I’ll start by saying that personally, I have backpack with shoe compartment never had any safety or safety issues while traveling – besides, the half-empty bottle of shower gel goes away after I leave it in the shower. water (I’m very sorry!) If you follow the basic advice and use your common sense, you shouldn’t either.
Destination safety
You should always check your local foreign office for information on how safe your destination is. This will give your government your official position on the safety of that destination.
However, a travel warning from your overseas office does not mean that you will not be able to go. Oftentimes, only a small part of that country is insecure. But the foreign office will declare the whole country unstable. Therefore, it is a good idea to cross the check with other foreign offices and offices.
What to do if your destination is insecure when there?
You are unlikely to experience any political change, especially outside the city. But it can happen – a coup in Bangkok seems to happen every three or four years.
Usually, tourists are not targets and your trip will not be affected. But you should avoid protests or mass demonstrations.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are highly unlikely to feel insecure or targeted, you have two options. The first is to go to your embassy. Keep in mind that embassies can sometimes be targeted if your embassy is targeted. Nearby embassies often provide refugees – i.e. British citizens should go to an Australian, US, or Canadian embassy and vice versa.
Note the embassy address before traveling
The second option is to get out as quickly as possible. It can be as easy as taking a bus out of town, but as complicated a backpack with shoe compartment as calling an international office for expert advice. I have to repeat that this is very rare and it hasn’t happened to me or anyone I have ever met.
Safety precautions for women
You should dress appropriately when traveling to certain destinations. Respect religious traditions of dress code and avoid sexual harassment by dressing carefully. Consider wearing shoes that you can run when in high-risk areas.
Avoid being alone after dark. If this is unavoidable, stick it in a well-lit and crowded area.
Take rape alarms with you when you go to a place where you may be at risk. Make sure it’s easy to reach – in your pocket or attached to. (Not in) your pocket
Western women tend to be promiscuous about certain cultures, so if they are abused, ignore them or tell them you don’t like them, and they should step away. If you walk into a shop or hotel and tell the owner If necessary, call the police.
If arrested or abused, scream as loud as you can or activate the rape alarm, don’t try to plead or haggle. Fight back, take any objects around you and aim them at your head, knee, or individual.
If you are sharing a hostel with other travelers that make you feel uncomfortable, you should notify them and the hostel’s management, asking them to move if necessary. Most hostels provide female-only dormitory rooms, so if you’re uncomfortable sharing a room with men, this is a great solution.
How to avoid getting robbed
Similar principles for not getting robbed of anywhere – use your common sense.
Don’t show off your valuables, especially in an adventurous area or in a country where valuables are strange or hard to find.
Don’t mess with your people too much, and make sure valuables are safe and concealed, whether they’re in a zipped pocket or a locked bag. Keep other valuables safe in your dormitory.
Mix it up, what I mean is don’t act like a tourist. Do not sift through large amounts of banknotes in your wallet looking for the right currency.
Get safety advice from your hostel. Do not go to areas where you are not recommended or areas where you will stand out and be targeted.
Stay alert Especially when at ATMs and when handing out currency. The main landmarks for pickpockets are markets and transport terminals.
If you are about to drink, don’t bring your valuables and take extra precautions.
Don’t fall asleep on public transport or put things you don’t want to lose in the overhead storage. From what I hear from travel companions, this is the most common situation in which people have their stuff stolen.
Don’t keep valuables together Especially cash – there is always emergency storage, for example, in document socks. You should have a copy of your passport, kept separate from the original.
I’m not a big fan of wallets/wallets/seat belts, I believe they act like magnets for thieves – alert them to the fact that you have something valuable to you. If you insist on accepting this, don’t make it public, always move to a thoughtful place.
If you feel you are under threat, look for an exit point and consider leaving, or even run.
How to protect your belongings in the dormitory
Everyone has these misconceptions that local people pick up their goods. But the sad truth is that the biggest threat comes from your traveling companions.
Really pretty clear considering you share a room with an average of 6 strangers per night. However, it’s important to remember that only a small percentage of people turn to steal.
Most backpackers aren’t rich and it can be very tempting for some to help themselves, even with the unexpected. Don’t put anything past people – from chopsticks to chargers. Tuna and toothpaste – I’ve heard a lot.
The problem is that most people trust it too much. The golden rule in the dorm, even if you don’t trust anyone who has your belongings, especially don’t be complete strangers.
