When planning a trip overseas a little bit of research can save you an enormous amount of embarrassment, and money. The number of Brits arrested abroad rises every year, and no-one wants to spend their holiday in a foreign prison or incur heavy fines because they’ve upset the local populace by flouting local customs and by-laws.
Here are our top tips for avoiding encounters with the law abroad;
It is important that you familiarise yourself with local laws and customs before you go away. For the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), check our handy Know before you go page.
Modern travellers rely on their mobile phones not just for games and apps, but as a means of communication. However, just bringing your mobile phone along for your travels does not necessarily mean you will be able to stay in touch, or contact anyone in an emergency.
Here are our tops tips to make sure you stay in contact abroad;
Some of these points may seem over cautious, however if you do face an emergency abroad, you will soon realise how much you need to rely on your phone. Your travel insurer will always endeavour to help you if you face a medical emergency, however communication can easily break down if they cannot contact you.
Safe travels!
Going on a solo trip can seem like a frightening experience. However, some people may find it to be one of the most enjoyable experiences of their life. Travelling alone means you don’t have anyone else influencing your decisions, preferences or plans and you can truly indulge yourself in new experiences. Of course, there are safety risks associated with travelling alone so make sure you stay smart on your travels and still have fun.
While it can be tempting to dress like a tourist and carry a guide book around wherever you go, try not to come across as someone who has no idea where they are going. This can give you an air of vulnerability and make you a target for unsavoury people. Act like you blend in and are not new to the area.
Walking with confidence and purpose will make you look as though you know the area well, even if you don’t. Keep your wits about you and try to avoid making yourself a target. If you are lost, don’t be afraid to ask for directions but imply you are meeting somebody at your destination so it doesn’t become apparent that you are travelling alone.
Travelling solo often means you fall victim to the single supplement. Often applying to hotels, the supplement can mean you end up paying up to twice as much as someone who’s travelling with a partner. There are companies that offer room-mate services whereby you are paired up with someone in your room and don’t have to pay the supplement. This can save you a fortune but do your research to find out who you will be sharing a room with.
There are some people who say travelling alone will be lonely but that absolutely doesn’t have to be the case. When it comes to eating out, don’t be afraid to talk to the restaurant staff. They will give you a real insight to the local area and may introduce you to some new friends along the way.
If you feel awkward eating alone, you can always order room service or take a book along with you. There will probably be ex-pat bars in a lot of places so if you are feeling uncomfortable then head for one of these to feel a bit more relaxed.
You might find yourself feeling drained after a while into your trip. Constantly having to be vigilant to your surroundings can start to feel exhausting after a few weeks so consider taking a step back when this happens. Put your itinerary on hold for a couple of days and slow things down. You might even want to remove a few things from your travel plans and check into a spa for a day or two. It’ll let you recharge you batteries and remove some of your worries for a while.
However long you are away for, make sure you touch base with family and friends regularly. Give them a detailed version of your itinerary before you leave and try to call, email or text every other day so that they know you are safe. While it’s not likely that anything bad will happen, making regular contact will put their minds at rest and also ensure you keep in touch with the people you left back at home.
Having your belongings stolen is a traumatic and upsetting experience that can happen to anyone. When you’re travelling, there is a chance that you will become the victim of theft, but there are things you can do to cut down on the risk and potentially make you feel safer while you’re away. Read more
The World is an intriguing place with an abundance of natural beauty and unexplainable evolution. We have been gifted thumping waterfalls, expansive canyons and exquisite reefs. Many of which have been turned into desirable tourist attractions and must-see places. Some would describe them as bucket-list-style destinations, but how about the lesser-known places that are yet to be thrust under the spotlight? Here is our pick of 10 incredible places you have never heard of…
This beautiful nineteenth-century castle sits elegantly atop a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria. Intended as a personal refuge for King Ludwig II it was opened to the public after his death in 1886.
If you think the look of this castle looks strangely familiar you maybe recognise it as the main inspiration behind Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Attracting over 1.3 million visitors annually, this is one of the better-known destinations on this list, but is still well worth an inclusion.
300 metres below the surface of Chihuahua in Mexico lays one of the most amazing natural formations ever discovered. Caves containing the largest selenite crystals ever found, reaching 11 metres in length and 4 metres wide.
These crystals are believed to have formed some 500,000 years ago with the help of underground magma deposits, heating the water in the caves to a blistering 50°C.
Unfortunately for most, the closest you will get to these fascinating structures are the pictures. Since their discovery in 2000 they have been off limits to the general public, not only for their preservation, but also due to the fact this is an extremely dangerous cave.
Razor sharp rocks, scalding water and heat so unbearable that those who enter can only withstand several minutes before risking passing out (and in some cases dying)
While this is truly a place of beauty, it is one best admired from afar.
The world’s largest salt flats, located in the Potosí and Oruro departments in southwest Bolivia.
This stunning landscape covers some 12,000 sq km (4633 sq mi) the remaining lake was part of a prehistoric salt lake which once covered most of southwest Bolivia.
This destination has long attracted tourists due to the mirrored effect given by the flats against the clear blue sky and it is certainly an awe-inspiring sight. If you are planning on backpacking in South America this should definitely be on your list.
Dubbed “The Door to Hell” this is a truly terrifying sight, a burning pit in the middle of the Karakum Desert, 230ft wide and 66ft deep which has been raging for the past 40 years, this may not sound like the most inviting of destinations but it is certainly one you will never forget.
The site came about after a Soviet outpost was set up to drill for natural gas in the area. After the initial success of discovering the gas resources; the ground beneath the camp collapsed, having been swallowed into an enormous crater. Amazingly no lives were lost in the accident but they now faced the environmental issue of the large amount of methane gas which was being released from the site.
