When you’re traveling solo, the number of exciting plans you can make can seem endless. However, as you travel alone, you also have to be more aware than ever of the dangers that travel can pose. Being on top of the planning process, and knowing what steps you can take to stay safe while traveling solo becomes critical. To help you out on your journey, here are eight of the most important travel tips for solo travelers to keep in mind:
1. Avoid Reckless Behavior
It’s fun to let loose when you’re traveling, but knowing your limits is crucial if you want to stay safe and secure. Especially if you plan on indulging in drinking, know that you have somewhere safe to stay and that you do so with someone else. Being intoxicated in a new place, especially in a big city, by yourself is a recipe for disaster, after all. Additionally, avoid any other reckless, shortsighted activities to ensure you’re able to get back to your hotel or Airbnb safely every night while you’re traveling.
2. Use Rideshares Carefully and Safely
Rideshares are common for travelers and have become a convenient way to explore cities without built-in public transportation. However, if you do not remain aware of the dangers surrounding rideshare use, you could become an unwitting victim. Always ensure you’re getting in the right rideshare, and stay aware of traffic as you get in and out of your rideshare, and you’ll be much safer. Knowing what legal steps to take in case you get injured in an Uber accident becomes critically important as well.
3. Always Share Your Travel Plans
When you’re traveling, especially if you go abroad, letting someone close to you understand your plans for each day is a great safety precaution. Doing so ensures that someone is there to alert people if you suddenly go off the grid unexpectedly. Even if something as innocent as your phone dying occurs while you’re traveling, it can put you in a frustrating, and potentially-dangerous situation. By letting someone else know your plans, you add one extra layer of security around you and become more assured that you’ll have an amazing summertime trip.
4. Keep Your Valuables Secure
Pickpockets and thieves are often very good at what they do. If you leave your valuables, wallet, or jewelry loose or easy to access, the chances of you being targeted increase drastically. To avoid this situation, simply make sure you put extra effort into securing your valuables. If you’re traveling alone, this step becomes all the more important. If you’re worried about an emotionally-valuable piece of jewelry (or another item) being stolen, it’s best to lock it up in the cabinet rather than carrying it on your person while traveling
5. Plan Your Travel Routes Beforehand
Nothing is as frustrating as realizing your lost while on a trip. If you’re on the best beaches for surfing, a big city, or some other large location, being lost can also become dangerous. By planning your traveling routes, you’ll keep your trip safer, more enjoyable, and much more efficient. Understanding that there will almost always be some unforeseen travel problems is normal, however, so do not stress yourself out if plans do not always go 100% according to plan. Now you just have to determine what exciting place you want to travel to!
6. Consider Travel Insurance
Travelers insurance is an excellent way to give yourself extra peace of mind while traveling, especially if you’re bringing along expensive equipment like a camera. Even if your flight gets suddenly delayed (which is more common than ever these days), the costs that can begin to build up, as a result, can ruin a vacation. By having traveler’s insurance, you’ll be protected against these unexpected costs or the price of any valuables that may be stolen or lost while you’re traveling.
7. Avoid Being a Target By Staying Aware of Your Surroundings
Knowing what your immediate surroundings are is critical to staying safe, even if you’re just going about your day-to-day routines. When you’re traveling, however, the need to be alert, aware, and in the moment becomes much more important. Not only will this make you less likely to be targeted by a crime, but it also ensures you’ll keep on schedule as you go about enjoying your trip.
8. Have an Emergency Plan
Having a specific emergency plan in place for unexpected occurrences will keep you much safer as you’re traveling. In the case of a robbery, some other crime, becoming lost, or losing a phone battery, an emergency plan will ensure you’re able to regain your footing and get to safety as soon as humanly possible. Combining this emergency plan with letting a loved one know your daily plans is a key way to stay incredibly safe, secure, and confident as you’re traveling in a new location.
Time to Enjoy Your Solo Travel in 2022
With these eight tips under your belt, you’ll have no issue safely enjoying your traveling efforts in 2022. However, never assume you’ll be able to simply pick up traveling needs and route plans as you go, as this is one of the other most dangerous assumptions you can make (especially when traveling solo).
