This article’s recommendations may include affiliate links.
There’s no greater buzz kill than being robbed while on a relaxing vacation. In 15+ years of global traveling, I have been lucky enough to avoid theft in even the shadiest of places. Here are my best travel safety tips for a pleasant trip.
6 steps you can take to keep your property safe & avoid theft abroad
1. Be Aware of your surroundings
The most important rule — yet very few people follow it. Be aware of your surroundings. Yes, I know that beautiful view of the mountains at sunset is photo-worthy, but don’t forget about your bag while trying to get the perfect shot.
Observe the people around you and make sure you are alert when traveling alone. Your peripheral vision is a blessing, so USE IT. If you feel like something isn’t right, then don’t continue on.
When I think someone might be following me or observing my every move, I choose alternate routes & sometimes even stop abruptly.
Usually, they’ll realize you are suspicious and move on to their next target. I recommend going into a café or store where there are more people around; this lessens the chance of anyone bothering you.
2. Learn to pack Light
The best target for theft is a stressed and overwhelmed target. When you overpack you increase your chances of losing track of your belongings.
Carrying more baggage than you can bear, distracted by both the tote slipping off of your shoulder and your backpack hanging off of your other arm, your disarray is a perfect opportunity for sticky fingers to quickly swipe your valuables.
View my tips on traveling light to avoid becoming a target.
3. Keep your important documents separate
Contrary to the advice of many, I don’t believe it is best to keep your important items together while traveling. In fact, I am a passionate advocate for separating all valuables, period.
Here’s why: With most thefts, usually one bag is taken quickly, so by dividing your property you increase your chances of saving valuables if you end up in an unavoidable situation.
I store my money in three different places: my backpack, purse, and pockets. My passport is always in a different bag than its paper copy, and I always keep a backup credit card separate from my primary wallet. Lastly, I keep my phone in its own dedicated spot, out of my bags, so if anything is stolen I can call and replace it easily.
Organized disorganization will lessen the amount of items taken if you are ever in a pickle.
4. Find A Unique Hiding Spot
Now, I am not going to tell you ALL of my hiding places (or else they wouldn’t be so hidden), but I will tell you what’s worked for me in the past. I used to always forget a lock and there was rarely a safe provided in hostels, so this is important!
One of my favorite hiding spots is the mattress top. I often place my passport on my mattress, under my fitted sheet so that I am sleeping on top of it (note: you must take the sheets off and remake the bed; avoid the popular hiding spot under the mattress). I usually place emergency money with it, as well.
My second favorite spot is — wait for it — a tampon box. Because no one wants to dig through a box of tampons looking for your money. Please note: these are unused tampons.
Other unique hiding spots include: under your shoe’s insole, in the wheel of your luggage (or a hidden compartment), inside a book, or inside an old bag of chips.
5. Have a Back-Up Plan
Now if someone really wants to rob you, you might not be able to avoid it — and that’s the truth. However, there are plenty of amateurs out there looking for fast swipes, and busy tourists make it way too easy. If, unfortunately, this ever happens to you, make sure you have a backup plan:
- Carry a paper photocopy of your passport and email one to yourself.
- Back up your laptop and phone before traveling in case it is ever stolen.
- Turn on your “Find My iPhone” feature or any tracking devices your electronics might have.
- Upload your vacation photos daily to a Dropbox or backup in case of theft or loss. Here’s an extra 500MB if you sign up for a free Dropbox account with this link.
- Let your bank know you are traveling and try to only use credit cards instead of debit. Fraudulent charges can easily be refunded with credit.
- Only travel with clothing/jewelry that you are okay with losing.
6. Avoid being too flashy
Social platforms like Instagram have made it all too easy to get caught up flashing our valuables. Whether a photoshoot with the latest camera or an expensive outfit guaranteed to get you “likes”, the louder your presence the easier it is to target you.
While your vacation shouldn’t suffer (nor your great vacation photos), consider how your actions may impact the community and grab the attention of sticky fingers.
COMMENT BELOW: Share your recommendations or travel story
I hope you found these tips useful. Have an amazing – and safe – vacation! As always, mind your surroundings and enjoy exploring the world.
xx, O.
* * *
Hey Pinterest Fam!
Share this guide on How to Avoid Theft While Traveling by pinning the image below to your planning board.
Haha…. nice timing: just being robbed this week in Nicaragua. Bits and pieces and unfortunately my camera. Part of travelling I’m afraid.
Around 11 in the morning. Strange time, strange place.
Won’t stop me from travelling. Too beautiful and too many good things happening.
Can’t believe the quote you choose of Jack Kerouac’s "On the Road" my favorite one. Although, some mad man are a little bit mad on the wrong side 🙂
Hope to do yoga with you one day!
John
http://www.dutchsmilingyogi.com
Oh no! That’s awful! In hindsight, was there any way it could’ve been prevented, or were there any signs?
Yes I love that quote and crazy book! Especially because I was hopping back and forth to the same places during the time I read it (coincidentally).
Maybe we’ll cross paths one day! Thanks for reading.
Carry a few american express travelers cheques. Know where the AE offices are. They will cash them. The hotel you stay at will usually cash them too. Banks may or may not, but will charge a service fee. But they are hard for the Black Hats to cash.
Consider a money belt.
Carry an obvious wallet with not much in it. Use that wallet for casual purchases (barbecued guinea pig in Lima, Peru…)
Shoulder bag straps need to be difficult to cut. If you have patience, you can whip stitch 1/16" aircraft control cable onto the edges.
Don’t use new stuff. If you look a little dirty, a little tattered, you aren’t as tempting a target.
Wear shoes you can run in.
If you lock your stuff with a cable lock, run it through something other than the straps. Make so they have to destroy the lock or the cable or the bag to get it.
Don’t cheap out on the lock.
Take all your documents and photocopy them. Have a photocopy in every piece of luggage.
Brief someone at home so you have a consistent story that you are worth ransoming.
Learn the local lingo.
When in doubt lean against a wall.
Spoken like a true pro! Thanks for the tips beyond avoiding getting your stuff stolen, but also avoiding getting kidnapped or worse (eeek!).
Thanks for reading 🙂
I’m curious, why do you think it’s better to use credit instead of debit?
I only use my debit card (credit card free for quite a while).
Although, now that it’s suddenly stopped working, I do wish I had an alternative to pay for things.
Hi Josh! For that reason, exactly. If something bad happened and you needed money, you’d run out of cash pretty quickly and then end up stuck in a desperate, broke rut.
Now I’m not condoning going on a credit card shopping spree, nor spending beyond your means, but when fraudulent charges occur or the camera of a traveling photographer is stolen, you need to be able to quickly resolve the issue and can’t quite do that when using debit.
Plus you get points (airline, hotels, etc.) if you have a good rewards card, which I’m definitely not complaining about 😉
Just remember to pay off your balance every month if you’re concerned about interest charges.
The difference: A DEBIT card is used to withdraw YOUR money and the bank is merely a "custodian" and the custodians don’t like to make up YOUR missing money. On the other hand, a CREDIT card means that you will be using THEIR money (until you pay it back at statement time) and they usually have provisions in the credit card contract that will allow them to refuse to accept the fraudulent credit card use when you complain. I have found that American Express CC’s are the cat’s meow. If a purchase is made, such as online, where the card is not physically present, the automatically email you… or even phone you, to make sure it is a purchase that YOU made. They will cancel your stolen/lost card immediately and get you a new one at the nearest AMEX office to you. Great service.