Travelling can be an eye-opening experience that takes you on a journey beyond your wildest dreams. Whether you’re after a few London travel tips for planning a trek up the historic Machu Picchu, knowing some top travel tips can help you better plan your vacation. There are tons of travel tips and reviews out there, but here are 15 essential travel safety tips we think you should know.
Be Safe With a Portable Door Lock
While it’s not common, hotels sometimes overbook, giving another guest the key to what they believe is their room only to end up in yours. One way to ensure no one enters your room unexpectedly is by using a portable door lock that you latch onto your door from the inside. It will keep an intruder from entering your room.
Get Alerted With a Door Stop Alarm
Similar to the portable door lock, the job of the door stop alarm is to keep unwanted people from entering your room. Unlike traditional wedge door stops, this kind has a built-in alarm sound bound to keep unwanted people away. Choose your volume level, ranging from low, medium and high, and place the battery-used device under the door.
Write Down Emergency Contacts
We live in a digital world where our lives are practically inside our devices. But what happens if you are unfortunate enough to have it stolen? This is where going old school helps! Write down important contacts (including the police number in the country you’re visiting) in your emergency contact book (basically a notebook) and keep it at your accommodation. That way, if you lose your phone, you’ll be able to notify the police and loved ones faster.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen
Photo: Black Girl Sunscreen
We all love the sun, but no matter how much you love vitamin D, you should prioritise protecting your skin by applying sunscreen. A good travel size sunscreen with SPF 30 (or higher, depending on your skin) is essential to reduce skin damage from UV rays. Black Girl Sunscreen, formulated by women of colour for people of colour, is an amazing option for everyday use. Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 is another choice, made with sunflower extract and suitable for the face and body. We expect you to throw that sunscreen in your travel tote bag or travel crossbody bag and protect it with your life!
Print Out Digital Copies of Your Documents
The last thing you want is for your passport to be stolen. As your most valuable document, it’s best to make a copy of it and keep it with you in your suitcase in the event that it ever gets out of your hands, it’ll help make the process of getting a replacement easier.
Add a Guest to Your Hotel Booking
Are you a spa travel gal looking to unwind? Or perhaps you’ve been thinking of going on mommy travels to relax. If you’re a bit paranoid about your accommodation, especially as a solo female traveller, we recommend adding a male name to your hotel booking to make it look like you’ll have company during your stay.
Get Travel Insurance
How many times have you skipped travel insurance when planning a vacation? While you never think you’ll need it, you never know! If you’re worried about losing your belongings whilst away, we’d recommend getting travel insurance just to take the ease off. Platforms like Money Super Market can help you get sorted by comparing different insurances, allowing you to find one best suitable for you.
Do Your Research On Where You’re Going
Regardless if you’re looking for travel tips for Europe or family travel tips to the UAE, make sure you do your research before booking anything. Organise your travel outfits accordingly, and remember – you’re a visitor in someone else’s country, and it’s for you as a traveller to respect how they live.
Don’t Post in Real Time
So you’re big on curated travel and want to show off living your best life on vacation. We get it – the travel bug will do that to you. But having a public profile and tagging the venues you’re visiting whilst there means that people have access to you. To stay safe, always post your pictures and stories once you’ve left the venue. The same goes for hotels!
Be Prepared With a First Aid Kit
The chances of needing a first aid kit are relatively low. But that doesn’t mean that you should disregard them. A car first aid kit containing essentials such as bandages and eye pods is particularly good for road trips, as you might find yourself in areas with no stores nearby.
Use reputable transportation companies
You might be used to ordering uber left and right, but are they available at your chosen destination? Research which taxi companies are reputable before you arrive and if you’re still unsure upon arrival, speak to the concierge at your hotel for assistance. Travel tips for top transportation services can be a lifesaver!
Stay Cool With a Handheld fan
A mini portable fan will save you if you’re travelling to warm countries or if you’re prone to experience increased body heat. As you navigate through different places, you’ll notice that not every venue or building will have AC, and a quality fan can keep you from experiencing overbearing heat. Can we say travel joy? Instead of purchasing a traditional wooden fan, opt for a chargeable electric variant.
Place Your Belongings in The Safe
Depending on what type of traveller you are, you might be happy to leave your travel gear, such as your laptop or camera, in your open suitcase. But to be on the safe side, you should put your possessions in a safe during your stay. Just remember to take them out when you leave. In the event that you can’t fit some of your belongings in the safe, we recommend tucking it into your suitcase and closing it. If possible, get a suitcase with a luggage lock to prevent anyone from opening it without your consent.
Protect Yourself With a Face Mask
Restrictions have been scrapped as life has gone back to normal in most countries. However, while you might be free to roam around without a face mask in your country, others, such as Japan, still require people to wear them at various places. It’s always best to keep a blue or black disposable face mask when travelling in case you ever need it.
Stay aware of your surroundings
Pay attention to what’s going on around you regardless of where you are. Pickpocketing takes place in all countries, and it can be easy for possible offenders to target you if they think that you look vulnerable.
