The ability to travel to new parts of the world is perhaps one of the greatest joys in life; experiencing new cultures, seeing new sights, meeting new people, and making memories. However, a lot of the time when we travel to a new and unfamiliar place we can be plagued by concerns of safety and these concerns can even put us off certain destinations or vacations!

We at Latitude21Resorts believe that if you take a few precautions, there’s no reason why you can’t travel anywhere that you may want to go! That’s why we have decided to put together a handy list of tips for staying safe on your vacation, to ease your mind, and let you truly enjoy the experience of traveling!

Naturally it can be worrying leaving your house while you’re away for long periods of time. The best thing you can do is make your house as secure as possible and also make it look “lived-in” while you are away. Place anything really valuable out of sight or away in a safe if you have one, and lockup all the doors and windows. Set a couple of the lamps in your house on a timer so they come on for a couple of hours in the evenings to make it look like someone’s home. Simple timers can be purchased at any hardware store to accomplish this. You can find many timers that simply plug into your wall socket, and then the lamp cord is plugged into the timer.

If you have a trustworthy neighbor that you’re friends with, or a close friend or family member who lives nearby, ask them nicely to check in a few times while you’re away to make sure the house looks lived in! This can include just making sure everything is locked up, watering the plants, mowing the lawn, taking out the trash and clearing away any mail that could be piling up on the front step, all of which could be signs to burglars that no one is home. You can always return the favor the next time your neighbor goes away on vacation!

One of the biggest preparations you can make for your safety on holiday is by purchasing travel insurance well in advance of your trip. If you’re unsure of which travel insurance company to go with, use a comparison website such as Go Compare to see which would work best for your needs and budget.

Another great way to prepare for your vacation is by doing your research. We know, “research” doesn’t sound fun, but trust us, sitting down at your computer and getting the 411 on your holiday destination is a fantastic way of getting excited for your trip! While you’re researching, be sure to familiarize yourself with local laws and customs, places that you’d prefer to avoid visiting, and any scams that could be common in the area.

It’s not all doom and gloom: research will also guide you into forming your exciting vacation itinerary! Which leads us to our next point...

So, the flights and hotels are booked, you’ve checked out our blog for that all-important itinerary inspiration, and you’ve planned your perfect vacation!

Now, make copies of that itinerary and give it to a couple of family members or close friends. It should include the places you’re planning to stay, where you’ll be heading on different days, and when you’re expected home. If you’re planning on traveling around when you’re at your destination, then include the routes you’re thinking of taking. It never hurts for someone to know what your intended itinerary is!

Speaking of making copies, let’s talk about your passport. That’s right, before you leave, make a few photocopies of your passport. Leave one or two at home with family members or a neighbor, whoever you’re leaving a copy of your itinerary with. Then you’ll take a copy on the vacation with you, so you can lock up your passport in the safe of your vacation rental and keep the copy in your purse or wallet when you go out and about!

Remember those local laws and customs we mentioned earlier? Depending on your destination, these can sometimes include expected dress codes. Do your research in order to be respectful of any local dress codes and be mindful when packing so you can dress accordingly if you need to. Click here to see some of our other top packing tips.

One item that should certainly be on your packing list is a filtered water bottle, like a sleek KOR bottle from Amazon. It’s always useful to have a water bottle at hand, especially in a hot country where it’s more important than ever to stay hydrated! What’s more, if the local tap-water isn’t safe to drink, the built-in filter in your water bottle will come in extra handy and will save you from buying plastic water bottles which are harmful to the environment!

Another essential item for your packing list! You don’t have to cram an entire pharmacy into your suitcase, but a small first-aid kit would certainly not go amiss! We’re talking anti-septic and hand sanitizer, painkillers and tweezers, bug spray and band-aids. You can even find a cute little first aid pouch to keep it all organized in!

One more thing we suggest doing before you embark on your next adventure is to find out the emergency information for your destination, especially the local emergency phone number. Make a note of it on your phone, as well as on multiple pieces of paper that you can keep in safe places such as inside your wallet or purse, or in the safe in your hotel room. Remember, “911” maybe universal in the USA, but it is definitely not universal across the rest of the world!

Yippee, you’ve made it on vacation! You’ve done most of the legwork to ensure you have a safe trip, and now it’s time to relax and enjoy yourself! Here are just a few more useful precautions you can take when you’re on your holiday to keep yourself extra secure...

Meeting new people is one of our favorite things about traveling to new places, and you might even make friends for life! But familiarizing yourself with other guests at your resort, hotel staff, or other people on the same tour as you, can be helpful when you’re in a foreign country! Connecting with some friendly faces can be so significant in the unlikely event that something bad does happen, especially if you’re traveling alone! Check out our blog for more advice on traveling solo!

Being savvy with your money could save you from a sticky situation. Take advantage of the safe in your vacation rental and stow away your valuables and your money each time you leave; only take with you what you need for that day. Never carry all of your money at once and keep your credit or debit cards separate from your cash; for instance, carry your cards in your wallet or purse, and consider keeping your cash in a discreet money pouch or interior zip pocket.

We’ve already covered water safety with your new filtered water bottle, but what about food safety? You’ll likely be pretty safe at your hotel, or in busy, touristy areas, but it can’t hurt to do some research in advice, no matter where you’re headed for your next meal!

Quickly read up on restaurant reviews on TripAdvisor or Yelp before picking a place for dinner. If you’re feeling more spontaneous, or want to try out some local food stalls, it’s always a safer bet to head to the spots with the longer lines; this likely means the food is tastier, higher-quality, and most importantly, safer.

Another important note to make is that if you have any food allergies, learn in advance how to accurately express this allergy in the local language in case your server doesn’t speak English (this goes for allergies to medicines to).

And finally, one of our favorite tips of all time – speak to the locals! No one knows this destination better than they do! They’ll be able to tell you the areas that are safest and the areas that they would avoid, not to mention give you great inside knowledge on things to see, do, and eat!

Now, armed with our top tips for staying safe on vacation, you can get on with planning your next adventure with peace of mind!

Check out our website to see our offers on vacation rentals, where you can find a luxurious, safe space to lay your head next time you go away!