Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making

To ultimately enjoy your holiday, people often than not tend to turn glaringly carefree. Most of the time, this same happy-go-lucky attitude tends lands them in some kind of predicament.

To know some of the common overseas problems will help you to avoid issues in the future. So here are some of the usual travel mistakes people commit when in another country.

Drinking tap water

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Katherine JohnsonCC BY 2.0

A country’s economic situation is definitely not comparative to the cleanliness of its water. Some countries put chemicals in it or it’s just simply contaminated. That’s why, you should not forget to research the tap water situation before drinking it or else you might just spend the rest of your vacation recovering in your hotel… or a hospital room.

Culture sensitivity

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Jesslee CuizonCC BY 2.0

What you may think is a perfect thing to do, may not be so okay in the country you are visiting. To forget that you have left your country is one of the usual blunders that tourists commit.

Don’t ever assume that you know something; ask and try to learn the basic customs of your destination before you go.

Appearing like a tourist

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Klearchos KapoutsisCC BY 2.0

New dresses, pants, shirts, shoes, bags and gadgets are just way too expensive and special to keep at home. You can wear what you actually want to wear, but wait! Travelling in another country looking like a tourist is just inviting cons and thieves to swarm.

Being Rude

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Michael MolCC BY 2.0

Wherever you are in the world, being rude is inherently wrong. But impoliteness in another country is considerably paramount. You need to try to be courteous in the odd chance it saves you from from being mauled by the locals.

Careless sexual encounters

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Indi SamarajivaCC BY 2.0

Again, this is a universal problem. Many governments have implemented initiatives to alleviate the ceaseless spreading of various sexually transmitted diseases. When people go to other countries, part of the adventure might be to have a one-night stand and what not.

Control that excitement, be responsible and cautious.

Negligent of local laws

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: zoetnetCC BY 2.0

Some cities in a country might have laws that prohibit you from doing something that can be freely done in your country or in other cities of that same nation. For instance, smoking in public places is prohibited in certain cities and violating these rules might result in a fine.

Research before you go; also look around and observe your surroundings.

Befriending and trusting random people

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Michiel JelijsCC BY 2.0

Making friends with the locals is absolutely okay, but putting too much trust in people you just met (like taking them to your hotel room), is all sorts of dangerous.

Always stop and be wary that they may be cons and thieves, just waiting for the perfect time to steal.

Not knowing the current currency exchange rate

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Refracted Moments™ – CC BY 2.0

Money is your lifeline while travelling, so knowledge of the foreign currency exchange rates is extremely valuable in knowing how far your money will go. Falling short of cash and being ripped off while exchanging money are some of the things you want to avoid while away.

Not bringing any ID

Common Travel Mistakes To Avoid Making
By: Francis VieiraCC BY 2.0

You should not forget, (or intentionally leave) any identification that you can conveniently carry in your wallet. You simply have no idea of what might happen, so taking your ID, calling cards and credit cards will help out a lot when bad things happen.

Is there any other advice you have for your fellow travellers? Have you ever had any issues while overseas? (I sure have) Please let us know in the comments below!

About the author

Michael Jones

Created and runs the Holiday Point travel brand, incorporating a network of 9 location based travel information and attraction websites around Australia. With 15 years of online experience, Michael not only writes content for the website and is the face of social media, he also tinkers behind the scenes with the website functionality & design.

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