Top 3 Travel Safety Backpacking Tips

If you are planning a backpacking trip in the near future, then it is vital that you prepare yourself to ensure that you are completely safe while travelling. To ensure you have a memorable and enjoyable time on your trip, you should take a look at the following travel safety tips for backpackers. This will provide you with all the information you need to feel secure when abroad. 

Always plan ahead

One of the most important steps for safe travel should occur well before you step on the plane, starting with your passport. Before you do anything, make sure you check the expiry date on your passport, as an out-of-date passport will not be accepted in any airport around the world.

Checking your travel documents is one of the most important travel safety tips

Some countries require travellers to have at least six months left on their passport from the entrance date. If your passport has run out or you have less than six months until the expiry, make sure you apply for a new passport at least three months before travelling to be on the safe side.

You may also require a visa to gain admittance into the country you are visiting. Of course, this will depend on where in the world you are travelling to, as some destinations are more lenient than others.

One country that does require a visa is the United States. If you are taking a backpacking trip to the US, you will need to obtain an ESTA before your trip. This applies to 38 countries, including the UK, EU countries, Australia, New Zealand and more. If your country is not listed, you will need to apply for a B-2 tourist visa which will grant you six months of travel access across the US. 

Protect yourself

When backpacking, you protect yourself at all times. This is especially important right now, with the COVID pandemic spreading around the world. While travel is restricted, there will be a time when borders are lifted, and backpacking trips will begin again.

When this occurs, you need to ensure that you maintain excellent hygiene standards by washing your hands regularly and keeping a compact hand sanitiser nearby at all times. It would help if you looked up the guidelines regarding COVID for each place you visit by checking the destination’s government or embassy website.

Travel Safety Tips in the age of Coronavirus

By sticking to the guidelines and maintaining good hygiene habits, you can significantly reduce your chances of getting sick. However, we are all human beings, and sometimes we get sick, especially when travelling, as this could result in reduced sleep, which may affect your immune system.

To prevent any problems with illness, you should purchase travel insurance which will cover you if you need to visit a doctor or require medication. It will also protect you financially if you suffer an injury such as a broken ankle. If you are hospitalised and miss a flight, having travel insurance will be a God’s send, as this will prevent you from splashing out on a new flight.

Watch what you eat and drink

It may seem like obvious advice, but maintaining a balanced diet is one of the most important travel safety tips when backpacking. Sometimes the distraction of sightseeing and meeting new people can result in missed meals or an unhealthy diet, which can leave you feeling lethargic or even ill.

Some people may think eating a balanced diet means you must eat healthy at all times, but this is not the case after all your backpacking trip should be all about fun and treating yourself to local food is part of that. However, you should try to be careful, especially if you have a weak stomach, as some foods may not agree with you, resulting in sickness.

Staying hydrated is also a massive must, especially if you are travelling to hot destinations. To ensure you keep on top of your water intake, you should pack a few reusable water bottles which you can put in your backpack or clip to your side while hiking, exploring and sightseeing.

Travel Safety Tips and COVID

Now you have all the travel safety tips you need for an exciting and super secure backpacking trip, why not look at our article on COVID-19 and backpacking. This guide will offer all the tips you need to stay sane before you can start travelling around the world again.

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Planning a holiday in 2021 – UK and abroad

You may want nothing more than to book a getaway for this year. Due to the pandemic, many of us had to postpone or cancel holidays in 2020 as travel restrictions put our wanderlust on hold. However, with the rollout of vaccines, many are feeling much more positive about booking an adventure this year. Whether you’re planning to stay and explore parts of the UK or head away for some sun, sand or even snow, here are some top tips to help you with planning a holiday in 2021.

Check advice from the Foreign Office

Before you book anything, you’ll need to check the Foreign Office travel advice page. If they warn against any non-essential travel to the destination you’d like to go to, it’s likely your trip will get cancelled and your insurance won’t cover you.

Take a look at the advice available before you book and keep an eye out for any changes that may happen. If you’ve booked a trip months in advance, the travel provider will most likely wait until a week or two before you’re due to depart before cancelling, just in case the advice changes before then.

On the FCDO page you’ll also see whether the country you’re travelling to is on the travel corridor list, and whether or not you’ll need to quarantine on your return.

Make sure your booking has a flexible booking policy

Let’s face it, the world can change in a moment’s notice. During the pandemic, most travel providers, airlines and cruise ships introduced more flexible booking rules. These allow you to amend the details of your holiday at no extra cost, for example if you want to change the departure and return dates.

Many airlines have also temporarily waived their flight change fee too, which means you’ll be able to alter these details if the pandemic forces you to stay at home a bit longer. It’s well worth checking that your holiday provider has a more flexible booking policy in place, as changing information can be quite costly!

Consider a package holiday

A package holiday can often offer much more reassurance and protection where your money is concerned. Many companies have ATOL-protected holidays. This means that if the firm you’ve booked with goes under, you’ll be refunded your holiday cost.

Check your travel insurance

Travel insurance is a must at the best of times, and even more right now. Many policies will have changed or been amended during the pandemic, factoring in a whole host of new things such as medical costs related to COVID-19, or if you have to quarantine.

Most companies will cover some coronavirus situations, but make sure you check the fine print or speak to a member of their team to clarify everything in writing before you travel.

Flexibility is everything

Let’s face it, whether you’re staying in the UK or travelling abroad, we’re all going to have to be more flexible. Not only with where we holiday to, but what dates we pick and what type of accommodation we stay in.

The world of travel is changing every day, and it’s important to make sure you’re prepared. Whether that means you step up your financial preparation, or that you have more documentation to take with you than in previous years, there will be plenty to think about before planning a holiday in 2021.

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