Eric Michelson
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Travel Safety Apps: 4 You Should Download to Stay Safe and Sound
Voltaire once said, “The danger which is least expected soonest comes to us.”
We might not expect anything to go terribly wrong when we travel abroad. We’re on vacation! Life should be relaxing. All we have to focus on is seeing the best sites and eating amazing food, right?
Well, unfortunately, going abroad can also be a little scary.
There are all kinds of potential dangers to keep an eye out for, from scams and touts to disease outbreaks.
But if you have the right tools by your side, staying safe when traveling doesn’t have to be hard.
When you download travel safety apps, the dangers that Voltaire predicted can be effectively mitigated, and you can travel safely with the knowledge that you are protected from foreign hazards.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
How to Stay Safe When Traveling
Yes, downloading travel safety apps can be a lifesaver. But when traveling abroad, there are a few other steps you should take to stay safe.
- Blend in with the culture. Even though you’re a foreigner, it’s best if you don’t act like one. Don’t draw attention to yourself with loud outfits, expensive gadgets or anything else that might be construed as overtly “foreign.” If you can mix with the culture, the locals will see you as just another one of them, and you won’t be a target for potentially dangerous scams or robbers.
- Don’t be offensive. Understand the culture you’re entering before you go there. Each country has its own set of morals and ethics, and you should know what they are and respect them. If the locals think you’re disrespecting them and their culture, they’ll be more inclined to harm, lie to and steal from you.
- Learn the language. People who can speak the local language fare far better in terms of travel security than those who don’t. If locals see you speaking the language, they’ll stop seeing you as a “dumb tourist” and start seeing you as someone who is aware of the culture and your surroundings. The local language will also help you get around more easily and avoid places that locals know are dangerous.
Travel Safety Apps: 4 You Should Download to Stay Safe and Sound
Sitata Travel Safe
Calling themselves “the most comprehensive travel safety app on the planet,” Sitata Travel Safe is committed to helping you prepare for and take care of of potential problems.
It monitors the world for safety threats, disease outbreaks, violent protests and anything else that might be hazardous during your travels. It ranks locations based on safety ratings and highlights regions with increased levels of risk.
If something dangerous occurs while you’re traveling, the app will send an alert to your phone to keep you updated.
Sitata also helps you avoid travel scams by letting travelers share their reviews of certain places and activities.
With this app, you can search for nearby hospitals and receive up-to-date location and contact information for all local emergency services.
Sitata will even access your personal health information and give vaccination and medical recommendations based on your travel plans. This way, you can guarantee that you take all the necessary precautions when traveling to an area with a disease you could be prone to catching.
Sitata is free.
NordVPN
Having a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when traveling abroad is necessary if you want to stay safe when using the internet, especially if you’re using an overseas public Wi-Fi spot.
A VPN takes your internet traffic and reroutes it through an independent server. This way, whatever you do online stays hidden from anyone trying to access your browsing data via your I.P. address.
Internet passwords, credit card numbers or any other sensitive information become completely invisible to anyone attempting to spy on your browsing habits.
When doing anything on the internet, especially in countries where internet security isn’t well-regulated, a VPN is the only way to make sure that your information remains anonymous and secure.
NordVPN is a fast, secure and affordable VPN solution. Its features are robust, and it offers a lot of added security and protection that many other VPNs don’t.
NordVPN costs $6.99 – $11.95 per month, depending on the plan.
bSafe
bSafe helps your friends and family act as a support system so you’re always safe.
The app sends a live video and audio stream to your selected contacts any time you activate the app via voice alarm. Whenever you feel threatened, simply say your “SOS” activation phrase and the app will start up. Your selected contacts will then receive an alarm on their devices and be able to see your GPS location on a map.
They can see and hear everything that’s happening via your phone’s camera and microphone for up to five minutes.
Your phone also makes loud siren noises to scare away any perpetrators.
Most importantly, everything gets recorded in real time. So even if the assailant steals your phone, then entire fiasco will still be recorded and can be retroactively accessed.
But in order for this app to fully function properly, you need to be able to send real-time audio and video via the internet. So make sure you have a SIM card with a data plan that works in your location.
bSafe is free.
CloseCircle
CloseCircle claims to be “your personal virtual bodyguard.”
This app from a British-based security firm provides an all-inclusive suite of personal protection. It gives real-time suggestions and support from security experts in cases of danger.
CloseCircle gives you up-to-date travel advice and security information so you know what you’re getting into before and during your travels.
The app provides continual location tracking and monitoring by security professionals. In case of an emergency, simply tap the “SOS” button to receive immediate assistance.
This panic button alerts security professionals who are standing by and monitoring your safety 24/7. They will then contact you and alert your family and friends that there’s a problem. In the rare event of kidnapping or wrongful detention, CloseCircle will provide specialist intervention to help deal with these issues.
My favorite thing about CloseCircle is the emergency evacuation service. They’ll evacuate you for free from any location if you are in a physically dangerous of life-threatening situation, such as an extreme weather event or an imminent terrorist attack.
CloseCircle is backed by a full insurance policy, so there’s never any risk that these expenses won’t be completely covered.
CloseCircle operates on an annual membership fee of £195 (254 USD) per person, £349 (455 USD) for a couple and £595 (775 USD) for a family of up to six people.
When you travel around the world, you need to make sure you’re being a smart traveler and staying safe.
You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you or anyone else is in danger. And if you do find yourself in one of those tight spots, you need to be able to figure out how to get out of them.
Check out these four travel safety apps to ensure that wherever you go in the world, you stay safe and secure!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Eric Michelson is a nomadic, philosophizing, peace-minded pluralist. He hopes to help bridge the divide between the diverse factions of the world by exploring various perspectives brought on by personal experience. You can follow Perspective Earth to learn more about him and his work.
