelona. The third section was a copy of my passport. Of course, we all hoped that they would never need the information from these two sections, but we all felt better knowing it was there just in case.
4. Store important documents online
When you’ve booked flights, train travel, events, and excursions well in advance, you want to make sure you have everything you need when the day comes. Not only that — but remember the copy of your passport you gave to your parents? Make one for yourself, too. I printed copies of all these documents when I was at home and kept them in a secret part of my backpack until I needed them, but sometimes things get lost or rained on.
Worst case scenario? Your passport gets stolen, and you’re in a lot of trouble. For this reason, I saved all my tickets, confirmations, and that passport copy on Google Drive — which I knew I could access from any computer, anywhere in the world. Knowing it was easily accessible and that I could print a new copy from my hostel or a print shop ultimately meant less stress and more security for me, which is always a good thing.
5. Sign up for the Smart Travelers Enrollment Program (STEP)
If you’re going international, it’s a good idea to register your trip with the U.S. Department of State. It’s a way for the Embassy in the country in which you’re traveling can keep you posted with important information. For example, if there are protests or demonstrations planned in a certain area of a city, they may email you with details and encourage you to avoid the area. Also, it’s a great way for the Embassy to be able to contact you in case of emergency.
Do you have any other safety tips for solo travelers? Or how do you keep yourself safe when traveling? Let me know in the comments!
-Cathy
This site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
Originally Published on June 11, 2017.
Leave a Reply