Staying safe on holiday abroad is mostly about sensible precautions and awareness, letting you enjoy your trip with peace of mind. A few simple habits go a long way to avoiding common problems. This guide explains how to stay safe on holiday abroad. It is general information, not a substitute for official advice, so always check the FCDO guidance for your destination and use your own judgement about your specific circumstances and surroundings.
Research your destination
Good safety starts before you go, with research into your destination, including any risks, areas to avoid, local laws and customs, and practical safety information. Knowing what to expect helps you prepare and behave appropriately. Our guide on checking FCDO travel advice is the place to start. Understanding your destination's safety situation, local norms and any particular risks before you travel means you arrive informed and prepared, rather than learning about problems the hard way once you are there.
Check official travel advice
Check the official FCDO travel advice for your destination before and during your trip, as it covers safety, security and any warnings, and is updated to reflect changing conditions. Following its guidance helps you stay safe and keep your insurance valid. Our guide on how to check FCDO travel advice explains the process. Using the official advice as your foundation for safety, and acting on any warnings, ensures your precautions are based on current, authoritative information about the specific risks at your destination.
Protect your valuables
Take care of your valuables to avoid theft, keeping money, cards, documents and devices secure, not flashing expensive items, using hotel safes, and being especially careful in crowded tourist areas where pickpockets operate. Our guide on how to avoid pickpockets and scams covers this. Protecting your belongings through sensible habits, such as keeping valuables secure and out of sight and being alert in crowds, greatly reduces the risk of theft, which is one of the most common problems travellers face abroad.
Stay aware in crowds and tourist spots
Stay alert in busy areas, tourist attractions, public transport and nightlife spots, where crowds and distractions are exploited by pickpockets and scammers. Awareness of your surroundings and belongings is your best defence. Keeping your wits about you in the places where problems are most likely, and not being so absorbed in sightseeing or your phone that you lose track of your belongings and surroundings, helps you avoid theft and trouble. Simple vigilance in busy spots is one of the most effective safety habits.
Keep copies of important documents
Keep copies of important documents, such as your passport, insurance and emergency contacts, separately from the originals, both physical and digital, so you can access the details if anything is lost or stolen. This makes dealing with problems much easier. Our guide on emergency numbers abroad is a useful companion. Having backups of your key documents and information, stored apart from the originals, means that losing your passport or wallet is far less of a crisis, as you still have the details you need to sort things out.
Know the emergency numbers
Find out the local emergency numbers for your destination and how to get help, so you can act quickly if something goes wrong. These differ from the UK, so do not assume. Our guide on emergency numbers abroad explains who to call. Knowing in advance how to summon the emergency services or get help at your destination, and keeping the numbers accessible, means you can respond promptly in an emergency rather than wasting precious time working out who to call.
Use safe transport
Use safe, reputable transport, such as official taxis, licensed operators and recognised public transport, and be cautious of unofficial or unmarked vehicles. Knowing the safe options at your destination protects you, especially at night or when arriving somewhere new. Our guide on avoiding scams touches on transport scams. Choosing legitimate, safe transport rather than whatever is convenient, and being wary of unofficial offers, helps you avoid both safety risks and being overcharged, particularly in unfamiliar places where you do not know the local norms.
Avoid risky areas and times
Be sensible about where and when you go, avoiding areas known to be unsafe, particularly at night, and not wandering alone into unfamiliar or deserted places. Local advice and research help you know which areas to avoid. Sticking to safer, well-populated areas, especially after dark, and heeding any warnings about particular districts, reduces your exposure to risk. Using common sense about your surroundings and the time of day, as you might at home, is a simple but effective way to stay safe abroad.
Personal safety and drinks
Look after your personal safety, including being sensible with alcohol, not leaving drinks unattended, staying with people you trust, and being cautious about going off with strangers. Excess drinking and unfamiliar surroundings can increase vulnerability. Being mindful of your personal safety, particularly on nights out and in social situations abroad, and keeping your wits about you, helps you avoid risky situations. Looking after yourself and your companions, and not letting your guard down completely, is an important part of staying safe on holiday.
Have insurance and trust your instincts
Make sure you have travel insurance and your emergency contacts to hand, and trust your instincts, removing yourself from any situation that feels wrong. Our guide on whether you need travel insurance covers cover. Combining proper insurance and preparation with a willingness to listen to your instincts and avoid anything that feels unsafe gives you both practical protection and good judgement. Trusting that instinct, and acting on it by leaving uncomfortable situations, is often your best safety tool of all.
Let someone know your plans
It is wise to let someone at home know your travel plans and how to reach you, and to stay reachable yourself, so that in an emergency people know where you are and can help. Sharing your itinerary and keeping in touch provides a safety net. Our guide on emergency numbers abroad covers getting help. Making sure a trusted person knows your plans and can contact you, and keeping a means of communication available, means that if something goes wrong, you are not entirely on your own and help can be organised more easily.
Keep insurance details handy
Keep your travel insurance details and emergency assistance number accessible while travelling, separately from other documents, so you can reach help quickly if needed. In an emergency, having this information to hand saves valuable time. Our guide on whether you need travel insurance explains the cover. Carrying your insurance and emergency contact details where you can reach them, even if your main wallet is lost, ensures you can call for help and assistance promptly if something goes wrong abroad.
In short
To stay safe abroad, research your destination and check FCDO advice before and during your trip, protect your valuables and stay alert in crowds, and keep copies of important documents. Know the local emergency numbers, use safe transport, avoid risky areas and times, and look after your personal safety, including with alcohol. Have insurance and emergency contacts ready, let someone know your plans, and trust your instincts. This is general information, not a substitute for official advice, so check the guidance for your destination.
Find more in our Health & Safety Abroad guides.