Are you going international for spring break this year?
International travel is an incredible opportunity to learn about different cultures and explore new places.
But when traveling to a country outside the U.S., there are certain safety precautions you'll want to remember.
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Here are 11 safety tips to keep in mind if you are traveling internationally for spring break this year.
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If you are traveling internationally for spring break, keep these travel tips in mind. (iStock)
- Book a reputable hotel
- Remember beach safety
- Figure out transportation plans, especially if you're drinking
- Be cautious of the ATM
- Keep an eye on the weather forecast
- Avoid posting personal details and whereabouts on social media
- Keep your valuables safe, including your passport and other identification
- Use the buddy system and look out for each other
- Learn the laws of the country you are going to and memorize some emergency words
- Try not to act like a tourist, even though you are one
- Be aware of travel advisories
1. Book a reputable hotel
Booking a safe, reliable hotel is important, whether you're traveling within the United States or to a different country. You can lower your chance of any unwanted surprises when you arrive at your hotel by taking a look at the reviews beforehand.
This should give you a fairly good idea of the kind of place you might choose. You can also scroll through pictures and see what people have rated the hotel.
It's also wise to try to book a hotel that is in a location close to where you plan on visiting during your trip, according to the American Safety Council. With most things in walking distance, you won't have to worry too much about finding rides from location to location.
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The ideal floors to be on when staying in a hotel, according to the site, are between the second and fourth floor. Being on the ground level leaves you more susceptible to a break-in compared to those on higher levels. On the other hand, if you're too high up in the building, it could be more difficult to reach the bottom if a fire were to happen.
2. Remember beach safety
During the month of March, beaches around the world are heavily congested with spring breakers.
Make sure to choose a beach with lifeguards on duty. Drink lots of water throughout the day to keep yourself from getting dehydrated in the hot sun.
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Avoid going too deep into the water and be aware of rip tide. If you happen to get stuck in a rip tide, the American Safety Council recommends swimming parallel to the beach instead of against the tide, as that will cause exhaustion very quickly.
Always keep beach safety tips in mind, like wearing plenty of sunscreen and not venturing too deep into the ocean. (iStock)
While at the beach, the pool or outside in general, make sure to wear sunscreen at all times. T
ry to skip overindulging in drinking, especially while in the sun.
3. Figure out transportation plans, especially if you are drinking
Make sure you have plans for how you'll travel once you reach your destination. If you intend on consuming alcohol, you'll especially want to make sure you have a ride.
4. Be cautious of the ATM
While taking cash out at the ATM, be aware of your surroundings. Check to make sure there isn't anyone lurking while you type in your information and retrieve the cash.
The American Safety Council recommends that people not carry too much cash and pay with a credit card as much as possible. If people see you paying with cash, it may be assumed that you have a lot of it — and you could become a target.
5. Keep an eye on the weather forecast
Make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast while on your trip. If you frequently check the forecast, you can plan accordingly and avoid getting caught in a storm or dangerous weather situation.
6. Avoid posting personal details and whereabouts on social media
It can be very tempting to post all sorts of details about your getaway with your social media followers, but be sure not to overshare.
Be cautious of posting your exact locations on social media during your vacation. Instead, save posting until you've returned. (iStock)
Keep your exact whereabouts to yourself and avoid putting specific information on your social media accounts. Post all the fun places you visited after your trip — to avoid being found while you're there.
7. Keep your valuables safe, including your passport and other identification
Keep all your valuables either on your person or locked up in a safe in your room. This includes your phone, wallet, passport and any other identification.
You'll need to exit the country easily when your vacation ends. Make sure this is possible by keeping identification hidden at all times.
8. Use the buddy system and look out for each other
If you're traveling in a group, keep an eye on each other. Don't walk around alone and always try to be with at least one other person at all times.
Walking around and finding adventures can be tempting to do alone, but you should avoid this while in another country.
9. Learn the laws of the country you are going to and memorize some emergency words
Before you head to a different country, do some research on the laws in the country you are going to. Since every country has different laws, it is important to know how they differ from the United States. Make sure that you know the emergency number for the country that you are in.
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In addition to this, if you're traveling to a non-English-speaking country, ADT recommends familiarizing yourself with some emergency words in the language the country uses, so you can communicate if you need to, at least minimally.
10. Try not to act like a tourist, even though you are one
Even though you are a tourist, ADT recommends you don't make it overly obvious that you are.
Even if you are a tourist, try not to stand out as one. (iStock)
Being a tourist could make you a target — so try to blend in with the locals to some extent.
11. Be aware of travel advisories
Travel advisories are issued by the U.S. government on a scale of 1 to 4.
If a country receives a 1, then it is advised to exercise normal precautions. The U.S. State Department notes that any international travel has some risk involved, since the conditions in other countries may vary from the U.S.
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If a country you are visiting has a travel advisory of 2, you should exercise increased caution when traveling there. A travel advisory of 3 means to reconsider traveling to that destination, since there are serious risks to safety and security. Lastly, if a country has a 4, the U.S. government advises that travelers do not travel to that destination because of the life-threatening risks at hand. The U.S. government may be very limited in their ability to provide help to you should you find yourself in trouble, according to the State Department.
Before traveling to an international destination, it's important to see what the travel advisory is for that country to make sure it is safe for you to visit.
These numbers are updated, so make sure to check before traveling to your destination.
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