Although travel is one of the most enjoyable things that you can do with your time, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come without its challenges and drawbacks.  Depending on where you’re traveling to, you may be more likely to be a victim of crime.

Some places in the world are known for being full of pickpockets and thieves, or people who will try to take advantage of you in a variety of other ways.  It’s important to be smart in order to avoid this happening to you. Here are some of the best ways that you can protect yourself, and steer clear of crime.

Don’t Wear Expensive Items

Even though you may want to bring all of your favorite items of clothing and show off your lovely jewelry while traveling, it’s probably smart to leave your expensive items at home.

When you are in an area which is known for targeting people for theft, it’s important to keep a low profile.  This is done by keeping your valuable items back at home and only bringing things which are of minimal importance on your travels.  No matter how attached you are to your items and as much as you may want to wear them on your trip, it’s simply not worth the risk.

Keep Your Valuables and Documents Close To Your Body

When traveling it’s important to keep your valuables attached to your body.  If you leave your credit cards and passport hanging loose in your purse or jacket, then you are running the risk of getting pick-pocketed in heavy traffic areas.

Many people make the mistake of believing that this could never happen to them.  Unfortunately, pick-pocketing is more common than you think.

Keeping your eye on your important items while roaming around a busy area can start to take up all your attention.  If you’re focusing all of your energy on making sure that your purse is still on your shoulder then you may miss out on the joy of sightseeing.

Rather than having to constantly survey your loose items, keep them in a travelers pouch around your neck tucked under your shirt or around your waist.

Use The Safe In Your Hotel

If you’re staying in the hotel which has a safe in the room, be sure to take advantage of this amenity.  Many travel experts recommend making a photocopy of your passport to carry around with you while outside of your hotel and keeping your passport safely locked up.

This way you still carry around your identity in case you have issues, but your main copy remains at home where you know it’s safe and not in danger of disappearing.