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Travel Aware

Staying safe and healthy abroad

Advice for going abroad

Stick with your mates.

Going abroad with your mates is all about having fun. Lounging by the pool, catching the rays and partying into the early hours.   

It should be a trip you want to remember for the right reasons.

Sadly, for a small number of Brits, their holiday ends in a hospital ward or a police station.  

But we are here to share with you a few simple tips that can help you have a holiday to remember, not one to forget.  

Here are five things that can help prevent things going wrong on the strip:

Friends don’t leave friends behind.

Serious incidents often happen after drinking alcohol when you are alone and isolated.

◊ TIP: Stick with your mates throughout the night. Stay in contact and if you’re staying at the same accommodation, go home together.

Drinking abroad can be different than back in the UK. The quality and measurements of alcohol can be larger, cheaper and deals can result in you being drunk quicker than intended.

Drinks spiking can also take place on holiday. Spiking is adding alcohol or drugs to someone’s drink without them knowing.

S piking is commonly used to distract you from theft or impair you before an assault .

◊TIP: Do not leave your drink unattended and do not accept drinks from complete strangers. This is the best strategy to prevent the possibility of your drink being spiked.

◊TIP: Consume water in-between alcoholic drinks. This will help pace you throughout the night and help keep you hydrated.

◊ TIP: Drink at your own pace. Everyone’s tolerance to alcohol is different. Consider avoiding rounds or having a break from drinking alcohol if you are feeling uneasy.

Remembering where to go at the end of the night can be tougher than you think. It’s a new environment, a different climate, and drinking alcohol could make this harder.

TIP: Keep details of your accommodation on you. Consider taking a screenshot of the hotel’s address before going out. Or ask reception if they have an address card you can take and store in your wallet.

◊ TIP: Use messaging apps to set up a group chat. This way you can send your location to your friends if you get lost or check they are safe if you lose them.

It is easy to get lost in a foreign country. Add alcohol and sun and it’s now even easier to get lost.

◊ TIP: If you are on the strip, before your first big night, familiarise yourself with the area. Exploring your surroundings will help you remember where you are later.

◊ TIP: Agree a meeting place in case you lose your friends and cannot get in contact (e.g. phone out of battery or lost etc.)

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is important. It provides protection and coverage for unexpected events that can happen on holiday. Travel insurance can cover a range of scenarios, such as:

• medical emergencies and repatriation
• lost or stolen baggage
• trip cancellations or interruptions
• natural disasters

You must purchase insurance cover that is appropriate for your travel plans. Travelling without the right cover can be very expensive if things do go wrong while you are abroad.

There are many reasons why travel insurance may be invalidated.

If you buy a basic policy that does not provide enough medical coverage, you may get a big bill if you have an unexpected health issue on holiday.

You may buy a policy that does not cover your planned holiday activities such as water sports or quad biking; or does not cover cancellations or delays. If you’re injured doing activities, or your trip is disrupted, you may have a big bill to pay.

So, before you go on holiday, you can do some small things in only a few minutes which could save you a lot of money.

You must declare all pre-existing medical conditions when buying travel insurance. If you already have cover, you should check that your list of medical conditions is up to date before each trip abroad.

Failure to do this could mean your claim is rejected if you have a medical emergency while travelling.

Therefore you must be honest about any medical conditions you have, to avoid risking a big bill.

Check your policy to see what you need to declare. Medical conditions can include, but are not limited to:

• heart conditions
• high blood pressure
• respiratory conditions (such as asthma)
• mental health conditions
• any form of cancer

When buying travel insurance, consider the type of coverage you need. If you intend to engage in adventure activities, like quad-biking or water sports, you may need specific insurance cover. Check your policy before you travel to make sure all your activities are covered.

Make sure you buy travel insurance that covers the entire duration of your holiday. Some insurance policies have a limit on the amount of time you can be abroad; if you exceed it, your policy may be invalidated.

You may assume you will not need to be brought home for medical reasons whilst on holiday. But, if you become ill or injured while travelling, you may need to be transported to hospital, or back to the UK, for treatment. Medical evacuations can cost thousands of pounds.

Check your policy covers medical evacuation before travelling. This is especially important if your trip includes adventure activities like climbing, quad-biking or water sports.

Before you go on holiday, share your insurance policy details with travel companions, and friends or family at home. This can be helpful in case they need to contact your insurance company on your behalf, if you get into trouble abroad.

When you travel, take a paper copy of your insurance policy with you. If you lose your phone abroad, this paper copy will provide the information you need, including your policy number and insurer’s emergency 24 hour telephone number.

More information

Travel advice

More travel insurance info

Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

Travel checklist

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
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Warnings and insurance

Before you travel.

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:  

• women travellers
• disabled travellers
• LGBT+ travellers
• solo and independent travel
• volunteering and adventure travel

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and  get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out  more about  FCDO  travel advice .

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