Staying safe doesn’t require being paranoid or overly suspicious of people.  You can take a few simple precautions while still enjoying your vacation.  With a little bit of common sense you can keep yourself and your stuff protected.  Though crime statistics vary by country, region, city, and even by districts within the same city, the guidelines for safety are generally the same.  In general, be aware of your surroundings and have a backup plan.

Keeping a list of important phone numbers can also be useful in case something does go wrong.  Always have important numbers written down as your cell phone may not always be charged in an emergency.  Likewise it’s a good idea to have a prepaid phone card in case your phone is out of commission during an emergency.

A first aid kit can also go a long way with small emergencies.  Traveling can agitate many people’s stomachs, so Imodium, Pepto, or some other stomach medication is a much.  Band-aids are also always handy.

Don’t forget to tell people at home where you are going and/or how to get in contact with you.  Leaving behind photocopies of important travel documents with family is a good way to do this as well as protecting against theft or loss of your original documents.  Emailing yourself these photocopies also helps with the latter.