Most crimes are opportunistic, unplanned
Leaving your iPhone unattended for a fee is just giving someone the opportunity to steal it – don’t give it to others.
If you leave your belongings unattended, make sure they are locked, which will also be used for when you sleep. Always keep valuables in a safe locker or hostel.
Deceive
Even though I mentioned above, I have never been a victim of a crime while backpacking. But I’ve come across one or two scams – and so will you.
They target tourists, so you’re likely to find them in most of the attractions you visit, especially in developing countries.
Some scammers have great methods of getting your money. Try to feel it – you can usually feel it when something is wrong, and if it sounds too good to be true, it might be. Don’t hand over money, property, or details until you can be sure everything is legal.
Only use licensed taxis, do not use the card in unprofessional shops or halls. Common sense is the key again, use it and you won’t be a victim.
Personally, the scam source is Hanoi, Vietnam – every hour I go there, I am the target of scammers.
Here is a list of some scams you may find, some more serious than others:
Deceive
The sales staff are friendly and considerate. Someone started conversing with you on the street, usually very friendly “Where are you from … Oh, I like it there … Do you know that?”. After a while, they will be offering a package. “Friend rate” for the massage, which they will arrange for you on the phone. However, when you get there, you find that the owner of the massage parlor is unaware of the deal or that the service does not exist.
How to avoid it: After a few things, you just know and ignore the conversation in the first place. Don’t pay for something until you see it.
British students Again, someone will come to you again that is very friendly, they will ask if they can talk to you in English because they are learning. Then ask for help with student fees or books, etc.
This might sound like a genuine one. But it happened to me 3 times in 3 days in Hanoi. There are a lot of scams like these that play with your emotions – but most of these sickening stories are scams.
How to avoid it: Just say sorry, I can’t help it or I don’t have money. If you’re feeling down, donate to a registered charity.
Scooter salesman The guy on the motorbike will pull up next to you and offer you something for sale. Usually, they take your money and ride away without giving you the merchandise.
How to avoid it: Simple, don’t buy anything from the person sitting on the escape car.
Distraction is very common, distractions will take their place, such as children coming to you, people who want to take pictures with you, someone spills things on you, etc., while others will pick up your bag.
How to avoid it: Don’t carry too many valuables with your person. Make sure your bag is locked and zipped. Alert and protect your valuables when a smokescreen like this is installed.
Your carrier will walk down the street with your own business in mind when people start pointing at your shoes. (Or bag or whatever) that it was broken and had to be fixed. Then one or two more people will start saying the same thing. They will try to repair your shoes while you’re still walking and charge you a fee.
How to avoid it: This has happened to me more than once. I started by saying “no.” If that didn’t work, I crossed the road and eventually started running.
A simple drug dealer will have someone offering you medication. If you buy them, they will reward the police officers.
How to avoid it: Don’t buy drugs. If you have to buy from other travelers or from someone the traveler said they had taken from before.
Fake police officer The person claiming to be the police will ask to see your passport and claim it is counterfeit, or claim that the money you just gave to the seller is counterfeit and ask you to pay a fine.
How to avoid it: Something difficult but very rare, as the penalties for scammers are very high. Tell them you are always advised to pay a fine at the local police station to avoid scammers. If it is real police, there should be no problem with this. Don’t get into the unmarked police car, ask them to take you to the station marked. If they have a problem with this issue, they are usually scammers, so call the police or your embassy.
Fake tickets will have someone sell you a bus ticket or another ticket, which is actually just a piece of paper on it.
How to avoid it: Buy directly from a certified travel agent or from a place your travel companions have previously bought from.
Credit card Your card will be scanned twice or the numbers copied.
How to avoid it: Don’t leave your card out of sight. Make sure the merchant swipes your card in front of you – if they “need to be removed”, ask them to do so. Request and collect the receipt.
Border crossing You will be asked to bring something across the border for the person waiting on the other side. This almost means that you are being used as a decoy – and if you get caught doing so in some places, it’s a goodbye for you.
How to avoid it: Don’t bring anything across borders that aren’t your own. Make sure your bag isn’t tampered with as well.
If you are the victim of a crime
First of all, if you’ve always been threatened with a weapon, lift your possessions. It’s not worth it, especially that you should be fully insured. Nowadays, it doesn’t take long for cancellations and replacements of passports, cards, etc.
You must take action immediately if you are the victim of a crime. The first step is to file a police report. (It may be important when claiming your insurance). However, depending on the nature of the crime, you may need/want to go to your embassy first.