The decision was made to “burn out” the gas, by setting it alight and burning off the remaining gas, it was expected the gas would burn out after several weeks, but more than four decades later the fire is still burning.
Mount Roraima is the highest point in the Pakaraima mountain chain of Tepui Plateau in South America. The plateau boasts borders with Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana with 1,300ft cliffs on all sides.
Since the first recorded person to scale the plateau in 1884 it has become a popular destination for backpackers and hikers. Most hikers who attempt the climb take two days to reach the base of the mountain, then another day to follow the “La Rampa” a natural staircase-like path up to the top.
This is a serious climb and should not be attempted lightly. If you want to reach the top you should take one of the many tours available for tourists.
One of the oldest and biggest step wells in the world, Chand Baori looks like a geometry puzzle.
Built during the 8th and 9th centuries by King Chanda, it provided the surrounding areas with a reliable water source for centuries before modern water systems were introduced to the area.
No longer in use, the site is an incredible place to visit to inspect the precision and scale of this 1,000-year-old structure. With steps on 3 sides of the well and the fourth boasting a set of pavilions built one atop another and even a royal residence for the King and Queen and a stage for performing arts this is truly a magnificent place to visit.
Protruding from the Pacific Ocean, this uninhabited volcanic island is a breathtaking sight.
Boat trips are available to get up close to the natural stone spire and the other formations in the area. The nearby island also offers beautiful wildlife and stunning waterfalls.
Once inhabited by the Ainu, they believed there are vast amounts of gold under the islands. While this is obviously up for debate, this is still a beautiful place to visit.
“The eye candy of Zhangye” is a range of beautiful maintains offering a kaleidoscope of stunning colours. The Danxia landform is rich with unusual rock formations and colours which have contributed to its popularity over the years.
Formed some 6 million years ago, the mountain gained its current exterior thanks to the erosion of the soft sandstone. Vivid red orange and yellow layers can be seen sweeping through the hills.
The national park offers viewing platforms for the best areas to see what Danxia has to offer, a range of tourist buses and sightseeing cars are available inside the park to ensure you see everything it has to offer.
To those who know it, Keahiakawelo is better named the ‘Garden of the Gods’. A rock garden that looks scarily similar to that of a sci-fi movie set. It is located in the Northwest region of Lanai and is made up of boulders and towers of rock. Head over here at dusk to get the most inspiring views of rock towers, spires and formations, created by centuries of erosion. They will glow in exceptional reds and purples. If the weather prevails, you can see the island of Oahu from the high elevations created. The sweep of red rock gardens against a backdrop of the ocean creates stunning sweeping views.
Be warned, that this location is only accessible via a 4-wheel drive and the removal or stacking of rocks found here is forbidden.
If you are looking for somewhere a bit further off the beaten track, or away from the usual backpacker and travelling destinations, we recommend doing a bit of further research and having some travel stories to really brag about…These are some of the most beautiful, untouched and quintessential destinations on the World map…
If you’re an animal lover, you have probably felt one of the following;
If you’re passionate about wildlife and travelling, then a wildlife conservation project could be the perfect adventure for you this year.
Whether you are interested in marine conservation in Madagascar, protecting primates in Costa Rica or helping big cats in South Africa, there is a charity project to suit you. According to WWF there are only around;
This is simply a short list, but there are so many endangered animals that are at risk of extinction or harm. Therefore any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated by the charities that are fighting to protect endangered or threated creatures.
You can research charity projects online which will normally plan the entire trip for you. Just make sure that you fully research the website, charity and country you are visiting, to make sure you get the correct vaccinations and travel insurance for working with animals.
If you want to truly immerse yourself in a culture abroad, or if you are interested in helping a specific community, then a Community Volunteering Project will be perfect for you.
A community project is the best way to learn about a certain culture whilst you live and work there. By working with these people you will be helping the less fortunate and making sure their way of life survives and thrives.
There are hundreds of communities in need of volunteers, whether you want to work in hospital clinics in Africa or teach children in Brazil, your help will be priceless to these communities. In turn they will reward you by accepting you into their community and educating you on their way of life.
Once you have worked on a community volunteering project, the people, country and project will remain close to your heart forever. You are guaranteed to have an amazing but sobering experience.
Most Backpacker and Longstay travellers plan their adventures around chances to experience other cultures and ways of life, and unsurprisingly many find themselves seeking work within local communities, either for experience or money.
WWOOFing or ‘World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms’, is basically an exchange programme where people who are interested in agriculture or nature can travel abroad and volunteer for a farm or small holding. In return for hard work, the WWOOF hosts provide food, lodgings and of course the opportunity to learn.
When you start your WWOOFing adventure, you will travel to live with your hosts for a period of time decided by you both, for example you could stop by for three days during a backpacking trip, or you could stay for six months. On average, people usually decide to stay for a couple of weeks, during which time you will be expected to join in with the activities of the host, working around 6 hours a day to pay for your lodgings.
WWOOF programmes are now available throughout the world, and are a great way to travel, learn about a specific culture, and different approaches to agriculture. You could work on a vineyard in France, or harvest mangoes in Bangladesh – the world is your oyster!
The range of activities and jobs available is astounding; you could potentially find yourself…
Imagine adding those to your CV! The first step is to decide where you want to travel, and what activity you want to participate in or learn more about.
For more information about how to apply for a specific activity, farm or destination, visit WWOOFInternational.org.
Volunteering in another country is an amazing experience. Not only will you be offering genuine help to a less fortunate community, you will also meet some wonderful people, have the opportunity to travel and gain priceless life and CV experience. Read more
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The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has up-to-date advice on staying safe abroad, see gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. FCDO Travel Advice can change so check regularly for the latest information and sign up to email alerts for your destination. For more general travel information, visit the FCDO Travel Aware website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk.
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